The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-06-19
A NOTABLE ADDRESS.
Do the Churches Represent Chris
tianity in This Age2

".
orally profitable to the churches repre-
scented, and, therefore, helpful to the
cause of Christianity, are seldom the oc-
casion for startling developments. Asa
rule the discussions in which the clergy.
men engage AT those meetings are on con.
sentative lines, accepting the established
order as to doctrine and church govern.
ment ann indicating u desire for light, in
order that progress in the old, familiar
way may be promoted, rather than gem
eral dissatisfaction or an ironoclastic
spirit. But the meeting on Monday last
was notable exception to this rule, SO
far, at least, as relates to the remarks of
one Of the speakers the Rev. DIR. George
H. Corey, formerly pastor of the Metro
politan NJ. e. Church. A digest of his
speech was printed in the Post of Tues
day, and we are sure that it was ''mighty
interesting reading not only to the
members of his Town denomination, but
to the clergy and laity of other relig ious
bodies as we'll rs to the undenomina.
tional reader.
"Do the churches represent Christi
anity in this age " was the question be.
fore the association. DR.. Corey submit
ted that Christianity has been involved
with so many doctrinal forms that dog
matism, which is teaching by authority
ties of men, has .overlaid the truth and
spirit of Jesus Christ He referred to
the historic evolution by which, in his
opinion, creeds have been substituted for
the living Christ, and the vital truths of
Christianity ,have been swallowed IN in
the organized church, with it's zeal for sys-
TENS of theology, with rage for num-
hers and the greed for commercial and
pecuniary success. He declared that he
had as much right to formulate his faith
after his own fashion as had the Council
of Nice to make a creed and force it upon
him against the protest of his own bet
ter-informed reason, his conscience, and
his sense of religious freedom. He said
we could constitute better council to-
day on the essentials of Christian truth
than was ever assembled in the world
history a council distinguished by ripper,
sounder scholarship. by a better appara-
tus of criticism, and by truer apprehen-
sion OF the spirit OF Jesus of Nazareth
Yet he would not let such u council bind
him to any dogma that violated the in
stincts of his faith, the results of his
honest judgment and his self.respect as
man and a son of God. He did not be-
lieve that the creeds Of the day-the old
Calvinism, Unitariauism, Romanism,
Lutheranism, or Methodism-truly rep
resented the spirit and principles of Chris
tianity. Z
DR.. Corey declared that the masses of
men, the high and the low, who are now
alienated from the churches, are not in
antagonism to Jesus Christ, but to the
churches as established aud operated.
Said he: 81 have never heard OF Robert
lngersoll assailing one single essential
principle taught and illustrated by our
Divine Master. Every blow he strikes,
saving his assaults on the alleged mis-
takes of Moses, are stricken at the old
CalvaEisn in which he was taught, and
from which his reason revolted Like
wise, the masses are alenated, rereat.
from the churches, but not from Chris.
tianity.n
After saying good deal more in the
same vein nr Corey took up the other
branch of his subject. church govern
ment OF the disciplinary character of
the church life of the times he said it was
lacking -woefully in the essentials of
truth. justice, charity, and fraternity
which should subsist in the hody of
Chrst's visible church He especially
commented upon the facts developed ia
the Methodist Church of to-day, and cited
many instances to show that the system
OF it's government has been pervt rted
into form of prelacy, if not actual
popery. He asserted that ''no such spirit
of persecution ever existed in any age of
church history as exists in the admins
tration of the Methodist Church to-day!,
He referred especially to the case of DR..
Luther Il. TO wnsend, of this city, of
whom Dishop..said: "He has criticised
orr polity. He has smirched the church,
He must go OUT"
Bishop John p. Newman came in for
hnt Oh, NE
referring to certain alleged auLocratic
acts by that distinguished prelate, he
said:
yet was the man who made him
bishop. have the recognition of that
fact from his own hand in two letters.
God forgive me for doing it, But all these
manifestations of prelacy and Czaristic
specimens of administration were part
OF the perverted system of the church,
wherein the editor of the chief organ
Buckleyizes all the proceedings, and de-
cares that the Organization is everything
and the man is nothing. 8;
1t Is not the mission of secular journal
ism to settle clerical disputes. The Post
prefers TO treat this matter from the non
partisan standpoint, as it has recently
treated somewhat similar disturbance
In great religious body. We are going
through period of unrest and upheaval
all along the lines-in science, in bust.
ness, in politics. in sociology, and, last,
but by no means least, in the churches.
That the great body to which DR.. Corey
belongs should always go on it's way Sc
renely, undisturbed by the strife of con.
flicting opinions was not to have been
expected. That it will adjust all it's
differences and continue it's great career
IS but n reasonable inference from the
facts of it's history, Washington Post.
Just Arrived!
- LANCE ASS0RTNIEN1 OIL, IL r., Nv