IV THE CHURCH IN THE NEW DEMOCRACY I feel a profound sense of rejoicing and a solemn need for consecration for ourselves and for the churches of Christ in America. I rejoice, despite all the terror and suffering and cost that is before us, that this great hour in the life of the world could not be fulfilled without the share of America in the common sacrifice of the free peoples of the earth for the liberties of mankind. We were in danger of becoming too rich and soft and comfortable. The refining of this world conflagration is needed to burn out the dross of selfish ease, and the sectional, racial, and class. antagonisms from the heart of our national life. Then I rejoice in the testimony of this world war to the value of every class and group of the people in preserving the integrity of the national life. Never again can the laborer in field or mine or shop be despised or neglected by the builders of empire. The nation is the whole people, and not a sex nor class. The world war will be won in the homes and fields and mines and shops as well as upon the battle lines of flaming steel. Men in overalls and women in aprons are as necessary for victory in modern warfare as an army with banners. There is now being witnessed the cooperation of men and women, labor and capital, science and art, politics and religion, in the common service for the whole people as never before in the history of the human race. Again I rejoice in the unity of the free peoples of the world in the common cause of the rights of nations and of men. Never again can any person deny the supreme truth of the words of the great apostle: "None of us liveth to himself, and none dieth to himself." From the crucifixion of Belgium comes forth the resurrection of the liberties of Europe. The community of interest, yea, of life itself, among individuals, classes, and nations, has been established for all time. Finally I rejoice that at last the hideousness of social and political sin has been made clear to the conscience of the race. False political and social theories are now revealed to all mankind as having the direst effects upon the life of man. The church in Germany was so concerned with individual sin that it took no effective issue with the advocates of welt-politik and with the doctrine that "might makes right" as a theory of statecraft. It has been demonstrated that, while individual sin may rape one woman, social sin in the form of military ag |