"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good-will toward men."-Luke ii. 14.

"Whosoever would become great among you, shall be your minister; and whosoever would be first among you shall be your servant."- -Matt. xx. 27.

"For ye, brethren, were called for freedom; only use not your freedom for an occasion to the flesh, but through love be servants one to another."-Gal. v. 13.

"She (the Church) should frankly recognize that democracy paves the way to what is precisely the highest expression of her catholicism. When she does so, then democracy will begin to yearn after the Church which continues that Gospel-message wherein democracy finds its own remote but authentic origin."—"The Programme of Modernism," p. 129.

"The Church will not shape political platforms nor formulate economic programmes. But she will bring her thought and her catechism to bear upon the work of so tempering the wills of men that they shall be heroic and great-hearted citizens of the free commonwealth." -PROFESSOR HENRY S. NASH.

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CHRISTIANITY AND DEMOCRACY

HESE brief quotations epitomize some of the principal truths which lie at the heart of Christianity and democracy. The joyful recognition of God over all; peace and good-will among men ; the greatness of mutual service rather than of power and dominion; the privileges and responsibilities of freedom; love as the chief motive in social conduct; and the building of strong characters that shall invest their virtues in the efficient maintenance of a free and just State, these are cardinal conceptions of the Christian religion as it is working out amid the ideals of modern democratic institutions; and they imply the profound truth that Christianity and democracy are but two phases of one vast movement in human life which means welfare alike for the individual and for society, on both the spiritual side and the material side. This essential unity is not always understood, either by churchmen or by statesmen; but its due appreciation will reconcile many conflicting aims, will give sacred meanings to a multitude of ordinary labors, and will enlarge our hopeful outlook for the continued progress of mankind.

It is a fact that Christianity deals mainly with spiritual concerns. It regards man primarily as a spiritual being, a child of the Eternal Father, and therefore an heir of immortality. It contemplates all his interests from this high vantage-ground, and guages the accidents and incidents of time and circumstance by the scale of infinity, seeing them in the broad sweep

of a process of development that is not wholly confined to this world. Accordingly it lays chief emphasis upon the things that endure, the things of abiding worth, and attaches less value to those things which perish with the using. It exalts true principles, pure motives, holy ideals, and that inner knowledge and love of divine truth, that harmony of soul with the Spirit of the living God, which Jesus called "eternal life," beginning here, but lasting forever.

But true Christianity approaches man as a being on earth, amid earthly conditions and sustaining earthly relationships. He is born here, he dwells here at least for a time, and here must be the first sphere of his activities and attainments. In the concrete affairs of every-day life in this world-in the relationships of the family, the community, the nation; in marrying and begetting, in buying and selling, in commanding and serving; and amid toil, poverty, suffering and sin, disease and vice and crime; in the face of calamities and social tumults and the mystery of deathin the midst of all these we live, and must learn, and must remember that we are children of God and brothers one of another. Such was the point of view and the constant teaching of Jesus Christ. If his professed followers have sometimes forgotten this fact, and have made his religion excessively other-worldly, and have imposed upon its devotees requirements which he never dreamed of, "teaching for doctrines the commandments of men," it has not been his fault. He himself was always perfectly sane, perfectly human, perfectly practical. His Gospel was a message of glad tidings with reference not only to the future life, but primarily and profoundly to the present life.

On the other hand, democracy has to do mostly with

temporal affairs. It occupies itself mainly with earthly interests. It is primarily secular in its aims and methods. It seeks the well-being of the individual and of society here in this world, without much thought of anything lying beyond; and while it is reverent toward the idea of a Supreme Ruler of the universe, it does not necessarily imply this-it is conceivable that democracy might exist and be highly efficient without such a conception. Conversely it is entirely possible for men to believe in God with sincerity and with a vengeance, and yet maintain an aristocracy or an oligarchy of a cruel tyranny-alas! how often in history has such been the case!

Still it is true that democracy is naturally favorable to all spiritual interests, to education, art, culture, philanthropy, religion, and universal good-will. Whether we regard it as a frame of government or a state of mind, a mechanism of social order or a disposition of the thoughts of many hearts, it is instinctively the friend of every generous impulse, every liberal policy, every high aim, the development of every noble capacity or power in human nature. Therefore democracy is not repressive, but stimulative; it does not discourage effort, but encourages it, encourages thought, research, experiment, the bold initiative of the individual, the new cooperation of the social group. Consequently under its ample ægis there is an upspringing of a great variety of voluntary activities which result in strengthening or refining the human mind, and in fertilizing civilization with increasing learning, skill, beauty, benevolence, and virtue. Simply by affording the natural man scope to work out the latent good that is in him, democracy becomes the promoter of his welfare and progress by as much as it lies within him

to advance himself; and to one who believes in the dignity and high potentiality of human nature, rather than in its total depravity, democracy becomes a synonym of hope for the slow but sure elevation of the

race.

This agreement between Christianity and democracy will appear more clearly if we analyze a little further the real objects of each. What is it that Christianity, the Christianity of Christ, seeks for man? and what does democracy seek for him? A brief but plain answer will be helpful.

It is commonly taught that the grand object of Christianity is "the salvation of souls"; and it is commonly thought that such salvation means, not merely deliverance from the power of sin, but rescue from the control of the Devil and the terrors of a future hell, and the securing of an abundant entrance into heaven. Although there is some truth in this form of statement, there is a much better way of putting the case. True Christianity, the Christianity of Christ, seeks the welfare of man as a spiritual being, the child of the Eternal God. Therefore it seeks his growth or development or cultivation or education or discipline in the following principal qualities:

Reverence, gratitude, trust and love toward God; consideration, honesty, sympathy, love and helpfulness toward man; purity of heart, integrity of character, freedom of spirit; and that social harmony, prosperity and happiness which grow out of peace and good-will. To realize these qualities is to be "saved," i. e., to be "made whole," and is the truest preparation for heaven, while establishing the kingdom of heaven on earth.

Likewise the grand object of democracy is the individual and social welfare, but somewhat more narrowly