Telegram-herald., 1891-11-02
FOR GROWTH IN GRACE


Ssatisass irs = Tlrss psss.
iereIces, fornls a happy solat.oa Of the
s-AiGa1ts. lac naAA4y 2soasa wei
oozne o. the basAs oi the moral AID re-
-lx.o9s parpo-e takes aaay tae ial14<
- that escis on< may sec t-as the way
- op~n INTO 1Ae eaaleA TOR ala ~ no sees
Ghs high ends oi character, a1a then
v Aea tbs - done, when tnese Is no
question about what makes the lnl-
tartan. thea we eau make our state
na<nss oi the preyaA-ns thoasats as
stfoak as We cnose. The ercca may be
a. Ioa1s and a. f1u as we desHe men
% h not a creed. When We have dis
tinguisaed between the basis oi tel
lows ship and the basis OF faith" we
can express the fafth with periecs
| freedoal. l think that this viii ma
teriaily aid "a Ia our missionary elf
| cheney.
Nov for our statement OF faith:
L. We believe that to love the good
and TO live the good is the supreme
thing ia religion
Here you see the part of our creed
| that justif.es the basis OF our fellow
| ship. As tired 10 show in the sermon
on our bond OF Union" this loving
| and living the good has been the real
kernel that has been in all the dust
and chafi IN the history OF church life.
| The beliefs that have changed from
generation TO generation have been
well enough in their way, perhaps;
| always noble il We seek their real
| meaning. always important as ehaff
II g.. Inn rfs M m 11sa nf4 lar.-
mel OF grain; but the best thing. the
thing that did not change according
TO sect and century, was found TO be
this love for the good, this life in tho
good, and it is because we believe
that this moral growth and this moral
conservation - the highest thing. the
holiest thing that the world contains;
| that we would not have our church
based upon any lesser good or keep
out one soul who would gladly work
with US for this divine purpose how
| ever much OF superstition or OF doubt
| may cloud their horizon.
=. I'VE hold reason and conscience
TO be final authorities in matters OF
religious belief"
l 3. We honor the bible and all In
spring scripture, old or new.''
l In trying to state any opinion in
science, Law or theology. the fundam n
tai inquiry will be-"what is your
authority?'' and these items OF our
creed answer these questions. What,
ever the faith that we hold most dear
everyone must feel that he desires
TO have an authority for that faith
resting upon the surest foundation
that life can furnish. The religious
faith instinctively longs to have a
thus saith the Lord al q sanction
for its belief. We wish this no longer
than others. We would have the ut.
as we see It. rest.upon divine author
ity, but where can we find this Word
Of God?" On any parchment, old on
new? Yes, oitentimes, but when we
find the truth on written page. it is
always because there was n man with
a reason and conscience from whom
came that written page. The highest
revelations are those which come
through human consciousness and
those that man discover by patient
study OF rock and tree. of Of bl-d and
beast. We believe that the divine life
in the universe has spoken to the wos1i
and continues to speak but that it is
only through the reason and the con-
science OF individual souls.
There Is not time now to adequately
discuss n question so vitally impor,
tant as this. Let me only say that al,
though it seems radically different
from the faith held by most people,
yet all the leaders OF thought. even
I'M orthodox circles. are coming to see
that II Is the only position that
one can hold. no matter how devoutly
ono may believe that every word oi
the bible Is literally inspired. he must
b lievc 1t because OF SOL, witnnss WI h
In himself: there must be some wit
ness back OF the bible, even to teach
men that the bible Ia authority. Fos
| most bf us however the bible takes its
place beside other scriptures, both
OF other religions and modern times
only differing from them in degree
not in kind. All of the high thoughts
all the holy visions OF the truth that
have come to pure souls at any time
md In any place form "A part OF the
scriptures which we reverehtiy honor
Every expression OF thought which we
| find to be profitable for doctrine
for reproof, for correction. for instuc.
tion N Righteousness. we believe to
be scripture given by inspiration oi
God" AS one OF our hymns expresses
~
There towers the mountain OF tn,
voice no less.
Which whose seeks shall find---'
Leaving the question OF authority th'
| points which naturally arise are thoss
| in relation To Jesus and the nature o
| man. The next three articles follow
| together in this connection:
4. "we revere Jesus and all holy soul
that have taught men truth and right
| eousness and love-
<. I've recognize the Christ principle
Of self-rcndering love, as law OF hu
man uplifting which each must learr
II he would serve"
6."we believe In the growing nobility
OF man"
In severai sermons I have tried Il
express something of the thought thai
IL generally held among us regarding
Jesus and his relation TO man. II j,
not easy 20 satisfactorily explain this
In n few words Briefly. however. we
may sny: The new view does not max,
Ies'rs less than in the older faith but II
| makes man more. The great faith In
IN incarnation and revelation OF C;ot
| and salvation through n human Medi
ator seem 20 most 81 US TO be truc.ant
true of .Jseus. hut we believe that in
stead ~ tsseg an ISOLATED. mi-aculou.
fact IN the srheme oi salvation. that
II is n r1i~e-sal law. We believe that
| IN cur Ideal ~ what Jesus was in him
elf ena &C. tho wo-li. we find IN ex
| preston of what each man might h.