Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 2.djvu/453

 SOCIAL CONTROL 439

the religion of Jesus. This humanitarian character Christianity retained for three centuries. Then with the union of the church with the state, the corruption by heathenism, the decay of civil authority and the ascent to temporal power, this element retreated to the background and supernaturalism coming to the front gained and kept control of Christianity for centuries. While there have always been individuals and sects to keep alive in the church the sacred flame of pure human sympathy, the recovery of the primitive traditions and the extensive reorgani- zation of Christian doctrine in line with the social affirmation of Jesus is the achievement of the latter half of this century. The religious thought of Freemantle, Westcott, Farrar, Fairbairn, Hyde, Brooks and Gladden cuts loose from a sickly super- naturalism and lays all stress on the two great wholesome doc- trines of the religion of Jesus the brotherhood of man and the fatherhood of God.

How far can the conviction of ideal brotherhood inspire sympathy between men ? Some there are who doubt if the feelings respond much to beliefs. Yet there are many evidences that they do. Schopenhauer ascribes the Hindoo gentleness toward brutes to the religious doctrine that asserts relationship between men and animals. The degree of sympathy men feel for women, it is everywhere recognized, depends greatly on inherited ideas. The docility with which, in the main, the feel- ing between the sexes consents to run in the conjugal channels grooved out for it is surprising. The power of caste, national and race differences to dry up the natural springs of human pity is the lament of moralists of all ages.

That, apart from the charm of Jesus himself, his doctrine of brotherhood became from the very first a great socializing force there is no doubt. Says Lccky, "The first aspect in which Christianity presented itself to the world was as a declaration of

the fraternity of men in Christ From this notion grew

up the eminently Christian idea of the sanctity of all human ties quickening greatly our benevolent affections it t

'LECKY, Hittory of European Morals, Vol. II, pp. 17 and 18.