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THE ATLANTA GEORGIAN AND NEWS. SATURDAY, MAY 25, 1907. 3 TO WHAT EXTENT MAY A CHRISTIAN DENOMINATION ENGAGE IN THE CORRECTION OF THE PUBLIC EVILS? Address by Rev. John E. White Before the General Baptist Convention at Jamestown Exposition, May 22, 1907. T HE! earnest disposition of recent years to get back to the words of Jesus as llnal authority in matters of religion and the balancing of His message to know what was up permost and foremost in His thought, whatever Its exaggeration, has made one thing very clear, and that Is that the absorbing Ideal of Christ and the passion of His teaching was the king dom of heaven to be reallxed on this earth. It was, as wo make out, i state of affairs In which righteous ness and good ruled the hearts of men. It was His largest love, larger than the church, larger than the Individual. He Bought Indlvldnals, but sought them for the kingdom. He founded the ecclesla, the church, but 'It was not an end in Itself; It existed for the kingdom. The three great facts in the citizenship of the kingdom are: God la, I am, and there are others. When a certain man said to Jesus that he believed In one God and loved Him su premely and his neighbor as himself, Christ quickly responded: "Verily I say unto you, thou art' not far from the kingdom of God." For that king dom on this earth, even as it heaven, Christ prayed and taught His disciples to pray, and In nothing may Christians be more assured that they are truly Christian than when they are engaged, singly or together, in the great forerunner's work of preparing the way of the Lord and making the path of His kingdom straight'. The Denomination and the Kingdom. Now, when we turn to find anything In our midst corresponding to Christ's idea of the kingdom of heaven on earth, we are impressed that the Christian denomination Indicates the furthest advance we have In the world today of Christ's great Ideal. It Is, of course, even here Imperfectly real ized, but careful thought will confirm the statement that In the Christian de nomination, In Its enterprises. In Its councils. Is constituted a Christian life and power larger and broader than any individual or church can realize alone. I believe that In the Christian denomination the law of Ideal righteousness comes to a complete manifestation, that Justice and brotherhood are hero freer from the Interference of selfishness and the constraint of human nature than In any other modern organization. There Is a corporate conscience In the Chris tian denominations that Is far more apt to ring true to Ideal Christianity than the Individual conscience. A convention of Baptists could scarcely be betrayed Into disloyal action. Rare ly. If ever, have we known a Baptist assembly to strike a false note on n moral question. I have marked It carefully that no matter how excited the bitterness of public sentiment over the race problem In this coun try, the denomination In Its assombly never falls to measure up to the level of the Ideal Christian spirit. On the question of tho liquor traffic ar.d the child labor evil and the crime of lynching the denomination has never taken a step aside from morality, hu manity and justice. Bet us thank God for that and take courage. Intolerable Suspicions. But the. form of the question, "To what extent may a Christian denomi nation engage In the correction of pub lic evils?" suggests a restraint some where. . That public evils are to be corrected admits of no doubt or dif ference of opinion. The doubt seems to bo whether a "Christian".denomina tion should engago In correcting them. There are reasons for questioning whether this Is not a falso and dan gerous* limitation which a traditional prejudice Instead of a Christian prin ciple which has been laid on ouj de nominational life. We are living In a time when public evils are being un covered as never before- The con science of tho people of this nation Is wonderfully sharpened. The lines are drawn more pointedly every day. It must be evident that a policy of "Laissez-faire." with regard to the re-, form of public evils, will Increasing ly embarrass religious leaders There are not a few who genuinely fear that the Influence of organized Christian ity has been already greatly weaken ed by that pollgy. It would certainly be a disaster to religion and an Injury to reform If we were to allow our- selves to be swept off our feet by pop ular clamor and to be drawn from our position of extreme conservatism Into an attitude of extreme radicalism, but It seems to me that we are not at present as Christian denominations Sharing as actively as the world has the right to demand of us, InJ the righting of public wrongs, and In the construction of a righteous ojjgr of things in our country. Th ® Christian denomination to under suspicion. We are suspected of such a sympathy with wealth and power that weoro counted as a handicap and not a help to Jus tice. Powerful Influences, amounting almost to a propaganda, are boldly at work with the rank and file to under mine confidence In the leaders of Christian denominations. Tbto to » Intolerable condition. I believe that In any comprehensive view of denomi national life It to a profoundly unjust and untrue suspicion, bat It to Ml ft negligible one. We have done w$ll to ask whether we should not engage In the correction of public evils. It Should he considered ns something more than an academic inquiry. Christ—A Remormer. Is there anything In the original con stitution of Christianity, of precept or example that prohibits a Christian de nomination from engaging in the cor rection of public evils? Christ's Idea of the Kingdom of God on earth was tfte very height of