The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1895-12-19
DR.. THOMPSON
and THE CHURCH.
Came Historic Facts Concerning
the Relation of the Church
to Slavery
FREEDOM AND ITS MEANING

r,mou. Remark Thompson, Not the |
,unp,,, rrsp, nsibic The Methods by
c,i,n tho Church Can Command the |
to,c and support Of the Masses.
lnm.u TvoI
Y, critics Lave so confidently as
.ertld. and based their attacks upon
,be ggsumption that the Church and
christianity are identical, the truth |
NJ which | have denied, that it may
not be thought amiss to inquire if
tho character Of the Church in the
mast has been such as to command
anreseryod reverence.
Jesus had taught and Paul had
prepched the individual relationship
of the soul to God, on account of
which their followers made much for
lmo Of personal belief and opin-
iop. So long as this free spirit last
ed. largo freedom of thought, re-
quiriug only u common loyalty to
Christ, was allowed among Chris
uany "Out Of the husk of Juda-
ism" says Neander, Christianity
had cvolvcd itself to freedom and
Independence" Tracing further,
however, the course of unregen crate
humanity in the Church, this histo-
riau continues: "But the Jewish
principle pressed in once more from
another quarter. The Jewish posi-
ton was better adapted to the
mass which needed first to be train
ed before it could apprehend Chris
tanity in its purity. Out of the
Church, now became independent, a
principle once more sprang forth
akin to the principle of the Old Tes-
lament. This investiture of the
Christian spirit, in form nearly
akin TO the position aimed at in the
Old Testament, could not fail to un-
fold itself more and more and to
bring TO light one after another all
the consequences which 1T involved"
While the method of Jesus was to
build up the individual and the apos-
tollc commission was to convert the
world by teaching, regarding always
the rights Of conscience, the Church
losing His spirit and being in SO far
none Of His, very early gave over
tho divine method and built itself
into power by the diabolical method
of force. If Christ discovered the
Individual tasted death for every
man, thus astonishing the world
with the Fathers priceless estimate
Of the value and dignity of a mere
man, however humble and vile, the
organization which assumed His
name became intolerant of conscien-
tious difference and ruthlessly de-
stuctivo of individual right and hu-
man freedom. For the notion of
force involves the idea of subjec:
ton, and intolerance with power is
most ruinous slavery.
With Christ there was no lording
it over men for mastery. That was
the manner of the Gentiles. His
was to be a conquest of living and
teaching, as became Prince OF
Peace, not compulsory acceptance
or rejection of opinion. Even Judas
went without hindrance. But the
Church, when it despaired of heal
ing what it termed error by Christly
means, always resorted to the sure
Geutjlo method of authority. "Tht
Church was the only conservator Oi
truth and sacred tradition" Who
ever impugned its tradition and doc
trine met cruel persecution at the
hands of the Church. This is the
spirit that dominated the Church
not only from the 9Th to the 15tl
century, as DR.. Kilgo admits, bu
even before the world was palled il
the gloom of those dark centuries
and at the proper time we shall in
qulro whether this same spirit is no
manifest in the Church from tn
10Th century until now.
From the close Of the 1st to tn
beginning of the 4th century, tn
Church, in its minority, was itsel
the subject of repeated persecution
1t nevertheless grew, and by tn
middle Of the Sd century it was
formidable power in the State. Th
persecution of it ceased with tn
furious onslaught under Diocletia
IN the beginning of the 4th century
when it became evident that IL coul
neither be suppressed nor disregard
ed. If it languished amid tn
paganism of the rural districts,
Aourished in the cities, centres the
rs now of wealth, power, and co
ruption. The religion, whose essel
tal mode and principles should ha,
been the candid doctrines taught
the Sermon on the Mount, was ear
loaded with sacrifcial ceremoni
and doctrines beyond the teachin:
of the early Hebrews. Whether dl
to the aggressive influence of su
rounding paganism, or to a desi
on the part of the Church to co
form TO its environment for the sal
Of numbers and advanta ge-the lii
is not unknown in late times-it W
carried so far even in the I'd centu
that Hadrian described Christiani
as the worship of Scraps. Nevt
theless this was the "Church."
Ii retained and developed its Je
lSh coloring, and raised within 1T
priegtly caste; but it lost the Id
that God Is love, the cardinal tru
which the Father had taken such
finite pain to teach by His incarna
Word. 1t magnifed the Sinai
conception of Gods power and t
ribleness. 1t dignifed Satan
Gods jailor and enlarged He'll
the eternal prison house of the n
jority Of Gods blind children.
filed mems minds with superstitic
fear, it subjected man to man, a
1t broke mans spirit of educati
and progress through fear of hell
mans consignment. Leagued W
authority, courted, supported, a
dominated by the rich and con
q quently powerful, the Church cea
to bear message from the poor
% the rich, and became the irresisti
messenger of the rich to the pc
1t advanced in power of necess
as thousand dark years decls
not for the uplifting, however,
our Lords brethren into freed
Dut For tha,. Sk ont