Jesus asserted with religious power what all men feel. Sometimes it
requires the solemn presence of death to brush aside the artificial
distinctions of society and to make us realize that a life is a life, and
precious as such. But when we are at our best, we do feel the sacredness
of human life.

III

Does our present social order develop or neutralize that feeling in us?

Presumably it works both ways. For those who want to spread the spirit of
Christ, it becomes important to inquire at what points our social
institutions cheapen life and take the value out of personality.

The class differences inherited from the past are designed to hedge the
upper classes about with honor, but they necessarily depreciate the lower
classes by contrast and neutralize the tie of the common blood. In some
countries the self-respect of the lower classes is affronted by degrading
forms of legal punishment reserved for them. Forms of servility are
exacted from servants and peasants. The practical working of class
differences is most clearly seen in the relation of the sexes. Love is a
great equalizer; hence it clashes with class pride. The plot of
innumerable dramas and novels turns on the efforts of love to overcome the
laws of social caste. Where class spirit is traditional and fully
developed, men have a double code for the women of their own class, and
those of the lower classes. It is a far greater offense for a gentleman to
marry a girl of the lower class than to ruin her.

It is the glory of America that our laws do not intend to recognize class
differences. The conditions of life on a raw continent and the principles
embodied in religious and political idealism fortunately cooperated. Will
this last, or are the great differences in wealth once more resulting in
definite class lines and in class pride and contempt? What does the phrase
"of good family" imply by contrast? What evidence does college fraternity
life offer as to the existence of social classes? How is immigration
likely to increase the cleavages by adding differences of race and color,
religion, language, and manners? What light does the history of
immigration in America cast on our valuation of human life in strangers?

Political oligarchies have usually defended their rule by the assumption
that the masses are incapable and the few are superior. The laws made by
them, however, have usually shown ignorance and indifference as to the
human needs of the worki