The Topeka state journal., 1919-07-04

called itself brotherhood or democ-
racy.
Russia. like the rest of the world,
as it comes under the sway of in
telligent Christianity, will find itselS
developing a noble and altruistic in
dividualism, wherein each is his best
self in order that he may best serve
others That Is better than Socialism.
Good VIII of the Good.
Sometimes the church has become
so institutionalized that she has rep
resented classes, rather than the en-
tire mass of mankind. Therein she
has fallen short of her true mission
as Christ's church. Whenever the
church fails to be instantly sensitive
to every cry of human need. she there
by shows that she has ceased to be
sensitive to the impulsion Of her Mas
ter's Spirit. II at any time she fails
to be in the forefront of movements
for the amelioration or reconstruction
OF the social order, she thereby comes
short of the divine office. The church
is not the handmaiden of things as
they are: She is the herald of things
as they ought to be.
Two great social and economic func-
tions the church is consta ntly fulfilling
though these, il must ever be re-
membered, are subordinate to her
divine mission of leading men to per-
sonal salvation thru Christ. One is to
create within herself a fraternity of
friends of God, who shall be a refuge
and an incentive to all people every
where. There is no mistaking the
teaching that the Bible designs the
Christian tie to be the strongest tie.
1t should mean more to a man to be a
Christian than to be a Mason or an
Elk or Democrat or a Granger. The
goodly fellowship of Christians should
be the greatest social bond-as it
really is today. Thank God for the
billions of people who have their social
al lran xuh Aafr
churches; for that society is whole
some, simple, mutually, helpful. To
belong to church should mean, in all
practical ways, more than to belong to
any other body in existence.
In the second place, the church per-
meates and leavens the world with
people of good will. This has been the
greatest indirect service of Christian
ity to the race. Who have dreamed
the great dreams of world peace and
of world fraternity? The Christian
nations. and the men in them who
have been avowedly Christian dis.
ciples. Consider the part that those
eminent Christian laymen-known as
such before-ever they came to political
position-President Wilson, Lloyd
George and Arthur Balfour, are play
ing in the reconstruction of the world.
They are only typical of an uncounted
company of men and women servants
of our time who could say, in their in
nermost hearts. THE love of Christ
constraineth u.s." Inventors, mer-
chants. scientists, writers, publicists.
educators, all would acknowledge that
force in their public service. Turning
aside from the eminent and distin-i
guished, we have only to remember
that the public school teachers of the
land are splendidly Christian in their
motive and in their influence. 1t
would take many volumes to trace the
influence of the church as a force for
good will in contemporary life.
Behind the Better Dag.
Beyond question, the tides of our
times have set in strongly toward So
cial changes of a radical nature. Rid
ing on those tides are sinister pirate
craft. Nevertheless the movement is
good and of God. No honest person,
with a drop of blood ofssacrifice and
unselfishness in his veins. will do
other than cheer the progress of inn
provemert in human relationships.
Let all changes for the better come,
and be accelerated. But let them be
changes born of good will, and of a
sincere desire for the welfare of all
men everywhere. So long as change
brings US closer to genuine brother
hood, it is to be welcomed and aided.
whatever the cost. There is no price
we are not prepared to pay for the
realization of a reign of love among
all people.
church, which is the greatest force in
the world, should throw herself whole
heartedly into a realization of what
ever is Christian in the days social
movement. Likewise, she should
fearlessly oppose whatsoever Is spur
ious and hurtful. AS she should be
the proponent of Christian democracy.
and of justice and liberty to the limit.
so she should also be the opponent
of Bolshevism and of class hatred and
of social spoliation. Let no WELL
meaning sentimentalist make the mis-
take of welcoming anarchy and ILL
will, for these are un-Christian. A
fresh pursuit of the high ethical stand
ards of the church will save the world
from the horrors of a reign of destruc-
tive license and intolerance. When
We strengthen the Christian church
in her purity, we are strengthening the
causes of mans social welfare and
Clnrxy Of Cod