Article January 23, 1902 Issue

Religious Items

with contributions from Hugh Black, Edward Thring, J. K. Miller, H. L. Sidney Lear, Charles G. Gordon, Lorenzo Scupoli

Science and Religion .—There has been no signal achievement during the year in literature, invention, or art. If Signor Marconi verities his alleged discovery of the application of Herz waves to wireless telegraphy, it will rank as the outstanding contribution to science and commerce. In the sphere of religion there are many tokens that the interests of the spiritual life have been temporarily submerged by the devotion to material concerns. There has been no general, widespread religious movement. The effort of English Christian to preach the Gospel to the whole nation at the beginning of the year largely exhausted itself in devising methods and machinery, though much good was done. None of the plans of the American churches looking toward a wide evangelization of our own people have been highly successful, and missionary treasuries have not shared in the prevailing prosperity. The great achievement has been the success of the Methodists in raising three-fourths of their proposed twenty million Twentieth Century Fund. All Methodist institutions will be put on a firmer basis. While religious work, on the whole, has been inadequately supported, the claims of educational enterprises have been generously recognized. Thus the dark and the bright intermingle in the religious outlook. There are multitudes who make religion their supreme interest, but material forces are of tremendous power, and devotion to them sets the tone of life.

The Watchman.

The Closing Year.—Our review on another page of the movements of the first year of the twentieth century summarizes a history so wonderful that it surpasses the records of ancient miracles. The impulses of ages approach their fruition in it. It contains prophecies of such power of man over nature and through it as to make old-time miracles seem insignificant in comparison. It projects into the life of to-morrow single combinations of men and capital mightier to control the world than the greatest empires of the ancient or Middle Ages. It points to a realignment of nations which may change the map of the globe. It promises to penetrate the secrets of the stars, to which it already holds the keys. It presages new systems of thought based on new knowledge so wonderful that we hesitate to become familiar with it. To the Christian the most inspiring truth of this time is that the Author of all these things which the new century is unfolding before us waits our asking to reveal Himself through them more clearly than ever before. Shall we not in these last days of the year turn back toward it with a prayer of thanksgiving for the light it has brought to our souls? Shall we not turn toward the coming year with a prayer for more light in which to behold the Father of light, in confidence that the power of a holy life was never so great in the world as it is to-day.

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