The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-05-13

Early Christian Church is the COM
ing of America to Europe-not band
of Americans coming for pleasure
simply, not seeking new sensations,
not with desire to crafty curiosity.
not even fortune hunters; but an
army of Americans. Drawing the
perils of the murdcrous submarines
and marching to battle under the
flag of Freedom and Right. as opposed
to Brute Force.
Jesus Christ in the Sermon on the
Mount, and in His discussions with
the Pharisees, in His parable and
sermons and in His everyday treat
ment of the men and women He met
proclaimed with vigorous insstence
and Astounding all-incIusive love. the
equality of all men in the sight OF
God, especially the rights of all men
10 freedom of opportunity for de-
velopment.'
st. Paul declared concerning the
Kingdom of God and the qualifications
for citizenship therein, Where there
is neither Creek nor Jew, circum
cision nor uncircumcision, Babarian,
Scythian. bond. nor free. but Christ
is all and in air, and again, There
IS neither Jew nor Greek, there Is
neither bond nor free, there is
neither male nor female; for ye are
an one in Christ Jesus And in this
declaration, ST. Paul proclaimed not
only the doctrine that all men can
become citizens of Heaven, but that
iail men are bound together by ties OF
a common Brotherhood based upon
their relationship to Jesus Christ. and
| that no man and no nation can be
exclusive or evade responsibility for
the welfare of others,
This great gospel of tho unity OF
the race and OF the responsibility OF
lew for Greek. and Of the Greek for
the barbarian was the glory OF the
Christian religion. and sent Paul out
as the great missionary" Hebrew
of the Hebrews changed into "the
APOSTLE to the Gentiles", And it was
under the inspiration of such Gospel
that the Church won its victories, and
in three centuries sat in the person
of Constantine upon the throne OF the
Caesars. and ruled the civilized world
R,,t the glorious doctrines OF per
canal freedom and or respohsloiiiiS
were obscured and finally lost sig ~
~ in the creation OF rank anu ut'es
IN the church itself, and sad 10 re
late under the protection an" w
INC encouragement of the organize
cburch the blessed doctrine OF III
! ,,.,,,,l f,rothcrhood was gradually re-
n1acsd and almost annihiIated by IN.
DEVELOPMENT of the Feudal SYSTEM ~
which not only the brotherhood OF
Imam. but any brotherhood OF nauohS
nj. OF races was ignored, both IN ths
Ilife and in the thought OF the so-eaiIeu
| christian world. For TINS ianfcntaaff
coraition the Church as an organiza-
81 Ire OnrSihiiitN. III
IGNORED if it did not forget, the teach
iDp of The Master, My Kingdom Is
not of this world. and. regardless o.
the fact. that the Gospel of the-l,ero
Iosus Christ had III three short cen
turtles secured the open. protested al
llerianCc of the leaders in civil inter
lactnal and moral life and was freeN
Acknowledged to he superior 10 a"
forms Of Philosophical ana reilGlohN
systems. the Church practically re-
undated it's absolute dependence upon
sniritual mower. and yielded To- the
Itaonfatton of the Devil, which had
baen cleriously overcome by her
Lord in. the Wilderness. to trust 10
TEMPORAL power in order 20 ohtain
absolute dominion over the Kingdoms
Of the world.
The gross inequalities among all the
nations of Europe the prac'lca
| slavery of both body and mlnd or Inc
great masses of the population, tht
ignorance superstition ana poverty
which steadily increased Tor over a
thousand vears-all these things were
the natural consequences OF the
failure of the Church To preach and to
practice the great doctrines of the
nersonaI responsibility Of every man
10 Almighty God, tho blessed truth
Iesus Christ tasted death for every
man. aud of that final standing order
which He gave to His Church TO &c
into the world and preach His Gospel
Ia every creature. 1t is doubtful
whether anywhere on the continen'
of Europe to-day, the Church IN lis
organized form is free from the
faint of the Christian doctrine and
practice of distinctions of rank ano
| title among brethren. The Church
! in Europe is. therefore, distinct,
hammered in It's opportunity for ser
vice to the troubled and distressed
people 1t has been so closely allied
! if. indeed. it has not been 4 respon'
siblo partner in the undfmocratl'
government of the nations, that il is
difficult 10 separate the Church IN the
minds of the people from the auto
rrAtlc SpNtt ililR'ilAS tii'tiiTN'NN''
We. who believe that the Heavens
do rule. can clearly trace the lead
ings OF Divine Providence in the set
tfenent OF North America by mer
ana women whose hearts were i1lleo
with a yearning for civil and religious
liberty. The hand of God has giver
10. The United States Declaration Of
Independence and Constitution al
the foundation stones, in both OF
which documents are Embedded tins
great principles taught by the Lore
/ Jesus Christ. The rights of all mer
and the responsibilities OF all men are
fundamental doctrines both OF tht
teachings of Jesus and OF the tntco
states Constitution. "A Tree churcT
in n free state" has given 10 the
world in these latter days new idea
of the relation of the church TO the
TRUE the higher development of hui
mainly. The Christian Church IN
America. whatever may he its de-
fects and it's failures (and ! do not
claim that it is perfecD, is as great
organized force always TO be reckoned
with as the enemy of unrighteousness
and injustice, and as friend or truth
and liberty. God has developed the
American nation and the American
Church in the American nation to be a
great example to all the world Of the
III fnl 4 e