I place upon the witness-stand an exponent of Bible-Christianity whom all readers of our newspapers know well:  a scholar of learning, a publicist of renown; once pastor of the most famous church in Brooklyn; now editor of our most influential religious weekly; a liberal both in theology and politics; a modernist, an advocate of what he calls industrial democracy.  His name is Lyman Abbott, and he is writing under his own signature in his own magazine, his subject being “The Ethical Teachings of Jesus”.  Several times I have tried to persuade people that the words I am about to quote were actually written and published by this eminent doctor of divinity, and people have almost refused to believe me.  Therefore I specify that the article may be found in the “Outlook”, the bound volumes of which are in all large libraries:  volume 94, page 576.  The words are as follows, the bold face being Dr. Abbott’s, not mine: 

My radical friend declares that the teachings of Jesus are not practicable, that we cannot carry them out in life, and that we do not pretend to do so.  Jesus, he reminds us, said, ‘Lay not up for yourself treasures upon earth;’ and Christians do universally lay up for themselves treasures upon earth; every man that owns a house and lot, or a share of stock in a corporation, or a life insurance policy, or money in a savings bank, has laid up for himself treasure upon earth.  But Jesus did not say, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth.”  He said, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth where moth and rust doth corrupt and where thieves break through and steal.”  And no sensible American does.  Moth and rust do not get at Mr. Rockefeller’s oil wells, nor at the Sugar Trust’s sugar, and thieves do not often break through and steal a railway or an insurance company or a savings bank.  What Jesus condemned was hoarding wealth.

Strange as it may sound to some of the readers of this book, I count myself among the followers of Jesus of Nazareth.  His example has meant more to me than that of any other man, and all the experiences of my revolutionary life have brought me nearer to him.  Living in the great Metropolis of Mammon, I have felt the power of Privilege, its scourge upon my back, its crown of thorns upon my head.  When I read that article in the “Outlook”, I felt just as Jesus himself would have felt; and I sat down and wrote a letter—­

#To Lyman Abbott#

This discovery of a new method of interpreting the Bible is one of such very great interest and importance that I cannot forbear to ask space to comment upon it.  May I suggest that Dr. Abbott elaborate this exceedingly fruitful lea, and write us another article upon the extent to which the teachings of the Inspired Word are modified by modern conditions, by the progress of invention and the scientific arts?  The point of view which Dr. Abbott takes is one which had never occurred to me before, and I had therefore been completely mistaken as to the attitude of Jesus on the question.  Also I have, like Dr. Abbott, many radical friends who are still laboring under error.