THE DAILY CAPITAL JOURNAL, SALEM, OREGON. SATURDAY, MARCH 1, 1919.
PAGE-SIX
A
I t
iViUT upon the heels of the lulu
Liberty Loan campaign there
will be a sixtii--not a loan 01
billions to Uncle Sam, but one of
millions for God.
pno hundred twenty millions of
dollars is the sum to be raised. In the
campaign to be waged every man,
woman and child in America will be
reached and people in every Inhabitable
part of the glube will be affected. ,
Only a world converted to the prnc
tieal application of Christianity can be
considered a world safe for democracy
this is the big idea back of this great
world movement originated and further
ed by the Methodist Episcopal Church
and the Methodist Episcopal Church
South. Dr. S. Earl Taylor, originator
and present leader a layman, by the
way of the movement, has explained it
all this way:
"The world cannot be reconstructed
by a formula. No mere agreement
among diplomats can heal the wounds
of war. No Intcrnntional constitution,
however perfect in Its phrasing, and no
mere economlo revolution, however
sweeping in its scope, can bring about
the universal reign of peace and good
will among men. Such a peace is the
fundamental aspiration of every human
heart, but it cannot be realized through
force, it cannot be realized through gov
ernment and it cannot be. realized
through law alone. World democracy
can and will be realised only through
applieu Christianity' and nothing but
faithlessness on the part of the Chris
tian church need delay its realization
now."
More Than Religious Movement
Christianize a nation and you
democratize it; it Is this belief that is
stimulating this great world-wide move
ment, a Christian movement, a church
movement, a strictly religious move
ment; but one which will soon compel
the world to attach new meanings to the
words "church" and "religion" and
"Christianity." This new movement
has something of the spirit of the old
American "revival" ana something o(
the fervor of the ancient crusades.
The movement took its name from
the centenary of the founding of the
Methodist Missionary society. It has
been endorsed by every interdenomina
tional conference which has had It
under consideration.
A complete survey of every field has
been made by the Methodists and the
campaign Is to be waged with almost
military strategy. The main objectives
have been mapped out The sinews of
war are being raobilizei The armies
are being trained, not under the hit-or-miss
volunteer system, but according to
the principles of selective service. The
Methodist section alone, including the
Southern branch, will be financed with
$120,000,000.
Layman Suggests Idea.
The movement in its Inception was
not cccclsinstical. It was democratic.
Dr, S. Earl Taylor is a Methodist lay
man. That name won't be repeated
often if Dr. Taylor can help it, He is
not a sclf-advertlser. Personal honors
do not interest him, any more than have
the urgent appeals from several com
mercial institutions to leave his mission
ary work and devote his talents, at
many times his preftnt income, to their
business interests. Actual achievement
in the service, of his Master is his one
measure of success. His official position
is executive secretary of the Joint en
tenary Committee.
Although a graduate of a divinity
school he refused ordination. He
wanted to become a lay missionary, but
because of illness in his family, he could
not go abroad.
"I have always believed in missions,"
he has said. "I have always believed in
the great mission of the Christian
Church. That mission is to bring the
whole world to a knowledge of Jesus,
and if thn mission were too great for
the church to perform, the Master
would never have Intrusted the Church
with its performance.
"So far, the church has not carried
out its mission. But today we have
more reason than ever to have faith In
the church. The church Is awakening.
It takes no prophet to see that It' Is
beginning to realize its mission, and
millions right here in America are now
consecrating themselves not merely to
lead a better life' according to the old
and Inadequate Interpretation of con
secration but to give to the cause of
world redemption and world democracy
their full share of organised service.
Same Old Gospel Preaehed.
"We are not preaching a new gospel.
We are offering no amendments to the
teachings of Christ His plan of salva
tion was complete. The difference be
tween the awakening church of today
and the eminently respectable and emi
nently futile church of the past Is In our
fuller realization of the meaning of out
Master s message.
"Yesterday, it was customary to think
of the church as a harbor of refuge. It
is a harbor but a harbor has vastly
greater uses than to furnish refuge
from the storm. It Is a port of em
barkation In the Master's service. It Is
a place to take on food and fuel and to
get our engines overhauled. Its main
object Is not to thelter os from the.
storm, but to equip ns to deliver the
goods.
