The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-04-04
whatever 1. may be-ls the best way tina,

whatever 1t may be-is the best way that
he is able to think at that stage Of devel-
opment as TO the means by which he Is to
get himself in right relations with his God.
He has a very pood Deity and very poor
religion. but he does the best he can.
Coming up TO a higher state OF civiliZa-
ton. people have a grander idea OF the uni
verse. q nobler conception OF God and or the
methods of getting into right relations with
God; that is. they have a better theology
than does the barbarian who is yet trying
to get into right relations with God. SO the
still trying to find out the mystery of the
universe. trying TO get at the laws of God
and obey them as a condition TO life and
welfare and prosperity. So religion i'm
proves or theology improves.
Religion is always the search on the pars
of man to get into right relations with God
Theology, of any particular age, Is mans
mental or intellectual ideas as TO how to do
it; and as man becomes more intelligent lie
outgrows his old theory and gets a better
and higher one. Religion does not die be-
cause IL changes its clothes any more tnan
a boy dies when he outgrows his clothes:
So. in my judgment. when we have passed
through this great time of r~econstructioS,
which is compelled by the great flood or
knowledge that has come TO us. we are 60
ing to have a grander religion and a nobier
church than the world has ever seen in the
history OF the past: but the present popular
theology of the world has got to be com
pletely outgrown and left behind just as
fast as the world becomes intelligent and
brave enough TO accept the truth.
1t may be a thousand years before the
ON AtiN
may be a thousand years before the people
get intelligent enough and are clear-headed
and brave enough to leave those things be-
hind.
When Calico first discovered the moons
Of Jupiter, the Ptolemaic system of the uni
verse was dead. Why? Because Calico
had discovered the astronomical fact which
was utterly inconsistent with the old theory
and which doomed it 10 be discredited and
left behind. Now, the modern world has
discovered facts which are utterly incon-
siStent with the popular theology or the
world. These facts are here to stay. They
compel a complete theological reconstruc-
ton of ChriStendom. 1t may take a thou
a years before it comes about. but it is
just as certain to come about as that the
sun wi. rise tomorrow.
THE DOCTRINE NOT IMPIOUS.
Many ministers regard a man who dares
| freely to express these modern beliefs as
impious. as an enemy of God and as an
opposer of the Bible. But anything that
is truth is Gods truth. And as for the
Bible. it nowhere claims TO be infallible or
inspired, in any exceptional sense. so that
when a person propounds and defends these
modern ideas, which are inconsistent with
what a good many of the Bible writers be-
lieve, he is not opposing certain theories
which the most fallible kind OF men have
propounded concerning the Bible. 1t is not
an attack on the Bible, but an exposition
of the real truth Of the Bible. The Bible
does not make any such claims as are made
on its behalf.
In my judgment the acceptance of these
truths is necessary in order TO save religion
in the minds of the intelligent people of the
world. The old theological conceptions are
more and more seen to be unfounded and
untrue, and it is only the enemies of re-
| ligion whether they mean TO be its enemies
or not) who longer identify the old theol-
ogy with religion. The way to save re-
ligion is to deliver it from the errors and
misconceptions of the ignorant and bar
barrie past of the world. Our theological
conceptions have not to be brought into
accord with the highest knowledge of the
world. so that the intellectual leaders of
the world can also be its religious leaders.
The great scientific and philosophic leaders
nave been outside of the churches, not be-
cause they wanted to be, but because the
churches were not large enough to let them
in with their reverence and their brains
both. Men had to go outside in order to
find room to think. and ii religion is going
to be saved as an intelligent belief of man.
kind. il must be freed from its superstitions
and misconceptions and brought into &C
cord with the truth which has been re-
vealed to the modern world. These great
truths which have come through the minis
try of science are divine revelations; they
are the unfolding and discovery of Gods
great realities.