THE SUNDAY OREGOXIAN. PORTLAND. APRIL 28, 1913.
CHRISTIAN CHURCHES IN DRIVE TO COLLECT $2,500,000
War Conditions Threaten to Hamper Church Work Rev. H. H. Griffis Leads Campaign in Portland District
i - i
rrtO SAVE their colleges and heapl-
I tala and orphanage from menae
-A- Ing deficit caused by war condl-
tlona. the Christian churches of Amer
I lea, representing the religious body
known aa Disciples of Christ, ar now
la a drlv to raise IJ.500.000O. The
Chriatlaa congregations of Multnomah
County are asked to contribute IS00O as
their shsre of the general fund.
Rst. Harold H. Griffis. pastor of the
First Christian Church, is leading the
local drive and Is holding rallies In the
various congregations. In each rally
ths different phases of the war emer
gency are presented by a team of six
speakers. Splendid audiences hav
gathered for these special meetings and
deep Interest baa been manifested la
the cans.
Several fSOS subscriptions hare al
ready been promised and the leaders
feel confident that Multnomah County
will sustain Oregon's reputation aad
"go over the top."
Rallies were held last week in the
Christian churches of Kern Park. Wood-
lawn and ast bide. This week there
will be rallies at Latacada. Moatavllla
and Gladstone.
Tbla morning at the First Christian
Church Rev. Mr. Griffis. the pastor,
will speak on "The Children of Our
Faith." and la the evening at 7 4S he
will deliver an address on "The World s
I'ebt to the Komaa Catholic Church."
the second la a series of Sunday even
ing sermons on The Evolution of tba
Church, or Helps From Our Religious
'le-hbora.
"Reconstruction," Subject of
Dr. Morrison' Sermon.
Pastor Today Will Dtsewaa Moral
aad Spiritual Phase of Process.
street recently. Hop Hall la between
Third and Fourth) streets.
Those Interested In Alaska and Its
story are Invited to the Atkbison Ms
mortal Church at o'clock ttiia even
ing. Rev. H. H. Wlkoff. of Sim Fran
cisco, is to speak oa this Interesting
territory. Ho will tell about ths na
tires, the "Sourdoughs." the resources.
ths scenery and some wonderftl storiea
of the land and tho people. All this
will bo Illustrated by lantern-slid
pictures.
Th pastor. Rev. Warren Mars, will
speak at th morning aervlca oa ths
tremendous call of ths hour.
"The Personal Touch" Is Dr.
Waldo's Morning' Topic
Whit Tesapl Pastor Testa t Will
Speak a "A (.all ta Actios."
D1
DR. A. A. MORRISON' will dlscrsa
"Moral and Spiritual Reconstruc
tion." a significant subject, this morn'
ing la Trinity Church. He will weav
his thoughts about th text: "Cast thy
bread upon ths waters." Ecc xl:l. and
will emphasis th fact that moral
ana spiritual principles ar lust aa ar.
tlvsly envolved In the great war aa
ar men. money and guns. At this 11
ociock service and at all church aerv.
tcea as well soldiers and their friends
are mad especially welcome.
There will be a celebration of the
holy communion In the chapel at 8
o'clock In th morning and Sunday
school at In the parish house.
.Nineteenth and Paris streets. to
which all children, especially those of
the neighborhood, whether members of
Trinity parish or not. ar Invited.
In tho evening there will be a meet
ing of th Goodfellowshlp Society at
7 la th parish house, to which all
young people ar cordially Invited. Tea
la always served and aa Informal and
pleasant hour is enjoyed by alL At
. the o'clock evening service there will
be a short address, following evening
prayer.
At t o'clock todsy nr. A. L, Hntrhlson
will lecture on "Is This th Tribula
tion f Th address will bs at Hop Hall.
! Alder street.
A special course of study has been
carried out during ths past months. Rev.
Waller Duff has lectured. The revela
tion la to be completed Wednesday and
Friday. Rev. Mr. Millar will sing and
apeak. Rev. W. Duff has had two weeks'
lllble conference In Oresham and will
continue another week.
"Th necessity for Blbl teaching ts
shown by the way Russelllsm has
. caught th untaught." th leaders say.
At Hop Hall special talka ahowlng
th error of Russelllsm caused a
ureal atlr. eeveral of this cult trying
to bresk up tho irsetlng and mutilat
ing th rut at th door on Alder
R. WILLIAM A. WALDO, of the
Whit Temple, will preach this
morning on th subject "The Personal
Touch" and In the evening on "A Call
to Action."
This church Is extending aa lnvlta-
tloa to all people, particularly those
la th heart of th city, to auend Its
services. Th pastor welcomes) all th
aoidiera who com to th city nd they
are assured a place In the affections of
th people of th Whit Temple.
