The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-02-11
Our Christiauity.

We look at our Christianity to-day and
know that there Is in IL a fullness and
richness that no other religion has SHOWN
In all the world. We cannot bear to pic
ture to ourselves what the world would be
II Christianity were taken out OF IL To-
day, and yet. looking little deeper, we
see In 1t a mixture or certain things That
make us tremble and shudder, and we
say to ourselves. is this the religion that
came down through Christ from God?
We cannot explain Il unless we under
stand that this strain OF human history
is one that has been flowing since the
beginning Of life. purifying itself as IL
aows. II Is continually casting away
that which is impure. and by the very
nroeess lust as we learned from DAVID
Psalms. is always gathering TO itself That
which 10 did not possess at nrst. mere
fore il NAV be hopeful to the Christian
Church to know that that when came
out of the soul of Jesus In absolute
purity. entering into the midst OF the
confusion of the world, and has been
gathering to itself mixture out OF the
confusion ever since. has always had the
mower. never ceasing. Of attaining to
nurity which shall be complete: ana.
therefore. we may still look forward
with expectation. and rejoice In the glory
OF the ultimate life Of man when 1t shall
have become completely Christian.
Then what shall we say Of our own
weak Christian experience? we are
Christian. There was time. We are GER
tain OF it-more certain than OF anything
else I'm the world-when we came into
Christ. and the source from which our
life then proceeded was absolute purity;
Int out OF ourselves and the circum-
stances from which we are surrounded
there has come a mixture into that
| Christian life, until II is the poor. muddy
| cIouded stream that we see here to-day.
! And unless we believe that there Is In II
a mower OF publication, continual In
Nuence. not of ourselves, which has al
wavs and Is purifying the thought AMI
rectifying the judgment, producing humii-
ity and honor, what use would there %
IN going forward In this life, which Is
such a poor, imperfect thing to-day!
There is a power OF direction In tne Chrls.
tian experience: and, as the saints VIII
tau Won. according TO the blessedness
they have felt In the Christian life. that
life has struggled forward into the purity
with which n first started out from the
bosom Of Christ.-Phillips Brooks.
400 Clever by Half"
II seems as II there were already
emerging a Christianity OF mere conduct,
| consisting OF kind feelings toward man
kind. with benevolent institutions OF all
sorts for the relief or social legislation
for the prevention OF all manner or dis
tress. The holy places Of the next stage
may have built on them a dispensary.
kitchen. a social hall. lyceum and may
hap a stage" 1t is not very easy TO un'
derstand why such development should
retain the name Of Christianity. except
out OF a mere compliment 10 the memoir
OF an atrophid experimentation" ana
on the other hand. nothing Is more re
narkable in the teaching OF Christ. or
one side, than the total absence OF al
schemes and plans for the machinery o.
practical benevolence. But this whole
theory seems open 10 the objection tina
II is not really dema nded. nor perhaps
countenanced by the history OF the past
The development Of Christianity has no
been a series OF transformation scenes o.
metamorphoses. like egg. caterpiiiar
chrysoIis and butterfly. On this theory IN
disciples who had least Christianity wer
the apostles. They lived befor'
the ''dogmatism. ecclesiasticism ans
experfmentalism" OF the past. o
we'll a. the conduct" OF tn
future. Moreover. what Is called IN
dogmstic period was equally ecc'esiastic