St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-06-04
The Location of Which He
Shows On q Real Estate
Map.
After Which He Preached a
Sermon on Dangers Of
Liberalism"
Liberal" and "Orthodox," He
Says, Are Only Rela-
tive Terms.

New Years, and not once in the five
months past has any appeal been made
for money. Yesterday DR.. Smith an
nounced that the advisory board of the
church had decided to erect building
large enough for free tabernacle, and
cards were passed about among the
audience, on which they were invited to
subscribe whatever sum they chose
toward bearing the expense of building.
A real estate map was brought on the
stage and DR.. Smith showed where the
church would be located, on Pleasant
avenue, one block from West Seventh
street, in the geographical center of the
city. He said: 'This map may have a
familiar look, but we're not going to sell
you any real estate. We simply want
to show you that the proposed location
will be nearer to 10000 more people
than any other we could name. Some
wanted it on st. Anthony hill, and,
though didn't oppose them, | didn't
agree with them; not because 1
thought the hill people needed 10 re-
ligion, for l think perhaps they need it
more than anybody else, but l wanted
it located where everybody could come
to it. The amount wanted is $4,000,
points. First. everybody give some
thing, and second. everybody give as
much as they can"
The subject of the morning sermon
was danger Signals in Liberalism"
and the text was from Galatians j., s:
But though we or an angel from
heaven should preach unto YOU any
gospel contrary to that which we
preached unto you, let him he
anathema." DIR. Smith said:
''In the religious evolution of the
world there have been two permanent
parties, and in order to call them some
thing they may be named the liberal
and the orthodox. These two parties
have existed in more or less clearnesS
in every religion and in every age.
Their conflict has sharpened into dis
thickness in those transitional periods
which haved marked the ascent of the
world toward unreasonable faith. These
are really relative terms. In India the
man who would advocate throwing
CHILDREN INTO THE CANOES
would be orthodox, the man who
thought this unnecessary would be
liberal. In the old Rome of the first
century he who demanded that polythe-
ism, or the worship of many gods, should
be maintained would be orthodox. He
who proposed to abolish the old religion
that the new gospel of Christ might
come in would be liberal. But these
terms describe two general tendencies
among the votarieS of the Christian
faith itself. They have both doctrinal
and practical significance. In general
terms, he who exists the most strongly
g
Scripture, upon the necessity of the
largest number of traditional dogmas,
and upon the greatest particularly of
practice, calls himself orthodox, and is
styled by those who differ with him as
bigoted and superstitious. Those who
hold to the least possible dogma, the
most generous Interpretation, and the
greatest freedom of practice call them
selves liberal, and are called by others
heretics. These two parties are not di-
vided from each other with any exact
ness. Both tendencies OF thought are
found within all the denominations, ard
they shade from the most ignorant and
superStitious devoteeS of liberalism and
authority to the most fantastic and
harebrained spiritual adventurer
tai garments out of intellectual
the unity of ChriStendom. We believe
that the simple appellation, Christian, is
the highest name known among men;
and that partisanship is essential anti
Christ. The disciples of Jesus ought to
join in loving and united pursuit of
all truth, and ought to yield to it their
humbleSt obedience, whether it be clad
in new garb or old. But on this occa-
sion l desire especially to call your at
tention to some of the dangers which
threaten the liberal wing of Christian
thinkers. They are in danger of exalt-
ing negative dogma to the chief place
among intellectual convictions. The
so-called liberal churches hove named
not do for an architectural refOrmer to
carry on his work simply by tearing
down the buildings which he did not
like Cromwell and the Roundheads
could hardly be called architectural re-
formers, although they filled England
and Ireland with ruins. So, the merely
critical spirit which
WASTES ITS TIME IN WAR
upon what seems unworthy in the ac-
cumulations of the Christian faith can
never come to the strength of a great
Christian force. The world must have
something to build it up, and positive
religion is what is wanted. Liberals are
in danger of forgetting that Christianity
is historical religion. 1t has been in
the world for more than 1880 years. 1t
has reached certain relations to human
culture. 1t has accomplished certain
achievements in every domain of human
endeavor. 1t is impossible that Christi
anity shall be modern creation. though
it may indeed take on modern forms.
The best way to get rid of error in re-
ligiOn is therefore by restoration rather
than reconstruction.
But liberalism has great moral and
practical dangers. It is in danger of
weakening the moral sanctions. In
throwing off the hideous nightmare of
gotesQue and impossible future pun
ishment, there is danger that the great
truth of retribution shall be ignored or
lightly esteemed. But it seems to be
the fact that the most of men who ac-
cept the dogma of universal salvation,
do not find it necessary to go to church
at all, or at best, do so only occasionally.
And this seems to be the natural re-
suit of banishing the dangers of the fu-
tue life. What is needed, therefore,
in the present low tone of public and
private morals, is everywhere an earn
est exposition of the principle underly-
ing the Apostolic statement, "Be not
deceived, God is not Knocked; whatso-
ever man soweth that shall he also
reap" In throwing off the angulari-
ties of Puritan morality and the harsh
ness of the Puritan Sabbath, we must
with the more strength insist upon gen.
uing moral discrimination and the
power and inspiration of worship. In
giving broader law to amuSements
we are in peril of forgetting that the
Of l,ar onfn ,o4
wrought out by the joy and
LAUGHTER OF THIS WORLD,
but by its noble toll and its divine sor-
rows. We are in danger of forgetting
that self-controlis the basis of all Chris
tan virtues, and that self-denial is the
condition of all achievement. The
words of the Master are as true to-day