ART. VIII.-RELIGION AND THE SOCIAL LIFE. WHATEVER religion is, unless it affects for good the allaround life it is lacking in some essential feature, and sooner or later will be displaced by a religion which will touch the whole life of every individual for the highest good. It is my own belief that the Christian religion is fitted to influence decidedly for good the all-around life, and that there is ample demonstration of this. One objection which is made to this religion is, that it becomes impracticable, so thoroughly does it enter into every vital matter with which we have to deal. We deny that it is impracticable only as we make it so but the objection proves how deeply the Christian religion affects all affairs.

The social life of a people embraces their pleasures, companionships, domestic relations; consequently their habits, expenditures, and, of course, their virtues and vices. It is inclusive of capital and labor and their relations; of the question of social equality, which means vastly more than mere suffrage. The complexity of the social life of a people, especially of the so-called Christian nations, constitutes a most perplexing problem, one with which the Christian Church is compelled to deal. At this writing there are indications that it presents by far the most formidable difficulties with which the Christian forces must cope in the new century. The phenomenal increase of wealth, and its combinations into trusts so stupendous that even the nation is showing evidence of alarm; the world-movement of tradesunionism to protect itself against what it believes will prove tyrannism and imperialism of a new and destructive kind; the aggressive steps taken by some of the Southern States to restrict the negro vote; the increase of divorce and crime; the undercurrent of agnosticism and skepticism throughout the country; added to which is the tendency of the multitudes to break down the sanctity of the Sabbath in turning from the services of the Church and taking to the fields,

streams, and parks-all this occasions the reflections whether the Church of the century will be able to influence the scholar, the financial magnate, the average citizen, whose life is so strenuous as to call for relief from serious thinking one day in the week; whether Christianity is adequate to segregate and conserve the forces of civilization and to maintain over the new condition the same moral supremacy which characterized it during the century past.

It would be impossible to answer these questions were it not that Christianity as a system of truth is philosophically based, and that underlying it are the four fundamental doctrines: 1. The fatherhood of God; 2. The brotherhood of man; 3. The Saviourhood of Christ; 4. The friendship of the Spirit. These doctrines are all characteristic of Christianity. They belong to no other system. So all-comprehensive are they that the Ten Commandments are the immediate offspring of them. Had there been given no commandments one would, having these, infer that adultery, false witness, theft, murder, covetousness, are forbidden. In other words, the Decalogue, though it comes early in the development of the system, is natural to it, and in process of time would have flowed out of the four doctrines herein given. These fundamental doctrines are the philosophical basis of the Decalogue. The Decalogue finds its truth not in the fact that it is in the Old Testament, but from the larger and deeper fact that these other things are true. This is apparent when the Golden Rule is considered. What is its basis. Surely not the fact that the Saviour announced it. Confucius, in its negative form, had done the same. The Saviour announced it because it is natural to his system. The Sermon on the Mount, which is the constitution of the Kingdom, rests upon the absolute doctrine that God is the Father of all and humanity is a brotherhoodthe central Person of that brotherhood being Christ himself, and the Administrator of that brotherhood (Christ having gone from the earth) is the Spirit. These are the doctrines of the Christian system. Men should love God as the All

Father with all their heart, mind, soul, and strength. This is God's right and man's natural duty. As a member of the brotherhood, each should love his neighbor as himself-for brothers are supposed to love each the other. with such affection. The interpretation and application of these doctrines to the new-century life is the paramount duty of the Church. Traditionalism, mere dogmatism, will prove inadequate. It is because of this that naturalism rather than supernaturalism is emphasized in this interpretation. And we do truth itself a service by establishing it upon a natural basis, when we can do so, without resorting to the supernatural.

