The Elk Mountain pilot., 1922-10-05
Views and Reviews
BY j. S. FERRIS

BY j. S. FERRIS
(Ine editor assumes No response
bility for any opinion in this column,
and this writer none for any other de-
partment of the paper.)
The GaIf.ean Teacher and Government
talism
The famous Gentleman with the
Duster" quotes L. P. Jacks, editor of
the HILBERT Journal" as follows:
Treat man, after the mind of
Christ. as a being whose first need is
for light and whose second need is for
government, and you will find that as
his need for light is progressively sat
isfied his need for government will
progressively diminish"
That is either untrue, or few people
of influence are taking it seriously
enough to act on it. For, without
doubt. the tide in America is running
strong in late years towards govern
mentalism. In the national field, the
functions of government are being SO
constantly extended to meet the sup
posed needs OF our industrial and
social life that socialism seems Just
around the corner. In the field of
state action, Colorado has recently
followed Pennsylvania in adopting q
state police, an Institution borrowed
from Romanoff Russia and Bourbon
France where governmentalism in its
autocratic aspects came to fullest
flower. Set over against these tenden-
cies the claim quoted above. that as
mans need for light is progressively
satisfied his need for government will
progressively diminish" and it must
follow either that the claim is untrue
or that few take it seriously.
Is it true? VIII light let into the
head of a man progressively make it
for the government to
dog" his steps, ready to reach out its
strong. restraining hand to prevent
his trespassing on others rights?
do not undertake to prove it.
unhesitatingly assume that millions
Of our people will not be disposed to
challenge it. 1t is certain that the
greatest teachers of mankind have
had this sublime faith. Socrates bold
ly taught that if man knows the
truth. he will follow it. What conf
dence in human nature! Alas, that
small critics should have SO readily
lent themselves to bringing that great
mans faith into contempt! Truly,
there are some men who know the
truth who refuse to be bound by it,
yet is there after all any more direct
way. any more practicable method of
getting correct practice than by cor
rect instruction?
Let the light in"--that was that
great teachers supreme concern.
In darkness. the beauty of the world
is hid. But with the dawn and in the
golden glow of the setting sun the
whole face of nature takes on a won
drous beauty. In darkness, the trav-
eller stumbles along, uncertain, con-
fused, mistaken. But in the: light he
moves steadily and confidently to his
journeys end. In like manner, by
turning light into the mind of man,
as Socrates believed, one introduces
beauty and order and right purpose.
Hear him pray for himself as twenty
three centuries ago he sat with
pupil by the murmuring Ilissus: BE
loved Pan, and all ye other gods who
haunt this place, give me beauty in
the inward soul; and may the outward
man and the inward man be at one.
May l reckon the wise to be wealthy.
and may have such quantity of
gold as temperate man, and he only, .
can bear and carry. Anything more?
This prayer, l think. is enough for
me-"
Jesus also taught the efficacy of
light to promote right action. In this
connection it is enough to say that
Professor Jacks claims to be merely
"the mind of Christ" in
the dictum under review. So much
for the authority of the doctrine.
Why, then. doesn't Christian Ameri-
ca act on it? The supreme value of
the teaching of Jesus as a guide to
conduct is emphasized from thou
sands of pulpits in this country every
week. and millions of our people, in
,luding many governors and law-mak-
ers. profess to accept that teaching,
yet governmentalism moves on apace.
Who can explain this disquieting in
Have Christian people
l sneaking suspicion that this part of
The ethic of Jesus is impracticable?
Are they in fact without the solid
,ou6dap,a ~ +ba old berefic Rauau