King's Business - 1921-08

777 Sociology and H erb ert Spencer as th e one who completed the stru ctu re. If these two infidels are the arch itect and builder of th is stru ctu re let us not be found w ithin when God’s judgm ent earthqu ake and fire are applied. Sociology or Social Service as gener­ ally emphasized is, in its final out­ working, a black-winged angel of the pit. It leads its victims in the shadows where the cross is dimly seen, if seen at all, and it “counts the blood of the covenant an unholy thing.” It was born in the dark cavern of A theistic Evolution under the dim light of human reason depraved by sin. It has gone by divers names, some of them very high sounding, and would lead one to believe th at it is an angel of light. Our contention with Social Service is not regarding the work it is doing or proposes to do for nearly all of it is good and essential. Men, women, and chil­ dren need to be fed, clothed, and housed, but when this is made the aim of life and of Christian activity, we must pro­ test because the disease lies deeper than physical needs and must be treated at the source if it is to be effective. Why leave a poor soul in the bondage of his debasing sin with no power known to him by which- he can rise and no offer of anything but his own boot-straps by which to rise? We are reminded of Lowell’s words in the “Interview with Miles Standish.” They talk about their Pilgrim blood, Their birthright high and holy, A mountain stream th a t ends in mud, Methinks it melancholy.” The real work attempted in any legit­ imate way by Social Service workers which has any element of real uplift in it, is now and always has been the sec­ ondary work and the necessary concom­ itan t of all evangelical efforts. In fact, the most evangelical organizations have been the most active in supplying temp-

THE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S upon self-justification and; human suf­ ficiency. God says man is fallen and must have help from outside himself and from a source stronger than -any or all men, if he is to be and do as he should. Multitudes, however, are led to believe that the trouble is superficial and can be remedied by man himself together with the assistance of those who are strong where he is weak. It is amazing how few people, and in fact, how few preach­ ers there arc who do not accept and practice the self-sufficiency teaching. A man is given credit for being strong if the grosser sins are avoided or if un­ detected, when probably he is practicing sins which will lead to the wrecking of his entire family. But one Los Angeles w riter and teacher says in his book, “The B etter City,” “The lift of every man’s heart is upward.” But God says such is not the case, but th a t "it is only evil continually.” Again, the same au­ thor says, “The coming man will be the man whose chief thought will be the upbuilding of the Social Kingdom” and “living tfie life and doing service will be to him like partaking of the holy Sac­ rament.” Another speaks of Jesus Christ as the goal to which man is continually, gen­ eration by generation, approaching and when the race has finally eliminated the ape aiia tiger from its nature, it will arrive at the goal. Another teacher said he could select five hundred men in America, any one of whom could live as good a life and write a better gospel than Jesus gave to the world. Dr. Blackmer, Professor of Sociology and Economics in the University of Kan­ sas, says: “The elimination of the unfit is a social problem; viz: The unfit must be made fit by giving them ' the advant­ ages of education which will fit them for independent individual lives and pre­ pare them for social duties.” According to this, no Gospel, no Christ, and no Bi­ ble is needed. The same author gives August Comte credit as th e founder of

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