Publication date
3/15/07
Volume
28
Number
6
The WatchTower
Views from the Watch Tower
The Watchtower Magazines
/../literature/watchtower/1907/6/1907-6-1.html
 
 
VOL. 
XXVIII 
ALLEGHENY, 
P 
A., 
MARCH 
15, 
1907 
No.6 
VIEWS 
FROM 
THE 
A 
WALL 
STREET 
VIEW 
OF 
THE 
DECLINE 
OF 
FAITH 
Some 
striking 
editorials 
on 
the 
question 
of 
the 
decline 
of 
the 
belief 
in 
a 
future 
life 
have 
been 
appearing 
in 
recent 
is­ 
sues 
of 
The 
Wall 
Stlcet 
Journal 
(New 
York). 
From 
,mell 
a 
source 
the 
inquiry 
carries 
peculiar 
weight, 
especially 
to 
the 
type 
of 
mind 
which 
forms 
the 
majority 
in 
our 
commer­ 
cial 
civilization. 
The 
articles 
in 
question, 
written 
by 
Mr. 
Sereno 
S. 
Pratt, 
the 
editor 
of 
that 
paper, 
expresses 
the 
"in­ 
tense 
interest" 
of 
that 
journal 
"in 
the 
economic 
and 
politi­ 
cal 
effects 
of 
any 
rhange 
in 
the 
thought, 
the 
habits 
and 
the 
lives 
of 
men." 
If 
there 
has 
heen 
a 
decline 
in 
religious 
faith, 
Mr. 
Pratt 
asserts, 
that 
fact 
'I 
alters 
the 
basic 
conditions 
of 
<'ivilization," 
I' 
hecomes 
a 
factor 
in 
the 
markets," 
I 
I 
changes 
the 
standards 
and 
affects 
the 
values 
of 
things 
that 
are 
bought 
and 
sold," 
and 
I 
I 
concerns 
the 
immecliate 
interests 
of 
those 
who 
never 
had 
such 
a 
faith 
almost 
as 
much 
as 
it 
docs 
the 
lives 
of 
those 
who 
have 
had 
the 
faith 
and 
lost 
it." 
Along 
this 
line 
Mr. 
Pratt 
continues: 
I 
I 
The 
question, 
therefore, 
of 
practical, 
immediate, 
ancI 
tremendous 
importance 
to 
Wall 
Street 
quite 
as 
much 
as 
to 
any 
other 
part 
of 
the 
world, 
is, 
Has 
there 
heen 
a 
de­ 
cline 
in 
the 
faith 
in 
the 
future 
life' 
and 
if 
so, 
to 
what 
extent 
is 
this 
responsible 
for 
the 
special 
phenomena 
of 
our 
time--the 
eager 
pursuit 
of 
sudden 
wealth, 
the 
shameless 
luxury 
and 
display, 
the 
gross 
and 
corrupting 
extravagance, 
'the 
misuse 
of 
swollen 
fortunes,' 
the 
indifferenCe 
to 
law, 
the 
growth 
of 
graft, 
the 
abuses 
of 
great 
corporate 
power, 
the 
so­ 
cial 
unrest, 
the 
spread 
of 
demagogy, 
the 
advances 
of 
Socialism, 
the 
appeals 
to 
bitter 
class 
hatred' 
To 
find 
out 
what 
connec­ 
tion 
exists 
between 
a 
decadence 
in 
religious 
faith 
and 
the 
social 
unrest 
of 
our 
time, 
due, 
on 
one 
side, 
to 
oppressive 
use 
of 
finan­ 
cial 
power, 
and. 
on 
the 
other, 
to 
class 
agitation, 
might 
well 
be 
worth 
an 
investigation 
by 
a 
commission 
of 
government 
experts, 
if 
it 
were 
possible 
for 
the 
Government 
to 
enter 
into 
such 
an 
undertaking.' 
, 
I' 
Whatevrr 
may 
he 
a 
man's 
own 
personal 
beliefs," 
con­ 
tinues 
Mr. 
