The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1895-02-16
@SEr. 4saSl25a $500
XeA REIGIeuS
On elSSSs G!SsS&4@egRlS
RELIGION AS JESUS TAUGHT 1T.

The religion of Jesus was not a new re-
ligiOn, but manifestation of life in an
old one. He introduced no new forms or
ceremonies, no new organization, but a
new heart and life into religion that
needed termination 1t is interesting to
note that, in accepting the two great com
mandments as the basis and ultimate of
religion, Jesus was going back to centuries
which had preceded him. Deeply imbedded
in the old law and proclaimed in the
preaching of the prophets was the spirit of
ritual, priestcraft, the growth of cumber-
some and mechanical forms. and all the
machinery Of ritualism had obscured them.
/ But Jesus brought them out into a vivid
light; not by philosophizing about them,
but by illustrating them How cold, dark
uninteresting and even unintelligable are a
series of electric inscriptions when the
light is not turned on But turn on the
current, and how vivid they stand out in
lines of light The form Of the old com
mandment was never wanting in Juda-
ism. 1t preserved that form as it did all
others. A formal religion may be more
conservative of traditions than of anything
else, and it will hold fast to forms of words
as to forms of observance; but when Jesus
brought the light of his own life into these
Hebrew prccepts, they seemed aslow with
new meaning.
Jesus thus recognized what many other
inspired prophets since have recognized
that to 20 fo' ward, he must 90 back.
When the world forget Is. neglc,ts or loses
sight OF any true principle which is nee
cssary for its life and development, it is
always the task Of tic reformer to see that
it is taken up again. Outwardly, IIebra.
ism seemed perfect enough; but mwardly
it lad lost connection with the living Lat
terry, with the heart of God and the heart
of man. Jesus led men back ward only
to Lad them forward. 1t was not going
back to the old traditions it was not in the
spirit Of the antiquarian, who assumes thai
d t!'IHS IL petlti SiihplN D''ANS' II II 'id'l :
for what Jesus appealed to was princi-
pie of life which in itself Is forever new.
( Love can never grow old. Like the sular
heat, it perp, tualy renews its If, and
beams from cay To Cay with new splrndor
and surprise. Though Jesus appealed t"
an oil / principle. the moment he began t"
apply it, his ethics as related to man and
his worship as I, lated to God Immediately
took a wider range and higher cNprts>ion
Tie mechanical formal liberalism of tn
scribcs and Pha iscCs he set aside. aud
preached to men that unless tnc;r right
eousness exceeded that of thu scrib,s ard
I Plari,ces, they could rot enter the King
dom of heaven. Instead of HockerirS.
platitudes and vain rcpctitions in worship,
/ he set forth With sublime simplicity the
spirit of the Lords Prayer
/ And now it is important to note that thu
/ Christian world is sunlmoncd to do just
as he himself did, namely, to 20 back to !;
principle which it has overlooked and nee
| cited or with which it has lost connection.
1t must 20 back as he did, breaking through
crceds, rituals. do9mas, hierarclics tradi
tions and Journalism, to find the life cur.
rent which is to give it new impulse.
There was permanent element in Jnda
ism, and Jesus found it beneath all the
tangled growth of conventIonalism; and
there is Il permanent element in Christian
itv, and we may find that by going to the
source and center of its life.-Chrstian
Register Unitarian).