The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-03-23

OF many protesting Christians who are no more do
Won't or attentive to their religious duties aud no
truer their word honsster in their dealings than
protessors II might be regarded failure. be-
cause it has failed TO hold them to the principles
they profess But Christ its founder. foroids such
Judgment lie gives his own example A. the Only
test by which His religion must be tried Hereby
shall ye know that ye are my disciples when
ye do what l command YOU. Christian
but by its principles; some men are hypocrites.
some are unfaithful 10 their covenant and do not
live according their professions and these prove
themselves failures, and not Christianity. Christ
foretod that there would always be such tares in
the Church, and they mast be let alone until tho har-
vest. There such disciples in Christs
day, who turned back from following Him. Judas
failure, and there have been Judases ali along
the Christian centuries. There is vast amount OF
foolish preaching which is quite different thing
from st. Panl's foolishness of preaching by which
helped t" salvation: and this latter goes
whether men will believe and hear no. and it will
go on until time ends and tell ON our races
Son of God and helping 20 form in them char
acter like His. and make Christendom the light Of
the world and the centre of its civilization until
Christ comes again in the glory OF the Godhead
when it will fail earth only to be transferred to
heaven, whence it came. &. c. A
WHERE 1T FAILS WHERE IT SUCCEEDS.
To THE EDITOR HERALb:-
To my mind Christianity il both failure and
success-the failure being positive and the success
negative. The logical mind when satisfied of the
failure of Christianity is forced TO the conviction
that it is institution invented enlarged. DIVERSE
fed and handed down to us by men. and that it's
cruelties. horrors. and hairsplittings
clusivcly mems works. and that aluvial. power
full and benefcent Deity had nothing whatever to do
with it, Its standards laid down by Christ but
by the priests who after Him down the present
day. high that human nature cannot attain
to them. and notwithstanding the loud mouthed pro-
an .i,.
tempt to do 1t christianity is supposed to be
medium for the salvation of the entire world. How
absurd pretence in view of the comparatively small
proportion under its influence belonging to
tons termed Christian Subdvide this portion into
the following category and endeavor from your
observation and experience to form "a Judgment Of
the proportion entitled under the prest-nade laws
of Christianity to receive the future blessing
Efrst-The wicked are sure to be damned.
Second-The Indifferent ian immense throng I'M
less greatly sjudge the evidences).
Thtrd-The selfconfessed aud pronounced dis
believers in revealed religion onger than suspected
FourA-The ignorant believers.
yn-The intelligent Christian Ithis IN its strict.
est sensc).
Could a census be taken showing the number in
each OF the above classfcations think the failure
of Christianity would be proven-the small proper
ton of those within its pale who stand any chance Of
heaven would be apparent If. as the faithful pro-
fess to believe Christ Himself and this scheme
the gifts of an all wise and alpowerful Creator. who
will through this medium save the world and bring
all souls salvation, not the letters written in
its defence. and not the sermons-lnany of them
pitiaby weak and nsincerethat deprecate the prog
ress OF "rnodern thought" sad admissions Of weak
ness II not OF absolute want of faith?
The claims Of Christianity to success appear to me
to be based upon the necessities Of mankind that
portion it has nfuenced) during certain stage Of
development or emancipation from the grosser
perstition. when something was needed more
humane refining and in accord with what
will ultimately be known to be great truths and
laws of nature. to be observed and obeyed il hap
piness is to be approached during our lives.
but Invested of the supernatural qualities
known 10 be unknowable. The correctness OF
this proposition is amply illustrated by the
gradual changes from the superstitions of the
early Roman Church down to the liberality and
broad views OF the Congregational. Unitarian
and Universalist denominations OF the Protestant
faith Beyond this is but short step to the ranks
Of those who cannot profess faith enough to believe
the incredible or knowledge enough to know the
unknow able. but with strong faith in the we'll
dering of natures laws. by which governed
aud regulated. and with hope that in the future
q better knowledge Of them may bring health and
happiness to all with much greater certainty than
Christianity has yet DONE