Evening star., 1923-12-09
"THE NEED OF A NEW REFORMATION'
By the Rt. Rev. James Z. Freeman, DID,
Bishop of Washington

Every now and again we have
striking evidence of the fact that the
circumstances surrounding our life
and the conditions under which we
live are but rcpetitions of like con-
ditionS that have happened before.
The world jogs along it's way for a
generation or more. pays little heed
10 certain fixed principles that relate
10 its happiness and security. comes
TO a situation that constitutes a crisis
and then suddenly wakes up to find
that the criticalnesS of its situation
iS due To neglect of certain fixed and
unchangeabie rules that long expert
ence mas demonstrated, and that bear
NitalIN upon the largest and best in
ltrests OF life. To ignore the rules
or health that have been proven by
long experience spells weakness and
ultimate ply incapacity. To be
indifferent to the we'll tested law of
supply and demand issues in tinan-
'cIal failure and bankruptcy. To
ignore the rules that relate to Il
Wholesome social intercourse results
IN disorder. confusion and the break
ing down of the safeguards of well
ordered society
How Permanent Is society.
We get largely what we ask for ip
every sphere of our activity. The
old adage that whatsoever man
Soweth. that shall he also reap" is
universally true. However conditinos
may change. however the lust for
change may gain popularity there
are certain basic principles that un-
derlle and guarantee the happiness
and permanence of human society in
all its relations. and no amount of
Soph1strN can change the facts in
the case.
When the world war was at its
height all sorts Of predictions were
made concerning the far-rGaching
changes that would follow it. We
we've to hav" a new world old things
were TO lass away--a new kind of
civilization was to be uShered in. In
duStry. society, politics. religion
itself must feel the breaking up of
traditions. customs and methods that
had Served their time and become
obsolete. Doubtless this war spirit
and the consistent desire for some
thlng better were prompted by high
motives and firm resolves. Doubt
less, too, there was much need for a
general house-cleaning. As mat
Ter OF fact. III the schedule of human
affairs change for the better was
not only due. it WAS Indispensable
The worship of the God of things
as they are" the so-called "let-well-
CROUCH alone" policy had been tried
and found wanting.
Some changes have come. changes
that We believe are already proving
their value and usefulness. In some
places other sweeping changes have
been effected that fall below the
standard Of reasonable experiment
and the result is confusion worse
confounded.
Revolutions Becoming Regular.
During this period of upheaval old
sHstcms have suffered rude handling
and In some instances. along with
methods that Semed obsolete great
Fundamental principles have been
thrown away. During this titanic
urhearal the church has come in for
its full share of criticism and re-
haGilitation. No one who holds con-
sistently 10 tn" teachings of Christ
uation. Only those who have unduly
naEnified systems or methods that
are grounded largely in tradition or
based upon certain expressions of
human authority have been disturbed
or alarmed.
Why Christianity Is "DIficuIt."
In some quarters the unthinking
rave declared that Christianity has
broken down: that it has proved in
The testing time it's utter uutitness.
10 such the words of Chesterton
come with striking force: 1T is NOT
that Christianity has been tried and
found wanting. but that il has been
tried and found difficult" In other
words. whatever failure has attached
To the propaga ton of religion through
the churches has been largely the re-
suit of the practice of a Comfortable
gospel, that lacks the heroic ele-
ment for which Christ supremely
stood.
Make Christianity Practical.
Religion, the religion of Christ as
W. have come TO understand il. has
become Il diluted and denatured pab-
nlum that resembles milk for babies
'ather than strong meat for those
who will asSimilate and demonstrate
ttS mighty principles. The relation
that religion bears TO life's every
day. commonplace problems. indeed
to every form OF our social, political
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