The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923, December 01, 1922, Page 7, Image 7

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

    I yr-v-, ,. -.,
7mBB'HHfflMHBflHMMHHpflBjHpflBBBBBBBflHHB
Si
' ' tall
fae Commoner , 9,
';.
u
f
." T
DECEMBER, 1922 '
moral Influence t'6'.protect them, but we are! not
called upon to send our army and our navy into
the Orient to rescue the oppressed and the per
secuted from acts of injustice. If any of our own
people arc there, we can bring- them nway in
times of peril, as -we brought them from Mexico,
but we Cannot engage in wa'rs far away from
home in order that American citizens may re
main in other countries in time of war. As for
the helpless people of other nations who suffer
cruelties, wo Can better afford to bring them
here and take care of them in the United States
than to send armies to foreign lands to guard
them.
In this article I have briefly treated of four
o tho public ciuestlone under discussion. In
closing I venture to call attention to the need
of a Government paper. What the people must
have if they decide questions quickly anright
ly is full information furnished by the govern
ment to those who desire it. A national bulle
tin would not only present the issues, but it
should have editorial space in which representa
tives of the different parties could present argu
ments brought pro and con, so that all tho peo
ple would have all the information necessary to
sit in judgment on all questions. Such a paper
should also permit space on equal Jerms to all
candidates legitimately beforetthe country. So
that political honors will be open to the poor as
well as to the rich. A national bulletin would
do more than any other one thing to shorten the
period of agitation and insure the triumph of
that which is right. The sense of justice in the
heart of the American people can be frusted if
the people know the facts and the arguments.
"Let thero be light" on every public question
and our people will solve aright every problem,
remedy evory wrong and secure every needed re
form. . w
1 ' k WEk.
Mr. Bryan's Bible Talks 1
" " I k If
,- hi
WdLr
WwwMuMtJ
"PROGRESSIVES" FORM TfEW UNOFFICIAL
n J- BLOO '
A Washington dispatch, dated Dec. 1, says:
Another unofficial "bloc,' in congress was born
today when progressives, Republicans and Demo
crats, called into session by Senator LaFollette,
Republican, Wisconsin, and Representative Hud
dleston, Democrat, Alabama, formed a pro
gressive group ior promotion of progressive leg
islation during, the present and the next con
gress. About 40 senators, representatives and members-elect,
meeting behind closed doors in the
senate - .agricultural .committee room, adopted
resolutions unanimously declaring their purpose
'to drive spec'a, privileges out of control of gov
ernment" and outlining a, general program of
liberal legislation. V
Politics was declared to be banned and it was
announced officially that no third" party move-
ment was oontdmplate'd. , Republicans, Demo
crats and farmeriaborites joined in the confer
ence, whichvaB declared to be bi-partisan and
legislative, but non political.
Plans ior promotion of progressive sentiment
and policies throughout the nation were made
Yec. 2 at thjj doncluiajng meetings of the two
day's conclave.
Resolutions declaring for continuation of the
new progressive movement, which is to be ac
tively translated into legislation through the bf
Partisan progressive bloc of congress formed
, Dec. 1, were1 adopted during two sessions of the
Public conference and 'addresses were made by a
uozen leaders iri liberal nlovemeitts
Presentation of a detailed legislative and eco
nomic program was not a,tteirtpted, but speakers
W the "open forum" and at the closing din
ner proposed, apmltitude of reforms and flayed
Past and present; government officials and poli
cies. ( v
Senator I&FoIlette "presided over, the open
sessions and "speeches were delivered by Presi
dent Gompersrof ih American Federat'on of
abor; Gov. JBfaine,- .of Wisconsin, and others.
Kesoiptloqq adopted) unanimously by tho con
vention declared that the movement was "non
partisan' and 'jdesigncd primarily to promote
Progressive' legislation Other resolutions called
;?r extension qt tho -direct primary, including
aooiishment ot the electoral college and direct
m,r ele(J,tion of president' and vice-president.
v conforence declared, however, that it
8 impossible in a single day to formulate a
uiplete legislative andeconomIc program. .
