Atlanta Daily World

Common Sense Religion
We Do Work Together

Agnes E. Meyer in "Journey Through Chaos," published in 1944, sets forth this idea, that between what we know is right and what we actually do there is a "wide gap." While no hypocrite, we are confused and have lost sight of many of our ideals in practical activities. We are torn between self-preservation and our loyalty to others upon whom even our personal welfare depends. Common Sense Religion suggests that each of us must help all of us protect ourselves from disease and all other evils. Even the self-made man is dependent upon others for food, clothing, ideas, and protection. People naturally have their personal interests. Assuming that all of them are good we still need some ideal common to tell us which will help keep us from working against each other. Some people will scoff at this and say it is not necessary. But those who know its merits and yield to it are the ones upon whom our future depends. "For those who are on the way to destruction (going along dead-end streets), the story of the Cross is nonsense, but to us who are saved (who find the worthy things in life, who know that this is One World,) it means the power of God." I Cor. 1:18.

SHAMED BY THE CROSS

Jesus' death for the ideal of human brotherhood-that men, regardless of race, economic status, and intellectual achievement-are brothers, makes us ever sensitive to our failures. Each of us shares or is weakened by the good or the evil existing in our community. It hurts us to know that people in our schools and people who never had much schooling cannot get together. We are pained when dives and immoral places exist in our community either because people want them or because they have done nothing to remove them. We are disgusted by organizations claiming to work for interracial goodwill that think it is a matter of strong people helping weak people, that ever reach the clerks, laborers, and ordinary citizens where racial friction is really created, or that are afraid to do this or that because people may not like it. We are also ashamed of people who want big things done in Washington, like establishing a permanent FEPC, but who never work for these things in their local community. Surely if Jesus could die for the brotherhood of men the least we can do is to overcome our ignorance, indifference, laziness, and personal fears to give it a chance.

REDEEMED BY THE CROSS

Jesus' death on the Cross is a sign of our social redemption. It constantly reminds us that God is willing, in spite of all our weaknesses, to receive us again even at the greatest cost to Himself. We can only save ourselves as we save others. Daily people are doing it.

Several examples of this may be given. In Atlanta last Fall and during the Winter and Spring of this year we had a weekly luncheon at the Butler Street YMCA. It was called the Hungry Club. Anyone was welcome to attend. We fellowshipped, exchanged ideas on different subjects, and listened. A large number of the changes in our community life, benefitting all of us, were inspired by these noonday meetings. Such clubs operate in Charleston, S. C. and other cities. Last May several people looking forward to the problems war-veterans will face called a meeting of all the agencies in Atlanta serving these men and women. It was called A Clinic on Veteran's Problems. More than forty people of both races attended. The results were that we have a clearer picture of the Veterans' needs, we know more about the services available to him, and we understand the many things which must now be done in order to meet needs for which no previous preparation has been made. In a real sense we are redeeming each other. The heart of it all is our sense of brotherhood and our dependence upon each other. You no doubt can supply many other illustrations. Let us keep on working together.