Editorial January 23, 1904 Issue

Born of God

The illumination which came to Saul on his way to Damascus effected a marvelous change in his ideas about pedigree. Prior to this time, his sense of human quality was strong; a "Hebrew of the Hebrews," he was zealous for the exclusiveness of a religious caste, and, as indicated in his letter to the Philippians, he prided himself not a little upon his nation, his tribe, and his family.

In that experience, however, he realized the falsity of his old bases of estimate, and in his beautiful letter to Philemon he reveals a spirit of democracy, in his recognition of human brotherhood, which is the very antithesis of his old attitude, and which has challenged the admiration of all lovers of men. He now glories ever and only in the realization that he is God's child, his letters teem with evidences of his exaltation in this thought, and his life ministry might be epitomized as an endeavor to awaken men to the meaning of their divine sonship.

So too John in his matchless Gospel presses to the front this thought of finding in the true self a son of God, "born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" and as no other sacred writer, perhaps, he enlarges upon the metaphysical and practical significance of the divine fatherhood.

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