The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1894-09-21
A Liberal View.

A Liberal View,
Editor SITTER II desire to enter your
list In the "Free Thought Column" as a
defender of the true Standardization
Church If you please--as 1t stands in the
light of both Faith, Reason and Common
Sense.
The trouble is that we are not large
and liberal enough In our Views of the
church. We are too apt to think that
set of narrow bieoted hire,ihgs who may
be occupying some 0f Its pulpits repre-
sent it, rather than its true leaders who
are fur above laying any stress at all up
on these doctrinal points of discussion. It
is indeed lamentable that so many of CMr
ministers should so lack brain. and COM
mon sense, and enleavor to turn the
church into hierarchy and keep the
mind and soul in the bonds of supersti-
ton.
Iwould propose the following creed as
a religion for all of us and would candid
ly ask "Why can't we all join hands and
go to work under it?" and why isn't it
Perfectly orthodox!
believe in God our Heavenly Father.
believe in the life hereafter.
believe in a heaven for those who
prepare themselves for it.
believe Iii hell for those who pre-
pare themselves for it.
|. | believe in the Bible and Christ as re-
vealers of that true inward life, that will
but prepare us for the gates of heaven.
believe in ev, rything else that will
help bring US Into this frame of mind or
condition of soul.
Now what more do we want? Let those
who will hang to dogmas and ologies, do
so, IRE are not obliged to so do. Igno-
rance and stupidity has built up a mass
of bigotry that Is entirely uncalled for
and out of place. Men worship the
church and worship the Bible rather than
reverence what the church and the Bible
is designed to represent. All that God
and Christ wants of you and me is that
we become fit to be in their presence,
both here on earth and hereafter in
heaven. Nothing has worked more harm
than this wrong Interpretation of "Com-
ing unto Christ" person may "Come
unto Christ and be good disciple of
Christ and never even know him techni-
cally. A technical knowledge of Christ
of the Bible, and of all the tenets of re-
ligion eXtant, has no saving power what
ever. If you truly sense the Sermon OF
the Mount, and that great command
"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God witt
all thy heart and thy neighbor as myself,
you are on the true road to Heaven ant
the Lords favor no matter h0,r you may
have reached that condition, whether
through the Church, or the Bible or wha
not. We believe that the Church and tn,
Bible are the great fundamental means
perhaps we are wrong; if you think so
go at it upon your own line, but don't le
thOSC hSdtlCHlSh luOldtClS WIZ I'LL SOlus
of our pulpits and worship book and al
individual rather than teach the tru,
principle of divine life, warp and twis
your judgment. Many perhaps will b,
surprised to learn that true. orthodoxy
does not shut us off from saying that:
l. Other books besides the Bible ar,
inspired but not, as we believe, to so larg,
an extent
2. The Bible contains many technica
errors but these errors are of no accoun
so far as its fundamental purposes ar
concerned
3. A great many so-called churche!
are not churches, and we would not ad
wise anyone to join them.
| 4. All churches are man-made,' ant
have the same liability to err as do thu
individuals who compose them.
5. Everything that inculcates truth
and purity, and noble and high-mindet
way of living and of dying is inspired.
6. Mere belief has nothing whateye
to do with religion, the question is "Hov
big is your hearth"
| 7. The person who does his level bes
is going to get credit for it with God al
| well as with man.
8. As we are when we leave here S,
| will we be when we enter there.
Now friend, can you accept and ente
into this kind of religion? If so ceas
coat, roll up your sleeves, and enter int,
the great battle of life in such manner
"heart within and God o'erhead," as viii
fit you for the kingdom of heaven and tn
favor of Almighty God.
Church Member.