The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1919-02-11
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makes this all-to-familiar appeal OF
the chruches uncomfortable. There is
a fundamental antipathy between
such talk and the spirit in which the
whole army is living. The former is
thoroly self-centered. The latter is
gloriously selfforgetfull.
Come to God that you may be safe
will that do? Come to God, for
there is in his hands solance for be-
lievers-will that do? Far more i'm
portant than your work in France
is the preparation of your souls to
meet the Lord, who speedily will re-
turn'-words used by preacher to
troops on an American transport.
Will that do? Will any mean, self
conferred motive do?
Let no one suppose that soldiers
are blind to the contrast between
selfish religion and the spirit of the
army. One of the British chaplains
quotes from an English officer an
opinion the full import of which no
modern chruchman can afford to
miss: The reason l don't like reli-
gion, padre, is that it's such selfish
thing. 1t simply threatens sinners
with hell and promises comforts to
the good
Now, religion can, afford to be
called many names; but in this gen.
Grafton of splendid self-sacrifice, for
religion to be called selfish thing
is to condemn 1t to irretrievable per-
dition.'
There will be many who will OBJ
ject to this military criticism as un-
just, DR.. Fosdick admits, but as he
recalls "a long and intimate associa-
ton with the churches" he is in
clined to agree with it. He charges
that 1.-THE churches for generations
have been urging upon us an in
dividualistic and self-centered gos-
pei"
1--WE have been continuously sup
piled, in hymns in liturgies, in SER
mons, with Jonathan Edwards DOM
inant ideal, I make seeking my sal
walton the main business of my life.
Even when this self-regarding mo-
tive has not been centered on post
heaven, it has been conferred
quite as selfishly on this present life.
God, a gigantic policeman, forever
those who break his traffic
regulations land feeding with goodies
from his ample pockets those who
mind his word, so that one had better
keep upon his kindly side-H. G.
Wells is not the only one who was
brought up in the churches on that
kind of deity. 1t was senior chap
ain who, returning from the front,
wrote of our religious thinking: 1T
has descended thru steady grada-
lion of selfish prayers and antisocial
hymns, till it reaches it's final de-
graduation in that definitly and
'hamelessly unchristian chorus,
which was recently so popular in re-
1ivalist meetings-That will be glory
glory for me.
Against the background Of the
Millions of self-forgetful men who |
ought in France, how dark this
'ecord looks!"
To gather up the noblest spirits |
hat humanity has to offer, Ito be the |
cooperative unit where those who !
light for the highest against the low
,st may take their stand-this is the
'nly use Of the church," cries DR..
Tosdick, and confesses that the fail
Ire Of the church among our soldiers,
the very sale of the EARTH" is the
point Of the sting" which has driven
lin, "a lover Of the churches, out
II his silence into this agonized CON-
,laint." Unworthy in the selfshness
# its appeal, the pettiness of Sec
arian emphasis, the negativeness Of
is ethics, the undemocratic quality
Il its fellowship the only hope for
most modern churches is the adop-
ion Of "a type of christianity that it
> worth the real mans while to &C
ept."
In his brief summing up of what
his type of christianity" must
tand for, DR.. Fosdick agrees on
road lines with recommendations
ct forth by an investigating COM
nittee of the Anglican church, and
unmarried in these pages last
,eek. He offers these suggestions
or church-ideal fit for our present
eeds:
LET the church proclaim social
inns worth fighting for, not q mere
elf1sh gospel of safety; let them
fe up the central faiths of the :
hristian life, with the fringes hang
lg how they will; let them make
thical negations only the shadows
asst by the great light of positive 4
leals; let them practise as we'll as {
reach fraternity; and, doing these L
lings, let them draw together in n