Pratt, 
"there 
is 
no 
one 
who 
would 
not 
prefer 
to 
do 
business 
with 
a 
person 
who 
really 
heli('w's 
in 
a 
future 
life." 
If 
the 
world 
holds 
fewer 
men 
of 
surh 
faith. 
it 
makes 
a 
hig 
dif­ 
ference, 
and 
if 
faith 
is 
to 
continue 
to 
decline, 
this 
will 
reo 
quire 
new 
adjustm<'nts. 
So 
the 
writer 
views 
the 
situation, 
adding 
these 
reflections: 
"There 
are 
certainly, 
on 
the 
surface. 
many 
signs 
of 
such 
a 
decline. 
Perhaps, 
if 
it 
w('re 
po~sihle 
to 
probe 
deeply 
into 
the 
subject, 
it 
might 
be 
found 
that 
faith 
still 
abounded, 
but 
is 
no 
lon~er 
expressed 
in 
the 
old 
way. 
But 
we 
are 
obliged 
to 
accept 
the 
surfaee 
ini!.ications. 
These 
include 
a 
falling 
off 
in 
church 
attendance, 
the 
abandonment 
of 
family 
worship, 
the 
giving 
over 
of 
Sunday 
more 
and 
more 
to 
pleasure 
and 
labor, 
the 
separation 
of 
religious 
from 
secular 
('ducation, 
under 
the 
stern 
demands 
of 
non-sectarianism, 
the 
growing 
up 
of 
a 
gen­ 
eration 
not 
instructed 
as 
our 
fathers 
were 
in 
the 
stui!.y 
of 
the 
Bible, 
the 
srrularization 
of 
a 
portion 
of 
the 
church 
itself, 
and 
Its 
inability 
in 
a 
large 
way 
to 
gain 
the 
confidence 
of 
the 
labor­ 
ing 
people. 
If 
these 
are 
really 
signs 
of 
a 
decay 
of 
religious 
faith, 
then 
indeei!. 
there 
is 
no 
more 
important 
problem 
hefore 
us 
than 
that 
of 
either 
i!.isrovering 
some 
adequate 
substitute 
for 
faith, 
or 
to 
take 
immediate 
steps 
to 
check 
a 
i!.evelopment 
which 
has 
within 
it 
the 
"eeds 
of 
a 
national 
disaster." 
The 
alternative 
of 
the 
I 
I 
adequate 
substitute" 
does 
not 
rec­ 
ommend 
itself 
to 
the 
mind 
of 
Mr. 
Prlltt, 
liS 
may 
be 
seen 
from 
Qis 
view 
expres~e<1 
in 
a 
more 
rerent 
editorial, 
which 
rleals 
with 
the 
materialism 
underneath 
hoth 
"the 
Socialism 
of 
Karl 
Marx 
and 
the 
financial 
ronrentration 
of 
whirh 
we 
may 
take 
that 
representei!. 
by 
E. 
H. 
Harriman 
as 
a 
type." 
Balancing 
the 
virtues 
of 
the 
two, 
Mr. 
Pratt 
sees 
in 
Socialism 
'I 
the 
more 
at­ 
tractive 
and 
impossihle 
program," 
while 
'I 
financial 
roncen­ 
tration 
" 
h" 
believes 
to 
be 
I' 
the 
safer 
for 
the 
social 
order 
ani!. 
civilization." 
In 
neither, 
however, 
is 
the 
remedy 
adequate 
to 
the 
ill. 
He 
concludes: 
"The 
supreme 
ne('d 
of 
the 
hour 
is 
not 
elastic 
currency, 
or 
sounder 
banking, 
or 
better 
protection 
against 
panics, 
or 
higger 
navies, 
or 
more 
equitable 
tariffs, 
but 
a 
revival 
of 
faith. 
a 
return 
to 
a 
morality 
whirh 
rerognizes 
a 
basis 
in 
religion 
and 
the 
establishment 
of 
a 
workable 
and 
working 
theory 
of 
life 
that 
views 
man 
as 
something 
more 
than 
a 
mere 
lump 
of 
mat­ 
ter.' 
'-Literary 
Digest. 
