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Show I Is Modern Organized Christianity a Failure? K l(y Gavin Hurry. t WMX A startling question? Yes; hut one B' saved rrom a sensationalism that might H otherwise accrue to it by tho Tact that it H Is being raised today, not by tho agnostic j or firebrand or tho street corner, but by W tho teachers or religion. H! l'eilc, in his Hampton Lectures at Ox- H ford in 1007 sent a thrill through tho mU English ecclesiastical world whon ho m boldly and wisely gave volco to thoughts m that woro smouldering in many hearts, j and In his 'Reproach or tho Gospel," B rrankly inquired into what ho termed, H "tho apparent rallure or Christianity." B And thoso who aro at all familiar with tho H wording or tlio rccont Lambeth Hncycll- H cal, put rorth by 213 Anglican bishops H from all ovor tho world, cannot fail to HI mark in their positive statements as to B' past nogluct and prjsent anu ruturo duty M or the church in social sorvlco, a rocog- B nition or much that Poilc and his school W aro contending for. M For tho purposo or this article, how- m over, wo shall restrict oursolvos to pros- H ont day Christianity In tho United Statos H! and undor tho term "Organized Christ- H lanlty" Include all Christian denomlna- H This marvolous age, with its awaken - H lng consciousness, its many thlnkors, its B swing only Just bogun to bo complotod m from material to tho spiritual, is osson- H tially an ago or challenge. Any socloty B bo It religious or secular that makos j an appeal to tho public claim on tho B ground or its standing Tor mental, moral B or physical improvement, is Justly and B rightly called upon to mako good. And B the test that thinking men apply Is that B bequeathed to humanity by tho Divine PB. Master, nineteen hundrod years ago, "By mm their rrults yo shall know them." And B bocauso tho day or prlvilogo has gono by, B or wbon mon aro willing to stand Tor it, M all institutions, they Insist, must stand H or rail by tho samo rulo. Thus the church which htthorto has boon oxompt, and per- H mlttod by tho groat bulk or humanity to B hold an undlsputod position as Judgo and H consor or mon and things, is bolng callod B from tho Judgo's seat to the bar to pload EV to indictments that aro brought against BB B Lot ,s 1)0 cloarly understood at tho out- B set, that tho inquiry today is not ono that Hi ontors Into tho roalm or dogma, but or tho BW products, tho practical valuo and worth BB or organlzod Christianity as a ractor in BV tho world's progress ror good. B Undeniably tho rollglon or Josus Christ B was placed In tho world to produce two BW. groat orrects In its rollowors. Tlioy woro B to be, "tho salt or tho oarth," and "tho B light or tho world." Quito apart rrom nil B dogmatic question and controversy, many B devout mon, clergy and laity who aro to B play a largo part In tho rollglous lire or H tho ruturo, aro asking those questions: B Has tho salt rotained Its savor? Is tho BB. light shining? ! A short whllo ago tho religious world B was startod by tho sulcldo or a minister Hji or ono or the orthodox denominations Bj Tho usual comment was made by religious BB toachors tho man was a cowj.nl! But BB; such an oasy dismissal or the tragedy, Hj howovor much it miglit have passed In Hi tho past, -will not for tho twentieth con- BB tury. Tho day or platitude has gone by B - and the trond or onllghtened thought in BB doallng with all sorts or dorectlon is to B fix tho responsibility bororo passing sen- B tenco and seek tho cause, or causes, that B produced the effect, ir a man Is a tramp, M what mado him- a tramp ? Is a .ian a crlm- B lnal? Then, why? If a minister is a sul- B clde, what mado him sulcldo? These are fli the quostlunc we deal with in the twen- B tleth century causes and not merely er- B rects. We want reality; the world is sick B or Pharisaism! B In this particular case the unrortunate W clergyman loft behind him an oplstlo which was terrible- in Its lndlctmont or modem Christianity. Claiming that ho round, after many years or service, that Christianity was emptied of the spirit or Christ and that tho only trinity worshipped wor-shipped was money, success and ploas-tiro; ploas-tiro; feeling that he stood alone (hero surely was his mistake) he apparently, in disappointment untold, lost his faith In the wholesale destruction of his ideal, which he claimed to sec around him, and so ended his life. Perish the shortsightedness that would Ignore tho indictment and merely pass sentonco on tho framer or It! For, clearly, if there bo any dogroo or truth in tho lndlctmont, there must bo a terribly destructive forco at work which thrcatons, U not tho physical, that which Is more important, tho spiritual 11 To or mankind. So tho question with many resolves ltsoir Into this. Was it meroly tho man who railed or tho systom? Tho tromondous import or tho roply to that quostlon is such as to ncod no pointing out. "By tholr rruilts ye shall know thorn" systems as well as individuals, and nono but tho blindest partisan looking into the world or organized Christianity to-day can doubt but that