Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-01-12

The sentiments expressed by the Rev.
VIM. II. johnson Sunday night, at the
Unitarian Church, when talking upon
the subject of God" were about as
audacious as anything vet heard from
Wilmington pulpit, that is to say, when
judged from the standpoint of the ortho-
doI Christian.
In making the series of addresses, Of
which that oflasteyenIngw was the second, |
1t must be remembered that the preacher
Is in reality defining tae position of the
Unitarian Church, ami therefore when
those views, or the expression of them,
IS heard Sunday, are clothed in termi-
nology that causes the Tar of the ortho- !
dox to tingle, the situation is possibly |
worth particular publicity.
The speaker handled his subject with |
out gloves, and the false gods, rs he !
stigmatized them, were Jared naked for
free pelting from Unitarian CATO
nine-tails.
lie said the fact is that every one pic
lures God in his own mind according to |
his own temperament No Two persons
see Him alike.
Along the gamut of the varlots books
of the Bible the conceptions Of God are
varied according to the local conditions
of time and place. These interprcla
tons develop from the picture Of God
walking in the Garden Of Eden to the
ideal of the New Testament God. Some
teach that God pre2estined a share Of
humanity to eternal bliss, and the rest
of the world to eternal torment Others
who undertake to define God, gather no
n lot Of Bible texts together and assert
universal redemption. Thus we have
Calvinism on the one hand and Arnin-
ianism on the other Others teach that
God is no respectero Of persons and cares
naugnt for rites nor ceremonies Still,
others tell us that through them, ellis
representatives on this earthl the gates
OF heaven alone are opened. These are
the gods OF the German emperor, Of the
eyangelicals and Of Pope Leo, all from
tie Bible, or from supposed interpre-
.ation Of the Bible.
The traditional view Of God represents
Him as governing the world after the
fashion of human monarch US we read
OF in oriental tales. He is referred to
as the King of kings And it is here
that these rulers lind shelter for their
claims Of divine right. The Emperor
Of Germany imagincs sort of CO.
partnership between himself and God.
Here was the shipwrock Of the Stuarts
who were swept away by wave Of
human wrath.
You see this ideal of God in the APP
propriate attitude of the oriental AS he
approaches in prayer. The God Of ira
dition is favorable TO the aristocratic
ideal, to the rich man, to pope in full
pageantry, and rolling in wealth--all
this in the presence Of the lowly Jesus
who worked at u carpenters bench.
Miracles bear an important part in
this Biblical rendering, teaching or in
depreciation.
The speaker emphaticaliy criticized
the act Of Evangelist Moody in Offering
prayer recently for the special saving Of
the 800 people on board the steamship
Spree which seemed in danger OF
going to the bottom. However Tor ono
who believed as did Moody it was moi
unnatural that he Should pray to b,
saved. | am free TO say that if be
lieyed in such God | would have ltttlt
respect for Him and dare not, because
gentleman for whom he had such re
spect found It necessary to pray for thu
saving Of all Of these people from
watery grave Imagine Il God 100000,
OOO,OOO miles away and tho deere
goes out and this -lip is to be saved :!
Is this consistent with civilized, intelii
gent iieus2 must say am happy L
be il coulanl. 1t is the vogue Of til.
theology p Willy human nature. ListcI
to this text, "ErNDld in inIquity was
born, and in sin did my mother con
Ceiye me The pit.lGl teaching throw
over all human beings u most hateful
curse. Ihis Theology has made thotls
ands Of atheists because they know
is not warranted by Tho facts known y