The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-09-01
nIprnALasM-rRun ANp rALsE.
Rev. H. d. Atchison, in the Methods
Review, New York, July-August.


Rev. H.. D. Atchison, in the Methodist
Review, New York, July-August.
The Middle Ages have been called the
''ages of faith" by way of contrast to
the modern era, which began with the
Reformation and which has been emil
nently scientific and rationalizing in its
spirit. 1t Is gross mistake, however.
to cal these dark centuries the ages of
fafth, unless we degrade the WORD
faith" until it means nothing bigger
than superstition. Ours is an age OF
greater faith-of faith more intelligent
and fearless. Christianity has nothing to
lose but everything to gain, from the
scientific, rationalizing spirit OF modern
times.
The liberalism that insults the ortAo-
dox church by Haunting in its face the
graveclothes of buried dogmas, and raises
post-mortem ciamor against theories
which are now but little insisted on, II
not entirely ignored in the more earnest
| demands of the age is marrow, insin-
cepe and un.s-t'thy of respect. Truth
| does not progress according to the pro-
grams and formulas Of loglcians What
| orthodoxy has been in the days OF Aquin-
as. in the time of the Inqulsition and in
the time of Calvin, is matter of history.
The word Orthodoxy C'right teaching'O,
however, as used to designate evangelical
| Christianity as received and taught by
the Protestant churches, is a constantly
progressive and always Noble word, keep
ing pace with the general advance OF
Christian thought. 1t is to be hoped that
the expression fright teaching" may be
extended in simplicity and breadth, un-
til all who love the Lord Jesus Christ in
| sincerity and who by faith in his name
are trying to lead men out of sin into
holiness shall be called orthodox, Lib
crafty of thought Is a good spirit, which
ought to pervade all Christian churches;
nor can 1t be specialized and made into
an ism" DR.. Thomas very sensibiy said
at a recent meeting of the Sunset club,
of Chicago, at ought not to be that,
whenever a man has a new thought on
the subject of God he must build a
church to house 1t in"
Lot US consider some OF the inherent
weaknesses of liberalism, considered as
an ''ism" or school of theological Thought
AS already hinted, its most conspicuous
weakness is the negative, vague, Elusive
character of its teachings. The weakness
of liberalism, resulting from its being
negative and critical, is illustrated in
two notable features of its doctrine. One
of the most conspicuous causes of weak
ness of liberalism is its inadequate meth
cd OF dealing with sin. A liberalism OF
theology which shuts its eyes to the most
conspicuous and terribly significant phe-
| nomenon of human life on earth-the
fact of sln-and makes no provision for
the cure of the fatal disease of human
ity, is like the false watchman who Is
so unkindty tenderhearted as to say.
peace, peace" to the defenseless city
when the enemy are already scaling the
wall. Judged by the test of ethical util-
ity, as a working hypothesis in making
men better, orthodoxy, in its treatment
of sin, is strong, and liberalism weak.
The weakness of liberalism because OF
its negative character, is again illustrat-
ed in its neglest of the devotional e.e-
ment of religion. The most essential
thing about religion Is that it be relig-
ious. This explains why so many high
ly intellectual people remain Catholics.
They prefer an Irrational or super-ra-
tional religion to mere intelectualism.
To Danish God as far as possible from
the personal consciousness of men, to
communicate with him only through the
long+distance telephone of impersonal
laws and evolutions, and finally to dis
pense with him altogether is the strong
tendency of liberalism, the only logical
stopping place being the soulless mate
rlaiism of Huxley. Liberalism, in all its
forms, lacks that sense of the presence
of God in the church which alone can
give enthusiasm and life. A prominent
Unitarian says of his own church, "a
Unitarian congregation usually consists
of Intelligent virtuous, well-meaning
people, but destitute of enthusiasm and
with little confidence in the new birth
or religious life"
Having noted some cf the more con-
spicuous weaknesses of liberalism, we
are not to forget that there is another
side to the discussion. The whole move
ment is reactionary against opposite err
rOrs in orthodoxy. In all these liberal
writings we find protests against the ira
ditional and long established interpreta-
tions OF God and his dealings with mail
kind. If our Christianity is to stand
or faM with some old theory of natural
science or of biblical Interpretation, such
as mediaeval geology or the chronology
of Usher, we have, indeed, built our
house upon the sands. 1t is essentially
cCwardfce in a Christian preacher today
to indulge in pointless sarcasm against
the much-abused higher criticism, as if
! the results of this earnest study were not
as likely, and more 50, to establish, as to
| undermine, the true power and authority
of the sacred word. Orthodoxy has been
too positive, aiso in its inslstence on
creed statements. BY reducing theology
| tc an exact science it has invited at
tack. Nicaeln formulas and hair-split-
ting definitions cf the Eternal One seem
in our day almost irrev5rent. The whole
Christian world is learning that abso-
.ute.y identical belief is not essential to
identity of Christian faith and life. The
| tendency of the age is toward a more
simple, reverent and tolerant attitude in
reference to the hidden things of God,
together with more stalwart and earn
est attention to practical ethics.
Is there, then, no assurance Of faith for
the Christian teacher or believer? Is
there no satisfying via media between
a Narrow se'f-contented orthodoxy, on
the one hand, and a thin, vapid liber-
aliSm on the either? The answer to these
heart-searching questions must be found
in an earnest study of the essential ma
ture of Christianity, which Is a life, not
a carefully elaborated set of opinions.
A good definition of essential Christianity
was given at the Parliament OF Religions
by Christian Japanese: "The essential
nature of Christianity is not a dogma,
but the ethico-reigious l7fe in each in
divlduar soul and in humanity at large.
Live the life. and do the work of Jesus
Christ. The orthodoxy Of dogma shall
give pace to the orthodoxy of life and
work" The facts of personal religious
experience and observation are now, as
in apostolic days, to be our strength as
Christian teachers. Christianity Is en-
ineDtly an historical religion, resting on
facts, today as always-not on philoso-
phy. Men will believe in the Christ whom
they see in the churches and in Chris
tians.