This evening th ordinance of bap
tism will be administered to several
men who have com Into the church
during th month.
e e , e
"Peculiarities of th Disciples of
Christ." will b th subject of Rev. J.
W. Jenkins" toplo at th Montavilla
Christian Church thla morning. To-
nla-hr the nifllnp will snaalr nn .aaarkna
From th Life of a Penitent Kobber." J
e e
Bishop Sumner, In hla address) to ths
Sunday schools of ths diocese last week,
urged parenta and boys to consider the
need for soma of the young men to
study for ths ministry. He declared
that If some of the boys of th country
didn t consider this is a duty ' and
privilege tha ranks of th clergy soon
would hava no ona to flit op that gaps
ana answer th call or th church,
see
Tha following Is a series of lectures
planned by Mrs. Florence Cra.-wford:
Thursday evening healing lectures, assem
bly room, liotel Portland, at S -o'clock.
"Overcoming Fear." May 2; "Instantaneous
Healing," Mar ; Restoring the Err-slght."
May 1; "Healing of Poverty." Mar it: "Tha
or Healing." May SO.
Tuesday afternoon class. Mae room. Hotel
Portland, at 1 o'clock. "Parables Mada
Plain": "The Tares." April SO: "Thai Saad
Growing Secretly." May T: "The Mustard
Seed." Mar 14: "The Leavea." Mar 21: "Tha
Candle." May 2.
Regular services every Sundsv at 11 A V
snd s P. M. la th sasembly room of the
liotel Portland.
e e
Th thirty-third 'annual convention
of tho Oregon Stat Sunday School
Association closed la Salem yesterday.
There was a good attendance from
Portland. The addresses war rood
and report Inspiring.
e e e
Dr. W. W. Toungson will go to
Wlllamlna to preach In th new Metho
dist Church there May IX. Tba pastor.
Rev. C B. Harrison, la a younaT min
ister who haa met with great auccess
at Wlllamlna. due to hla tact, ability
and willingness to work.
see
Tha nsual services will be he 11 today
at the Laurel wood Congrejrattonal
Church. Forty-fifth avenue and Sixty-
fifth street Southeast. Th Sunday
school wlM be at 10 o'clock and the
regular church service at 11 o'clock.
Th sermon will be given by the pas
tor. Mrs. J. J. Handsaker, subject,
"Stretcher Bearers.
ii tmn' I -j i t I nt Tl r' f-P--sV v----
as s z.v " uil '
. j J' . . -V'- : V JtW. ." , - ' i
v .V'--- --ZZp
1 -C. ' gg
New Corvallis Church to Be
Open Every Day.
Thraaghly Modera Ckurrh Edlftc
Dedicated by Censregationallsts.
CORVALLIS. Or April 27. (Spe
cial.) Corvallis Congregationalists
dedicated their new house of worship
early ti. April and tha building is con
ceded by stats officials to bs one of
th most modern structures of that
denomination in the state. The church
waa built for practical service and
when in readiness will be open to the
public seven days of the week. It will
b equipped with athletic fixtures, rest
rooms and all other features that may
add to tha comfort and pleasure of Its
members and friends.
Congregationalism had Ha origin In
Corvallia in the early eighties and one
of th first pastors to serve the church
was ths lata Rev. P. S. Knight, who
waa a prominent character in Oregon
history and who passed away in Salem
only a few years ago. Rev. W. C.
Kantner, at present residing In Salem,
guided the church destinies several
years, and Dr. D. V. Poling, now inter
ested in the National temperance re
form campaign, is another who had a
share in tha growth of tho work.
Among the early and most liberal sup
porter of the denomination was the
late Dr. Thomas H. Catch, president of
Oregon Agricultural College from 1897
to 1907. Two of the charter members,
Mrs. Martha Burnett and Mrs. Martha
Horning, are still connected with the
denomination.
The new structure was'dedlcated en
tirely free of debt, pledges on the
building and a number toward a new
organ being subscribed. Portlanders,
including the late Dr. Luther R. Dyott,
residents of The Dalles and other Ore
gonlana gave liberally toward the Cor
vallis building, several pledges of $50
being received.