COMPARATIVE 
FAILURE 
OF 
CHRISTIANITY 
BY 
REV. 
W. 
GALBRAITH 
(The 
following 
is 
published 
by 
the 
Toronto 
(Ont.) 
Metho­ 
dist 
Publishing 
House): 
"It 
[Christianity] 
has 
fallen 
far 
short 
of 
its 
divine 
pur­ 
poses 
and 
marvelous 
capabilities. 
What 
is 
the 
reason 
of 
this 
comparative 
failure' 
WATCH 
TOWER 
"We 
answer, 
first, 
that 
in 
the 
days 
of 
Constantine 
it 
was 
baptized 
with 
the 
spirit 
of 
heathenism, 
and 
these 
foreign 
and 
enfeebling 
elements, 
transfused 
through 
the 
entire 
Christian 
system, 
grew 
upon 
it 
like 
a 
parasite 
for 
more 
than 
a 
thousand 
years, 
and 
are 
still 
a 
formidable 
obstacle 
to 
its 
progress 
and 
achievements. 
Heathen 
doctrines, 
usages 
and 
habits 
still 
linger 
to 
a 
greater 
or 
less 
degree 
in 
all 
branches 
of 
the 
Christian 
Church. 
"We 
answer, 
secondly, 
that 
Christianity 
at 
this 
hour 
is 
largely 
baptized 
with 
the 
spirit 
of 
the 
world. 
Worldly 
maxims, 
methods 
and 
motives 
have 
invaded 
the 
heritage 
of 
Jesus. 
'rhese 
are 
eating 
out 
its 
life, 
and 
obstructing 
all 
its 
efforts. 
"Great 
and 
grievous 
wrongs 
are 
still 
rank 
and 
rampant 
in 
the 
Church 
and 
in 
the 
world. 
The 
Church, 
by 
her 
individual 
members, 
and 
in 
her 
collective 
~apacity, 
is 
doing 
a 
great 
and 
glorious 
work 
for 
God 
and 
humanity, 
but, 
unhappily, 
medireval 
religion 
protrudes 
itself 
into 
the 
last 
quarter 
of 
this 
nineteenth 
century. 
, 
'l<'ashionable 
and 
formal 
churches 
are 
fonnd 
everywhere. 
The 
heathenish 
system 
of 
caste 
gro"s 
in 
Christian 
lands. 
Ex­ 
pen~h'e 
churches, 
with 
heavy 
debts, 
popular 
preaching, 
artistic 
mUSIC, 
wealth 
and 
self-indulgence, 
have 
invaded 
the 
fair 
heri­ 
tage 
of 
God. 
Mission 
chUl'clles 
have 
become 
a 
necessity 
to 
meet 
the 
needs 
and 
the 
condition 
of 
the 
poor. 
If 
Christianity 
were 
in 
its 
normal 
state 
there 
would 
be 
no 
mission 
churches. 
I 
I 
Goodness 
would 
be 
recognized 
as 
the 
only 
basis 
of 
true 
brotherhood, 
and 
the 
rich 
and 
poor 
would 
meet 
together. 
'I 
Intense, 
inveterate, 
stereotyped 
selfishness 
is 
crushing 
and 
blighting 
the 
world. 
It 
is 
seen 
everywhere. 
"You 
cannot 
enter 
a 
street 
car, 
railway 
coach, 
shop, 
mart 
or 
stock 
exchange, 
church 
or 
legislative 
hall, 
but 
selfishness 
manifests 
itself 
in 
forms 
which 
must 
be 
offensive 
to 
a 
right­ 
eous 
God, 
and 
in 
striking 
contrast 
with 
the 
spirit 
and 
teach­ 
ings 
of 
Jesus 
Christ. 
It 
forms 
immense 
monopolies 
and 
com­ 
binations 
on 
the 
one 
hand 
to 
grasp 
the 
wealth 
of 
the 
world. 
It 
forms 
protective 
associations 
and 
strong 
unions 
on 
the 
other 
hand 
for 
self-protection 
and 
to 
resist 
those 
grinding 
monopo­ 
lies 
and 
combinations. 