revolu tionary doctrine. He urged that the kingdom was a present reality. Its command was, “Change your minds." The cry of John the Baptist which Christ took up was a bold appeul to pub lie opinion. It went to the heart of re form. Later as Christ laid down the ideals of the kingdom which was at hand to overturn existing philosophies of life, It Is evident that He is speak ing in full view of those evils which the Scribes and Pharisees were fat tening upon at tho expense of the peo ple. The laws of conduct, set forth In the sermon on the mount, touched im mediately the question of social rela tlons. It Is inconceivable that a man could accept the code of conduct Christ prescribed without becoming at once a champion of righteousness, public and private. Because Jesus Christ would not be entrapped by the Pharisees Into a “fool's errand” against Caesar by an attempted revolution, has it been con cluded that He was indifferent to the political welfare of'His own people? If the Jews had been a self-governing people, is It supposable that He would have been neglectful of their political sins? As it was, He participated in public affairs to the extent of greatly angering the zealots and as far as his Influence with tho people went, by dis couraging their ill-timed schemes of revolt He did this not because He did not sympathize with their aspiration for freedom but because In their moral condition political security was not possible through war. In deepest truth Christ brought to the Jews their golden opportunity for liberty and national glory. Their political redemption was but second In His thought and purpose to their moral and spiritual prepara tion for it. The program for every thing tho most ardent patriot could wish was Involved In His proposition to the Jewish people. The sorrow that wrung from Him the bitter cry, “Oh! Jerusalem! Jerusalem! If thou hadst known the day of thy peace “ was relig ious enthusiast. It was the disappoint ment of one who would not only have been Israel's spiritual Redeemer but her political Redeemer os well. In regard to public evils rampant In Hto day, Christ spoke scathingly. The repression of the poor by the rich, the tyranny of the haughty over the hum ble, Uft excoriated. Of a certain pub lic evil, at that time as flagrant In Jerusalem as the curae of the money . as tin JlirM est undeveloped resource today for moral statesmanship In this country Is the denominational college made alive to tho problems of tho country and keen in lta conscience with regard to public evils, Tho Religious Press. Another point of contact with public evils which the Christian denomina tion may take advantage of Is through the religious press, There havo been great editors and great papers which, avoided topics of present, pertinent re form In public affairs, hut of them we may truthfully say. as tho Spaniard boasted of hla country: "Glories of the post, I salute,you." But wo can not, as his German companion retorted with reference to his country, say: "Glories of the future, I salute you." There Is no future for the newspaper organ of denominational life, no future of power or real leadership which dare not voice the Influence of the Chris tianity It represents against public evils. Dr. Hodges, In his great book, suggests a piece of good advice to the religious editor in his comment on the Prophet Isaiah: ‘It Is Impossible to think of Isaiah as a quiet parish priest living at the center of a narrow circle, letting the great world outside go un interrupted on Its own mistaken way. In New York, In Boston, Isaiah would have been the heart and soul of a great outspoken, radical. Independent, righteous newspaper." If the editors of denominational papers were not In the dangerous habit of never being wrong on any point I would venture to propose that they get together In a resolution to throw the vast influence their constituency represents Into the scale of public opinion with regard to public evils In such a united way that everybody would realize that something hod happened. The Preacher as a Moral Leader. The Christian denomination can not engage effectively In the correction of public evils If lta ministry la trained to silence and unconcern. I apeak In full regard of the public distaste for ratters and sensation mongers, and yet to plead In behalf of a moral leadership Invested In the preacher of the Gospel. I believe no greater need exists In the public welfare of the country than for a bold and patriotic pulpit—speaking righteousness In love and taking Its place In the rank of dignified public service. Brethren, the preacher ought to be loosed and let go from the fetters of fear and tradition. His office requires the reclamation of the prophetic out look upon public morals. The prophets were men who shouldered responsi bility for the uncorrected wrong-doing of society and discharged that respon sibility In the fearlessness of men and In the fear of God. I make bold to ask whether the theo logical seminaries should not be brought to account for the weakness of moral leadership In general with preach ers of the Gospel? Is It more Impor tant that preachers should be trained In exegesis than In application? It Is well for a preacher to know how to load his gun. but a poorly loaded gun well aimed will do more execution than the utmost balancing of powder and shot exploded without aim and right direction. The Christian denominations are wrestling shark In our modem cities; He dared to proclaim "A den of thieves," and He went even further than anyone could wish a Christian denomination to go In that Instance as an energetic reformer. The Christian College. There are three channels of Influence through which the Christian denomina