Article September 20, 1900 Issue

Religious Items

with contributions from Carlyle

The Universalist Leader says editorially: "Religion is vital even in this commercial age. In spite of the current indifference to many of the religious forms, no one can question the interest in religion itself. There is hardly a novel published to-day that commands attention, which is not at heart a religious dissertation or discussion; in editorial words in the great journals, the moral side of important questions is emphasized, and national acts require moral justification. The serious danger which is faced to-day by the Church, is its loss of the personal hold upon the individual, for which it has itself to blame in abandoning its unique function of securing personal righteousness, and trying to regulate the affairs of nations and races for men instead of through men."

Commenting on the worldly methods of attracting attendance sometimes practised by churches, the (Unitarian) Christian Register says: "Piety and good works will lag in the rear of the advance whose banner flaunts worldly watchwords. The innovation always sufficiently new is the life which makes deeper gladness than distraction, the interpretation and fulfilment of religion which shall make it the root of all courage and good cheer. The preachers who hunt for novelty do so, perhaps, because the chief opportunity is laborious, and the expedients are easy and seductive. The great novelty is the preaching of the highest things, so that they will inspire and direct the common life. New works of spirituality will be most welcome to the world-sated men of the day."

The (Episcopalian) Church Standard gives the following concerning a sermon preached by Kaiser Wilhelm on board the Hohenzollern to German soldiers about to leave for China: "His Majesty drew a picture of the trials of war—the long marches beneath a blazing sun, the longer nights under pelting rain, thunder of cannon, bursting of shell, the slaying of comrades—'this,' said he, 'demands more than edged weapons, more even than youthful courage and the fire of enthusiasm. It needs living strength and victorious might from above. And this heavenly world is accessible to prayer alone. Prayer is the golden key to the treasury of our God.' "

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