The annual state conference of Con
gregational church of Oregon will be
held in tha Corvallia church next
October.
see
Rev. Alexander Beers, who has been
reappointed aa pastor of the First
Free Methodist Church for the third
year, was elected to represent the Ore
gon conference at the coming general
conference of hia denomination. Thia
Is the highest honor which the confer
ence can bestow upon on of its min
isters. He will occupy the pulpit this morn
ing and tonight, taking for his morn
Ing subject "Mobilizing the Forces and
Resources of the First Free Methodist
Church." The pastor will also preach
In the evening, and apecial music has
been arraanged for these services. Don
aid L, MacPbee will sins.
see
At Westminster Presbyterian Church
this morning Dr. E. H. Pence will
speak on "Christ and Democracy." At
7:30 P. M. he will have aa his subject
"Night and Cowardice." He will com
mence his work at Camp Lewis next
week.
s
Jt the Rodney-Avenue Christian
Church, Rodney avenue and Knott
street, the pastor. Rev. J. F. Ghormley,
D. D., will speak at 11 A. M. and 8 P.
M. His morning theme will be "The
Great Physician," and at the evening
service, "What Advantage Then Hath
the Jew?" Bible school is at 10 A. M.
and Christian Endeavor meeting at 7
P. M.
e e
At Mount Tabor Methodist Episcopal
Church Rev. E. O. Eldridge, pastor, will
preach today. Morning. "Beauty of
Self-Forgetfulness"; 'evening, "The
Might of Right."
e
The subject of Rev. W. E. Brlnkman's
sermon this morning at St. James'
Lutheran Church, West Park and Jef
ferson streets, will be "The Lifting
Hand," and tonight, "The Unchangeable
God."
- e e
Tonight at the Highland Congrega
tional Church, corner of Preacott and
Sixth streets, the pastor. Rev. Edward
Constant, will draw some practical les.
sons from the great world conflict,
whea be will take for hla subject
"Stories From the Battle Front." The
subject of the morning discourse will
be "Going Down to Jericho, or Be
Neighborly." I
Special Music to Feature
Congregational Service.
Dr.
Peflley Will Discuss "Saul's
Desaoa aad David's Harp.'
AT the First Congregational Church,
Park and Madison streets, today,
at 7:45 P. M. there will be a special
service of song. Dr. Pedley's subject
will be "Saul's Demon and David's
Harp," and he will speak on the power
and the limitations of musio in human
life. There will be a special programme
of saored music under the -direction of
Professor Luclen E. Becker, organist
or the church.
The communion service at the First
Congregational Church to be held on
the morning of May 6 is intended to
be a rally of all members of the church
who are able to attend. Dr. Pedley
will be in charge of the service and
will preach a sermon suitable to the
occasion. ,
e e
At Lebanon, Or., there Is a little
Catholic Church, St. Edward's, which
raised its American flag on March 30,
1917, a week before war was declared.
Recently the church dedicated a flag,
the gift of its pastor. Rev. Father Car
rlco. They have also a handsome new
American flag, the gift of Mrs. Stephan
Back. The service flag was made by
Mrs. Joseph Devlin, assisted by Miss
Josephine Duerst- Out of 12 single
boys of draft age, nine volunteered.
The church has a children's society in
which they own four war savings certificate.
e
In response to the call to keen the
altar fires of the church burning. Dr.
J. J. Staub, of the Sunnyslde Congre
gational Church, has chosen two
themes of appropriate character. This
morning he will speak on "Replenish
ing Our Spiritual Powers." The illus
trated evening services are meeting
with favor and drawing steadily grow
ing audiences. This evening's dis
course, "God's Way of Securing Our
Best Efforts.? will be delivered by a
I series of exceptionally fin motion pic
tures on "The Byes or me Aiues,
showlng the marvelous feats performed
by the modern flying machine in the
winning of the great war.
e a
This morning at Rose City Park
Presbyterian Church Dr. Robert Milli
gan will preach on "The Hope of World
Peace." Can peace be secured by a
federation of world powers, employing
force and making war on the first na
tion that breaks the peace? If not,
what is necessary besides? What part
has militaristio diplomacy played in
causing the present war? Is there any
hope that secret diplomacy will be re
placed by the golden rule? These are
the questions to be discussed. In the
evening Dr. Milligan's subject will be
"The Sincerity of Jesus," which is one
of a series of sermonsason "The Man
hood of the Master."
Rev. John Boyd to Preach
Anniversary Sermon.
Pastor of First Presbyterian Will
Review Past Year's Work.
Methodists Rally to Aid of
U. S. Government.
Special Patriotic Slag Feature of
Today's Services.
AT tho First Presbyterian Church,
Twelfth and Alder streets, ths
pastor. Rev. John H. Boyd, D. D.. will
preach both morning and evening. In
morning. Dr. Boyd will give an anni
versary sermon In celebration of the
conclusion of seven years In this
pastorate. Thta is an annual event in
the First Presbyterian Church and is
eagerly looked forward to by the mem
bers.
The pastor will review the work of
the past year and tell of his plans and
hopes for the next year. Also, in con
nection with this morning service, there
will be the installation and ordination
of the officers elected last Thursday
at the annual meeting.
At 7:30 P. M., E. E. Coursen will
give an organ recital, the Orpheus
Male Chorus will sing, directed by W.
