The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1881-05-20
THE ZANE OF RIGorRY

THE BANE OF BIGOTRY.
Ecclesiastical circles are again agiIai-
cd by one of those lamentable exhibI-
tions of MediHval bigotrY which have
wrought more serious prejudice TO tlIe
cause Of Christianity than all the forces
of skepiicism and infldelity combined
Rev. DIR. Bokelin, rector of the oldest
and wcalthiest church in Buffalo, has
been guilty of the grave misdemeanor
of preaching, without authority, in a
Presbyterian church at Baltimore, and
forthwith there is storm Of virtuous
indignation in his diocese which threat
ems TO lead 10 the expulsion of the minis
terial transgressor from his pulpit. The
charge sets forth no immoralIty of con-
duct, and docs not even impute TO the
erring rector the dissemination of un-
sound doctrine. 1.-THE very head and
front of his offending hath this extent
and no more, namely: that lie has so
far transcribed the bounds of ecclesias-
tical decorum as TO proclaim the I'M
searchable riches of Christ within the
walls Of an edi(ice which CHANGED To be
dedicated to the worship of the living
God instead of TO the PRONUNCIATION of a
creed which, in the narrow Judgment of
its Sotaries, prescribe the only author
lied system of theological instruction.
1t has been frequently observed that
the real enemies of the church are with
in instead of without the citadel, and all
such manifestations ofreligiOus intOler-
ance rs the special case in point go far
10 justify the statement. A system OF
ethics which is founded upon the teach
ings of Him whose life was cOnsecrated
to the ameliOratiOn of human woe, and
which was yielded up in the establish
ment of its mission, can well Withstand
the assaults of the icOnOclast who would
best civilization and substitute order for
chaos; but the opponents of religion
which is based upon the enduring prin-
ciple of the universal brotherhood of
man, scandalize their high calling and
bring rcproach upon noble cause by
those unseemly chickering's on points of
theology, which too often insult the ad-
Vanced thought and liberal moral senli-
ment of the Christian worlds high noon
day.
The spirit of moderation is forever at
variance with the genius of Christianity.
whose great Author declared that in the
new evangel which He gave to the world
"there is neither Greek nor Jew, circum-
cision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian,
Scythian, bond nor free; but Christ all
in ALL" ever exhorting His disciples to
unity and harmony of action in pro-
claiming to the world the great truths
exemplified in His spotless life and
character
The assaults of materialism and the
"oppositions of science falsely SO called"
will be directed in vain against the
forces OF Christianity so long as the ar
mics enlisted under its banners are true
to their great Leader, and are united in
the courageous defense of His matchlcss
teachings. The principles of Christ's
religion are founded upon the
rock of eternal truth, and must
endure. Their potent influence
is seen in the grand achievements
OF a civilization which owes the splen-
dor Of its success to an all-pervading
force that has given the highest posi-
BILE inspiration to human energies, and
stimulates the Hottest motives of the
mind and heart. The future conquests
of the church are founded upon the sim
gle condition of an intelligent and
rational presentation on its part of the
great truths which it assumes to set
forth and exemplify in its economy.
This end will never be subserVed by u
fossiliZed devotion to creeds or through
spirit. The facilities for the promotion
of popular intelligence have become too
abundant to warrant any attempt to pre-
scribe fixed lines of thought or arbitrary
rules of action. The church at large, real
izing that her influence as a factor in
modern civilization depends upon her
activity in keeping pace with the most
advanced thought of the times, is pro-
claiming to the world broader and bet
ter theology with each succeeding year,
and is giving 10 the Sacred Word that
high and broad Interpretation which is
warranted by intelligent Biblical re-
search. There is no apology in this en-
lightened day for religious bigots, and
the narrow policy which proscribes a
Christian minister for disseminating the
truths of the Gospel from any pulpit is
antagonistic not only to the progressive
spirit of the age but is in direct conflict
with the vital principle which has made
the church n power in evangelizing the
world