' Tn "?ptuntuiant of. Senator LaFollette of a non-
rtlsy conimlttee to provide for national co-:
fto 0 Progressives was suggested. At
nn Same tirae a date for calling another eonfer
Lni? Sf prSTessivea was left open, but Senator"
btb J e ftnnunced that a conference of pro
gressive governors would beheld next January.
A LESSON OF SURPASSING BEAUTY
By WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN
BIBLE TEXT LESSON FOR NOVEMBER 12
(Luke CJ27-38)
mi?1 11 say ""to you which hear, Love- your ne
? ?ood to them which lmtc vou,
Whiei?8,iioi,Jl at curse you' and pray -for Hioip -which
despitefully use you.
And unto him that smlteth thco on the ono
cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh
away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also.
Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of
him that taketh thy goods ask thorn not again
And If ye love them which love you, do ye jUho
to them likewise. ,
For if ye love them which love you, what thank
have ye? for sinners also love those that lqvc them.
And if ve do good to them which do good to r'ou,
what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the
same.
And if ye lend to them of whom ,ye hope to re
ceive, what thank have ye? for sinners aHo lend
to sinners, to receive as much again.
But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend,
hoping for nothing again: arid your reward shall
be great, and ye shall be the children of the High
est; for ho is kind unto the unthankful and to the
evil.
Bo yo therefore merciful, as your Father also n
merciful. - .
Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn
not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, anil
ye shall be forgiven.
Give, and it shall ho given unto you; good meas
ure, pressed down, and shaken, together, and run
ning over, shall men give into your bosom. .For
with tho same measure that ye mete withal it shall
be measured to you again.
As a physician Jesus healpd bodily diseases;
as a teacher He pointed the way in" which those
who would follow Him can exhibit in their lives
the change that has taken place in their hearts
and make progress toward that perfection which
is enjoined upon them.
"Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father
which is in -heaven is perfect."
The Sermon on the Mount' set forth in the
sixth chapter of Luke and at much greater
length in the fifth, sixth and seventh chapters
of tho Gospel according to Matthew presents
almost all of Christ's moral code such a code
as.was never promulgated before and such a
code as has riot been formulated since.
This code, in itself, would be sufficient to set
Christ apatt from all mankind and put the
stamp of the deity upon Him.
He did not have the privilege of associating
with the wise men of. His time and, if He had
' been in daily communication with them, Ho
could not have gathered from .them the wisdom
that He embodied in His words, because they
had no such wisdom to impart.
He could not. have obtained this wisdom from
the past, because it was not to be found, not
even in the books of the law, with which He was
familiar.
He proclaimed a new gospel and set up new
standards by which men's -lives should be regu
lated. 6
THE GOLDEN RULE m
Take, for ..instance, one that has become
known as theSolden Rule: "As ye would that
men, should do; to-you,' do ye also to them 'like
wise '' " '
Confucius, whose words were- accepted as the.
moral "law by millions of people, stated his gold
en rule in the negative: Do not unto others as
you would jiot have them do to you.
. This enjoins against the doing of injury to
others it would prohibit injustice. That, of
course, is to be commended; it is hard to calcu
late the suffering and loss that would be pre
vented if all refrained from doing tt others that
which they would not want others to do to them.
But the negative rule is not to be announced.
There is a very wide gulf between refraining
from wrong doing and doing good. 9
A letter of recommendation written according
to the rule of Confucius woud not be xegarded
as very-helpful; suppose one would give a friend
a recommendation like this: "I have known this
man thirty years and have never known him to
injur anyone." What impression would it
make? It suggests that something is wanting.
There is a reservation that would excite inquiry.
How different from the following: "I have
known this man thirty years; he utees -the Gold
en Bule in his daily life and does unto others
that which ho would have othors do unto him."
Chr'st's doctrine is a doctrine of action do
ing good, not morely refraining from injury.
Bonevolenco is tho keynote of Christianity.