tion may practically express Its power In the correction of public evils: ETrst—Through its educational Insti tutions. Second—Through the denominations press. Third—Through the moral leadership of Its preachers. In its educational Institutions the de nomination should maintain an outlook upon and an Interest In public affairs and social problems. It is not a mat ter properly cared for by old-fashioned chairs of political economy. It wants direct emphasis .and Intereit The de nomination should have more represen tation In the ranks of Christian states manship than comes to It accidental ly. Tho trend of Influences In our day la toward a vast stimulation of civic and political consciousness. Tho as pirations of noblo citizenship are awake in tho land. Unless tho denominational collego can meet tho demand of this spirit It Is doomed to EiitTrr moro an.l more the effective competition of stato Institutions which appeal so strongly to ambitions for public servico. It Is the denomination’s business to pro<l trus tees where they need prodding; and standing behind Its college to require and make provision that Its students shall be kept In full view of the world In wblch they are to battle. Tbs great- with tho problem of slender rolls In their theological seminaries. It may P® found when all the reports are in that the dearth of able men entering the ministry Is not due to the scarcity of consecrated Christiana who want to servo Jesus Christ or to the allure ments of business and professional life. bl L t , , t0 . the limitations of usefulness which by tradition and custom are maintained with regiyd to the work of the ministry. Restore to the preacher the prophetic ideal and adjust It to his priestly function. He gave some apos tles, some prophets, some pastors and teachers, but Ho gave to nil tho field of a world’s need to work In. The main ministry of the modern preacher will still bo that of a shepherd, hut of a shepherd valiant for the moral protec tion of his flock. It was not long ago charged by one who abandoned hla mlnlatry that ho had done ao because his pulpit was re quired to be a coward's castle. The comment Is frequently heard that min isters do not exercise the same power they used to In the direction of public sentiment. A great writer, referring to the preachers of another generation, writes: "They almost ranged them selves with the giants. I had rather have known one of these men than all the political and military heroes we have since bred. For a century he was by far our greatest man—the man of the largest original power and of the strongest character." Does not that description suggest-an apostolic stand ard, Inspiring to any father's dream for his son? With a preacher of such typo In a community the public evil would have to reckon. The man who needs to know his freedom in this country Is the- preacher of the Gospel. His message and meaning to our life as a public teacher Is too vital to be lost or to he played on a slender reed. Patriotism must be defined In terms that place him In tho front rank. The denomination should Insist that Its ministry be something more than a passive subsidiary asset In the cltixcn. ship of a land where tho Ideal Is for every man to be a ruler. The preacher has a Gospel that saves both men and nations. His priesthood Is the priest hood of a kingdom In which righteous ness Is the Imperative and the redemp tion of society the Anal consummation. We are entering upon a period in this country which history will cut, "The era of the struggle for public opinion." It Is demonstrated that pub lic opinion- Is the real power In this republic. It Is greater than aggrega tions of capital, however enormous, and greater than the organlsatlona of la bor, however welded Into unison of ac tion. "The big stick” In this country Is not the will of any one man, but It Is what you think and what I think to gether. A great struggle Is ahead of us. There are Indications beneath the sur face of American society of which It Is not possible to over-estimate the sig nificance. The lines of conflict will Invariably draw lino to their elemental Issues between right and wrong. The Christian denomination should be more than a spectator of the conflict. It should be counted and It will be for one sort of sympathy or the other. That It be counted always for righteousness, conservative and constructive right eousness, Is the obligation no bravo Christian should seek to avoid. Jacobs’ Prescriptions There is more to the proper filling of a prescription than it appar ent at firet glance. The succees of tho phyeldan, the health, the very life of the patient is dependent upon the care and j'udgment of the com pounder, and the quality of the material he uses. Accuracy is everything, end the pharmaceutical chemist mutt give hie entire mind and thought to this ona particular line, if he ia to give the beet that i* in him. Jacobs* Prescription Department hai prepared for thi* contingency, and in this department maintains four expert pharmacists who devote their entire time to the filling of prescrip tions. They have no other duty and no other thought, and their experi ence, coupled with the use of the most complete laboratory of drugs and chemicals in the United 8tates, supervised by the tame executives whose care has been the cause qf our success, assures both physician and pa tient Accurate Service—Fresh Drugs Reasonable Charges In building up this unusual establishment we have borne in mind that the rudiments of the druggist’s succees is the proper diipeneation of drugs. Our service ia prompt. We maintain a messenger service that will call for and deliver your order. Jacobs’ Pharmacy 6-8-10 Marietta Street. 23 Whitehall Street.