ei nsitas tad By ALBERTW EDWIN CLATTENBURG, 329 -bow Rector of the Episcopal Church of St. Peter, Hazleton, Pa. ubre as HEMarch number of THE NEW AGE had a very severe article under the S191above title, and as a liberal Christian and as thoughtful Mason I wish to porstelltheoauthor that he left charity out of his mind when he penned the o following words: "Let the sincere man, the real soldier, fighting daily against the same evil which is in every man let these earnest ones drop by degrees the title of Christian,' which belongs neither to him nor his day and generation." to his. LE NG 29.97 A EitaThe word. Christian is mentioned three times in the New Testament. The New Testament is a book that is found among the sacred books of Scottish Rite MasonryguIt is a book, therefore, that we may quote as being the authoritative guide of many of our members. In this book the word Christian is first mentioned by the author of Acts, in the 11th chapter, the 26th verse: "And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch," The followers of Christ's teaching were called Christians by the people who did not follow Christ. It was not a self-imposed title. I contend, today, that we have no right to call ourselves Christian; if we are such a thing, the world, as in days of old, will give us the title. The word is used the second time in the Acts, 26th chapter and 28th verse. It is the answer of Agrippa when St. Paul was contending for his liberty "Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian." Here again, the man of the world attributed Christian character to one who was trying to follow Christ. And Agrippa, meant more by the word Christian than the average person who calls himself by that title means or knows, The third use of the word is found in St. Peter's first letter, the 4th chapter and the 16th verse: "Yet if any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God for this cause." If the world should persecute a man because it thinks that he is a Christian the one suffering the persecution should deem it a pleasure, for thereby is glory given to God. Here again the Christian is detected by the world and not by the one who is actually a Christian. It seems to me that it is very clear that the New Testament does not expect any man to assume the title of Christian, but merely the role of follower of Christ; if the following is close enough, then the world will confer the title. Many men, may reveal the virtues of Masonry without ever knowing from a Masonic lodge just what these virtues are, and we would not feel satisfied if such men were to call themselves Masons. They must go to a Masonic lodge. be tried and examined, entered, passed and raised, before we would call them Masons. Christians are detected by the world, being tried and examined, entered. passed and raised (if I may so use the words for the different phases of mind that they cause in individuals of the world). But there is this difference in both instances. We call all men Masons who are passed upon by a regular and constituted lodge, elected, and given their degrees. But are all such really Masons? Would you not hesitate in calling them all Masons? So it is in Christianity, or any other religious organization. Those who go through the rites and ceremonies incident to becoming members are not always successful in exhibiting the characteristics of a true member. So real Masons can detect sham Masons, but the real Masons are not those who think themselves real Masons; no, the real Masons are those who, by consent of all, are such. So in Christianity. The world knows quite well what a Christian should be; it, therefore, is a fairly good judge of the question, whether or not a certain man or woman is a Christian. Now we have arrived at the point where we will agree that a Christian is not a man who thinks he is such, but a man whom the world acknowledges as such. If such a person can be found (and I am sure you all know some) let us ask him or her what is meant by the term Christian Soldier. An answer has been given me already. "It is a man or woman who contends for the teaching and life of Christ against sin and evil wheresoever found." And we are told that the greater part of all this evil is within ourselves. But when I ask this Christian whether or not this fighting shall be confined within ourselves the answer is given: "Wherever you find evil, whether in self or others, your duty to your Master demands that you combat it." In other words, the Christian soldier is not fighting that he may swell out his chest and be proud of his achievements, but because his Leader needs his support in ridding the world of evil and its consequent suffering. Heartily I agree with Sublime Prince Wagstaff that we should drop the title of Christian for ourselves, for the ones who seize it are least entitled to it; but strongly I disagree with him when he says (speaking of the earnest man) that the title "belongs neither to him nor his day and generation." Who are you to say what day shall have certain titles? Are you measuring men by yourself? Are you gauging individuals you do not know a thing about by some petty men that you have known? Is your mind big enough to span the world and all that is in it? Did God ever make you to know the minds of men so that you needed not that any should tell you what was in man? Many times have I blessed the day that took me into Scottish Rite Masonry, and within the influence of its great teachings. And I want to thank the Rite of the Southern Jurisdiction for such men as Inspectors General Horatio C. Plumley, David Holmes and John K. Burleson. These men have made me see what neither church nor religious creed made me see, that every man had a right to find God in his own way, to serve God as he saw God willed him to serve; and that every man should measure himself, not by his brothers who may not be favored by the light or the strength given to him, but by himself. asking the question, "Am I better than myself?" and not the question, "Am I better than John Jones?" When the world will consent to drop the titles of all men, and there be no more Jews, Turks, Mohammedans or Thirty-third Degree Masons, then and then only will the word Christian be eliminated from our vocabulary. But that day will mark the end of the world. The world today is watching Christian Soldiers in this great war. There is no doubt in the minds of even worldly men that evil is contending for the CIVIC MOBILIZATION 197 mastery in Europe, and even in this country. There is no particular creed in jeopardy, either the Apostles, Nicene, or that of any religious body, but there is a clear cut issue between right and wrong. Christian soldiers may be fighting on both sides of the battle, but that alters not my statement. The world again is the judge. Judgment may not be pronounced immediately because of the smoke, and confusion caused by battle and deceitful words; but the judgment will be pronounced and no tricky diplomat will be able to alter it. Christians who fight in such battles