The Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1931-1952, 1941-01-31
Good Neighbors
BY S. L. NIcCants

Many feel today that it is diff
cult, if not impossible to be a
Christian in so pagan a world.
What Is the use some say in a
world of war, economic hardship
and downright heather morals, to
torment our individual consciences
we can not be good Christians say
many, until we, have good world.
Well, there is some truth in this
statement, but brother, sister; this
does not cover the ground. We
must not stop there. Paul in his
Roman prison, writing to his Phi
lippian friends ended his letter
thus: All the saints salute you, es-
pecially they that are of Caesars
household. What a strange place
to be a Christian. We complain
about economic and social iniqui-
ties that curse our lives, but think
of trying to be a Christian against
the background of Caesars house
hold. One of the ancient worlds
most wicked spots yet there lived
Christians in spite of all the sin,
immortality and brutal force. Paul
went so far as to call them saints
and today living in world where
people have no decent chance to
be Christians. But, this does not
apply to you and me. Christianity
started in a world more Pagan
than this. Saints in Caesars
household, that is where it began.
In a world Brutal in its morales,
and so disillusioned in its social
outlook that even the finest of Ro-
man Emperors, Marcus and Azure
Illus said, once, if a man lived to be
forty years of age that he had seen
everything that ever had happened
on this earth, and everything that
ever would happen here, but few
men and. women broke step with
the rhythm of their generations
march and listened to the beating
of another drum, in that ancient
world, sin and immortality and in
spite of everything, lived true
Christian lives. If ever there was
time when the church should
raise it's voice and message to
cheer the weary traveley who in
spite of all hell and its angels,
have held up the banner of our Sa-
vior. 1t is now our so-called Chris
tian Democracy which we have in
America, have pinned our faith to
save us, is slowly but surely fail
ing us.
Twenty million people may leave
the church, give up Christianity
and think the man of Nazareth a
flat failure in a pagan world, but
the saving remnants are those who
believe still, that the sermon on the
Mount will shine like the noon day
sun when these thunderstorms are
passed.
There is no hope of saving poll
teal Democracy, without such
moral and spiritual aristocracy, as
these Christians in spite of every
thing. So to you who have ever
placed your faith in God, we beg
of you to remain faithful in spite
of everything.
This old world has witnessed
worse times than those we are now
passing, and please remember
above all, that the only thing that
saved the day when all seemed but
lost were these faithful souls who
were Christians in spite of every
thing. Cheer up you valiant Chris
tian soldiers of the cross, it is up
to us to save this world from obi
Won. What privilege is ours to
be Christians in spite of every
thing, trusting God, and doing our
part to hold this world in which
we live together. Let's renew our
faith and just know that God still
lives and his truth is marching on.