thcro was some truth in tho lndlctmont. Ono or two things must or necessity happon In evory ago or tho church's lire olther site will so act upon tho world as to bo constantly onlarglng and changing for good man's montal, moral and bodily onvlronmont, or tho world will so act upon her as to produce its own oirect. Thorc is no middle course. Systems no moro than individuals can sorvo two inastors and any attempt at compromise Is as absurd us It Is rutllo. Thoro Is a good doal of fictitious pru donco, mado up wholly or timidity or ralso expodioncy, which lovers or tho truth must assail to-day. The truth must be as rrankly stated as by the Apostles or old and even though both it, and tho racts it calls upon us to race, hurt and hurl badly, it is tho bounden duty or all honest rollglous teachers to state It, even at tho cost or sulTcrlng. IT this were Tully rccog-nizod rccog-nizod wo should not need the aids and mothods or ascetlsm in rollglon. Suffering Suffer-ing in abundanco would bo round as tho result or standing ror tho unglosscd truth, to bo ondurod, not solflshly Tor tho sur-rerer's sur-rerer's own Individual spiritual porroctlon, but in obcdlonco to tho Master's law or lovo which mado tho ond or all sufforlng tho conversion and saving or others. To that end, thon, it must bo rrankly stuted that much that passes under tho namos or Christianity to-day would not bo rocognizod by tho Dlvino Founder or the Christian religion. What He camo to toach and lator committed as a sacrod trust to tho Christian church wis essentially a revolutionary Torco. It started out with a clear, definite and cmphntlc declaration or war upon tho world; a battlo to bo fought until tho end or tlmo, with tho weapons or tho Prince or Peace and ror tho world's salvation. Tho rollglous rulers or Christ's tlmo saw tho issue very clearly and they mot it. It was "expedient" ror them that He should suffer and they crucified hha but He came back rrom tho dead and Hi? followers turned tho world upside-down. Empires fell before the Cross, and great statesmen, wedded to existing institutions, saw clearly that either Christianity or they must give way and in sheer defense or their position inaugurated a crusade or blood ond slaughter. Yet, what Pelle terms, "tho wild, untamcable spirit or Christianity" could not bo subdued and it issued victorious. Hut who looks upon Christianity, as it is preached and lauyi to-day, as a revolutionary revo-lutionary force? "A 1 not IT the world hato you," wrote the Apostle centuries ago. it was to bo tho normal relation or tho world to Christianity. But to-day tho marvel would be ir tho world did hate organlzod Christianity, and It must be sadly courosscd that tho man or woman whom tho world does hato Is usually persona non grata In tho avorago Christian congi'ogation. Thus men aro forced to this conclusion: Either Christianity has so changed and altered tho world's character as to have changed Its hatred into affection ror tho principles or Christ, or tho world has sadiy altorod tho Church. Hero again there is no position botwoon these two. Who can doubt ror one momont but that tho world using tho term In its theological sense Is still tho samo old world, rull or soir and solllshncss and as widely apart rrom tho principles or Christ as tho north polo Is rrom tho south? It may be urged, and no doubt will be. that criticism or this kind Is an eusy task and that Christ rorotold that thcro would always bo Imperfections In Ills Kingdom. True; but criticism would not be one-tenth one-tenth so oasy woro It not for tho compteto soir-satlsractlou in tho Christian world with existing conditions and tnose which have prevailed In tho past years. Tho idoal was evor to be striven ror, and no degree or attainment can be reached whilst Chrlstondom, principally through Its toachors, toach-ors, Is blind to Its manirold derects In modorn practlco. And ir ; be further urged that wo havo dealt only in generalities, generali-ties, can organized Christianity daro to race partlcularlzatlon? ir so tho task Is a very simple one. Ono has only to turn and point to the great multitude which no man can number or thoso wno remain outsldo the rolds, preferring tholr own darkness, if such ono ploasos to torm It. Tho groatcst standing reproach to modorn Christianity, which above all things else proclaims its rallure, is tho groat mass or working people who arc holding aloor rrom It and who claim they sco no light to guldo them in a solllsh Christendom. It was tho "common peoplo" who wo aro told heard Christ gladly. It was they who loved him and it is they who would hoar and lovo Him now. Tho report or tho Joint commission on capital and labor which reported at tho last General Convention Con-vention or tho Episcopal church made among others tho following significant statoment: "Tho labor unionist praises tho Carpontcr or Nazareth. Ho distrusts tho church which officially represents that mastor Workman, whllo tho church through lgnoranco rails to understand the laboror's aim and motlvos. Thus ono portion por-tion or Chrlstondom boars witness against horsoir. Tor any