Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1924-01-05

Testament abundantly yerifIes. Inc
brilliant Mr.. Poston is severe and
caustic in his criticisms, but he is no
more so than was Jesus Christ himself.
Here is a quotation from the Scr::r
lures:
But woe unto you, scribes and Phar-
,sees hypocrites; for We shut up tn3
kingdom OF heaven against men: ror
We neither go il. yourselves neither
suffer We them that are entering to go
in.
- - :-~:a,
Mr.. Poston sage:
They say 1 am {. descendant of the
savage African. This must be so 1oI
800 years of western civilization have
left me ''unciviliz ed What is. per
.haDs. even more startling, it has LEFT
me not DESTROYS of being "civilized."
Civilization to me is not something 10
seek but something to shun. Even now
rs I write am in the midst of it-sky
scrapers, subways hurrying youth
hating old men sweat laughter, tears
Let, nse emptiness-all!
&c not love It. I hate it. I have no
wish tc preserve il. My one consuming
desire is to see it over. 1t may seem
1reeump.uous hat l who Go not boast
Of a civilization of skyscrapers sub
ways and large business, should Grill
else one so great as this; but this l 90
perhaps another savage indication OF
nv ancestral connections. But why
a0ufGn't I? Are large buildings,
wnich do not breed large hearts anu
large promises which fall short OF fui-
flllment the end Of life?
I have faith to keep with my conscl'
ence. I would rather run the risk OF
le:ng dubbed fool than to have the
consciousness that I live lie. VIII
.,ot longer keep silent. The mot cruel
end heartless civilization in the world
Today is that OF the Western world
whose h CHEST exponent is the white
man. DO not pick my standard tn
measure it by. Measured by any stand
ard it is lea t desirable. Whether we
compare it with that of the Orient CT
ven with the yagaries of savage Africa
y presents the greatest void. 1t is
mans most pungent enemy. Laughter
hare is at premium. Only the simple
hearted laugh. Others are occupied IN
things of greater moment-things steel
lingly material. The sad old men
with their millions tell the saddest
tory of Western failure. These sold
themselves at tbs market, only to
earn that the swallows shrill or the
20 e's bloom cannot he purchased wi II
Gnything on earth. But their revolt
ing plight does not serve to stay the
Il 'nety and nine out Of hundred youth
WHO are headed iL the same direction
IS fast as their blind, ambitions VIII
carry them.
This Is true, but it deals with the
Western World and its civilization.
Jesus Christ was dealing with the East
ern World and its civilization. II,
said:
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharl-
sees, hypocrites! for We pay 1.-THE G.
mint and anise and cummin and have
emitted the weightier matters of the
law. judgment mercy and faith: theoe
ought we to have done. and not to leava
me other undone Ye blind guides that
strain at a gna. and swallow camel.
Mr.. Robert L. Poston asks:
Will il be said that the curse of this
Western world is Christianity? There
may be great miracles for this religion
TO perform. but it must be admitted
that so far it has failed in practice.
When war wants an ally. who is more
ready to respond" When oppression
needs expiation whose kind Office Is
volunteered? Africa today Is awaiting
oeliverance from Christianity and In.
dia, too. has long been an object Of
grace. The world has perfect right
to ask whether the thing parading
around as Christianity has any connec
tlpn Will Tie man VIII WdS SupPOocu
to have given it birth. The god of the
heather whether he is repree ented in
stone Or a criket is consistent. But
he God of the Westerner Is his COLI
venience-good and ennobling when
al is we'll but crooked and deformed
when all is not a when they wanted
10 get the Hun There is something
ar"ut Chris tianity' which can make
men cool and Systematically cruei.
Just recently at the League of Nations
after that august body had opened its
session with PRAYER France prepares.
to pslt this venerable hCdy for tn" right
10 kill group of citizens in Africa
whose civilization according to French
,tandards is so low rs to endangar
that of France-France who has lust
emerged from tn incomplete task os
exterminat'ng the Germans "in the in
terest of humanity"
W. ueed TO shudder at the REPORTS