The New York herald., 1872-12-16
THE CHURCH OF TIE DIVINE PATERNITY.
DIR. Chaplin on the Spirit and Life of the
Religion Of Christ-Thcology and
Creeds Not Perfect RELIGION.

DIR. Chaplin on the Spirit and Life of the
Religion OF Christ-Thcology and
Creeds Not Perfect Religion.
DIR. Chaplin preached to a large and fashionable
audience yesterday at the Church OF the Divine
Paternity, from John w. 6S:-"It Is the
spirit that quickeneth; the flesh prodteth moth
ing: the words that / speak unto you, they are
spirit and they are llfe." 1t is fitting, SAID the
reverend gentleman, asI spoke two Sundays ago
on the revelation in Christ of God, and last sunday
OF the revelation in Christ Of man. that speak to-
day OF the
ESSENTIAL CHARACTER OF THE RELIGION OF CHRIST.
1t is spoken of in the text as the spirit and the
life, and all the changes that have occurred since
these words were written, the changes that have
come to religions, to literature, to art, to the
structure OF society, through all the revolutions Of
these many years, these words remain fresh and
true. They have throughout all that time exer-
cised their influences on our individual soul and
quickened and strengthened the spiritual growth.
Christ interpreted life. The influence o! the truth
OF the Christian religion is as vast as heaven aud
as incxhaustibe as Divine love. IL may be wellio
define the CHRISTIAN religion, whether 1t is faith in
the divine mission OF Christ and belief in the
method Of salvation that He promulgated. II Is
more than either. 1t Is spirit aud life.
THEOLOGY
may lay down certain formulas, and creeds may
assume certain beliefs as necessary to the true
ception OF the Christian religion, but ! have no
The Christian religion is more than theology. I
would not deprecate the searching after religious
truths which theology makes. Men are better in
proporti TO their knowledge. 1t tends to iu-
creased charity, and 1t checks bgotry The man
who would conhne all men TO hls own personal
views Of religion and compel them to worship ac-
cording to his formula, or else drive them from
hts church, don't know the value OF n honest
personal conviction. Rationaism has high Chris
tian uses, and the church that rejects rational
exploration into the realms OF truth or scien-
tifc investigation into the facts OF biblical
history Is church already worn out and ready to
perish. There is theology that is nothing but a
creed-not an elastic one which Will nt all forms
OF truth but one where the truth must be cramped
and pared away TO accommodate the creed
Crccds Will not wear upon my own soul, nor will
bind them upon the souls OF others. Theology is
not even standard OF religion
TIE SOUL LARGER THAN LOGIC
and religion is more than theology. Divine truth
IL large, round and comprehensive like the globe
so men may strike IL coming from all points or the
horizon. Upon Its bosom IL can bear great nayies
IL is vast as the considerations Inc az
the space about them. Shall | confne IL to my
hemisphere Am a hereto because believe no
one has the right 10 take the measure Of another
mans religion Am @ hereto because cannot
believe that Calvin's, Wesleys or John Murray's
brain Work compI ehended all Gods regionS
There is religion In a belief In Christ not belief
about Him. There is religion in trusting Him. not
forming opinions OF Him. The lame, the mained
the leper the sorrow-stricken whom lie cured be.
ieved in Him, but would they according to the
olOgy and creeds, have. been httcd for
INSTALLATION IN AN ORTHODOX CHURCH
Again, Christian devotion and moral conduct are
expressions of belief in religion, but they are
Lot Iei4slon itsef. There Me mep who