Telegram-herald., 1891-10-12

"14itA CI44IF &81s however t0AfkaEAt
ee may be 81 Tie truth sc hold at ts.s
assse, y we're foonsnEess co take i tor
granted that Ne would Away. think
the same nay. We sant 90 leave the
Nay open fer whatever progress the
earnest thought Of o1r tine nlAy make
sGd vet, Il Nc are to be really tree,
there must DC freedom % express the
| faith We have st Tie present time We
bave, = 90, al Intellectual nilsson ~
the re- goas world. As long As super
stltson and Hlzt We believe 20 De error
exist tue world about Us, We seTe
talse 90 the work ne might ID 4 We c.a
Dot Try 10 make widely known the
truth as ge sec Il. surely that faIth OF
scsenes and OF HsodeFa thought, wn'eh
all thinking people hnd 50 inspiring
OUTSIDE o. the churches, ought 10 have
al exponent within church walls aud
80 We DO not mean that our freedom
shall become % Us a woke or bondage
by tying our tongues from the express
son OF nhateveF hight comes u Us to-
day. CTeeas are alright 4 they are not
barriers in the way OF progress or
hedges 10 keep apart those who should
he together. There Is no reason why
tree church should fear 10 express the
N4tCa ttA4A ~ tAC VI -
members any more than scientist
should fear Ia publish text book on
geology # 1t Is taken IN the same way.
The scientists statement is taken Tor
granted to mean simply the latest re-
suits OF investigation so far. OF course
every one knows that IN less than ten
years another will be needed Ia take its
place because new truth will have been
discovered. But since scientific associ-
aton co not make the acceptance OF
their latest discoveries test of men,
bership IN their association. no ore has
any thought of their being danger,
aud SD | think that the church NAV
feel when it has thoroughly taken
down all the bars, when IL has frankly
stated that the moral purpose Is the
only condition of It's fellowship. Then
they may freely utter the best wisdom
THAI they have, knowing that there is
no reason TOR people Misunderstanding
its llmta tons. When the Thou must
believe" has been frankly and freely
thrown aside, then II do believe" can
be proclaimed with glad freedom. Fer
that reason the meeting which adopted
this bond OF union also passed the reso-
luton that you find on the card fss-
tened with il. Notice that it 10 q state
nent of the Things most commonly
believed among u.s." not universally
believed among Us; notice too that II
shall always be open to resentment and
shall be regarded only as the thought
OF the majority.
On another Sunday we shall discuss
this resolution more fully. It's n COM
pilation containing much that is the
result of long and earnest thought by
some of the profoundest students OF
modern religious thought. A few of
Its sentences We have ourselves inserted
and all was carefully passed upon by
the committee reporting it.
Moral Purposes the Aim.
have only outlined the main princi-
pies which underlie the basis of this
church. They are simple but far
reaching. Moral purpose. the great
end and aim and unlfying principle.
Individual freedom is everything else.
We would have men bound only as
conscience binds them. We are free to
think, not as we please, but as the
truth forces conviction upon US; We are
free to do, not what we please but
what our highest conceptions dictate.
wish you could realize what this
freedom means TO q minister. IL you
could look into the hearts of the men
who stand in the pulpits throughout
this country today, you would appre-
Gate something OF what 1t means to be
free to express the fullest truth that
has come 10 you. l think that the
conscious insincerity of the pulpit can
not be exaggerated. They feel that
the new truth that is dawning upon
them must be given slowly and care
fully and | think that most of them
would gladly sacrifice themselves il
they felt that the best good OF the
world demanded IL but, oh, the tragedy
that there is involved in working with
IN the church TO broaden 1t, In being
hedged about by criticism and susplc-
ion regarding all that is most inspiring
and helpful IN ones thoughts. If you
could know the strong earnest minds
whose vision has been dlmmed and
whose manhood has been cramped by
such bondage, you would think 1t
worth while to help in the work of es-
tablishing free churches IN order to
make a place for free men and women.
Ii has taken the world long time to
learn this lesson OF unity about the
great things, and patience towards dit
ferences in the smaller things, but 1t IS
lesson, trust, that can never be I'M
learned. As Paul enjoined long ago,
not knowing really the full meaning.
perhaps, of what be said, we will
'.stand fast IN the liberty where the
ideal of human nature hath made US
free. and we will not be again entang-
led with ii yoke of bondage; henceforth
we will be no more children, tossed to
and fro with every wind of doctrine.
=" "But speaking the truth IN
love may grow up into all things which
IL the head--even Christ" The hearts
ideal of love and service.