The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-02-26
THE CENTER OF HISTORY.
Rev w. G. schoppe's Evening Ser
mon at ths Congrsga-
tional Church.
The Evangelical Religion Is
Founded on Facts Revealed
by God.
bringing of God Into the
Ftesh.

The Congregational church was we'll
oiled at thu evening So vlos yesterday.
AIR. Sohoppe preached on Congrs-
Rationalism Not Stepping Stone
to Liberalism. or Pasto's Change
Of Faith. Text, LUXE 23:i2. "And
the same DAY PLATE aud Hsrod we're made
friends together" Ch'ist IL the center OF
history. lie intsrprets The longings Of the
heather world, abe SOFAS yeArniER after
friendly touch OF God IL IN his incArna-
nation. The supIsmsSt power ovof human
life is The oross. Love 30 Christ 10 the teal
Of harmony With God, for ne reveals bis
character. "He that ioseth his life for my
sake shall hni H." II oqui es change Of
character. = .. ritual mind. Gloss personal
contact brings satisfaction 10 the deepest
Ia life and roVeA'. though experience. his
divine sonship. lie Ia unifyina force
His spiritual claim solidiHss those Who re-
jeci "PilAte aud Heroi were made
irieD Is" Agnostics lngersolliies, spiritu-
alists and oonVe tsd orthodox unite enthu-
siastioally IN one church. LIBERALISM east
and west differs. In the east II 20 oonsarv-
alive. except that 10 by Minot Savage, who
Is very near a A. litualisL He breaches
evolution and claims 10 ovsTthrows the
evangelical faith. In the vest II IL the
higher criticism that destroys the ancient
faith. They forget that some Of The sblsst
critics are in the evangelical church and
its lutha were never mightieF than day.
Mr. Reed who was formerly re-
fused admission so the Wisconsin associa-
ton. took a position under the Home
Missionary society that pledged him 70 or
thodox faith. Trouble arose in the board
over his close connection with liberals Ia
this city. but because OF his protest of 10y
atty TO the faith be was retained. Recently
he changed this creed OF the church. elimi.
mating TIE name Of Christ aud took in Dr.
Teen liberals. ostsnsibly TO turn the church
over 20 liberalism. or course In his plan
TO get control ola chu oh hs was alone.
Tue declaration OF principles he stands on
in the liberal cbu ch dOzmatieally con
aemns dogma. Il saws religion Is natu al
therefore tue Q IL nothing supernatural.
be messiAnic picture isa delusion. The
slnlees life is dream. Chrtsts ressurreo-
ton is legend that grew up Ia the hrst OF
the second century. Though Paul. IA
ACKNOWLEDGED epistles written before sixty,
shows IL to be the common faith Of tue
church. This has never been answered.
10 necessity" The gosp-l says Repent
snd believe" Stress Is laid on the fathei-
hood of God, Int who reveals that truth?
Maurice said, I'VE have sometimes
fancisd that We could dwell simply on the
thought Of father. All else was unnsces-
aary. Bat soon IL has been a mere sab
stratum OF the things We saw. q name under
VIII oh We collected them. How rejoicsd is
the heart to Tass from such cold void to
ihs thought Of son Allied with all sym
pathY." No Jesus Christ is mentioned in
this statement Its aim Is to meet the
aud hope of Christ lie a Legend.
Ihe organization IL for the worship OF
God. Does the rejection of tue authofitat-
i've teaching of Christ lead TO rejection OF
the personality Of God? 1t was so in d.
lem, aud 10 seems to be the tendency of
modern liberalism. Familiar books apply
to him impsrsonal terms. Enthusiastio
supporters reject personal God. II God
IL not personal be does not hear and answer
prayer, and 10 soon ceases. Jesus mag be
brought back. rediscovered. but he inspires
no earnest pave. What family Aitara
have liberalsI Whist closets are frequent-
ed what gardens haunted. what mountains
climbed, TO- purposes Of prayer? IL Jesus
10 rsdiscovered. why not follow his exam
pie, or are the stories OF his spiritual life a
legond7 The evangelical religion lie found
ed on facts revealed by God. The incar-
nation IS the center. There 10 . broad and
narrow inteTpre tation. If these are facts
sou have no right 10 play fast and loose
with them. You have no more right TO be
libersl with these facts than 700 have a
right TO be liberal with she ten command
msnis. Accept the incaI nation and the
other great facts follow. he who stands
square on the incarnation is evangelical.
Irut over against tnis liberal creed the
words Of one who understood as few others
the dee set springs OF human natura
~ Il
means Christ was she first Christian. II he
mad eoa ed like an angel over this troubled
city of humanity, up above iis smoks end
dust. ana then had stood with white gao
IN snts on the hills bsyoad. bis urlty would
have bsen mockery and his incarnation
ChTists religion down and make it a thing
Of this world. That nrst truth Of the in-
carnations 10 the controlling truth OF the
Chtisiian faith. Before ali knowledge OF
wis Christ came into this world there
must always be the fact that be aid come;
that the wall between she two wor DIS was
broken the aulf between God aud man
bridgsd; that 20 the soul OF
sEsfN mortal who saw Christ the
spiritual world. with all its higher
standards and impulses. became visible
md powerful. Chfiatianity ia supernatural
OF Is IL nothing. The incarnation is its
essential hosTt. What every poor creature
needs standing IA the midet Of the worlds
dsalemsnts il the clear, sure certainty OF e
spiritual wor j, with spiritual purity 70 its
law" IF you left the pure. sweet, senai.
tive home life IA which you were bred aud
went into the lowest pslution OF city life.
the ever PRESENT vision % that higher ga "a
Of life you oume ON. the very knowledge
that such q higher fea IN OF life existed,
would he your strength and protection.
Nay. wou not yOug presence. II you Wete
really Convinced OF the purity OF tue better
iic. sxalt AMI help some there with the
knowledge aRd possibilities Of better
things? That 10 the pOve OF the inoAruA-
iion. IL opeRs the spiritual. the super
natural. the etsrnaL Il is as II tho clouds
we're broken above this human vale aud
men saw the Algs above them aud took
courage. lt was real bringing Of God In
she hosn, - was a TEA Hsse ton OF the pos.
sibIs anon Of humanity with divinity
The Modern Invalid
Has taat,s incidentally. IN keeping with
other luxu lee. A remedy mast be pleas
utfe aee. IA lla "a "a M rurafw