The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-10-25

We believe that Christ is divine as we
is a development of nature. Chrisr's char
may be divine. The difference is not one
of nature but of character. CHARACTER
acter was a rounded out and complete
development of his nature, while mans
is a one-sided and incomplete develop
ment.
I'm fact, were not the nature of all the
same, revelation would be an lmposslpli-
ty. Knowledge does not pass betWeen
beings OF different types of Intelligence
If God is of one nature and man an
other, 1t would be impossible for the for
mer to reveal himself to the latter. But
on the hypothesis of a common spiritual
nature in man, Christ and God. we, nave
then, is our Saviour, not because He
shows US how u God can live, but now a
man can live. He shows us with whal TOT.
titude and Kindness a man can ton ana
teach. He saves us by the owe OF his
manhood, by the inspiration TO iove ana
gentleness that comes from his hls- re
saves us NOT in any mystical way, q by
awakening within us nobler thoughts ana
higher ambitions. The same arrows that
pierce u were aimed at him. he was
He resisted and sinned not. Il is only BY
virtue of His humanity that He can be an
example to men. We believe, then, not N
an incarnation that confines itself 70 one
historic character, but rather that 600 -
progressively ~incarnating Himself m the
human race. Jesus consciousness OF one
ness with the Father is of the same KIND
that He tells us He expects US to devel-
ope. AS he is one with Goo He wishes us
to be one with God and with Him.
..Third-What does this Church teach
about menu Over AGAINST the iaea tnae
He is a fallen being, we set the belief
that He has risen and is rising. Over
against the doctrine of total depravlty We
set the facts of human nature which
shows that there are possibilities OF good
ness in his heart.
what do these facts indicate? Not
that we are ruined, but that We are IN
complete. Evil is an incident. Sin and
"Fonrth-What does this Church teach
concerning destiny. We believe in the
immortal life. We believe that we can be
saved and lost here as we'll as hereafter.
Salvation Is righteousness; damnation is
sin. Righteousness will bring peace in
peace Of conscience is heaven. Sin will
bring sorrow and remorse in this world
and In all worlds. and this sorrow and re-
morse is he'll.
This is the message that this Church
has proclaimed to the world for a quarter
of a century. This is not a message OF
negation, as our doctrine is often de-
scribed. Is not the doctrine of divine COM
passion as positive as the doctrine of di-
vine wrath? Is not the doctrine of the
rise of man as positive as the doctrine OF
the fall of man? Is not the doctrine of
the moral influence of Christ as positive
as the doctrine of vicarious atonement? Is
not the doctrine of immortality with final
salvation OF all, as positive as the doctrine
of Immortality with the ~damnation of the
majority? Such a message should lead us
to a more exalted life. BY as much as we
believe our faith better and more noble
than the old, by SO much We ought our
selves to become more noble than the old,
by so much we ought ourselves to become
more noble and God-like. Such in brief,
Let us be inspired by 1t to go forward
with our work"