It 
is 
manifested 
at 
both 
sides 
of 
the 
counter. 
On 
the 
one 
side, 
the 
would-be 
buyer 
wants 
goods 
at 
less 
than 
a 
living 
price, 
and 
drives 
the 
vender 
to 
deception 
and 
lying 
advertisements. 
Human 
beings, 
like 
wild 
beasts, 
prey 
on 
each 
other. 
. 
. 
• 
"What 
is 
known 
as 
the 
"sweating 
system" 
in 
industrial 
life 
is 
a 
disgrace 
to 
humanity, 
and 
should 
not 
be 
tolerated 
in 
any 
Christian 
land. 
Hard 
workers 
are 
often 
inadequately 
re­ 
munerated 
for 
faithful 
toil. 
Often 
on 
the 
other 
hand, 
the 
time 
is 
put 
in 
and 
wages 
demanded 
for 
work 
that 
was 
never 
performed. 
Paul's 
counsel 
to 
servants 
and 
masters 
(Eph. 
6: 
5-9) 
ought 
to 
be 
placarded 
in 
every 
store, 
factory 
and 
work­ 
shop. 
I 
I 
Is 
pure 
Christianity, 
if 
rightly 
applied, 
competent 
to 
cor­ 
rect 
all 
these 
wrongs, 
and 
to 
bring 
society 
into 
loving, 
happy, 
righteous 
harmony' 
I 
have 
no 
hesitation 
in 
affirming 
that 
it 
is 
thoroughly 
competent 
for 
this 
work. 
It 
operattls 
along 
two 
distinct, 
yet 
not 
conflicting 
lines-Gospel 
and 
law. 
The 
Gospel 
teaches 
what 
men 
ought 
to 
be, 
and 
how 
they 
ought 
to 
live. 
'Provide 
things 
honest 
in 
the 
sight 
of 
all 
men.' 
'Look 
not 
every 
man 
on 
his 
own 
things, 
but 
every 
man 
also 
on 
the 
thing'! 
of 
others.' 
'Let 
no 
man 
seek 
his 
own, 
but 
every 
man 
an­ 
other's 
wealth.' 
I 
Whatsoever 
ye 
would 
that 
men 
should 
do 
to 
you, 
do 
ye 
even 
so 
to 
them, 
for 
this 
is 
the 
law 
and 
the 
prophets. 
' 
"The 
Gospel 
provides 
the 
example 
we 
should 
follow. 
In 
spirit 
and 
life 
all 
men 
should 
be 
like 
Jesus 
Christ. 
They 
should 
transact 
business 
just 
as 
Christ 
would 
do 
if 
he 
were 
in 
their 
place. 
'He 
that 
saith 
he 
abideth 
in 
him, 
ought 
himself 
also 
so 
to 
walk 
even 
as 
he 
walked.' 
'I 
The 
Gospel 
presents 
us 
with 
the 
highest 
motives 
to 
a 
merciful 
and 
righteous 
life. 
It 
offers 
as 
an 
inducement 
for 
obedience 
to 
its 
teachings, 
the 
highest, 
truest 
and 
most 
mature 
manhood 
here, 
and 
the 
fullest 
felicity 
and 
glory 
hereafter. 
, 
I 
The 
Gospel 
provii!.es 
us 
with 
the 
necessary 
inspiration 
and 
power 
to 
live 
this 
life. 
In 
other 
systems 
of 
religion 
altd 
philosophy, 
there 
is 
much 
excellent 
teaching, 
but 
there 
is 
no 
motive 
power. 
The 
strongest 
and 
best 
machinery 
is 
of 
no 
practical 
utility 
without 
an 
adequate 
power 
to 
put 
it 
in 
opera­ 
tion. 
'I 
All 
the 
proposed 
plans 
and 
schemes 
for 
the 
reformation 
of 
society, 
outside 
the 
Gospel, 
are 
utterly 
devoid 
of 
the 
neces­ 
sary 
motive 
power. 