M. Wilder. Mrs, Virginia Hutchinson
Spencer will give a solo. Dr. Boyd will
speak on "Jesus Christ and Kon-Resist-ance."
see
Bishop Sumner will spend today In
Corvallis, making his annual visit to
the church of the Good Samaritan. He
will spend the three days following at
the Oregon Agricultural College, where
he will address the student body and '
various organizations. He will be at
the university at Eugene the major 1
portion of the next week.
Archdeacon Chambers will conduct
the services at St. Stephen's Pro
Cathedral today, taking the place of
Dean McCollister, who recently under
went a surgical operation.
A class of candidates was confirmed
by Bishop Sumner at St. Mark's Church
Thursday evening, that of St. Mark's
day. After the service the annual par
ish gathering was held in the parish
house.
While in Seaside recently Bishop
Sumner delivered a patriotic address
for the men at the Hammond lumber
camp. A pleasant aliair was given oy
the women of Calvary Church in hon
or of Mrs. Sumner, who accompanied
the bishop to Seaside.
m m w
Rev. James T. French, of the First
Methodist Church South, will speak to
day at 11 A. M. on "The Universal Need
of the Universal peart."
Multnomah, County Endeavor Union
has been holding an expert drive. Sun
nyslde Congregational intermediates
are among the leaders. Miss Mar
guerite Hine is their director.
a m m
At Hope Presbyterian Church Rev.
Floyd E. Dorrls will speak this morn
ing on To what Are we tjaiiea as
Christians?" and this evening on "Con
science and Obligations." On Tuesday
evening there will be a social for men.
AT First Methodist Church Dr. St ana
field will -speak this morning on
"Christ's Parable on Excuses." In the
evening there will be a congregational
sing of patriotic and religious songs,
under the leadership of Professor Olsen
and the vested choral choir, with pipe
organ and violin accompaniment. Dr.
Stansfield will preach on "Militant
Christianity, Its Motive, Its Morale, Its
March."
During the month of May the Metho
dist National War Council will put on
a programme not only in Portland, but
nation-wide, that will stimulate every
Methodist to do his utmost. It Is the
purpose of the Methodist National War
Council, appointed by the board of bis
hops, to interpret, as far as possible,
the attitude of Methodism to the Gov
ernment, and the patrlotio desires of
the Government to Methodism.
The month of May Is set apart as a
patriotic demonstration month, climax
ing Sunday, May 19. all over the Nation.
An every-member canvass will be made
throughout the Nation, the slogan of
which will be: "An Average Day's
Wage from Every Methodist for War
Emergencies."
In Portland, patrlotio rallies in the
Individual churches are in contempla
tion, to be followed by a mass meeting
of all members and forces of the
churches, at which meetings no collec
tion will be taken.
During the week of May 13 to 19 the
canvass in individual churches will be
taken. Sunday, May 12, Is to be "Metho
dists' Patriotic Sunday": Sundav. Mar
19, will be the day of "Celebration." at
which announcement will be made of
the amount given toward making the
church real for the boys in the trenches
and cantonments. The presentation of
the plan and working out of details for
Portland district will be the work of
the Methodist Ministers' Association,
meeting Monday morning, April 19, in
First Church.
Lantern Slides Will Depict
. German Destruction.
Special Patriotic Services Arranged
at Centenary Methodist,
CENTENARY METHODIST CHURCH
will have a patrlotio service to
night. The music will bo in patrlotio
strain, and the entire service will be
of that sort. The pastor, Dr. T. W.
Lane, has secured direct from th
Government at Washington a set of
50 stereoptlcon slides showing tha
wanton and ruthless destruction of
churches and eacred buildings by th
Germany army in Northern France and
Belgium during the war. These pic
tures are from photographs made for
the Government by experts with th
army of the allies. They are therefor
authoritative and correct.
These pictures will be thrown upon
the screen by a first-class lantern.
They will be of Interest to everybody,
especially to those whose boys are
"over there" or are getting ready for
foreign service.
The Sunday school will meet as usual
at 9:45 A. M., and at 11 A. M. Rev.
H. P. Blake will preach. Dr. Blake is
one of the able and interesting preach
ers of the city, and all who listen to
him will be benefited.
e a
Tonight at 6 o'clock Dr. Hutchison,
pastor of Piedmont Presbyterian
Church, will talk on the topic "Waa
(Concluded on Page 11.)
WAR WILL MAKE BETTER WORLD TO LIVE IN SAYS PASTOR
Dr. J. H. Boyd Discusses "God's Day of Making a New Start With an Old World."
BT DR. J. H. BOTD.
First Presbyterian Church.
iii-
-Aad I saw w
fte-relartaas
Mm aad a n.w earta, fr ths first
ktini aad the first earta are paas.d awar.
... And he that e:tttb ea the threae
salt. "Bshols. I Bake all thlccs asw.-
IXLAtfe m irieno. m young imuy. wnv
la going to th moving picture
shows haa formed th habit, whea
anything distressing or brutal cam on
th screen, of shutting her eyes. la
viewing war pictures she tells me her
yea ar closed most of th time.
