, 1897-04-23
CHURCH OUTLOOK.
LCoulinued from First Page.l

lASlllultOA, " lCACW e uoS ~
to the ancient creed once in five years
Trouble has arisen because these pro-
~fessors, feeling the progressive spirit of
the age. are at a loss as to how they can
reconcile their constituencies SO as to ac-
cept both the creed and the salary. Ad-
uniting the sincerity n Christian
character OF the founders of AndOver,
when they made salary contingent up
stumbling in the pathway OF progress.
To this day, it is an article of faith in
one OF the branches of the Christian
church that Christ died to reconcile
His Father to u.s. But by neither intel
lIgent clergymen nor laymen is this
statement believed. God was in Christ
reconciling the world-men-to Him
SELF" not Himself to the world. The
burden OF their preaching is. by We
reconciled to God"
Observing this discrepancy between
the teachings OF the pulpit and the creed,
in this and some other Instances, many
regard the outlook with glowing fore
holdings. fearing the final overthrow OF
the church. But we AVE no such fear.
The Master, who came Ito bear witness
unto the truth said, "On this rock l will
build my church, and the gates OF hell
earthly corruption-shall not prevail
against it. He knew the imperfections
of men-that errors would be taught in
his name. But error is transient-it
shall not prevail. Truth is enternal;
he church having truth for it corner
stone, will stand forever!
The church OF the future will be thor
oughly Christian. and as a divine in
~strumentality it will be able to adapt it's
methods and work to all the conditions
of human need.
The drift OF modern thought is not to-
wards inidelity. True, it is .n.Vard5 a
rejection of the insallibility of ecclesias-
deal counsels and their assumptions o.
authority. 1t is towards n rejection OF
false ideas OF both God and man. Ideas
of God and justice that were drawn
from oriental despo,ism, and an es;i-
mate Of nan that had its origin in the
darkest and bloodiest period OF history.
The enlightened thought Of today was
not accepted. But in this rejection there
is net the slightest hint OF infidelity.
Through these changes OF thought. the
psychologist traces the wondrous evolu-
tions of the soul seeking relations where
it can. in the highest and best sense, be
faithful to itself and to its God.
True. these evolutions have wrought
great changes OF opinion concerning
lChrist-his relation to mar INT the eter-
nal dynasty-but all has been FOR Christ
and never against Christ; so that in
reality there is more of Christ, His great
loving nature and spirit in the world
today, than when the Marys sat at His
feet.
The world is not atheistic and will
never become so. A band OF school boys
might as well attempt to force the sun
to go round the earth as for any clique
Of men to force the world into atheism.
~ III u IN Diu - 10 tlolo
ly grounded in the consciousness OF
men, and while this remains, Christ will
be recognized as the one in whom the
divine perfections are most clearly seen.
A revelation Of the possibilities OF hu-
manity, he is the moral image of the
divine person.
The religion of the future will not be
in the line OF any of those extremes of
opinion which ignore the Christ Of the
New Testament. 1t will not be a relig-
ion which has no anchorage-ground,
chart, sailing-papers-no home-port
wherein security, rest and peace may be
truth for its foundation-truthA which
will find it's embodiment in life-and
the life a revelation OF God; not a set
ting forth to man Of any occult, myster-
ious truth, but rather the revelation of
man to himself. a visible setting forth
Of his kinship with God.
The crisis in which Christianity finds
itself today is really an incident Of
STOWln, DIS lle Duu anu ClO5SOm SILK
before the coming fruit. 1t is in the
line Of a larger recognition of God, n
broader and better faith. 1t is release
from thoughts and forms that fitted the
mind OF man ages long past, but which
no more fit he mind today than the
short-clothes of a boy fit the matured
man. Christ and GCd and truth are the
same. But in an enlargement of thought
widening Of the range Of vision, man
has come to see that some CT the pillars
upon which he once thought the church
rested are not pillars at all-are really
no part Of its foundation. These are be-
ing removed. Seeing this, some whose
visions are yet clouded cry, Behold,
Christianity is crumbling into ruin"
But 1t is not true. All this dust and
confusion is incidental only to an elm
mating process which will go on until
the beautiful temple Of truth, the church
of Christ, shall stand forth in It's innate
loveliness the pride and hope of the
world.
The church has conceded nothing; has
lost nothing save what has been a him
drance to its progress. The church now
is and forever will be Christian to the
extent that 1t is in accordance with the
I.r:.. - R1-1,a- -.. -.--p- --f-t-f-