The Fundamentals - 1910: Vol.12

72

The Fundamentals tinctions which alone can produce moral ideals, and as a mat­ ter of fact owes its worthy moral conceptions today exclusively to the influence of Christianity. But it is not ideals alone—it is power for their realization that the world requires. That power can be found only in life, in the life of God communié cated to men. Who offers this or pretends to offer it but Christ? How can it be offered by religions which have no God, or whose God has no character? For this is the great need of the world. It needs the knowl­ edge and the life of the good and fatherly God. Its own re­ ligions have given it neither of these, and its own religions are disintegrating. Christianity has detached small companies of people from them, but the influence of Christianity has penetrated them to the marrow. Let alone, it would war against their vicious elements and preserve all in man that is capable of redemption. But it will not be let alone. Other in­ fluences are at work upon the religious conceptions of the non-Christian world, and under those influences the concep­ tions and the institutions of the non-Christian religions are doomed. Never did men face a more solemn responsibility than confronts us now. “The ancient beliefs and customs of the non-Christian peoples,” said Lord Bryce while in America, “are destined soon to pass away, and it becomes a matter of supreme importance to see that new and better moral and re­ ligious principles are given to them promptly to replace what is disappearing; and to endeavor to find methods for prevent­ ing the faults or vices of adventurers and others who are try­ ing to exploit the uncivilized races from becoming a fatal hindrance to the spread of Christianity.” Christian peoples are standing face to face with judgment here. Throughout the non-Christian world there are multitudes who are conscious of their need. They may not regard Chris­ tianity as the answer to their need. I t is not surprising if they do not. In what way has Christendom not misrepresented Christianity to them ? But they know their need. “You speak

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