We smile at this naive war of at
tending th plctur shows, but the
method of my friend haa been convert
ed by many Into a serious philosophy
f life, which Is. at th present hour,
being applied to th facta of lit. They
disregard th unpleasant. They shut
their eyes to th thing thst is brutal
and painful. Whatever wo do not de
sirs, let us declare Its unreality and
amtle!
Over sralnst this way of taking life's
hard realities Is another, adopted by a
great man sitting la Influential places
la Washington, who uses this expres
sion over and over again: "Whether we
like It or not. the facts are so and so."
This Is th blahest wisdom. It does
not matter what our attitude of
tbought may b nor where our princi
ples and syllogisms, wrought out from
th desires of our hearts, lead ua You
cannot alter th reality of things. No
natter what kind of a world yoa would
Ilk to se around you: no matter what
yoa would like to think to be true, you
are utterly Impotent to Chang th
tern, gaunt facts of life aa It la.
- Therefor It Is but rational and man
ly. It Is the only basis of a genuine life,
to stand squarely upon one's feet and
with an honest and fearless heart look
life In the face, whether It frown or
Whether It smile.
If ar H..1 honaatlv wltli Ufa we shall
ellscover some tremendously signifi
cant thlnss, th first of which Is this:
Cream aad HI Laws.
: That man is not a primary, but a sec
ondary being: that he Is not Indepen
dent, but very dependent; that he has
been Introduced without his will or
ho1c into a system of things which is
tinder th confYol of a divin Creator
who 1 working under Inexorable laws,
la a direction which he himself has
chosen, and that man must live hla life
upon terms appointed by that Creator.
Now. I know how this sounds In your
earing. There Is a way to Stat this
fact, so fundamental and to my mind
so Irresistibly true, which makes it
very offensive very dark and crueL
The words of Omar Khayyam bit whea
yoa read them:
rv. are bo ether tha a marine; row
Of mactr shsilaar-shapas thst cooif snd se
Reaod wife, the sueliiuralae4 laatern hald
la SA,dais at ty ta ouur at th ahew.
Impotent vleeae ef the same he plays
Vaon h:s chaf-lter-beard ef aishts snd days:
Hltbar aa4 tnitber moras, aad checks aad
Urn
Aad eae by en, sark ta ths closet lays.
How brutal thla Interpretation of th
Bnt vers I
Or yoa mar swing to th ether ex
treme of th sara thought and find
that It Is Illumined with a glorious
light, shot through and through with
plendld ooundenc. Alfred Tennyson i
takes the same thought which Omar
Khayyam makes so dark, and finds that
All as la one plec ef srt
Is loU c-opraat to aa .ad.
and yet that
Net one life shell be destroyed.
Or east as rubbish to th void.
Whea God bath made the pi complete.
However dark or bright th thought
may be. here Is th fact. We have got
to accept It that we ar her under
conditions where our wills hav but a
small play, our Intelligence cannot
reach far, we ar under h dictation
of necessity for th most part, we ar
held and guided by a purpose sot our
own,
Dlreettaa mt lb Creates- Caldaaes
The question then comes, la there any
way of discovering la what direction
th infinite power la leading us and
hla world? When on of thos mys
terious bodies, a cornet, appears In the
solar system, discovered In the remotest
places by the telescope. Immediately
the astronomer throughout th world
begin to take observations, and from
their various points of observation they
ar enabled to estimate th orbit In
which th visitor Is movlnjr.
Now. can w. from any -data at hand.
looking back over the field of human
history for tOOO or (000 yrara. discover
by our computations anything of th
orbit which th Creator Is describing?
Can we discover th direction of the
pathway over which humanity 1 pass-
In s; 7 This question leads into one of
th most fascinating, aa well as ons
of th most subtle and difficult lines
of historic Interpretation. It is curious
to se bow men hav answered It.
Asiala-Saxaw Dvsasaiattaa.
Ton will remember that. Cecil Rhodes.
the great capitalist of South Africa,
makea a statement, la the trangest will
that was ever penned. In (which he says
that he himself had co trie to believe
that there la a creative power In the
universe, that ther la a. directive in
telligence, that the wortd is moving
according to a plan, and as he had
figured it out th Almighty God was
working for the domination of the
Anglo-Saxon people In tho world. Out
of that belief cam the Jameson raid,
the Boer war. and the will that com
mitted millions of money to Oxford uni
versity for bringing to the shores of
England students from ajl the Anglo
Saxon world. Kvery state In the Union
of the United States is entitled to send
annually to Oxford upon Che funds sup
plied by this man. students. In order
to bind together the Anglo-Saxon world,
and thus to help Almighty God onward
with hla purpose to make that people
supreme. Such was on nun's Interpre
tation of th direction lx which God
Is. moving.
