Untitled article by W. S. C.

Pacific Press Publishing Company · New York · March 10, 1892

FromThe American Sentinel, Vol. 7, No. 10

“Pagan or Christian.”

By W. S. C.

The Elmira Telegram has opened its columns to a discussion as to whether the civilization of the present time is Pagan or Christian, and as to the comparative values of what might be called Pagan, or Christian distinctively considered. Among the many articles published the one here quoted, alone, shows an intelligent discrimination between civilizing and christianizing a people,—between Christianity and civilization. The article is reprinted in full:—

I, with many others, no doubt, have read with interest, and may I say amusement, the discussion of “civilization,” under the above heading, and have waited patiently, hoping that some contributor would rise and inquire what the thing was over which the argument was being held, so that we laymen could have some chance of judging the merits of the various assertions being made. The original question, as I understand it, seems to be, “Is our civilization Pagan or Christian?” As I can not conceive how a “civilization,” or any other thing can be either one or the other, I venture to call your attention to a few facts that may ease the controversy of much that is immaterial and unsound. Both Paganism and Christianity are religious—one “the worship of idols,” the other “the religion of Jesus Christ.” A Pagan is “a worshiper of idols,” a Christian, “a believer in Jesus Christ.” A “civilization” being without life, without mind, and without volition, can neither worship, believe, nor render religious service, hence a civilization can not be religious, therefore can not be either Pagan or Christian.

We hear to-day, on every hand, our country called a “Christian Nation,” these worthy souls making a similar mistake with your correspondents. A nation, is a thing, an appellation, and practically a synonym for confederacy or union, and even if every individual in the nation was a Christian, the nation would be simply a nation, or confederacy, of Christians, and not a Christian nation. A nation is the result of a civil compact between individuals, without reference to religion, even though all may be of one religion, hence the religion of the people of a nation forms no part of their civilization though it may make all the difference as to the character, quality or degree of civilization a people may enjoy. The proper question then to ask, seems to me to be something like this: “To which are we most indebted for the development of our civilization—Paganism or Christianity?”

To properly consider this question we need, on the start, to understand fully what is meant by “civilization.” Lexicographers define the word as “the act of civilizing,” and to civilize as “to reclaim from savage life.” A savage is “a barbarian or rude” person, while a civilized being is “polite, polished, and cultivated.” “Civil,” is defined as “pertaining to society,” and “society” as “a union of many in one interest,” while a “civilian” is said to be “one engaged in the ordinary pursuits of life.” If now, we put all this together we will obtain a comprehensive, as well as intelligent conception of the meaning of the appellation “civilization.” A civilized being, then, “is one who has been reclaimed from a savage, or rude State, to dwell in union and harmony with his fellows who have associated or confederated together for the common purpose or interest of protection and advancement, that all may engage in the ordinary pursuits

of life without fear or molestation.”

If this definition be substantially correct, and the two religions be submitted to its test, the palm of victory must, of necessity, be given to Christianity. If we trace the record of civilization from the incipient tribal relations to the gathering into a monarchy in Assyria, and so on down through the succeeding kingdoms until we reach Rome, we notice a constant development in culture and refinement, under Paganism, but a lamentable disregard by the reigning power of the life and liberty of individuals.

With the coming of Christ, a new era dawned upon the world. Up to that time civilization to the individual had been a partial failure. He had become, it is true, both cultivated and refined, and, so far, civilized, but the union for individual protection had not resulted from the civilization, for while the history of Rome, for instance, shows that the State protected its subjects to the best of its ability from common foes from without, it absorbed the individual’s liberty and made him a mere machine for the advancement to, and maintenance in, power. Such a thing as personal liberty was unknown, the individual existed simply for the State.

Jesus Christ taught the value of a soul and thrilled the world with the doctrine of true liberty—“Render, therefore, unto Cæsar [earthly rulers] the things that are Cæsar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s.” The individualism that then had its birth has come to fruition in our own country, where civilization has resulted in a confederation and government “of the people, by the people and for the people,” and where all men have [in theory] a right “to worship God according to the dictates of their own conscience;” where they are protected in their life and pursuit of happiness; where woman has been elevated to her proper sphere as the equal of man, and where the value of an individual life is fully appreciated. To Christianity, then, belongs the palm of victory, as having developed the highest and true standard of civilization, and to our country the proud distinction of selection as the field for its development.—W. S. C., Deckertown, N. J.