God Is Loving; God Is Just
By Editor
Ignorance of the fundamentals is on the increase both in the political and religious world, notwithstanding our boasted knowledge. Surely intelligent reporters and editors of political papers, as well as political orators, ought to know something about the Declaration of Independence and the Federal Constitution. But manifestation of ignorance is frequent. To illustrate: Commander Moore, of the United States Navy, addressed a young men's meeting Sunday, March 13, on "The Making of a Citizen." He is quoted by the Call as saying "that Christian principles should be applied to our political as well as personal life. When Congress declared that all men were born free and equal it did not mean that all men were equal in property rights or ability to attain wealth and high position, but that men were born to 'the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.'" Now the simple fact is that Congress did not declare anything of that sort. It is a misquotation from the Declaration of Independence. But that document does not say that all men were born "free and equal." Equal in point of privilege men are, whether high or low, rich or poor. But this right is often taken away, and many are enslaved for generations. Then it is not said that men are born free. In fact, the Declaration of Independence does not say that men are born at all. What it does say is this: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Foundation truths are needed. And ministers do not seem to be much better versed in the fundamentals of Christianity. We listened to a debate the other night between two ministers on "socialism" from the standpoint of Christianity and man's highest interests. Attempts were made by each several times to quote Scripture, but in no case was it quoted correctly. How many ministers are there who could repeat verbatim the Ten Commandments, the compendium of all morality? It is too bad; for with the lack of this knowledge goes wrong conception of sin and of the atonement in Christ Jesus. Faith in God soon becomes a form, and Christianity a system of ethics instead of a life. God Is Loving; God Is Just.
In speaking upon the Iroquois Theater fire in Chicago, Dr. C. H. Parkhurst, of New York, is reported to have said:— God is love, but that is not all there is of Him. He is a loving Father, but He is not a doting old grandfather. He is enough of a God to have some respect for Himself and for the laws He has laid down for Himself to follow. . . . Viewed in this light, that horrible affair at Chicago becomes terrifically impressive. We hear so much about God's love, so much, I mean, that is said in a one-sided way, that we come to imagine, after a while, that God is nothing but a mush of concession; that His fondness for people has melted out of His character all respect for Himself and for the dignity of His own purposes and determinations; that Christianity is a way that God has taken to let us know that He will do anything for us we like, if we will coax Him sufficiently. With such a light thrown upon a certain side of God's character, as is shown by disasters like the one we have been contemplating, I am sure we are all of us taking things too easily. The people that went into that theater were taking things too easily—the result shows that, and we ourselves are taking things too easily. While we wish the thought were differently expressed in places, it is one well worth taking home to our hearts. We reap as we sow. Cyclone and tempest are evidences that the world is waxing old and in the throes of agonies, indicating the coming predicted dissolution. The old settlers of the Middle West tell us that the cyclones were not known there in the early days. Similarly, in the North Pacific States, the early settlers knew naught of such storms as wrought destruction there recently. California also has had her premonitory warnings of coming cyclones. One recent ship to make port, the Falls of Halladale, British, endeavored to round Cape Horn and could not, and sailed by Cape of Good Hope and New Zealand. She lost nineteen sails, main royal mast and mizzen royal yard; was beaten about as a toy, utterly helpless, both ship and men suffering greatly. The captain said: "I have been going to sea for a great many years, and this was one of the most tempestuous voyages I have ever experienced. The storms off Cape Horn were of terrible violence, and for three weeks we were almost practically at the mercy of the terrible succession of hurricanes we ran into." In our issue of March 2 the poem, "Jesus Still Heals as at Capernaum," credited to "Myrtle Patchett," should have been credited, so Mr. Thoro Harris, of Chicago, writes, to Rev. Henry Twells, as it is so credited in several collections of hymns. Brother Harris also notes that the poem, often attributed to Milton, beginning, "I am old and blind," was written by one Miss Floyd. It refers to Milton, but was not written by the great poet. Thanks for these corrections. We suspected the first, but had not thought particularly of the second. We are truly glad that we have discerning critics. It is possible that the one who sent us the first poem mentioned above did not think that the signing of her name indicated authorship, but merely copyist.