National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-02-11
DOMER,S LECTURE.
Annlyzing the Reasons for the Strength
and Growth OF Professionalism.


AZ st. Paul's English Lutheran church last
night Rev. DIR. Domer delivered the third Of
his lectures on "Denominational Christian
ity." Said the lecturer: Can there be any
real harmony between o papaoy and do
mocracyp And is there not some rational
ground for the declaration OF Dr. Schaf that
Romanism is not popular in America? Would
protestant poitico-religious imperialism be
any more popular here than tho othor?
We think not. Let Methodism, with its form
OF Episcopacy, claim to he superior to tho
state, and therefore to control our legislation
in the interest of Methodism. Would it be
popular among American people2 Let the
Episcopal church rise into similar arrogancs
and aim at the control of American affairs
under the claim Of political supremacy, be-
cause she claims to he the church, and then lend
all her powers and resources TO the behest of
foreign court, though IL be that of the ex-
cellent English queen. Would Episcopalian.
ism thus commend itself to the American
people? To state the question Is to answor it.
Professionalism is powerful and growingly en-
erRetic, because unlike Romanism In claims
aud arrogance. Romanism may become more
popular and will be more powerful as she
becomes more Protestant in her genius and
polity. And her present status and strength
III the United States, whatever IL may
be, are largely accounted for by the fact that
she keeps her true banners hidden away; by
the fact that she pretends TO vie with Protest.
antism in conserving republicanism here; by
the fact, in short, that she does not fully and
frankly reveal herself as she is Who wants
n foreign potentate to meddle with our af-
fairs. whether he live in Rome, or London, or
Berlin, or st. Petersburg? Nay, more, / ask
is Romo as q political ecclesiasticism, which
it claims to be, naturally popular anywhere?
How happens 1t, then, that political SOW
ereignty has passed so largely ont of
ha hnnI do nfN Nkn 10. (t.N I.~I..
oauntries? How does IL happen that Jesuts
are banishod from papal countries and COM
pelled to seek an asylum in Protestant coun-
tries2 is 1t because they are simply religion
istsP We all know better. Their political
intrigues, their want of allegiance to civil
authority in Catholic countries, has caused
them to be driven out from realms claimed
as rightful dependencies of the Roman pontiii,
but whose political arrogance even these
kings-sons of Rome-oannot endure. Italy
herself voices the protest of Catholic king
doms, and turns her back upon the chair Of
st. Peter Can America do less?
We come then to these atfirmations:
!. Professionalism is tho purest and best form
of Christianity now in tho world.
g. Protestanism has had such vital energy
and power that in less than 400 years she has
belted the world with the high type Of re-
ligion, which God, through her agency, has
designated and intended for these latter
days.
g. Protestanism, as positive evangelism,
is not bound by decretals, nor enervated by
efete dogmas of political supremacy, nor
held back by medipval chains to institu-
tions, customs, laws, and languages which
are now only of historical value; nor does
she aim at the restoration of things which,
like geological strata, are never to return to
the surface of human society.
4. Professionalism is in the processes of an
increasing growth and power as she recog-
nizes and honors the law of progress in
science, politics, theology, and religion. She
goes from strength to strength; leaving the
things that are behind, she presses forever
onward to higher, puror, better goal.
o. Professionalism looks to no great confed-
eracy of earthly Kingdoms and no civil
throne on which to sit in purple and gold as
mistress of the world; but she looks to the
manhood of the race, the glory of another |
king (our jesus, and the supremacy Of love
to the ends of the earth. "a
9. Professionalism has her elements of
strength and growing power in these-"the |
word of God as the only infallible rule of
faith and practice" She makes less of priestly |
functions and more of the rights Of the people; |
she lifts up the standard of one Lord, one |
faith, one baptism; of an open Bible, rational
freedom, the right to worship God as each one
may choose for himself; free speech, free
press, free schools tho highest liberty for all;
an evangelical church for all peoples, asd in
telligent, law abiding liberty loving peoples
for all nations, and finally tho grandest re-
publics for the nationalities of earth.