The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1922-02-15
RELIGION HELD
ONLY FORCE TO
BETTER WORLD
Bishop Charles Wesley Burns
Speaks Upon World Condi.
tiOns at NJ. E. Church
CONFERENCE ENDS TODAY
Three Day Session of Bismarck
District of Methodist
Church Concludes

Bishop Charles Wesley Burns, of the
Helena area of the Methodist Episco-
pal church, speaking at the McCabc
Methodist church here last night to 4
large congregation, declared that ere
ligion is the only solvent" for the
problems which are pressing upon the
world today. .5
IF there is not enough in Chris
tianity to save our present edifice of
ivilization-enough wisdom, enough
illumination, enough power-than the
outlook is far from bright" said Bis
hop Burns. For other means have
been tried repeatedly in past ages and
there are only ruins to show for the
civilizations they could not save"
Bishop Burns, speaking on the sub
iect, "Reconstructive Forces OF the
Kingdom" said in part:
:'Describing our age of sex anI
shehels,' H. G. Wells declares the
times to be "a race between education
and catastrophe'-yes, religious edu-
cation. Just one hundred years ago.
Mrs. Shelley wrote 'Frankenstlen.' In
descriptive hideousness it has never
been surpassed. The significant motlt
is this: That the Man-Machlne be-
came greater than the Man-Creator.
The monster was greater tnan lhe
genius that created him.
"Many think that in the present
world tragedy we are suffering from
a materialistic system that is greater
than the genius that has created IT,
It is that very materialistic system
which has brought about shattered,
broken and bruised world-heart and
has let loose in the world a monster
Of hate and fear and con11lct IN IN
dustry, in society, in international re-
! lationships that strikes terror to the
very heart Of the race.
"The bow of promise, however, IN
the world-storm Of ruin is the large
sense of religion in the world in
creasing every hour-the spirit that
will control the machine and harness
it to spiritual constructive and re-
constructive tasks. .
Worlds Great Problems. ~
"The January issues of two great
monthly magazines Century and
Harpers), stress this very hopeful
outlook The one declares that the
two major problems of today are in
dustrial and international relation
ships. Both are subject to the same
solution Religion is the only solvent.
The antiseptic air OF religion must
blow over fetid human affairs. The
other comedies that materialism has
made a mess of the business OF man
aging this world and that we need
an infusion of spirituality in the man
agement. If there is not enough III
Christianity to save our present edl-
flee of civiliZatiOn-enOugh wisdom,
enough illumination, enough power
then the outlook is far from bright.
For other means have been tried re-
peatedly in past ages and there are
only ruins to show for the civiliza-
tions they could not save. \
"Methodism today affirms its con-
viction in the spiritual significance OF
all history and its belief that in the
matter of world redemption the Naz-
arene is able. The World Program
of Methodism is proceeding with no
abatement, with greatened consecra-
ton and missionary mood as the
world need is gradually discovered.
. Methodsm is equal to its share of
the New-Age responsibility, as other
ages in the changing order of the
centuries, because it is characterized
by the freshness of power which pos
sdssed earlier Christianity when it
started out a world religion. A world
program alone will meet world con-
ditions. The prOphet-engineer mind
is thei modern mind. Provincial
thinking is not only anachrOnistic but
is 'treasonably trivial toward these
expanding times.
Religious Problems World. ide.
Those unacceptable world rela-
tons of which Mr.. Harding speaks
are true not only Of the nation but Of
the church. Methodism announcing
no salvation by astonishment and no
: automatic redemption, sets itself
steadily and squarely to it's task of
contributing it's share in world re-
building.
what are those Kingdom forces
reproduced in Methodism's front to
the world today? They are Evangel-
ment Of life; and personal commit
mentI to Christ; Social Ministry; a
full orbed Gospel, individual and So
cial; Education that is both scientific
and spiritual; and a Cosmic Convic-
ton of spiritual responsibility and
fundamental to durable victoly-a re-
birth of passional conviction of the
Stewardship of All Life. These are
some of the reconstructive forces of
the Kingdom that Methodism en-
phasizes in world rebuilding, satur-
ated with missionary mood taking
vital and sacrificial part in the COM
mon concerns of the world, thinking
internationally, planning internation-
ally, fellowshipping internationally
serving internationally that a world
passion may be generated to make
Christ the Invisible King
Tonight at the closing session, to
which the public is cordially invited
Perry Hanson, for years a resident OF
, the province of Shantung, China and
Dr P,1phoo of tho HoDpon;y Avenuc