body or socloty that makos the claim to bo tho official roprcsontativo or tho Mastor, and which acknowledges her ignorance or tho alms and motives or thoso who woro aid are ospocinlly Christ's great care, simply declares tho reason why she has rorfeltcd the confidence or that section or humanity. All tills is Intensified when wo roallze that Christ marked out tills very class as the great spiritual clement In humanity and the first benediction or His Kingdom was pronounced upon tho poor. But today to-day it Is only hero and there that wo find a row men actually awakened to this condition or nogloct. Tho best that can be said or tho religious world at present is its desire for unity. And the truest thing that can bo said is that ir every sect and church In Protestantism whem the chler desire ror unity is being manifested mani-fested rbo brought Into one great combination, combi-nation, this will In no sense remove tho great reproach we havo spoken or, but morely gather closer t. ,- thcr tha many In the same condemnation. To suppose that tho unjust and evil conditions prevailing in die social world to-day could not be altered, ir Christianity, Christian-ity, Treeing ltseir rrom the Influences or Mammon and worldly wisdom and relying solely upon the methods and power or the Master, willed It, Is to glvo tho lie direct to tho history or early Chrlstondom with Its wonders. But Just so long iib It Is the silent witness or, ur sharer m, the social evils that are only loo provalent rallure must bo written upon much or lis mission. Apologize as much as you will explain away responsibility as much as I you liko, absolvo and whitewash tho do-roots do-roots of ecclesiastical landlordism ror as long as you please, but what sano man in his heart reels that any or all or thoso acquit rrom the Divine censuro! And to oxplaln away conditions under Christian governance on the ground that they aro no worso, or not so bad, as thoso which prevail pre-vail under systems mil or the coldest commercialism, Is to forgot the true stand- nrtl or comparison and tlio ringing words or Christ 's ins picluro of tlio Pharisee in tho Tomplo. Brotliorhootl is ono or tne most vital olomonts or our Lord's rollglon, as is responsibility re-sponsibility for our rollow-mcn's moral and physical woll-boing, and His whole toachlng goes to show that whero the croaturos or nogloct, outsldo tho palo or rospoctahlllty and religion, might enter Into Ills Kingdom, those who should he shut out were thoso who claimed to see and In tholr soir-satlsractlon asked with contempt, "Aro wo hllnu aiso?" Undoubtedly one or the marks or ralluro ! to-day Is social discrimination. The so- called lower classes aro neither dear nor blind Thoy both hear and read tho words or St. James in his seaming rebuke or thoso who scat tho man with the gold ring and In lino apparel in tho good place and say to the poor "sit hero under my rootstool"; and their eyes arc open to sec that a man's value in the congregation Is invariably measured with many notable exceptions, or course -by tho depth or his purso. And ir anything else was needed to convince them a visit to an auction sale or rows in connection with some or our Cashlonablc churchos is all that would be nocessary. Lot U8 bo Ulto rrailk about our imicli-JionBted equality and brother- hood in modern Christianity. It is u hcautirul theory reduced only too practice Tor tho two or three moments the rich and poor kneel side by side at the communion com-munion rail. There its brier lire has its beginning and its ending! Christ did not mince matters with the wealthy. He rrankly told tjicm that It was "a hard thing" Tor a rich man to on tor into the Klnddom or Heavon. How many hear that rrank statement to-day? Or or tholr responsibilities as stewards? Or that woalth carries only a curse unless it Is got and spent In clean ways? No; Just so long as Christianity smiles bo-nlgnly bo-nlgnly upon tho prevalent compartment theory or religion, that separates tho ethics or Christian liro on a Sunday rrom the rest or tho week; Just so long as timidity hides rrankness and muzzles pulpits rrom which tho rich aro taught; Just 'so long as they see clergy who, knowing that it Is a hard thing Tor a rich man to enter the Kingdom, aro quite willing to tako tho chances themselves in speculating and candidatlng Tor the highly-paid positions or religious toachorshlp, Just so long will thinking men Insist that the lion's share or tho responsibility Tor tho unjust conditions condi-tions wo havo spoken or must bo shirtod to whoro it roally bolongs tho shoulders or thoso (and there aro many) among tho lanchors who Insult tho Intelligence or tho rich and dwarr their own Individuality by a roar that tho rrankness or bard sayings will olTond tho rormor, and a concoalmont or thorn add to tho lattor's "usorulnoss." ! ir wo could rid tho ministerial vocabulary or two words ror a tlmo, "tact" and i "oxpedloncy" two cloaks or groat spir itual ovll wo should havo taken a long stop towards giving tho rich tho chanco j they aro entitled to. ! Or all tho tactless mon that over llvod St. John tho