142 The Lesson of History 



The United States of America is another great power 

 which has no Established Church, yet it advances by 

 leaps and bounds, and without fear we can prophesy its 

 continued prosperity and greatness, because its policy 

 is founded on the high principle of Christian ethics and 

 acts in the interests of the welfare of the body of the 

 people. And this is the secret of the continued great- 

 ness and power of all those European states who have 

 come under the sway of the great movement of the 

 Reformation. Historically viewed and scientifically 

 considered, the only explanation of this movement was 

 the rebellion of the forcible intellects of these peoples 

 against the dominion of a Church which had failed to 

 keep the lamp of truth — which lightens the darkness of 

 the world — shining, to show the way of peace and happi- 

 ness and further spiritual evolution to suffering 

 humanity. The progressive countries, the leaders in 

 the van of civilisation to-day, are those who have 

 evolved a Reformed Church truly interpreting the 

 altruism of Jesus, under the watchful guiding eye of the 

 Eternal, " who maketh for righteousness." This is the 

 lesson of history. These states must endure because, 

 through the power of Christian ethics, they are " broad- 

 based upon the people's will," and act in a progressive 

 manner solely with the view of improving the lot of 

 the masses of mankind ; and that is why we can afford 

 to prophesy, realising as we do, in the light of the past, 

 that Britain and the United States will not pass away 

 like the ancient empires, because they are founded on 

 the impregnable rock of Christian teaching, which in- 

 evitably includes the social amelioration of the masses 

 of the people. Germany is one of our foremost world- 

 powers to-day, due to the influence of the Reforma- 

 tion upon the minds of men, and consequently the 

 increased operation of the altruism of our common 

 religion. But one cannot help regretting the dominance 



