Note and Comment

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 15, 1909

“Socializing” the Gospel

THE present tendency on the part of ministers of the gospel to substitute Socialism for the plain teaching of the Scriptures is considered in a thoughtful editorial in a recent issue of the Nation. From the concluding paragraph we take the following statement concerning the true work of the successful minister:—

If he has the soul to endure as one seeing the invisible, and a heart to throb in unison with all the varied humanity about him; and if to all this he adds the sense of a high mission and the burden of a spiritual message, he need not trouble himself overmuch to become “socialized.” He will find his true power, and wield it. Into the striving and sorrow of the world, he will be able to bring something of peace and comfort; and will be the better enabled to do it for having braced his mind by hard study and fed his spirit by long meditation while the fire burns, than by taking out a card in all the labor unions from here to California, or running, now here, now there, after the latest sociological fad.

This sociological gospel is only one phase of the effort to substitute self-salvation for the way of life through faith in the merits and work of Christ, and is clear evidence of the present widespread apostasy from the truth as it is in Jesus.