The Dayton forum. [volume] (Dayton, Ohio) 1913-1949, 1938-03-04
BY GILBERT ii. JONES. Ph. b.
tJena University

one with which the church should
concern itself. The fact is that IT
one time all secular and religious
education was largely in the hands
Of or under the influence of the
church. And, SO today, for many
and sundry reasons real education
looks to the church for its insipat--
ton and guidance. 1t has been the
burden of the best minds of each
age through time immemorial.
Gifted souls are here and there
touched with that spark Of divinity
that is in all men and all beings,
move about the face of the earth
like the reflex Of an arc light, doing
good here and there, leaving slight
impress and in some imponderable
way contributing to the ultimate
aim and purpose of life and living.
Men of the church, worthy offsprings
of all the saints under the crucifix-
ion of the cross, inspired with a
fame of publication and uplift,
what are you going to do about it?
Have you not heard the challenge
Does not the zoom of its resounding
drive through the air strike fire in
your souls and light you up with a
new inspiration?
Christ came to bring peace on
eArth and good will to men. He
grew into manhood, impressed his
followers with the nature and origin
of his divinity, confounded the elders
in the temple; but the problems that
rose and the discussions frim His
teachings finally led to repudia-
ton by the elders and the wise men
that ended in Golgotha. He arose
from the dead, ascended unto the
Father, but gave great message
of salvation and redemption to suf-
fering mankind. The Christian
church, reinspired by this revelation
took hold anew and started, as it
seemed, upon the pathway to new
life and new living. 1t was not long,
however, before seltishness, greed
and lust for power, aided by the ma
tive genius of the human mind with
its portions Of cunning, luck, and
ability combined, began to inject
into the world of life and thought
unsound elements that were sooner
or later to porduce still greater
confusion.
TO me there is something that IS
awful and tragic as well as sublime
and inspiring In the struggles Of
man, since the birth Of Christ, 70
find his way in this world and 70
overcome the depressing loads winch
have fallen upon his shoulders
through the weakness Of the fiesh.
The great church fathers, William
Of Ocean, Augustinus, Thomas OF
Aauin, and their compeers labored
diligently to righten the whole snip
Of religion and set her going amidss
the storms that burst upon the seas.
lust about the time that it seemed
that they would win, science came
IN tn create new storms that besee
with all their fury and tranqulllzing
ocean. Roger and Francis Bacon
Rane Descrates, Baruch de Splnoza,
Cottlieb Liebnitz, David Hume
yohn Locke, Emmanuel Kant, John
Hobbies. ali joined In the great fray
nnou the extended battle 'front.' ana
when the battle was over and the
din and smoke Of the forum nao
cleared away and man found ms
whereabouts, he discovered tnat III
suite of all, in the midst Of con1u-
aion. there reigned supreme some
things that escaped the holocaus'
and by survival seemed 70 par'sAe
of divinity and immortality
Modern industrialisnn, Win ~
n,oh,ems Of capital and labor, pol
;tics and government. approaches 1ne
nroblem from d new angle, but onis
seems to throw new confusion INTO
the great ponderous machinery O
modern civilization. And SO today
II the name of the Christian church
tho church Of Luther, CALVIN
zw;nol; Of the Wesleys, OF oul
own Allen and Payne, and Of 81
those saints who labored In tns'
great vineyard and have now goh'
- peace and reward, we CONS
avain to face the same fundameh'a
issues and to solve again the SANS
Fundamental problems OF life ane
living and the rulings Of an al
knowing and an all pervasive Goa
We raise the same questions, ans
wer and same challenge, receive tn'
same gauntlet. What are we goinf
to do about it? What have we q
sayg There Is something permanent
and abiding In the world. There i
God who rules the universe. Th'
story Of redemption Is true. TO u
tbs way is clear. The duty of th'
church Is to teach the people. I,
show them the way Of the livini