The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1923-06-06

The Israelites were boastful, bar
gaining people. For generations the
priests had taught the tribes that
they were the chosen people of Je-
hovah, and the God they had pic
tured during the long years of trial,
persecution, and short. periods of
triumps, was distinctly a Jewish
God. 1t was self-centered, selfish
religion.
The teachings of a universal Faith
er, and the brotherhood of man by
Christ was clearly revolutionary. 1t
was an attack upon the authority of
the high priests and His casting aside
all pomp and creed was naturally
obnoxious to them. The fact that
the people followed Him gladly,
aroused their anger and apprehension.
Christ was not understood by even
the chosen disciples, who expected
him to become the king of the Jews
in fact, and to give His people liberia
ton from the yoke of Rome. They
did not comprehend that he was a
divine prophet. and that His kingdom
was to be established in the ages yet
to come.
His crucifxion was the attempt
of high authority to stamp out Sc
dition
Jesus was an apostle of peace, yet
great host has been cruciied by
both His enemies, and by his pro-
fessed followers. Wars have been
fought in His name, and thousands
slain. The Good Fridays stain red
the calendars of the ages.
Nero was the first of the Roman
emperors to make wholesale slaught-
er of Christians, and his example was
followed more cruelty and systemat-
ically by Decius, and others. Con-
stantine was the first of the Roman
rulers to give them protection, yet
his successor, Julian, fanatic and
worshipper of the heather gods, re-
turned to the horrors of Nero and
Decius.
The end of the power of Rome did
not stop the blood crimes of those
in authority. There were the quar-
rels between rival eccelsiastic author
tiles, and almost numberless are
those who were sent to torture and
death.
1t is the same spirit of vengeance
that incites the Soviet government
today, in sending bishops and priests
to the gallows.
The world is slow to learn the les
sons taught by Christ first, one broth
erhood, which means liberty of con-
science and kindly tolerance of any
honest opinion in others. The other
is that conviction cannot be controlled
by force. God gave men the power
of reason and of independent judg-
ment.
Even in the early days of the hum
BILE Christians the more they were
oppressed by the power of Nero, the
greater became their numbers, and
they faced death with steadfast faith.
The great nations of the earth are
called Christian powers, but they
have nearly wrecked the peace of the
world.
But the world today is far from
Christian. Only one-third of the peo-
pie of the earth profess to accept
Christ as their leader, while the 9TH
err two-thirds are followers of Abra-
ham, Mohammed, Budda, and Con-
! fucius
There is this hope in the present
day: Millions of people have bet
ter understanding of the mission Of
Christ than did His own apostles.
There is greater tolerance among the
| different churches than ever. The
/ Christian nations are the progressive
! powers. While we are a long way
off from following the teachings of
Christ, there is this consolation that
we are getting in closer sympathy
with true Christianity, although but
slowly.
Force does not make right any