where men are killed and wounded cannot do so unless perfectly sure that the battle is waged for God and for His righteousness. Any Christian who kills, or attempts to kill, another human being for any other than God's righteousness thereby eliminates himself from the Christian roll. The world has made this statement, and the world is the final appeal, in this human life, as to who is really a Christian. Therefore, good brother, worry not about this word Christian. It has had an honorable life, and, please God, it will continue to mean much to millions of people. If its content is not quite clear to you, read the records of the Life of Christ. Then know that any man who comes anywhere near to living that same kind of a life is quite likely to be called a Christian. He may not be legally entitled to the name, according to the usage of the church that represents universal Christianity; but you yourself would deny to the home-made Mason the title of Mason, saying that he must go through the proper rites and ceremonies before he can call himself, or be called, a Mason. So do not impute evil to the universal Church by misjudging it in this case. It has its requirements for those who are to be called Christians, and unless men learn those requirements, and consent to them, learning and doing the things called essential, they cannot be entered upon the church rolls as Christians. We must allow the Church this right as we expect it ourselves. But going through all these rites and ceremonies are not positive assurances that all will be equally entitled to the name of Mason, or Christian. And a self-imputed title has little worth anyway, so let us agree on dropping all titles for ourselves; but be ever ready to confer them on the meritorious. Thus we will show our liberality, our humility, and whatever of good our character possesses. A CIVIC MOBILIZATION BY DR. RAYMOND V. PHELAN, 32°, UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA COMMUNITY can hardly be neutral toward itself. Disunited, it must be its own enemy. United, it will be its own militant friend. With every community, whether it be a town, a ward, a neighborhood, a college or university campus, it is a case of individualized enmity or of cooperative friendship. We can say that we are civicly neutral, but if our passivity as a group means retardation instead of advancement, we have given up our community to the enemy. We must be the friend of stagnation or the champion of progress. Civic neutrality is impossible. Even the individual cannot do the utmost for himself without cooperating with others for the common welfare. The individual desires to see an attractive park when he enters his home town. He wants a comfortable railway station that will be a credit to his community. The railway company may listen to his individual voice. He may present his town with a gateway park. But what is needed, in most cases, to achieve a new station or a gateway park is the insistent voice of the community. Even the community voice is frequently ineffectual, but it often succeeds where the individual voice accomplishes nothing. The lone citizen wants good railroad service, he wants fair rates. Cooperation!' is again his means of effective action. Your individual citizen prefers good water, satisfactory sewage, light and heat at reasonable prices. Fire protection reduces his insurance and eases his mind. Clean, level streets appeal to him. He appreciates the value hygienically and artistically of trees on residence streets. Good schools, adequate playgrounds, satisfactory amusements, he would like to boast of as being characteristic of his community. Taxes that give big results for every dollar collected appeal to the individual. He likes to be effectively represented in his State Legislature, and through the Congress and the President to exert some influence in shaping the destiny of the nation. A community reputation for good boys and girls, for community spirit, for community pride, for loyalty to community enterprises makes life more enjoyable for the individual. Can he achieve these things by himself? Hardly. He must have the community with him. He must cooperate in the business of citizenhsip. ́ Communities must mobilize to thwart evils, to develop resources, to secure rights, to effect beauty and health, to insure prosperity. There should be no silent partners in a community. All should be up and at the problem of a better community and a better people. The community must be mobilized. War is horrible, but it teaches a sound community lesson. War swallows up differences in a supreme passion. Ten or more political parties in Germany rise as one party to shut out threatening Russia, to wrest from Great Britain "a place in the sun." In the market place at Paris, the grand dame and the drudge, forgetting social differences, find themselves neighbors in spirit, made such by the calamity threatening the fatherland. Even the democratic America of the future will not abolish classes. Besides there will probably always be people who will not form "pleasant chemical combinations." People will continue to have their acquaintances, their friends, their familiars, their intimates. Some will go to private and some to public schools. Some will worship in one way and some in another. Differences of capacity, culture, taste, viewpoint, will continue to give us groups and cliques. A common danger or a common interest, clearly recognized, may be counted upon, however, to subordinate all the differences in favor of cooperation. Common dangers to hang over America all the time. There is the general danger that all Americans will not play their full part in abolishing ignorance, in blotting out prejudice and intolerance, in promoting beauty and justice. Lack of individual opportunity, disease, injustice, inefficiency public and private ugliness are continually launching at humanity their artillery, infantry and cavalry, their aeroplanes and submarines. In the midst of peace, humanity has common enemies. Civilization decries war; but it demands civic mobilization. A community must stand together. It must submerge its differences often useful enough in themselves-in a common united effort to insure its own prosperity, commercial, educational and spiritual. A community fulfills its twentieth century destiny only when one can read in its spirit and see in its activities this pronouncement: "We stand together all the time for a Better Community and a Better America." May it come to pass in every American community that the bright vision of community loyalty and community duty and opportunity may dim the importance of individual and group differences. May Americans as devoted and inspired soldiers of peaceful progress ever go forward hopefully and triumphantly. WORK YOU MUST It is no man's business whether he is a genius or not; work he must, whatever he is, but quietly and steadily; and the natural and enforced results of such work will be always the things that God meant him to do, and will be his best-Ruskin. |