THE EXHIBITION OF “NATIONAL CHRISTIANITY.”
By G.
We have before noted the fact that Christianity—that is, professed Christianity—is to be placed on exhibition at the St. Louis Exposition in 1904. The exhibit is being prepared by the National Reform Association and the organ of that association gives an outline of what will be held up as evidence of our national Christianity. In addition to Sunday closing, the following items are noted:— A library of books (including nearly all the great masters in political science) which teach the Christian principles of civil government; a printed syllabus of the contents of these books, with critical estimates of their value; maps and charts showing our Christian population and resources, and the number and value of Christian churches, hospitals, asylums, and institutions of learning; maps showing what States have Sabbath laws, laws against blasphemy, laws in restraint of intemperance, and laws providing for Christian education in their schools, and what States have religious acknowledgments in their constitutions; photographs and engravings of Christian inscriptions on monuments and public buildings. It is further stated in this connection, that,— The syllabus of the library above referred to will aim to be a complete bibliography of the world’s literature on the subject of civil government and religion. One large department in this library will be works on the moral and religious problem in education. This syllabus will be for free distribution and will be in itself a powerful refutation of the bald secular or atheistic theory of government, and a demonstration that the world’s great thinkers are and have been on the side of national Christianity. We call special attention, however, to the following acknowledgment:— Incidentally, this exhibit will also reveal how far, at some points, as in the matter of divorce, we have departed from the Christian standard, and how much remains to be done for the development and the perfecting of our national Christianity. Great things are expected of this exhibit. First, according to the organ from which we quote, it is to show “unquestionably” that “we are a Christian nation;” and, secondly, how far we come short of the “Christian standard.” It is not necessary to make a special exhibit to demonstrate this latter point; that is everywhere manifest. There is considerable National Reform literature which, if it were placed on exhibition, would demonstrate that the advocates of the “national Christianity” theory have a vague conception of the “Christian standard.” We refer to published utterances of National Reform leaders, wherein they ardently advocate the disfranchisement, the banishment, and even the execution of men who should persistently oppose their “national Christianity.” But the very first thing on their list—enforced Sunday observance—is a specimen from the “national Christianity” Sunday laws, with their system of fines and imprisonment. There is no such thing in the “Christian standard.” There is no such thing as the compulsory observance of religious rites in the “Christian standard.” There is no such thing as ostentatious display in the “Christian standard.” Display religion has its rebuke in the scriptures. See Matt. 6:1-6. Luke 18:9-14, etc. The Lord Himself has given us a rule for showing Christianity to the world in a most effectual manner: “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” John 13:35. This is the “Christian standard;” this is the way Christ would have us demonstrate Christianity to all men. National Reform exhibits in the world’s fairs may illustrate so-called “national Christianity;” but they must not only “incidentally,” as confessed by the exhibitors, but necessarily, show how far “national Christianity”—display Christianity—comes short of the “Christian standard.” G.