Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-03-18


to this conference are moved by the desire
to get at the basic truths Of Christianity and
apply them to the present upset condition OF
the world. There was no talk OF the Yer
sailles treaty Or the responsibility Of govern
ments.
THE conference went record as being
Of the opinion that Germany can expect no
relief from mankind in its present Distress
but must turn to God if it desires to be freed
from trouble. Sincere penitence and return
to God were pointed out as the sure remedies
for the unhappy state into which the German
people have fallen One speaker said God
might lead Germany to spiritual awakening
through hard trials, and thus permit the
country to render service to the entire world.
1.-THE resolutions adopted set forth much
the same views that have been voiced by
Count Keyserling, the philosophical leader
who is constantly telling the German public
that spiritual regeneration would do far more
to cure Europes present ills than all sorts of
proposed economic and financial remedies"
OF course, to many men these resolutions
adopted by the Conference of evangelical
Christians at Blankenburg will seem to be
quite visionary, if not fanatical But such
men of the world are either ignorant Of his
tory or blind to its lessons.
Nothing is more clearly taught by every
chapter in the history of the human race than
thPt the destiny of nations is determined by
moral and religious forces rather than by
economic schemes ana pOllIlCdl arrangements.
This principle is approved by the highest
authorities among philosophers and states
men.
Max Muller says, "The real history of man
is the history of religion"
Rousseau declared, Never was a state
founded that did not have religion as it's
basis"
Guizot affirmed that "all political and So
oiaI questions refer for their ultimate solu-
ton to the religious principle"
Edmund Burke asserted, 1--WE know that
religion is the basis of civil society and the
fruitful source Of all blessing and comfort in
human intercourse"
Wendell Phillips expressed the same gen
eral principle more wildly on this wise:
THE answer to the Shastas is India; the
answer to COnfucianism is China; the an
swer to the Koran is Turkey; the answer to
the Bible is the Christian civilization of Prot
estant Europe and America"
There can be no revival of the religions Of
the heather world, Their gods are dying
beyond the hope Of any resurrection. The
only hope of those populous nations is in
their conversion to Christianity.
But the case, of the Christian nations is
quite different. If the Christian religion Ian
guishes or perishes among them, there is
nothing they can turn to as a substitute for
it, Revival of Christian life among them
must be their hope, and such revivals are fire.
quently necessary.
Christianity is the only religion in the
world under which backsliding is possible.
There can be no backsliders among the
Brahmi9s, the Buddhists or the Mohamme-
dams; for they are at the bottom already.
Their religions put no strain on their moral
powers, and do not propose to lift them to
any level higher than that of fallen human
nature.
But it is far otherwise with Christianity.
The religion of the Christ meets man in the
attitudes of his being and calls him to the
Hottest heights/of heavenly life. Many fail
ing to reach this high level of life, fall back,
and become, first lukewarm and then disor-
derby in their conduct.
Only true religion can produce back
slider Ancient Israel was often a lack
slider, but there were no backsliders among
the votaries of BaaI or Holoch. The book of
Judges in the Old Testament, is a. record Of
backslding and bondage, and of reyiyas and