IS RELIGION DYING OUT?

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9907, 24 August 1895, Page 1 (Supplement)

IS RELIGION DYING OUT?

[by coloxus.]

This is a question that cannot fail to suggest itself sometimes as one casts one's eyes over the developments in the progress of the age in which we live. For it has a social and one might say a political aspect, apart from its relations to another sphere of existence, and may very reasonably be a matter of concern to thousands besides those who may be designated as religious people.

No other influence has ever exercised such a force on the evolution of human affairs, and the question of whether it is being displaced, or whether it is strength*

ening its power oyer men, is a serious one nob only'in the domain of social economy but in the highest spheres of statesmanship. We hear everywhere of the indifferentism of the age in relation to religion, and there can be no doubt that there is a vast amount of what could not be properly described as hatred of religion, but rather a state of mind in which people care nothing at all about it.

It may be right or it may bo error, they do not bother to know, and they do not particularly care. This is the form of negative belief that is most frequently encountered outside the churches, and is not unknown sometimes among church-going people themselves. Then the question suggests itself, Are these people the representatives of those who, in other days, were under the influence of religious convictions, or do they represent a fringe that always surrounded the religious circle, and had as little religious belief then as these have now.

In old days, when to be religious cost something, the lines surrounding religious circles were more clearly drawn, and those immediately outside were more distinctly hostile than we find today. The diffused influence of religion now is found in the surrounding circles adopting a more respectful bearing, and leading lives that bear at least an outward resemblance to the religious life, but to accept these as representatives of religion is manifestly unfair.

They testify so far to the influence of religion as to conform their lives in some degree to the form of religions life and to demean themselves respectfully towards religion ; but that they are not fully representative of the influence of religion over those who sincerely feel it, is shown in the fact that admittedly they don't care a farthing about it. This fringe encircling religion is incomparably wider than it was in days when friendliness to religion meant personal sacrifice, and that seems to be the reason of our seeing so large a number of people professing in a general way that they are Christians of some denomination or another, but who are utterly indifferent in the matter.

It might be difficult probably for any one to say whether religion within actual religious circles is diminishing or increasing. That is not the question that ob trudes itself when we are told about tin indifferentism of the ago.

Bab in the prevalence of indifferentism in a surrounding circle that once was not indifferent but bitterly hostile, there is certainly nothing to show that religion has lost its force over those who are actually under its influence. To the outside world there is probably no better evidence of the strength of religion as a moving and influencing power within the spheres in which ib is admittedly felt, than in noting the efforts but forth bo bring others under the same influence. There has never for many centuries been a period in which the religious world put forth such efforts as now for the evangelisation of the heathen. When we canvass the reasons for such effort), the most sceptical can hardly think of anything that could form an adequate motive for such exertions except a. deeplyfelt conviction of the worth of the message, and the worth of the work. When we find such efforts therefore incomparably surpassing anything of the sorb since the earliest days of the faith, it seems rational to conclude that the force of religious feeling on the minds of those so acting must be greater than it was before. We cannot look into people's minds and study their motives, but applying to them the tests that we ordinarily apply to things, we have to judge from the fruit what the motive influence must be. .

For one Christian mission of some generations ago there are & dozen now; for one contributing to the extension of religion in this way then there are a thousand now. That this is nob mere fanaticism we find in the fact that coincidenb with it the same religious circles have originated and main tain movements and institutions of beneficence for the relief of suffering immediately surrounding them, such as in number and efficiency the world never saw before. It is only outward evidences like these we have in any, effort to discover whether religion is living or dying within religious circles themselves, and if we apply the PBid*av} cimply as we do in ordinary things,

we find it difficult to conclude otherwise than that the flame of religion is burning more brightly than it ever did" in the world before.

To seek to qualify this by pointing to much of hypocrisy as well as indifferqntism, to say nothing of downright immorality around, is irrelevant.

At a time like now when it is fashionable to own connection with a church, and when people who openly throw off all semblance of respect for religion are viewed askance as a rule, socially and sometimes even commercially, it is the most natural thing in the world for thousands of people to repose under the soothing shelter of a church.

It costs nothing and it is nice, and nobody need wonder if there aro strange people there ; bub ib has no bearing at all on the question whether religion is living or dying in the minds and the lives of those who are under its power. Nor is it any more to' the point that there are covert attacks on religion in our time with a violence and pungency peculiar to the age. Darts are flown at it from many a quarter, pointed with scienco and feathered with scoptioiam. While from the general diffusion of education thero are more people than there were to comprehend the force of the attack, and bo fling up their caps in the air.

It does not appear to have made much particular difference though. The attacks in other days were as numerous if in different shape, and the applause as general if from a different audience. But if the fact is, as we have endeavoured bo show, that religion has been forging ahead with a vim and a go thab ib never exhibited before, ib may be fairly concluded by an impartial observer, that the darts have not touched the vitals.

But extending our scope, let us travel into the regions that are supposed to be far away, and outside the hurdles that circle the folds of the churches ; and let us look for ourselves whether religion is dying out in the earth.

For it would be a small view to take of the most potent influence that ever afiected the human race to look for its working only within the narrow sphere of creeds and tabernacles, and not to recognise the power it has exercised, even in its diffused form, in governing the affairs of the world. Let us take the exbracb essence of religion. It is to do justly, and to love mercy; ib is to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction ; ib is to comfort all that mourn ; it is to bind up the broken-' hearted ; to proclaim liberty to the captive, and the opening of the prison to thom thab are bound.

And when, in the history of the human race, was the social life of man, was the law of nations, so governed by the spirib of humanity and of justice as ib is now? And it is exactly in proportion as nations are more nearly related to the influence of Christianity, that we find these principles most in the ascendant. "*■

Even the laws of war are softened by the influence, and the Red Cross of Geneva is reverenced and protected, amid the thunders of the battle field. I Arbitration is, taking the place of the sword, and there is a spirit of deference to others' rights in the dealings ordinarily of nations with one another that was never known before.

Even a nation emerging from barbarism, at the first contact with civilisation, adopts the humane spirit that reigns, humanity to the wounded, mercy to the beaten, and if outrage on the conquered is perpetrated in the rush of passion, it stings with shame. Ib is said that this is from civilisation. To bo sure it is ; and what is civilisation ? It is the outcome of the softening influence that has diffused itself over those who, perhaps, would laugh at being taken for religious men, but who unconsciously yield to the influence all pervading of a force which seems to be in the air.

That the world is far enough yeb from perfection, that evil is rampant enough, may be admitted. But, looking away back over the dismal annals of injustice and cruelty in the past, and seeing the steady advance along the whole line in the direction of justice and mercy, no one is warranted in concluding that the influence of religion is waning in the affairs of the world.