Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-08-23
BY REV. HUGH t. STEVENSON.

Christ presented the social aspects
of His teaching largely in His mes
ages concerning the kingdom of God
He placed an emphasis upon the social
responsibility of the Christians by
pointing out specific duties and obli-
cations that were due to their COM
mon relationship as members of the
solitary but social Its spiritual start
in the Christian Is at conversion. The
purpose of salvation is to secure
workers who will help build up the
Kingdom Of God in the lives of men.
In seeking to solve the problems that
are pressing for solution in these days
OF readjustment of society men are
turning in their efforts to win the
peace of Jesus, the Light of the World.
whose moral ideals contain the only
hope of restoring civilization to a
safe for the world.
The apostolic teaching presented the
social responsibility to men in plain
and homely iteration upon the present
duties of life; the duties Of husband
and wives. parents and children, mas
tiers and servants, friends and neigh
bors and citizens. The New Testament
touches every sphere of life. 1t pre-
sentS the principles which are the
germs of all social duty and progress.
Every attempt to reconstruct society
which leaves out of account the char
acter of the men and women who con-
stitute society Is foredoomed to fall
ure. Behind every social problem IS
the greater one of the individual. the
redemption of personal character.
lettering conditions without better
ing men will not mend matters. Christ
started at the source by saving men.
that through them He might save So
ciety. He recognized the hunger for
brotherhood, which Watts has pointed
out us at the bottom of the unrest OF
the civilized world" by the revelations
that He gave to men of the Father
hood of God and the brotherhood OF
man.
bility Men have created caste and
class divisions. separating races and
nations by their envy, hatred ana
prejudices. Sin started through the
denial of personal obligation OF re-
sponsibilitt for ones orother. al
though they were united by the ties OF
blood and kin. Jesus created new
brotherhood based upon the new birth.
which makes all believers one spirit
ually through His blood. The paraoie
of the good Samaritan proclaims uni
versal human duty born OF the rae.
that men, who are not OF the same
race and religion, are united In their
common nature. SO that every soul
Thould have a sympathy with the suf-
ferings, SORROWS and struggles OF
stricken humanity everywhere OF
every race and land
In this parable Christ condemned
the narrow, nationalistic, exclusive
shirt of His own countrymen, VINO,
REPRESENTED by their religious lead
ers, the priest and the levite. passed
by the suffering man upon the way TO
Jericho, when He delivered the para
BILE that has prompted men to prac-
tice it's teachings concerning LOVING
their neighbor. In this commentary
upon the requirements of'the law Je-
sus placed practical love before creed
or ritual. The hated and desplseo
Samaritan revealed love for his broth
er man by rendering through person
al service FIRST aid. by his self-deniai
sacrifices. giving him the use OF his
beast. financial assistance. paving lor
his medical care and comfort at the
inn and assuming all obligations for
future necessary expenses. In deep
enin9 and expanding the conception
OF neiRhNor to include all who are IN
need OF humanity for food demands
for others the test Of brotherhood ana
religion.
Sense" applied the acid test to faith.
when he declared that faith without
works was dead. The profession Of a
brotherly spirit demands that one
shall exhibit in word and deed the
reality of ones claims The social
service that is not rooted In love Tor
Christ IL doomed to be failure The
needs of humanity for food demands
today the control Of the worlds food
supply so that all may be able to Sc
cure necessary supply of nourishing
food to enable them to perform their
duty to God and their fellow men. No
man can labor unless properly fed.
The churches OF Jesus Christ have
recognised this social responsibility
by insisting that an equitable wage
must be considered ~ of more impor-
The practice of boarding and prof.
iteering in the necessities Of life Will
cease, without the compulsion of law.
when all are ruled by the spirit ef
love for ones brother.
Facing the greatest problems OF
any age. every American is called
upon to exhibit the spirit OF brother
hood, so that as a nation we can help
win the peace, which is more DIM
cult task than winning the war. We
cannot live in the future. as in the
olden times. indifferent to the condi-
tions of other peoples. Our life
henceforth Is not to be that of isola-
tion and independence. Ours must be
an interdependent and interrelated
the ideals of unselfishness prompted
our entrance into the war by
a continued life of sacriflcial serv-
ice for the welfare of humanity. We
cannot escape. either as individuals
or churches. our responsibility in
helping solve the problems of the
hour. Selhshness means destruction.
I'D ~ lnVfnO
ice will make democracy safe for the
world. The burden of the hour sum
mons every Christian to observe the
commandments OF the Lord Jesus and
tosbe guided in his work by the ideals
ofsahe Lord Jesus 10 that through the
practical application of His messages
in schFistianixing the international re-
laS3onship the nations Of the earth
WA become a part OF a worldwide
brotherhood.
christ's program is not an ethereal
prospect with a heaven. the far-on
divine event to which the whole Gre
alton moves" 1t Is a practical plan
of present-day duty with summons
TO work here and now, SO that the
will of God may be done here upon
earth as IL Is in heaven. He seeks to
regenerate the world through regen-
Grafton individuals. He saves men
that they may serve others in a spirit
gram calls for the working out of
ting spirit of the Master expressed in
the Sermon on the Mount in the life
of the day. His social service pro-
bolshevist, who would change the
w6rld by force. Jesus knew that 1t
would take time TO transform society
into true brotherhood. He expected.
Though the gradual working out
Of His principles In the socia! and
btfaineaa life Of men and nationa