"Yesterday many good people "
thought of the church as an institution
to give comfort to the dying and pre
pare the souls of those who ask forgive
ness for the Day of Judgment and the
unknown life beyond. Today we are
beginning to realize its greater mission.
For individual sin it still offers the one
and only remedy, but if it is to -'be a
power In the world that is, it must apply
the principles of Jesus to heal not only
the individual but the social life.
"The American Church has hereto
fore had a remedy for drunkenness, but
only this year has it abolished the
organized liquor traffic Heretofore it
has offered to each seeker an adequate
remedy for wilfull idleness, but it did
not attempt to solve the unemployment
problem. It has L :ld out a remedy for
personal greed, but it often seemed in
different to those social" abuses 'which
led to extremes of wealth and poverty.
It has taught kindness to servants, but
it has not thrown itself in any organized
way into the modern workingman's
struggle for a living wage. It has
theoretically "taught the universal
Fatherhood of God, but not until the
present time did it enlist body and soul
in a war for world democracy.
Bold Labor Program Adopted.
"Six years ago the Methodist Epis
copal Church of America adopted a
definite labor program. It boldly a sr
sertcd the right of the workers to em
ployment, and their right not only to a
living wage, but to the highest wage
that industry can afford to pay. It
sympathized with the aims and aspira
tions of the modern labor union, but it
went further in Its labor program than
the unions could go. It demanded Jus
tice and something more. It demanded
that the problems of employer and em
ployed be worked out under the In
spiration of Christian fellowship, and
that Industry be organized, not to sat
isfy the individual thirst for wealth, but
to extend to every one the highest op
portunity for joyful service.
"The Methodist Episcopal Church,"
he said, "is the only church which now
has missions in every country on earth.
We are not afraid of any situation we
can possibly find In any foreign field.
Our missionary society is not afraid of
Wars, famine or plague. We are not
afraid of hostility or repression. The
v' only thing we have to fear the only
thing that can now stand in the way of
a completely suecesnyri campaign is
indifference on the part of the church
at home.
"The American Army,' with all Its
splendid spirit and indomitable will,
could have accomplished nothing in
France if it had been deserted on the
feirMH
'home front." Exactly the same situa
tion exists with us. The world may be
brought to Christ in our time, genuine
world democracy and human brother
hood may be achieved, and the era of
war and industrial strife give place to
permanent peace and good will, if the
churches of America consecrate them
selves to this achievement."
World Needs Surveyed."
The first main objective of the cen
tenary drive is to .equip every Methodist
mission, at home and abroad, for 100
per, cent efficiency. Forty million
dollars has been appropriated for each
branch of the work, and the exhaustive
survey tells in detail just where and
how the money is to be spent.
"The Christian religion is the only
religion which answers the need of the
day. It is peculiarly the religion of
the present, for it is the religion of
dynamic democracy. It is the only re
ligion which can satisfy In these days of
social upheaval. Jesus spoke to the
common people and the common people
heard Him gladly. He was bitter in
His denunciation of caste and privilege.
He proclaimed a world for those who
serve their fellow men, but a world to
be gained through the application of
love and fellowship instead of throne.!)
violence and hatred.
"Poor suffering India needs such i
religion. Her hundreds of millions are
the despair of democracy today simply
because her. religion is a caste religion.
Christianize India and we will democ
ratize India. I realize that the very
suggestion will shock and scare many
servitors of special privilege, lut there
can be no compromise on this funda
mental Christian doctrine. Either we
are for Christ or against Him.' Either
we are for democracy or against it. A
Christian world will be a democratic
world; but only through Christianity
will democracy be made safe."
Big Prayer Drive Planned.
To start the drive the Methodists
hare organized a Fellowship of Inter
cession "td release the prayer power of
the church." Tens of thousands have
enrolled in this fellowship, each pledged
to devote a certain period each day to
prayer.
Next, there is a "stewardship drive."
One million American Methodists are
wanted to join In this. For five years
they will contribute one-tenth of their
income to this Christian work. $
"Enlistment for life service" is an
other feature of this program. The
drive will call for a new army of mis
sionary workers, and it is intended that
this army shall be completely trained
and utterly devoted to the cause.
Soon there is to be a nation-wide
financial campaign to obtain pledges
for the necessary $120,000,000. For
this and other purposes, American
Methodism has been divided into twenty
Episcopal areas id epch area into con
ference, district fjb-district groups,
each with its re:?,)jL'le leader.
