The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-10-01
Theology and RELIGION.

We cannot find room for 1.-THE Of the lot
tcrs reaching us from correspondents Of all
faiths, and of no faith. who are eager to
have their word upon the religious question
In THE Sun. The most we can do il To print
from time to time such of these letters as
seem exceptionally suggestive either in
topic or treatment. They show clearly
enough that this great question has not lost
its vitality in the dry air of II scientific age;
that thoughtful men and women are still
asking as earnestly as ever what they must
do TO be saved and to save.
Some Of these letters show Just rs clearly
that the writer's are under serious misap-
prchcnsion, both Us to the matter in discus
sion and the nature and limits of THE SUNS
interest in the outcome Of the controversy.
Thus correspondent who describes himself
as an atheist, perfectly honest in his belief
or non-belci-and perfectly open TO honest
and rational argument asks MS to explain
how IT happens If the universe j. indeed
under the care and government Of an Al
mighty Ruler, whose wisdom aud love are as
unlimited as His power, that sin and suffer-
ing SO abound ON every hand.
Thus, too young woman, who writes
with an evident honesty and carncstness
that command our interest and sympathy
turns to The Sun for light. We give few
extracts from " BERTHA C.'s" letter:
81 am arecent graduate OF a western college. and
during my four years course, always forbidden 10
discuss question those very things which are most i'm
porant to our whol. lives namely. religious beliefs and
the causes therefor Women was told must accept
cfccds OF the Church without question because women
especially should have iah-douht and question teing
unbchtting In their case Ii were writing a
mcnt essay should carefully divide my theme. A.
can he permitted hut a few words with you, pardon my
necessarily hurried questions
GOp, we told made the world and all things from
the first were subject 10 Ills will Now. # Serpent
Satan overturned His plans why. being on.ui-ccnt did
He make this thing or pcrsoni And IL possible
got The bec 81 Cor Was not the eonqueror stronger and
wiser than He'
lam to be a teacher II the crotds that have come
down to the fathers reht aud can hon,s iy
he convinced that they So shall teach them II they
are wrong and you, any other, make that
Natural Laws are aud always have been. unchanloablc
and - ecial providcnccs are an npossbihty and de-
ccpon-l shall IN my solemn and responsible position OF
teacher teach Natural Laws At every social hazard
These correspondents. and the many
Others who have written similar letters.
ask us TO solve problems off-hand which
have been the despair Of Christian theology
for centuries, as they were of philosophy
for centuries before Christian theology was
born. The most that either philosophy or
theology has been able to do Is 10 frame
laborious hypothesis more or less plausi-
blc, and then try TO fit them to the grim,
terrible insolube fact. So far from at
tempting TO solve these problems, we can
not even discuss them; and we apprchcnd
that our correspondents will, in course Of
time, feel compelled to let them alone. They
are Of the hidden things A man or woman
can hardly make n greater mistake than to
confound theological speculation with prac-
teal religion. What shall it profit man if
he believe all the Five Points Of Calvinism
or the Thirty-ninc Articles, and yet lose his
own soul?
1t is not as repository Of dogma that
any church Of modern religion interests us
but rs a vital quickcning, lcavcning force
in the world, transforming mems natures
and lives, making them purc-mindcd. hon
est, just. truthful, mcrcful. In so far rs
any church OF to-day is doing this, it is do
ing its proper work. II ii is not doing this
or is not doing it as widely and effectively
az it might reasonably be expected to do ii
in view of its resources and opportunities
then. and to that extent, II is a failure; and
it bchoovcs its heads and teachers to lose
no time in finding out what is wrong In the
machinery
Let BERTHA C." dismiss tho notion from
her mind that she is called upon to make
her pupils thcologians. 1t is no part of
school teachers business either to eXpound
orecds or to explode them. Let her try to
I'LL her pupils with the practical life Of
genuine religion. As to her own doubts aud
perpleNities, it may be of help to remind her
that it is quite possible to believe III GoD
N,it bnpf ntll.rDt n M dina Hin,