Two forces have sought to deal with the social life-philosophy and religion. In early times philosophy partook largely of the nature of religion. Even now they cannot be separated altogether. The acutest logician will discover that they interflow. A religion which is not founded upon truth that lies deep in the constitution of things is of little worth. Philosophy which is not permeated with a serious search for God, and with inquiry into the actual relations of God to man and man to man, is of no consequence. Thus they stand together. Anciently the philosophy of the Greeks was best, and widest awake to man's real struggle. The Epicureans said: "Have a good time within moral limits." "Eat, drink, and be merry, for to-morrow we die." The Stoic withdrew from merrymaking. He remained among men, deadened the finer sensibilities, manifested neither interest nor emotion, suffered and received all things without murmuring, sought to be moral and was thoughtful. Both failed. They are monumental for an honest and scholarly attempt to solve life's problems for the individual and society, and also for their conspicuous failure to do so. The life of man is too intensive and inclusive. These philosophies cannot grasp the life of this century. Asceticism has never been popular, as it is unnatural, and it has no recognition whatever in this generation. It will take nothing less than a great religion, established upon the broadest truths, to redeem man in any condition. A mere philosophy cannot do it-nor can a re

ligion unless surcharged with masterful and healthful philosophy. Nor can such a religion alone. A scholarly personality must interpret and reinforce it—a personality which knows its latitude and longitude and is burdened with the paramount duty of bringing the world to its feet. Such a personality the Church must be. We believe such a religion is Christianity.

The Renaissance of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries is yet potential. But educational method has changed and the standard has advanced. The Renaissance of commerce of the nineteenth century has resulted in a world trade and the aggregation and consolidation of world corporationsbusiness methods have changed and are constantly changing. The religious awakening under the Wesleys was the logical sequence of the doctrinal preaching and agitation during the period of the Reformation, producing a nonconformist movement, from which-if right to individual judgment in matters of religion meant anything-spiritual quickening had to result. In the strength of that revival, which resembled more nearly the religious awakening that followed the preaching of the apostles than any since the Christian era, Protestant Christianity has largely gone to this day. The theology of that time has largely remained. Much of the same method is yet used. It is supposed that the Church will be conservative when its symbolism and methods are attacked, but what if they be found inadequate? There can be no question but the various denominations of this country came out of the civil war weaker than they went in. Since then the denominations which control the American sentiment have remained divided. New and living questions have pressed to the front which, as never before, call for the reuniting of these great denominations. Not only the fraternization of all Protestant bodies is demanded, but the consolidation of the bodies which represent nearly the same beliefs. A united Protestant Church is needed to meet a united capital and a united labor and a united Roman Catholic Church. The Methodism of Canada and of Aus

tralia have set to all denominational bodies of the same or similar beliefs a splendid example in this respect. We are in the Renaissance of a new movement, demanding much of the Church. This movement is felt in university centers, in the throbbing life of the great cities, and in the commercialism of the age. Christianity will be the most powerful of the religions, by all odds, in shaping the conscience and conduct of the nations. Roman Catholicism is girding itself for the responsibility with the one advantage of solidarity in its favor. Protestant Christianity, which created democracy in government and which means everywhere a free Church and the right of unmolested opinion in matters of religion, is manifesting commendable zeal in aggressiveness. But much is expected of Protestant Christianity. Responsibility was never so great. The world-movement will become more and more powerful in commercial and political circles. It certainly is now demanded that Protestant Christianity shall rise to the present need and present solidarity in organization. Whether it has the life to do so is to be seen. Presbyterianism has boldly but partially sought to adjust herself in compiling a briefer and a revised creed, but the stupendous present duty of that earnest community is to get itself together into one organic body. This is the problem of Methodism, the organizations of the Baptist belief, etc.

The prevision of Protestant Church leaders is too acute not to see the paramount necessity of (1) at least such organic union as that herein suggested; (2) a restatement of doctrine striking out the speculative and presenting a simple set of comprehensive truths which at once appeal to the common sense of thoughtful men; (3) driving the ethical principles of Christianity deep down into capital and labor; (4) emphasizing with renewed zeal personal responsibility to God and brotherly obligation to brother, not only because the Scriptures demand it, but likewise because the perpetuation of society demands it. Love is the only conservator of the race, and it can be made to appear so because God says so; and he says so because there is no other way. It is upon