To 
expect 
them 
to 
transform 
society, 
cor· 
rect 
its 
abuses 
and 
redress 
its 
wrongs, 
is 
to 
expect 
from 
the 
human 
what 
can 
only 
be 
effected 
by 
the 
divine." 
* 
* 
* 
The 
writer 
of 
the 
foregoing 
sees 
something, 
evidently,- 
[3958] 
Vov. XXVIII ALLEGHENY, PA., MARCH 15, 1907 No. 6 VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER A WALL STREET VIEW OF THE DECLINE OF FAITH Some striking editorials on the question of the decline of the belief in a future life have been appearing in recent issues of The Wall Street Journal (New York). From suena a source the inquiry carries peculiar weight, especially to the type of mind which forms the majority in our commercial civilization. The articles in question, written by Mr. Sereno 8S. Pratt, the editor of that paper, expresses the ‘‘intense interest’’ of that journal ‘‘in the economic and politieal effects of any change in the thought, the habits and the lives of men.’’ If there has been a decline in religious faith, Mr. Pratt asserts, that fact ‘‘alters the basic conditions of civilization,’’ ‘‘becomes a factor in the markets,’’ ‘‘changes the standards and affects the values of things that are bought and sold,’’ and ‘‘concerns the immediate interests of those who never had such a faith almost as much as it does the lives of those who have had the faith and lost it.’’ Along this line Mr. Pratt continues: ‘‘The question, therefore, of practical, immediate, and tremendous importance to Wall Street quite as much as to any other part of the world, is, Has there been a decline in the faith in the future life? and if so, to what extent is this responsible for the special phenomena of our time—the eager pursuit of sudden wealth, the shameless luxury and display, the gross and corrupting extravagance, ‘the misuse of swollen fortunes,’ the indifference to law, the growth of graft, the abuses of great corporate power, the social unrest, the spread of demagogy, the advances of Socialism, the appeals to bitter class hatred? To find out what connection exists betwcen a decadence in religious faith and the social unrest of our time, due, on one side, to oppressive use of financial power, and, on the other, to class agitation, might well be worth an investigation by a commission of government experts, if it were possible for the Government to enter into such an undertaking. ’’ ‘(Whatever may he a man’s own personal bcliefs,’’ continues Mr. Pratt, ‘‘there is no one who would not prefer to do business with a person who really believes in a future life.’’ If the world holds fewer men of such faith, it makes a bie difference, and if faith is to continue to decline, this will require new adjustments. So the writer views the situation, adding these reflections: ‘¢There are certainly, on the surface, many signs of such a decline. Perhaps, if it were possible to probe deeply into the subject, it might be found that faith still abounded, but is no longer expressed in the old way. But we are obliged to accept the surface indications. These include a falling off in church attendance, the abandonment of family worship, the giving over of Sunday more and more to pleasure and labor, the separation of religious from secular education, under the stern demands of non-sectarianism, the growing up of a generation not instructed as our fathers were in the study of the Bible, the sccularization of a portion of the church itself, and {ts inability in a large way to gain the confidence of the laboring people. If these are really signs of a decay of religious faith, then indeed there is no more important problem hefore us than that of either discovering some adequate substitute for faith, or to take immediate steps to check a development which has within it the seeds of a national disaster.’’ The alternative of the ‘‘adequate substitute’’ does not recommend itself to the mind of Mr. Pratt, as may be seen from his view expressed in a more recent editorial, which deals with the materialism underneath both ‘‘the Socialism of Karl Marx and the financial concentration of which we may take that represented by E. H. Harriman as a type.’’ Balancing the virtues of the two, Mr. Pratt sees in Socialism ‘‘the more attractive and impossible program,’’ while ‘‘financial concentration’’ he believes to be ‘‘the safer for the social order and civilization.’’ In neither, however, is the remedy adequate to the il]. He concludes: ‘‘The supreme need of the hour is not elastic currency, or sounder banking, or better protection against panies, or bigger navies, or more equitable tariffs, but a revival of faith, a return to a morality which recognizes a basis in religion and the establishment of a workable and working theory of life that views man as something more than a mere lump of matter.’’