Evening star., 1922-12-10
BY THOMAS r. mARsHALL.


Former Vice Pres1aest Of ths Ualts,
States.
N the midst OF Abounding pros
perity or under the stress OF
adverse circumstances 1t IL
quite natural that the reli-
gfous sentiments OF q people taken
as whole should be found at ebb
tide. Outward and visible observ-
ance Of the regular ordinances Of
the church continues. but 1t comes
to be largely perfunctory. We
humble our creeds and we glibly
repeat our prayers, but the real
religion which made the creed and
wrote the prayer ceases to have
much Of a hold upon US. and still
less upon our conduct. However.
we must not lay this entirely at
the feet OF Immediate circum-
stances. Civilization is slow Of
growth and faith In a religion Is
long in dying. The times simply
accentuate the spiritual condition.
In contemplation Of the things
that are taking place in the near
east. and to lesser extent in the
far east. 1T is to be remembered
that there are to be found men the
world around who are pointing the
finger of scorn at Christianity.
They are saying that tried as a
cure for the ills of the world 1t
has proven failure. Pointing out
that most of the nations engaged
in the world war were Christian
nations. they are mocking: "See
how these Christians hated each
other. how each in the name Of the
Nazarene killed and pillaged." If
any one OF the nations waRed the
war with the approval OF Jehovah.
how could any other nation have
waged the same war with similar
pretentions. they inquire. adding
queries like these: "Is this God in
whom you say you believe a divisi-
Bile being. part of Him with one Of
the contending forces and part Of
Him with the otherc" "Can Won
strike blows at each other in the
belief and with the assurance that
the blows are struck in a righteous
cause with the approval Of a right
cous ruler Of the universe?" oues-
tinns. such as these. are vexing
and unsettling the religious faith
of mankind
If It were possible to establish
that the war was waged with real
religious sentiment behind 1t there
would be much to justify the sneer
that curls upon the lip Of the aver
age man when we avow our faith
in the principles Of the Christian
religion. He would have some right
to suspect that we were insincere.
But Christianity waged no war,
made no fight. Hostile nations
may have had. in truth did have.
rulers who believed in Christ. and
millions Of men in arms under
these rulers may have had. and did
have. like faith. but the war of
the world was not produced by the
faith Of the GalIlean. It was not
waged with His knowledge and
consent. 1t did not exemplify tho
principles which He sought to in
still into men as their guide posts
along the journey of life.
Laughed at by authority and
sneered at by philosophy. just az
the Savior was prosecuted. despised
nevertheless. permeated the Ro-
man empire. insidiously yet power
fully. until (most remarkable OF
historic events) it became the re-
iigion OF Rome without a single
blow having been struck. That
disclosed what Christianity can ac.
complish when prosecuted in ac-
cordance with tho ideas of its
founder. Not by might nor by
power. not by sword nor subma-
rine. but by the invisible spirit. it
achieves it's mission among men
and nations. Likewise with liberty.
Neither liberty nor Christianity is
a benefaction that can be bestowed
upon an Individual or people.
Each 10 birth from within and
must be given its opportunity to
develop.
Tho slow growth of Christian
missions In the orient has led hum
dreds Of good people to believe
that the effort to christianize the
east Is a vain and futile one. They
say that the oriental mind is not
fitted for the reception OF Chris
tian teaching. They object. there
fore. to what they call the waste
of money in this effort. These
good persons must not forget that
many young men Of the east are