When Christ's spirit enters into one and how
can ho bo otherwise a Christian ho goos about
doing good. Tho Christian who withdraws him
self from tho world and is only interested in
himself and his own welfare fails to appreciate
tho true Character of ..Christ's teachings. "My
Father worketh hitherto, and I work."
Christanity is not a lazy man's job; It Is un
ceas ng work, but work that is a pleasure, be
cause it brings joy t(j the workor.
BUt' tlio Golden Rulq ia Impossible unless ,oho
learns tho socret. , . ,
Men will not do untp others as they would
havo mop do unto them, unless, they have been
initiated, so to speak, into the mysteries pf the
doctrine. It rests upon love and upon nothing
else. Wo will not do good unto others In ad
vance of favors to ourselves unless we havo a
reason fpr it, aud Christ gives us the reason.
Love is th.e cause.
Christ's reason is not a nice calculation based
upon benefits received, ouch as Confucius taught.
When asked if there was not some word that
would cover all the relations of life, he answered;
"Is not reciprocity such a word?"
Reciprocity fmbodies tiie idea ot mutual, aid
balanced sorvicc as if one could keep an act
count and mako.'gfts received and benefits-bestowed
exactly balancp, . k -
ALL INCLUSIVE LOVfi'
Clirist did not teach the keeping of books In
the doing of gqod. He not only inspires a lovo
that despises seff'sh calculation,, but a-love that
includes enemies In Its fat-ffuug lines. ' .
"But I say unto you which, hear, Lovdyour
enemies, dp godd to. them wh'(ch hate yo.ublesg
them that curse you, anil' Way "for th'Qm wltfcli
despitefully use you." , ' ,
Even curs'ng and persecution cannot offer a
barrier to the love that Qutfsti inculcates No
matter wliat another does dr how .he feels, love
must' not' be chilled or turned .away. '
Christ goes into i detaMl ind uses ' for illustra
tion the hardest qase that can bc'jdund; , '.'ITnto
"him1 that smlteth thee on the 6iie .'cheek offer
also the other." ,"'.'..' ' ,.
Even the hot b.lbod that '.resents a physical, In
'jury must not bo allowed tp drown out Love" in
the heart of the injured ono; an unbrotherly
act musf not quenCh-the spi?tt' of brotherhood.
Some pharacterfze loye as urimanly when, it is
"carried to this extreme thfc term. , mollycoddle
has been coined to describe 'onp wjip will suffer
without" showing resentment ,
Well, standards ""change. ' It used to for even
in this country, that the. man, who declined a
challenge to a duel was branded as .a cpiyad;
but a Century has made a change, and now he
'man who sends a challenge is punished ao a '
criminal. " - -:( ,
FALSE STANDARDS OF-HPNpRy ,
The same false -standard of honor hassled to'
wars without number. National, in'sults -have
been paid for in blood not the blood of thtf'bne
who used the insulting language, but the' bjbod
of innocent persons. This false standard 'of
honor -among nations is destined to give way to
Christ's Gold6n Rule. . w j
Our nation has already entered into trdaties
. with th'rty nations, representing threeuartcrs
of the . world's population,, whereby alt differ- "
.ences and disputes, no matter what (he caube,
must be- investigated before resort to War. Time
iiiust be allowed for the blood to cool and for the
peace of society to be mobilized; time must be
allowed for the separation of questions 'of honor
from questions of fact.
This is a long step towards peace. It was the
"bid form of diplomacyshoot first and investi
gate afterwards that plunged the world ino
the bloodiest of all wars.
Christ's code, and nothing else, will bring
world peace The song of the angels at Christ'
birth "On -eartj&peace,. good will toward -men"
means neacofd theJftriilividual, peace to the
community, peace between states, peace betwee
nations AncTneace throughout uie.wona.
This peace re8tst on love as Christ exemplifies
it. v ,
Christ not only tells us to love our enemies,
.
I,
wj
i
" i
1
J
41
' 2
1
f
,1
vi
,ii
&
M
;i
tSk
'Jac &' ' cj,k':