The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-07-21
Now For the application. Jesus was

Iuo IollSIOuS dTlStOcTdcy OF bn6 ClmeS.
Both he and his disciples-who by the
way were not men of neglected
the austerities commonly affected by
religious teachers, giving occasion for
the criticism, "Why do the disciples
of join and of the Pharisees fast, but
thy disciples fast not?" Then follow
ed our text, the customs with which
the people were familiar in this respect,
the methods and the ideas of the relig-
ious predecessors of Jesus were in the
nature of old bottles, they could not
contain the new wine which he brought.
1t was an intimation that there must
be readjustment of religious state
ments and forms to suit new conditions
and fresh emergencies. Christ did not
so much teach new religion, as the
old religion freshly rendered and adapt
ed. There are very few new elements
in the Gospel. The sermon on the
Mount is at once simply compendious
and corrected statement of Old Tesla
ment principles and the outline of all
his subsequent teachings. In form
and application it was new.
The example of Christ teaches us
that even religion must undergo pro-
cesses of adaptation to suit changed
human conditions. He gave a new
coloring and flavor to very old relig
ion; made it more elastic; better suit
ed to the rapid changes and unique
situations which it would encounter.
He prepared the religion, which had
been the monopoly of the Jews, to be-
come the religion of the world.
Since then it has been stated and re-
stated, it would be difficult to say how
many times. Synods have been con-
voked and councils convened for the
purpose. In the fourth century it was
bottled in the thirty-nine articles of
the Athanssian creed. That sufficed
for period with the great body of be-
levers, but those bottles grew old and
weak at last, while the wine of the
Gospel is as new as it was when Jesus
"trod the wine-press alone" 1t is still
necessary-never more SOTO put it in
new bottles, to give it fresh statement
and application. Hence the multiple
ity of creeds and the changes that are
made from time to time in all of them.
Even our own, not yet hundred years
old, is no exception. If this were the
proper time and place l should take
occasion to remark emphatically that
the Winchester Confession of 1903 will
do for me, and do not regard any of
the proposed substitutes. not even that
now before the General Convention, as
offering radical improvement to that
which has served us so we'll for three
quarters of century. But whenever
it does fail adequately to voice our
faith and outline our religious position
it will have to go.
The Gospel, as wine, is peculiar in
this respect, it is not only always new,
but forever increasing in quantity-at
least apparently. The Christianity of
the nineteenth century is intellectually
larger in its scope and application than
the Christianity of the ninth century.
Doubtless the Christianity of the
twenty-ninth century will exhibit a
corresponding expansion. Our largest
and most liberal statements will long
before that time have become narrow,
antiquated and inadequate. This
movement has been very marked and
rapid during the four hundred years
since Calico. Then the church was
tyranical, dictatorial; science was the
cringing suppliant; now the situation is
almost reverse; science is domineer-
ing, and the church, if not a suppliant,
is perforce learner, and compelled to
accept the results of reform, amount
ing in some respects very nearly to
revolution. 1 do not mean by this
statement that the place of religion has
become secondary-that it is now a
weak subordinate in the house where
it had swayed the sceptre of a king.
1t is formulating new statements with
breadth and height enough to suit the
new situation.
When Galileo's astronomical theory
triumphed, it did not operate adversely
to Christianity. 1t was simply sharp
reminder to religionists to attend to
their own business and let alone mat
tiers that were in a sense foreign to
their work. And the lesson was not
unheeded. The kingdom of heaven
has prospered, heavenly influences have
been made more effectual, spirituality
has been promoted It is really no
concern of religion whether the earth
goes round the sun or the sun round
the earth; its business is to see that
God is known, that man understands
his place and duty, and it has only
welcome for any help of science in re-
vealing him more perfectly andin in
structing man more faithfully. 1t has
learned to say to science, "Look the
matter up thoroughly; investigate it
patiently; give us the facts; we are in
terested to know the truth in order that
we may teach more understandingly