Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1893-08-11
An IRRELIGIOUs AGE.

10 iH Impossible TO regard tho popular
drift, and especially tho ordinary tone OF
the public press, ~ othorwi!o than SYM
pathetic with lrrOllgion. With rare eN-
coptiuus, secular neNspipors and maya
zines are ON tho side, not u Affirmation,
but ~ doubt; oi a religion that B. Of man
aud not ct Gudi Of husuliiy 10 tho stand
ards ina ituuon., umclCs, laws OF the
Christian faith sthoy have boon hitherto
held from the first.
The Catholic SdorSd Heart RtrleW
thinks these statements too swerpiug
and makes the following observations:
Tho age presents strong contrasts. 10 l.
intensely mnicriall-tlc. yet full 81
thought upon spiritual things. !, 4 IT.
religious, yet deeply religious. ildoubis
much, yet 70 behaves much. Tho ap-
parent breaking up " faith may DO, after
nll more the drawing of different lines
and taking now bearings, Tor doubt and
iaith have Away. been In tho world aud
always will be. The irrovCrout age may
be made reveront. 10 looks for some
thing honestly to revere.
A goat zeal nigh. be said on both
sides Of this question. Each observer
IL likely to decide 1t from his own point
Of view.
That Pfotostanls looking at the re-
ligioua status Of the dissenting
churches have reason 10 complain Of a
drifting away will hardly be denied;
nor should II be matter Of
surprise. The very essence Of Protss.
tantism Is TO regard the books
Of the Bible rs supreme authority In
nll m ,tters relating to doctrine and dis
olpline. Audit explains the Scriptures
no, on the basis Of tradition or the in-
teri relations given by the early
fathers, but by means OF itselr-its own
language and the context Thus Pro
tcstanlism in theory denies tho oper.
ations u the Holy Spirit through the
minds Of men for the discovery Of truth
and conhnes them 10 the dead letter.
Aud yet, IL requires Of its followers,
also theoretically, TO be guided by the
Spirit and to develop "spirituaP life
Of which tho German Pietism la il'
best days may be regarded rs a pattern.
But tho inconsistency IL greater still.
For although the Protestant churches
profess 10 regard the Bible
as their supreme authority, they alsC
have their confessions Of faith
~ still more supreme, huTesy being O
deviation from the articles OF faith
rather than from the Bible. They 70
fuse the decision OF councils, synod,
and popos Of tho early asos on Ia,
plea that the sword OF dod" IL high
or than "thst Of man" but they In
rist on accepting tue words VI theil
roiormots anu trainers OF oroeds as !
these were not also the words Of men
at the same time disclaiming Divin'
q inspiration for these mon. The rt
sulI Of this confused mass Of the1log
4. seen IN endless divisions IN thu
: Protestant world, where SEQ. stand
! nrrayed against sect ami TIA
idea Of Christian "uuity"
/ virtually unknown. L. II any wondc
/ that such conditions invite doubt m
That the doubt ripens into iniideliIy
) Were there no more consistent systet
Of divinity thsn that which Pfotesian
. i'm offers. theology would have TO i
= abandoned as a disabled ship, a mel
T. wreck on stormy sea. THIS ia wa.
e Ia being done, and tho good bishop ma
d well dcploTe tho tendency Of tue rs
Z towards irroligion, His statements 81
% more than the meanings OF despo N
. eut Individual.
j. Catholicism, M represented by Rom
e on the other hand, presents sirikiu
Z contrasts to ProlestanIism, and /
. volaries view the tendencies Of the az
la "a different light. In this ~ slti
K everything depends on the ou
10 ward adherence 70 the Institution
{ AZ there is "no salvation outei,
b the chulch," there can be no damn
d lion within l,s precincts. To Catholic
% the great irreligious age was tue era
II Q formation. The present ago hi
+ shown decided symptoms OF approac
d Toward R1monnd consequently towai
+ religion as understood 10y kymanist
% Il may be true that vast multitude
II Catholics are athcis,sgt heat aud 10,
upon the church ceremonies as
pleasing humbug, yet this 10 no! con
muDtod upon as AN alarming fact
.ung Nh no flImh epnrati1n tax
ulace. Look at the performances
A., Framed For political purposes inh
. untial disciples Of the sconer Nyl.ai
i, Welt tho cnurcnes, Pllgrimages "a
d, ,l stiluted. The sailors 4 the Meditv
4 .snean fleet receive orders TO follow
h. the wake otlhe dovotees who bend TIE
d. ,ncus In sacred places aud laugh
/, Jneir sleeves, aud prelales IA gorgeo
IL. robes Joiu tho procession while Il
q. poJo applauds the farce lTam his b x
n The Vatican. lndeei, where 10 III
4. required ar a sign OF religious don
IN hon, no complaint can be rails
4. against this aye. For not even atheii
4. -purn hypocrisy, II by Il they c
n. gain a political END.
n. The thoughtful, unparalleled O