Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1919-01-06

AUDEdIGu III a lCAEAA 4H1AN ~ ~
Social Preparation" is former as
sistant TO the rector of st. Annes' and
was the socialist candidate for con-
gress from this district last year. The
article is reprinted here by request
Editor.)
"Here endeth the second lesson"
droned the minister. and the congre-
CATION breathed an inaudible sigh of
relief as they aroused themselves to
enjoy the choir music, for which they
paid so handsomely. Indeed the music
was the chief attraction of the whole
service.
Father, what does the minister
mean by lesson asked little boy,
upon returning home. I'm day-school
we learn something from each lesson"
continued the child. but in church no.
body seems TO learn, for they come out
and talk of nothing but the weather or
the church music"
The father smiled He glanced at
the beautiful family Bible on the table
ICACGlCus II VI Oil Pia~AANdA paA
poses that volume is more ornamental
than useful" Then, turning to the
waiting child, he replied, "The min
lister studies the book, and the people
depend upon him for their religion"
But the childs questioning mind was
not satisfied. when is lesson not a
lesson?" was the riddle which kept
puzzling his young and active brain.
All, child, the world is being rudely
awakened to your conundrum. For
some time, and up to August, 1914, the
devil had been persuadng the Chris
tian world that the radical teach
ings in the Bible were to be taken only
in Pickwickian sense. Applied lit
orally, the Bible would upset all our
modern institutions objected the
world, "and we don't want such a dras-
tic revolution
But the crash came, nevertheless. 1t
was not the thunder of ten thousand
fearless pulpits demanding that Gods
will be done on earth. Nor was it the
concerted overthrow of Mammon in a
million Christian counting rooms. No,
it was the crash of militarsm bursting
forth like a thousand volcanoes in the
very heart of autocratic Europe. Kali
serism unmasked its terrors, con-
ceived in hell, and the world stood
aghast But Kaiserism, with all its
frightfulness, was but the aggravated
form of that autocracy with which the
whole earth was being cursed. Thus
God spake to world which defied His
Bible, and to a church which was
crucifying the Son of God afresh.
We admit the severity of this in
dictment and shall proceed at once
fully to justify it.
At least-s fundamental lessons of
the Bible have been deliberately null
lifted by our Christian" civilization
l. Democracy is the will of God
Monarchy is political atheism So
spake Samuel, the prophet, but the
goddess people overuled him. And
what was the harvest of their folly
Their first king. the modest giant Saul,
had his head turned by the extrava-
gance of the honors thrust upon him,
and he became a mailman. Their sec
ond, and greatest king, David, by the
absolitism of his position, fell into
adultery and thereby wrecked his
reign for the balance of his life. Thus
monarch after monarch erred, until
the chosen race and city became the
perpetual football of heather conquer
ors. In short, human history is writ
ten in blood. because crowned heads
have usurped Gods place in govern
ment, yet for centuries the church has
connived in this most arrogant doc
trine of the divine right of kings.
ii. God is the only rightful land
lord. Man is simply His trustee. Ac-
cordngly, the Mosaic law forbids sell
fish speculation in land See Leviticus
25:13 and %; Proverbs %: 1911;
Isaiah5:S. And let US always remem-
Der that every social principle of the
Old Testament is confirmed by the
Lord Jesus Est. Matthew 5:17-20 How
sadly has the church departed from
this teaching!
III. Contentment makes character
Against this divine principle our youth
are encouraged, too often. to struggle
upward in the game of competition.
Look out for No. L is the brazen
motto of many who profess and call
themselves Christians Gods word
encourages us to do our very best but,
in the interests of others. See
Proverbs 30:S-9; Eph. 4:2S; l Tim6:
10; Hebrews 1875. What a contrast
does the average citizens life bear to
any one of these texts.
w. Recognition of the Glass
STRUGGLED" The Bible repeatedly ex-
poses the depressing class In Exo-
dus 1922. Moses is instructed to take
a great toll out of Egypt as an equit-
able compensation for the wealth pro-
duced by the enslaved Israelites. And
so sacred was this spoilation, that the
ornaments thus accumulated were ac-
tually used in the establishment of
the Holy Tabernacle. Again, just to
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