baptist perhaps was tho most i so. nut when ho round Herod living in i Sin his Tearless sonsclencc knew only ono thing to do; ho told Herod tho truth and es a result lost his bond. It novor soomod to occur to him that ho might havo pro longed his "usorulnoss" had ho been a littlo less blunt, or sought a moro Tavor-ablo Tavor-ablo opportunity to admlnlstor tho rebuke I or winked at Herod's sin so that rrom a royal palace his Influence could have continued con-tinued to havo gono rorth to others. lo, thoso aro subtlctlos that tho wisdom or recent years has brought to Christianity' The rich need moro "tactless" teachers! Take one last standing testimony to the rallure or modern Christianity. In every city or any size 'in the United Statos is lo bo round a stronghold or vlco, whoro with tho rull knowledge or tho Christian world, satan holds undisputed and unquestioned un-questioned claim. Theso aro tho places whoro tho starved victims or men's greed j go to soil tholr souls" and give tholr bodies ror defilement. They have given up tho struggle, tho scanty wage or tho sweatshop, sweat-shop, tho 111 housing and weary grind or cheerless servitude. They go into tho darkness; wo speak or them as "tho lost." Occasionally somo religious zealot may appeal to Cmesar, and armed with Crosar's weapons tho police and tho patrol-wagon and fortified by tho comrortablo assurance assur-ance or the endorsement or respectability, cast tho bruised and wounded souls Into Caisor's prison In tho name or tho Good Shopherd who sought tho sheep that Was lost. Corporately, this is tho nearest modorn Christianity has got to tho solution or this immonso problem, individually a sister or mercy, a Salvation Army lass or some pious soul may make their best offort. Many may say, why ralso tne questions when you cannot answer them? The reply Is, no ono will over think or them, not to mention solving them, until they aro raised, and it is better to bo conscious con-scious or tho decay under appenrancos than to be decolvod by what mcr'oly seems to bo and is not. It Is slgnlllcant that tho Uampton lecturer or 1007, who thrilled the ecclesiastical world, wnon speaking or plans or rororm, put aside all rear or criticism criti-cism and misunderstanding and called nrst or all ror a Christian clergy. By this ho meant, or course, a clergy rull or tho spirit or tho Master Instead or moro prorcsslon-all6tn. prorcsslon-all6tn. People will bo as tholr teachers and Just so long as Christianity Is presented pre-sented In Its conventional way and accepted accept-ed as a mere insurance against eternal lofS, rather than a great Torco Tor tho social and moral wclraro or tho world, with tho .rst duty Inrulcated In every Christian .. id, that In obedionco to God tho responsibility ror on'o brothor Is laid upon each soul that hopes ror a horoartor or bliss and Joy whilst tho rormcr prevails pre-vails over tho latter, tho failures or organized organ-ized Christianity will always bo glaringly patent. Tho possibilities and powors or Christianity Chris-tianity aro unknown to-day because they aro only manirostcd In action; and at tho boglnnlng or tho twentieth century, arter trying evory human scheme Tor the amelioration ameli-oration or tho world, wo aro rorccd back rrom our very tiny hair-successes to realize re-alize that -tho only plan to which success was divinely promised Is that which remains re-mains untried Christ's Chrlstlonlty. When occleslastlcal rulers all ceaso to be meroly ecclesiastical magistrates, to be-oomo be-oomo good physicians or sin-strlckon souls; whon the codo or rospectablllty glvos way to that or Christ who pardoned human rrallltios which wero not rospoct-ablo rospoct-ablo and shut out tho cold prorosslonallzors who npparontly only shunned ways tho world condemnod to glvo tholr cold, un-lovoly un-lovoly hearts up to covotousnoss which was and Is rospoctablo; whon soir-Intorost and solllshnoss glvo way to tho doslro Tor brotherhood, when tlio term success Is no longor synonymous ror cure or souls whon tlio averago layman coasos to dccolvo hlmBoir in supposing that ho can comblno Christianity with greod; whon mon stop and think and roalizo that moro bollor will not moan salvation and that in believing they aro doing no moro than tho devils who bellovo and tromblo; then and thon only will it bo lmposslblo to raise a question ques-tion llko that at tho head or this articlo. And that will moan whon Christianity again becomes Christian. A new religious movement has begun which nothing can chock. Growing, as It Is, silently, in people's hearts ono or its 11 rst effects must bo tho destruction or raise idoals. Call tho movement a Now nerormation, ir you will, but whatever It is, aod Is rnanirost behind It. And In every quarter or the globe He Is calling to men. Ho is raising up men who arc not arrald to share tho reproach or tin incarnate Son, or to surfer for tholr '-indiscreet" rrankness at the hands or thoso wedded to what seems to bo rather than really Is "Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice llko a trumpet and show My people their transgressions." |