Hbeasllera Dsalaatloa.
We are confronted with another In
terpretation of the sam kind. Th
German people, looking akng th nar
row history of the Hohcazollern fam
ily, the remarkable development of the
German nation, century after century.
On th sandy stretches -of unfertile
Prussia, where life was erver a hard
ship, a people was assembled out of!
th restless wild spirits t every na
tion of Europe, and buiht a warlike
power under a martial dynasty, and has
grown into boundless pro-ffpertty, unity
snd National purpose. Froen these facts
Germany has wrought out th Idea that
th almlahty power of the universe Is
moving ta th direction to make the
German people th dominating people
of th world.
Tou thua se It Is a very serious
matter whea men get to measuring the
direction ia which the almighty power
of th universe is moving.
Spread of Democracy.
Now, had th reach of the German
intelligence and Investigation been
wider, their historians and philosophers
would have discovered that so far from
the divine moving in the direction of
setting up an autocratic power such as
theirs in the world, they would have
seen that he was moving In the dlrec
tion of democracy. One of the funda
mental propositions of my life creed Is
that I understand tha almighty power
of th universe at least this far, that
he la moving the nations of the world
toward the larger liberty, the greater
freedom which ia expressed and organ
ised and acts in democratic institutions.
A hundred and forty years ago there
was no klngless country In the world
and never had been except a few
patches of sterile aristocracy or democ
racy scattered here and there through
the fields of history. Then America
dreamed her dream of freedom and
power for the masses. From that hour
on through a brief century the whole
Western Hemisphere haa become king-
less, and men are trying to work out
the destiny of nations and social life
without the leadership or the authority
of a single hereditary head.
Quiescent and somnolent Asia even
haa awakened to thla hope In th lth
century. Poor, blind China has been
aroused and feels the desire for de
mocracy in her heart. The millions of
India ar rocking Ilk th restlessness
of the sea. They have caught the
vision of democracy. So we find that
all the world everywhere is developing
the passion for democratic liberty. God
ia moving humanity In that direction.
But notice how partial this theory of
human development Is. It only covers
the past 140 years. What about the
older centuries? Is there any vast In
clusive conception which reachea across
generation after generation, and cen
tury after century, gathering into it
self something of the age-long move
ment of mankind? I believe that there
is.
Righteousness God's Aim.
Matthew Arnold haa supplied us with
a description of God which is highly
significant. Reviewing what man has
been and wrought out In the centnrlea
of bis collective life, he says that "God
Is a power that makes for righteous
ness." The Infinite npwer of the uni
verse, the Intelligence -and will of the
divine, is a power that wherever he
moves, wherever be works, wherever
he deals with humanity, he aims at
rlghteouaness.
Now, recall what you know of the
serious literature of the world the
dramas of Greece, sacred writings of
the East, all books of every age and
people which express the largest, finest
thoughts and feelings of the world at
the heart of all of them there ia the
idea of the essentiality of morality.
We say that the world needs light.
Light for what? In order to discover
more clearly the pathway that leads
to justice and to equity. We say that
humanity needs a new wilL A new will
for what? In order that it may grasp
with firmer hold the eternal, unchange
able action of right doing. Alorality Is
the integrating principle of all civiliza
tion. It Is that which stabilizes the In-
stltutlona of man, and brings happiness
wherever man is happy.
So we are bound to atand up and
look at this tremendous fact that the
power of the universe, whom we call
God, created and Is governing .the
world. In order that righteousness and
equity, in order that purity and sincer
lty, in order that kindliness and broth
erhood, might be established In the re
lationships of mankind.
Tou ask what God is doing all -day
long, as th little boy once .asked, then
I tell you that all day long' and all the
centuries long, and all the aeons long,
God la working for righteousness in
the world.
Among the events and Interactions of
human affairs, God comes upon the
ground. His presidency over men and
nations and his interest In the great
cause of righteousness is such that he
permits the evil of the world to ripen
until It reaches a consummation of ex
ploslveness, when all ths world goes to
pieces and a new start has to be made.
Mii'i Opportunity to Choose.
Tou ask why does not God intervene
in this evil world? Why does he permit
the flourishing of wrong and the trl
umph of Injustice? I have a simple
answer, which may not satisfy you, but
It satisfies me perfectly. I must say it
very reverently or you will misunder
stand me. God does not Intervene to
prevent or to correct these things for
the reason that he cannot, he dare not
do It He must not do it.
Why? For the all-sufficient reason
that he made humanity like unto him
self, wltn the possibility of character.
with the freedom of an imperial will
that cannot be bound. In this divine
endowment of free choosing and free
acting there lies Inevitably and Ines
capably the possibility of wrong doing.
