The sun., 1897-02-28
WHAT II CHRsrIASrYr
a. Asss.s-s nat Dss-. .sA i.snississy Are
n.ssntial

a. Arss.s.s mat Dsg.s ssA isnaiiistissy Are
n.ssatial
To rHr EDrroR OF THE suS-Sir: II 70 curl
Gus and interesting to note how. IN the contro-
yersy now In progress with regard TO the ques-
ton "what II ChristtaritJY' r. AL reference 70
the words Of the Founder Of Christianity Him.
self seems 70 b studiousiy avoided OF SIX
cisrgymen quoted BY the New York Herald Of
Sunday. Feb IL. not one, IN answering the Ques-
tion. appears to have dreamed OF looking 10 the
New Testament for its solution. It seems as
though they were afraid to consult Christ Him.
self lsst He should contradict their PCT theories
Tho facs d. the main question Il lost sight Of
amid the many side issues which are being
raised. Or. narrower alone. Of all, comes 10 the
point when he says: " Christianity is accepting
Christ and the truth of His teachinss-Chris
ttanity depends on no dogma
These last ave words contain the pith OF the
whole question. which In reality resolves itself
to this: Is dogmAtie teaching q part Of the
Christian sy..emr' Or. narrower does not tell
nsunesmen. neon %e can fno1 i The trusk of eSr.
teaching or even accept Christ Himseif. He ap-
pear. Q torSet tAat Ssfcr; Ee c.P ;sceg. Shri.,
he man oniyi To neither Of th.se questions &C can n
We obtain an snswer without Dogma OF some
throw ?S tae. sn he S syss Is a RSs
doe. ~ at oi.F Re s sa: .aa Ro2 IN
sse We 70 rely On His word more & tha. an9shersi
Ts sSSs .:s.Ssins ws.. aes. & 'f '.ss say On
said: STe worship ~. know not. what, We inoS
rsss thus Sst os sss ' Of
fsith over the unosrt.Inties q q .y.s.m where
dosm. 4: wanting Then Again: "This I. NE
eternal 70 knSs ~ Thee. the oaiy true God Ian and
! have .Aid above; We cannot accept Christ
without knowing not only who He IL. but wha.
Vital Vi condition q true Worship and Without L.
granting that there may be worship In spirit,
''f The @ assertion that cSSistianisy depends on no
dogma Is strangely a, variance with our. idea Of
truth What ,i ( truth, !, I, reality 2, (.
reality, then assuredly dogma becomes . neces-
sity;, Truth z 10, thing which can vary &C.
one and ever ths same. y viii not do, there
fore, TO tell that two opinions, contrary one TO
s. 9a' q n. ra L TO sSsl &
nothing. Either 4 IS I. religion, which can dc
rishs to accept or reject a he thinks 1T. TIT Is
isss. lea " and can never become a factor IN the
moral or intellectual progress OF mankind
II SsdsS e S n gs. Th
iation Of GodI Surely nothing else for God
Is an imperious assertion and an attempt TO en-
| snare man 9 intellect. The Church says It IL a
pty os Seh b eSae:Ssa asa NOT
pressed we are mono the better for II. But TO
truth %p,s' an r.oa Sbss sssAfse =
claim our allegiance Il must be dogmatic, and no
body which Is not dosmAtic can claim 10 be the
%BSi ..ys pr. Eaton, Chris, organized no
church. He simply established brotherhood" 4"
as are contained IN Mat !hew XVI, 10; Iviii., i;
Ephssians iy. t1e; Hebrews Kill, ,5.i7. &c.
The %.,tsr , rs'Syes S i,.s to this; Ether We
their Immediate disciples utterly islndsrstood
Him or that the true conception OF Christianity
dence Il not wanting. either in Scripture or in
history, 20 show that the primitive idea Of the
y sd direct
thority from Christ Himself ! question % yhether
they had sui he misty and indsSniis idsAs t q
HIS personality and teschins. Shioh exist In the
II we are to sweep away dosms 1s arc st
liberty 70 make Shet attack, We Ike not only on
SSs on sHsry
own preconcetvsd ideaA Either Christianity 4
sii 81 e ss
claim % our ;isei.noe than Any other creed
tory. n God has given 70 man any revelation a,
| capable of leading mon into error or Of giving
| them false conceptions of the truth-in othei
mankind must necessarily be dogmAtic, and
moreover. fnfallible, for any body which II dog
matte but not tnfalliblo r. q nuisance and an I'm.
| pudent imposture.
The state Of the, religious world Of to-day TO
minds one strongly of the condition Of the men
ping an unknown God, and a second St. Pam
second Paul 10 with US and has ever been before
the world In the Catholic Church, She alone. OF
all religious bodies, 10 delivered from the strife
OF tongues; for she alone can claim to have with
her the guiding spirit Of her Divine Founder
In faith and her guide In the way Of truth. No
where save In her bosom can men ind the sou
ton Of the many perplexing questions which