“_We do not see God’s preparations._”
The lack of the Imperialist vision set before the Faithful by
Christ has been the weakness of Christendom during long periods of
her history. There have indeed been imperialisms—as in the great
hierarchical systems—but they have been of the order of World-power
visions which Christ definitely rejected, and they were foredoomed to
failure, so far as He was concerned.
[Sidenote: The Kingdom Vision]
The Vision of Christ has nothing material in it, it relates itself at
no point with the World. He compares it continually to the little seed
fallen into the ground, dying to live, growing silently from within
of the power of its own mysterious hidden life; observation hardly
discloses its growth; but as surely as comes the harvest of the farmer,
with its thirty—sixty—hundred-fold result, so surely shall come the
Kingdom of the Father.
[Sidenote: The Church]
The Church, as the visible responsible organ of the mystic Brotherhood,
to which it fell to carry out the Purpose of the Kingdom, and to
present the idea of solidarity and continuity from age to age, has, as
we acknowledge in thoughtful moods, pitifully failed of this mission.
She is stately and impressive, but nineteen centuries have not been
sufficient to win this little world for the Father.
There are many reasons for this failure. Notably, the Church is in the
world, and has been greatly influenced by world methods.
“The world is still deceived by ornament,”
and the Church has tended to concentrate her energies upon such
details of her task as yield most rapid and visible results; results
which too often have small relation to the object in view. She has
also wasted much energy upon the mere machinery of her task. There
is truth in the severe words of Dr. Martineau, “Christ came to bring
fire upon earth; and His disciples after eighteen centuries are still
discussing the best patent match to get it kindled.” “On furlough,”
remarked a missionary, “one is overwhelmed by the complexity, and the
labour, and the roar of Church machinery. I suppose it is all needful,
but one dreads that the means may loom so large that the end shall be
forgotten.”
[Sidenote: Comparison with Islam]
The story of Islam, the Church which has grown up side by side with the
Church of Christ, is laden with suggestions upon this subject of the
failure of the latter to bring in the Kingdom of the Father. One or two
of these only can be noted.
1. Reference has already been made to several of the most noteworthy;
_e.g._, the reality of the Muslim Brotherhood, and the easily-kindled
missionary ardour; to the same category belongs another striking
fact. The Muslim is never ashamed to confess His faith. His devotion
to God and his loyalty to the Prophet are not matters too sacred for
conversation. They are his deepest life, wherefore should he shun
reference to them? When as much can be said of the members of each
Christian Church, much will be gained.
“I’m not ashamed to own my Lord,
Or to defend His cause.”
2. Islam is broken up into some two hundred sects; Christianity into
as many, or more. The family feuds have, in each case, been fiercely
maintained. But, at the call—“_Fight for the religion of God_,”
Islam rallies as one man, a solid front is offered to the enemies of
the Faith. Just at this point, once again, Christianity has failed.
The family feud is carried into the enemy’s country, and weakens the
aggressive warfare, as only those who have taken part in that warfare
can tell.
3. The solidarity of societies is a rarely realized but very solemn
fact. The Church of Christ cannot divide herself into portions, and
fling responsibilities from division to division, from age to age.
Whether consciously or not, when one member suffers all suffer, when
one member sins sin has come upon all; and history teaches no lesson
more plainly than that the harvest of the deeds of one generation is
reaped by another. Thus, the most solemn lesson provided by the story
of Islam is contained in the very existence of Islam. A disloyal
Church presented a false Faith to one of the most earnest Seekers
after God who has ever gone forth upon the great Quest; and the Church
has spent much wrath upon the “false Prophet” who has ever since been
her greatest opponent. But she has never fairly faced her sin, nor
acknowledged that the Islam of to-day is to all intents the harvest
of the seed of false doctrine she sowed thirteen centuries ago. To
discuss the truth or the falsehood of Muhammad’s claim will be the
task of Islam when she is brought face to face with the true Christ;
it is beside the mark for the Church of Christ. To her falls the far
more awful duty of wiping out as best she may, and at whatever cost,
the darkest blot which has marred her long history. Can it be that her
Lord cannot largely own her aggressive work done in His Name, until the
wrong has been righted?