God can recall the freedom of man's
ilL He can send you and me back to
the realm of mere atoms, and hold us
In perfect harmony to his will, but we
will not be free men when he does that,
A coerced morality is no morality, and
therefore God cannot help himself, or
hinder the evil of the world.
But he comes upon the ground In
these great transactions of mankind,
and although he will not arrest ths
freedom of man's will nor prevent the
ripening of human injustice and evil,
yet he injects into these great expe
riences of mankind the redemptive
power of new light and new kindliness
and new justice and equity and new
morality, and the new principles of a
diviner and a more heavenly earth, so
that after these vast explosions and
cataclysms the world is left a new. a
fairer and a holier place, and a new
height is gained on the way toward
righteousness and brotherliness.
Let us try to see this clearly. Again
and again in the life of mankind, the
world haa grown so evil that it could
no longer remain unaltered. The first
century was an era like that. There is
the effete, decadent civilisation of
Greece, which waa once marked by a
mentality the equal of which the world
has never seen. Th Greek genius
could create a beauty which ia still the
desire and delight of the world. Yet
Greece declined. It became so corrupt
that it festered and died in corruption.
Read Paul's first chapter to the Ro
mans If you want ' to se what the
Greek world had become a, stench In
the nostrils of hig heaven.
The Roman Empire became hard, ma
terialised. Rome lost her souL Her
citizens learned to live in the glare of
th Immediate present. Their eager
employ was to sit in the arena, while
thousands of their fellow men slaugh
tered each other on the Bands of com
bat. With all the noble gifts of free
dom perished, God forgotten and the
sanctities of life disregarded, she was
unworthy to live!
Israel had become Immobile. The civ
ilization and thought of Judea, played
upon by the matchless force of the life
of the Nazarene for three and a half
years, waa beyond feeling or change or
advance! As the light of the sun falls
upon the Ice and is reflected in scintil
lating glory, so the beauty of the Man
of Nazareth fell upon the cold, hard.
unyearnlng lives of Immovable Judea
and fell away again, a mere gleam of
unnoted glory.
There you have a combination of the
spiritual immobility of Israel, the fetor
of degenerate Greece and the material
ized, souliessness of Rome. Out of that
combination were generated the forces
which blew the civilizations of the Ro
man Empire to pieces fragments flew
In every direction. It was the most
stupendous period in the world's his
tory I Two millions of Jews died around
the walls of Jerusalem and' century
after century that old drunken Roman
Empire staggered to its grave, until at
last it waa ended by the Teutons of the
North. The new forces of Christianity
were playing upon the lives of human
ity and the world rose to a better and a
higher altitude.
Tha Dark Agrea.
Mark again the long period which we
call mediaeval the Dark Ages, if you
please. It was ended by another hu
man eruption, a volcanic explosion
which blew the civilizations of Europe
to pieces. That mediaeval period was
period of stagnation. Its Intellec
tual life degenerated into a cunning,
metaphysic, dominated by Aristotle or
Plato, merely marking time and run
ning round and round without progress
and without touching the moral life.
Until at the end of that mediaeval
period the degeneracy of the church
and state and society had become such
that it was no longer to be tolerated.
The world was to make a new start
Constantinople had fallen, and the
manuscripts of the great masters of
Greece were brought into Western Eu
rope. The printing press was invented.
The western hemisphere of America
was uncovered by the discovery of Co
lumbus. But the thoughts of mara the
higher, finer elements Of mans soul
and conscience, were lying stagnant.
corrupt. Impotent Martin Luther
opened the door of liberty for the
human mind and conscience, w lth that
great opening there came a period of
deepest tragedy. War after war fol
lowed each other. Decade after decade
the world writhed in the agony of
trouble, but out of it all came the lib
erty and greatness of modern civilisa
tion.
Tbe 18tfe Centnry.
A similar phenomenon appears at the
end of the 18th century. Tou have only
to turn to a work like that of Macken
zie's History of the Nineteenth Century
to find that the close of the 18th cen
tury was another period of stagnation
and corruption. The conditions were
such in France that you can hardly be
lieve them. The common people, the
peasants on the farms, were not per
mitted to hoe their grain or their vege
tables because it disturbed the young
families of quail -which the gentry
wanted to grow for their shooting.
When my lady In the chateau was lying
with a nervous headache, tbe peasants
were sent out to beat the marshes in
order to keep the frogs quiet so that
she might sleep.
Crossing the channel at the same
period you find In England boundless
unrest. The high prices of foods kept
the common people upon the verge of
starvation, and so brutal was human
life that when the 19th century entered
there were 223 offenses for which the
punishment was hanging. Most of these
were crimes committed by the common
masses. A wild, -dark, brutal mass it
was, and there sitting upon the throne
of Englarrd was a half crazy king who
desired to bring back the arbitrary au
thority of the House of Stuart,
Another New Starr
Then began the war with the Ameri
can Colonies, then the French Revolu
tion, followed by the gigantic figure
and actions of Napoleon. All the world
dissolved and went to pieces. The clvi
ization of Europe and Britain were
shattered and reformed. The modern
period of a higher and better life of
man grew ojit of that great explosion.
