Religious Items

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 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.

The infinite and eternal Power that is manifested in every pulsation of the universe is none other than the living God. We may exhaust the resources of metaphysics in debating how far his nature may fitly be expressed in terms applicable to the physical nature of Man; such vain attempts will only serve to show how we are dealing with a theme that must ever transcend our finite powers of conception. But of some things we may feel sure. Humanity is not a mere local incident in an endless and aimless series of cosmical changes. The events of the universe are not the work of chance, neither are they the outcome of blind necessity. Practically there is a purpose in the world whereof it is our highest duty to learn the lesson, however well or ill we may fare in rendering a scientific account of it. When from the dawn of life we see things working together toward the evolution of the highest spiritual attributes of Man, we know, however the words may stumble in which we try to say it that God is in the deepest sense a moral Being. The everlasting source of phenomena is none other than the infinite Power that makes for Righteousness. Thou canst not by searching find Him out.

The lessons of history are many. One of the most important and cheering of these is that of the progress of the human race. Especially gratifying and inspiring to every thoughtful and reverent mind is the record of man's moral and religious advancement. This upward movement is particularly noticeable among those peoples that have been blessed by the highest revelations of spiritual truth. The method of such revelations it is not necessary here to discuss. The fact of their existence and their superior influence remains. Patriarchs and prophets of old dispensation were sears, teachers, leaders, and inspirers. Jesus, the central personage of the new dispensation, brought a new motive force into the world—the motive of love, by which faith was accelerated, hearts were enkindled, and lives inspired and energized. Slowly has the Christian world apprehended his real message. But, in later centuries particularly, there has been a steady increase of light, of truth, and a corresponding influx and potency of spiritual life.

Our spirits may always be tuned to finer issues. There is a kindly influence above and around us that always awaits the receptive soul. It has been felt in all ages by the rarest spirits. The poets have felt it; artists have felt it; the good have always felt it and named it with some angelic name. The heroic have been turned toward it. It has been known and recognized and has been unknown and unrecognized. It has always been breaking in upon the best order of souls and noble leaders of men with a more open and rare sensibility. It has been inspiration and help to countless soul as they have struggled with the vicissitudes and have felt the burden of this unintelligible world. What shall we call it? What more significant name than that of the Divine Spirit, moving on the hearts of men to bring them into ultimate harmony with God, and thus to realize the great ends of a final and universal redemption.

It is not a good sign of the times that several great nations are comparing notes, not to see who is getting on most rapidly in the peaceful ways of civilization, but in order to show that they are no worse than their neighbors. The Americans claim that they are not so cruel in their dealings with the Filipinos as the Spaniards were in Cuba. England is citing the example of Germany and America to show that her conduct of the war in South Africa is not more cruel than the treatment of the Filipinos and the Poles. It is not pleasant to have the great nations throwing charges at each other with the response, "You're another!" This state of affairs cannot continue long. because the common sense and good feeling of the world will demand that some mutual agreement shall be reached by which the wars now in progress shall be brought to an end.

The Christian Church can no longer be small. If it is to take its place as the guiding force among the great forces of the age, it must be big enough to guide. There must be unity of its forces, there must be the assertion of its importance, there must be the demand for recognition; there must be, more than all else, the fruits that justify its existence.

The year is the Lord's; the Church is the voice of the Lord; how can it be silent? How can it be apologetic?

The powers of man may catch in the meshes of a world-net the forces of nature and train them to their service, yet are they the Lord's. The passing years may crown man with glory on glory, yet are they the Lord's and must not be forgotten.

It is true that love cannot be forced, that it cannot be made to order, that we cannot love because we ought or even because we want. But we can bring ourselves into the presence of the lovable. We can enter into Friendship through the door of Discipleship. We can learn love through service.

The life which we are meant to lead under the dispensation of the Spirit, who has been given for our guidance into Truth, is one which does not take us out of the world, but keeps us from its evil, enabling us to live a heavenly existence on earth, and so to span over the chasm which divides us from heaven.—Edward Thring.

It is a great deal easier to do that which God gives us to do, no matter how hard it is, than to face the responsibility of not doing it. We have abundant assurance that we shall receive all the strength we need to perform any duty God allots to us.

Those who love God are encompassed with gladness on every side, because in every passing moment they see and feel a Father's love; and nothing of this world can take it away or lessen it.—H. L. Sidney Lear.

If we aspire to walk in the power of the new life, we must east away all hindrances; and it must cost something we really value.

Still fight resolutely on, knowing that in this spiritual combat none is overcome but him who ceases to struggle and to trust in God.—Lorenzo Scupoli.