In addition nil ela'ooate publicity
i program has been mapped out.. News
papers and magitdnes, church and
secular press, labor and trade, class
publications in f;rt every kind of
publication' wKieh c.vn be reached upon
the basis of legitimate news appeal, will
be utilized. No ratr its of letting Amer
ica know that the drive for world wide
Christian democracy is on will be over
looked. To Eijroll Speakers.
An army of :. 00,000 "Methodist .Min
ute Men" is being recruited, largely
from the men who did similar service
for Uncle Sam. Dr. Christian F.
Reisner, pastor of Grace Church, New
York, has been released for six months
to organize this division of publicity.
Dr. Reisner began the work with
prayer and faith--and advertising. Al
ready he has more than 80,000 ",Metho
distMinutc Men" mobilised agd the re
sults have exceeded his most optimistic
expectations. . .... .
There' will be two of these "Minute
.Men" in 'every Methodist church in
America and for cvcrychurch with
.more than 200 members there will be an
additional man for each 1C0. One of
their chief duties will be to present the
centenary work through five-minute
speeches. They, will speak in churches,
Sunday schools, in theaters, motion pic
ture houses, public entertainments,
everywhere. A special magazine called
"Missiles" is being issued for the use
of .these men alone. Its one purpose is
to furnish ammunition to the speakers.
The "Methodist Movies" will be an
Interesting feature of American life
soon. The committee has a staff of ex
perts in every mission field, rnd it is in
tended to familiarize every American
'with the life of the oppressed every
where. Rut the picture campaign aims
to do more than that It alms to bring
the thought home to every one that all
men lire brothers and that the agonies .
of war, ignorance and oppression can
be remedied only through a Christian
democracy of the world.
This stupendous movement did not
originate with the official machinery of
the church.
"I am glad it started in the Metho-
distThnrch," said Dr. Taylor. "And I
nm glad it started from the rank and
file. The Methodist Church, historical
ly, has been the church of the common
people; and if it is to be a power in the
life of the world it most always remain
just that We are not looking to the
wealthy for the $120,000,000. We are
looking to the common people, the plain
Christians and plain .Americans v.ii;
believe in Continuity and Ainei kaninit
so heartily that they are willing to give
their tithes to extend these blcssipgs t.
the world at large."
Emal-.asis Placed on Service.
The "Methodists have not forsakei
their Methodist creed. .In this move-
ment there is no attempt to slight tilt
fundamental doctrine of the Atonement
nor that of justification by faith. But
undue emphasis will not he placed npcr. .
doctrine. The emphasis will rather be.
upon Christian service and upon re
ligion of the heart. It should be ex
plained that there is no competition tiv
day in .foreign missionary work. Wherr
one denomination is adequately cover
ing the field, the field is left to that .lc
nomination, and all the other ehiirilici
recognize its institutions us the expres
sion of Christianity.
The old systein of church extension
in the rural communities will largely be
abandoned. Instead of building little :
meeting houses, to be opened once a
week when weather permits and u $'.'100
a yea? pastor can be supplied, an effort
will be made to build large institutional
churches in the charge of competent and
well salaried executives, not merely-as ...
places in which to sing hymns and pray,
but as a general headquarters of coui-j
munity service. These churches will be
open continuously; will contain libraries
and agricultural exhibitions, moving
pictures,, a first aid hospital and every
possible aid to the social and educa
tional life of the adjacent territory.
Anything, in city or country, which per
forms social service will be considered ;
a legitimate part of Methodist mission
ary work.
"This year," Dr. Taylor remarked,
"the churches of America abolished the
saloon. We are jubilant over the vic
tory; but if we do not do something
more than jubilate, our victory will be
hollow one This victory has brought
us face to face with new responsibilities
and the churches of America must not
be slackers. We must fill the place of
the saloon in the Nation's social life.
The churches must be kept open seven
days a week. They must attract and
inspire and render useful service. Mrf
and more, at home and abroad, lire
great masses of God's children must tie
shown that it is the function of tie
'Christian Church to serve their nce.U,
nut simpiy 10 issue noiy pronounce
ments. If we do not answer these
human needs at home, the million vela '
have been deprived of drink may be ex-,
.pected to turn to other forms of vice
and if we do not rise to our present op
portunities in the world at large we can
not claim the promise of peace on earth
end good will among men,"
L 1 . . I .