I am trying to help you to see that
the world is ever making new starts;
that humanity in the exercise of its
freedom develops a monstrous condi
tion which can no longer be tolerated,
that society through its own inherent
impossibility and corruption, is shat
tered by a terrific explosion, then a
new and higher life is begun. God is on
the ground and he projects into these
dark periods the vitalizing presence of
a larger intelligence, a finer morality,
a nobler idealism, and Instead of hu
manity staggering backward into the
darkness, it breaks out into a larger
liberty and finds a worthier life.
This is what has happened at the
present hour. I have not time and
your Intelligent understanding of the
times does not require that I should
cite the facts which show that, with all
of its progress and greatness, the 19th
century developed a situation, a combi
nation of impossible forces, which in
evitably led to the explosion of the
present hour.
The 19th Centnry.
Let me give you but a suggestion of
what I might present. Here we are
wondering at the anarchy which has
broken- over Russia. Hdw is it possible
for it to be Otherwise? Let me read
from the London News a description of
conditions in Russia in 1909:
The field courtsmartial were kept hard at
work, and every day some score of people
were naneea wltnin ze nours ol a mock
trial. Hosts of men and women were sent
to Siberia and Arctic Russia by mere ad
ministrative order, without trial and with
out knowledge of their offenses. The prisons
were full to overflowing, and their Inmates
huddled In the corridors and passaees were
swept away by disease. In 1909 the jails of
Russia, conetructea- to noia only itu.oou, con.
talrued more than 180,000 men and women.
Do you believe that under the gov
ernment of a just God such things can
be without paying the penalty of un
rest, explosion and anarchy?
I read again, a description oi lamii-
iar but most true and cruel facts. The
words are from Henry George's "Prog
ress and Poverty":
And, unpleasant as It may be to admit
It, it is at last becoming- evident that th
enormous Increase in productive power which,
has marked the present century and Is still
going on with accelerated ratio, haa no
tendency to extirpate poverty or to lighten
th burden of those compelled to toll. It
simply widens the gulf between Dives and
Lazarus and makes the struggle for existence
more Intense. The march of invention has
clothed mankind with powers of which a
century ago the boldest imagination could
not have dreamed. But In factories where
labor-saving machinery has reached Its most
wonderful development, little children are
at work: wherever the new forces are any.
thing like fully utilized, large classes are
maintained by charity. Amid the greatest
accumulations of wealth men die of starva
tion and puny infants suckle dry breasts,
where everywhere Is the greed of gain, the
worship of wealth. The promised land Ilea
before us like a mirage. The fruit of the
tree of knowledge turns as we grasp then
to apples of Sodom that crumble at the
touch.
This Is written of America.
When you look at Germany enter
taining its dream of world domination
and preparing for a world war; when
you look at cultivated France falling
In the corruptions of lust and deliber
ately and consciously committing sui
cide by the limitation of her families
and nursing her wrath to keep it warm
against the Germans; when we know
that the English people, so Charles
Booth tells us, has developed a civiliza
tion so unequal and unjust that one
tenth of the people of London go to
bed hungry every night and Glasgow
staggers to its bed drunken! we should
also know that such civilizations are
repeating the explosive combinations
of the past.
Getting Ready for a New Start,
The evil of the world generates thsso
volcanic forces and wmch in exploding
shatter society. We are, at the present
hour, seeing another one of these his
toric upheavals which transform. It
must be. God is a power that makes
for righteousness and evils like thos
around cannot survive In a world mov
ing toward righteousness.
Let the individual understand this!
Let the city understand it. Let the state
understand it. , Let the Nation under,
stand it. Let humanity understand it.
Man is but a secondary being, frail,
dependent, with the iron necessity upon
him of coing in the direction of God's
right or suffering the penalty of his
wrong-doing!
You may go to the moving picture
show and close your eyes to all that is
disagreeable. Tou may sit in these
pews and shut your ears to the voice
of truth. You may look across the
gory fields' of battle and see no divine
presence, e But God is on the field and
out of this terrible hour he Is going to
bring a new world! A new world where
in dwelleth righteousness, and unless
meqj shall remedy the wrong now ex
isting and bring more justice and
equity, more kindliness and more
brotherliness into human relations, a
larger, sweeter purity into the soul of
the individual, he will let man's sin
work out its consequences, but tomor
row will be born a new heaven and a
new earth. A new generation of bet
ter, nobler beings win cnmD tne sleeps
which we have refused to scale.