—Literary Digest. COMPARATIVE FAILURE OF CHRISTIANITY BY REV. W. GALBRAITH (The following is published by the Toronto (Ont.) Methodist Publishing House): ‘‘Tt [Christianity] has fallen far short of its divine purposes and marvelous ¢apabilities. What is the reason of this comparative failure? (83-84) ‘“We answer, first, that in the days of Constantine it was baptized with the spirit of heathenism, and these foreign and enfeebling elements, transfused through the entire Christian system, grew upon it like a parasite for more than a thousand years, and are still a formidable obstacle to its progress and achievements. Heathen doctrines, usages and habits still linger to a greater or less degree in all branches of the Christian Church, ‘‘We answer, secondly, that Christianity at this hour is largely baptized with the spirit of the world. Worldly maxims, methods and motives have invaded the heritage of Jesus. These are eating out its life, and obstructing all its efforts. ‘‘Great and grievous wrongs are still rank and rampant in the Church and in the world. The Church, by her individual members, and in her collective capacity, is doing a great and glorious work for God and humanity, but, unhappily, medieval religion protrudes itself into the last quarter of this nineteenth century. “Fashionable and formal churches are found everywhere. The heathenish system of caste grows in Christian lands. Expensive churches, with heavy debts, popular preaching, artistic music, wealth and self-indulgence, have invaded the fair heritage of God. Mission churches have become a necessity to meet the needs and the condition of the poor. If Christianity were in its normal state there would be no mission churches. ‘“Goodness would be recognized as the only basis of true brotherhood, and the rich and poor would méet together. ‘‘Intense, inveterate, stereotyped selfishness is crushing and blighting the world. It is seen everywhere. “You cannot enter a street car, railway coach, shop, mart or stock exchange, church or legislative hall, but selfishness manifests itself in forms which must be offensive to a righteous God, and in striking contrast with the spirit and teachings of Jesus Christ. It forms immense monopolies and combinations on the one hand to grasp the wealth of the world. It forms protective associations and strong unions on the other hand for self-protection and to resist those grinding monopolies and combinations. It is manifested at both sides of the counter. On the one side, the would-be buyer wants goods at less than a living price, and drives the vender to deception and lying advertisements. Human beings, like wild beasts, prey on each other... . ‘““What is known as the ‘‘sweating system’’ in industrial life is a disgrace to humanity, and should not be tolerated in any Christian land. Hard workers are often inadequately remunerated for faithful toil. Often on the other hand, the time is put in and wages demanded for work that was never performed. Paul’s counsel to servants and masters (Eph. 6 5-9) ought to be placarded in every store, factory and workshop. “*¥s pure Christianity, if rightly applied, competent to correct all these wrongs, and to bring society into loving, happy, righteous harmony? I have no hesitation in affirming that it is thoroughly competent for this work. It operates along two distinet, yet not conflicting lines—Cospel and law. The Gospel teaches what men ought to be, and how they ought to live. ‘Provide things honest in the sight of all men.’ ‘Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.’ ‘Let no man seek his own, but every man another’s wealth.’ ‘Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them, for this is the law and the prophets.’ “«The Gospel provides the example we should follow. In spirit and life all men should be like Jesus Christ. They should transact business just as Christ would do if he were in their place. ‘He that saith he abideth in him, ought himself also so to walk even as he walked.’ ‘‘The Gospel presents us with the highest motives to a merciful and righteous life. It offers as an inducement for obedience to its teachings, the highest, truest and most mature manhood here, and the fullest felicity and glory hereafter. ‘‘The Gospel provides us with the necessary inspiration and power to live this life. In other systems of religion and philosophy, there is much excellent teaching, but there is no motive power. The strongest and best machinery is of no practical utility without an adequate power to put it in operation. ‘‘All the proposed plans and schemes for the reformation of society, outside the Gospel, are utterly devoid of the necessary motive power. To expect them to transform society, correct its abuses and redress its wrongs, is to expect from the human what can only be effected by the divine.’’ * * * The writer of the foregoing sees something, evidently,— [3958]

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