The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-30
GREAT PROBLEMS FOR HER NATIONS.

| thank God for the different denom-
pna'ions. Religion can no more be
trusted with power than anything
Confucfanismf without Interference
has done little for China. Buddhism
has failed to lift the Japanese, Mo-
dddM noaeo shrd hrd hrdiuSTRD
hammadanism had degraded Asia,
Christianity has been as corrupt as
any other religion when II has been
supported by the government with
autocratic power. Wherever a state
Church either Protestant or Catholic
has existed the redigion of Jesus has
suffered, The different denomina-
lions of christendom have unity with
diversity and the diversity has done
all to preserve vitalized unity The
Methodis's have helped the Baptists.
the Baptists have helped Preshyter-
ians and every one has helped the
other, Competition in religion like
everything else. is essential to the
purity and development of the indi-
vidual. as well as the whole body.
The world can only grow in the at
mosphcre OF individual freedom
where every man stands on his own
merits and is allowed to do his own
thinking Preachers in community
where there is no UNCONVENTIONAL
| competition become lazy prayerless
pulpit and in pew where each man
has his own conviction and earnestly
contends for the thing that he be-
| lieves Is right. ! can think OF moth
ing that would bring greater disaster
to the American people than an au-
tocrat in politics. a czar In religion. a
corporate wealth destroying .aeT1fEse~
tftion or an organizatio ton taking away
the individual rights of the man who
n n r. lilo I'D Il
ual must be exalted. Competition
must be kept open. Power of every
kind and in every department of life
must be decen rallied and the merit
system for every man, no matter what
his calling or occupation must be the
one factor in accumulation and pro-
motion. The man born with mill
lions of dollars must not be allowed
to use his wealth to destroy the rights
OF man born without dollar. The
man born without a dollar must not
organize all his brothers into a force
to destroy the rights OF men who in
herit millions. There Is no such thing
as divine right OF Kings" nor has
any power horn or made the right
to invade the rights of others. Moth
ing is arbitrary A preacher cannot
hold pulpit just because he puts on
gown and belongs to that particu-
lar denomination. nor has a man GER
tain rights Just because he joins GER
tain ORGANIZATIONS minister has
only such rights as he may justly
merit and this Is true OF every man
in the world. regardless OF poverty or
wealth or whether he works with his
mind or his body.
Danger Signnl.
| I lift the danger signal wherever
men In this country of ours are trying
for class distinctions. What we need
Is brotherhood. In the right sort of
brotherhood every man can come
into his own and the man who refuses
to come will be justly fenced out.
Every man in this country has certain
rights The government must respect
these and has no right to arbitrarily
enrich itself at the expense Of its
citizens Labor has its rights but no
more 80 than capital The Church Of
Jesus Christ must bring all the vari-
Gus elements OF this country together
by creating a common brotherhood.
II man Is worthy he must be given
the hand Of fellowship. II he Is I'M
worthy he must stand outside until
he repents and forms a resolution to
do his best in whatever walk in life
for which he Is fitted. History has
shown that arbitrary powers have
wrought havoc with nations and our
own country should fight shy OF every
organized power, with an arbitrary
will centralized and founded on self
ishness. This principle holds good in
business, politics and religion.