Home Missions in Action

by Edith H. Allen

Home Missions, too, must be watchful and efficient in its attitude toward the student body and recent graduates, that it may offer the special presentation of its scope and appeal, and the concrete objects of interest to which the students may contribute service best fitted to meet their peculiar requirements.

With the superficial dominance of the materialistic in our civilization has come also a marked relaxation of standards in social and religious life.

Into both have crept a lenience toward tendencies that are vicious and destructive. In social life certain dances, amusements, styles of dressing, have been tolerated even by Christian women, that savor only of the lowest and most vulgar practices and places. As we desire the triumph of what Home Missions stands for, our influence as Christian women should be exerted powerfully to maintain standards in these matters that will be helpful rather than hurtful to the ideals and Christian development of our young people. We can not escape a heavy responsibility along these lines.

The relaxation of standards in religious matters invites the growth among people of Christian up-bringing of the many modern forms of ancient non-Christian faiths which are gaining wide acceptance in our land. Mormonism, Theosophy, Bahaism, New Thought and other cults because of their apparent intellectuality, mysticism and spirituality appeal to hundreds and thousands of women who do not think deeply, and who are carried away by the seeming depth and power of the appeal of these new faiths.

If devotees declined to accept the literature furnished by these organizations for their delusion and would go to the libraries and ascertain for themselves the origin, beliefs and accomplishments of these religions and their ancient prototypes as they flourished in India, Persia, Arabia, they would learn the facts as to the faith to which they are giving their allegiance.

A sample of the destructive teaching to which many indifferent, thoughtless and curious people are exposed was furnished to the writer at a crowded Theosophist meeting in New York City where one of their lecturers spoke on the theme of sin.

With many variations and much eloquence he said in brief, "There is no such thing as sin. The doctrine of vicarious atonement is ridiculous. There was nothing sublime in Calvary. Many an unknown miner has done all that Calvary suggests in giving life to save others. Those whom we term sinful, sensual or criminal are simply young souls which have not evoluted far enough. When they have passed through the seven or more incarnations they will have attained beauty and perfection of character."

Some of the leaflets and literature distributed were dangerous in their suggestiveness. This was one meeting only, and hundreds of the same order were held throughout our land that day. What of the need of the pure standards and ideals of which Home Missions is the exponent!

The inner and true spirit of America can not be found, however, in the emphasis upon material wealth and welfare, however dominant that may appear to be in our civilization.

The spirit of America is expressed in the passion for liberty and opportunity, in the "sense of moral order and responsibility, faith in God and man, love of home, courage and hope, and in the ineradicable and controlling idealism which have been the strongest elements in America since the first colonists braved the dangers of a new world for conscience sake" [Footnote: Hamilton Mabie—American Ideals, Character and Life.] and gave to this country the impulses that have held true through all its national history.