The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-01-31


Client Nedas and Shustrns: whether they
ne the dreams and pretended revelations
Oh Mohammed and Joe Smith. they are
All OUT the thousand man made forms Of
so'calleu worship. The essential fault of
every one o. them is that they are human,
that they are based upon the traditions
or inventions of man and not upon the
revealed word and authoritative command.
meht Of Jehovah.
Eod 5 command to Moses was that he
make ',ii things according TO the patti, RI
showed him in the Mount. and tbrist,s
command to His disciples was an echo of
1T, teaching them Ito observe all thinus
whatsoever / have commanded vou >,
AND therefore the devil has tried to get
INTO the very church OF Christ ard insti-
tute whole system of theological teach
ings ana ceremonial worship that tod
never revealed or commanded, and change
the Whole Divine system of the church
into piece of human machinery which
he could manipulate ut will.
How much of our religious work TO. day
Is ehtirely human. Our revivals are got
ten up by careful organization and artifi-
c,ai mechanism. Our worship is sus-
tanned ut an enormous cost bv trained
performers who belong to the world. flesh
and the devil OH six days. and for n con
sideration give few hours to the Lord
on the Sabbath. And much of our So
called religion is what the APOSTLE de.
scrihes as teaching for ordinances the
commandments of men, and, AGAIN.
ordinances which all are to perish with
the using after the commandments and
doctrines OF men,
But after Micah had arranged his whole
ritual, he felt that something was lack
ing. lie wanted God To recognize his
man-mndc church and give it Il touch of
authority ana sacredncss. And so, one
uay there came along IL young Ievite from
Bethlehem judea and soiuurncd II few
days with him.and'' Micah, finding that he
belonged to the Levitical line, invited
him to become his priest and take charge
OF the temple and service that he hud re
Gently httcd up and offered him IL salary
OF Ten sheckels year, equal to about
S6.4O, besides II good suit OF clothes and
ms board, and the young man considered
the call, finally accepted it and was in
stalled as the hired preacher H. Micah's
church. Then Micah WAS nc rest: he felt
completely satisfied. He had got lust
enough OF God in his man. made church
to justify him i'll calling it IL religious in
stitution Ami so he rubbed his hands
with delightful .compacency and
SAID, Now, know that the Lord will do
priest. ga
And so men and women to.dlV are
making up their various religious pro
Erii.nmes and wanting only to get eccle-
Siastlchl recognition, to get some i4evite
with real Apostolic succession to couu.
tenance the thing, ard it is all right. no
matter whether God approves or disep-
proves: and, alas, it is only too easy to get
ecclesiastical recognition for any form of
doctrine or medley of so-called worship
Let II man of liberal mind and attractive
personal qualities 20 forth among our
people rs public teacher and win their
confidence and applause by his books and
lectures, rs one of our recent visitors from
abroad has done, and then let him pub
lish to the world creed which could he
accepted by Il Unitarian, IL jew. YES. even
IL Spiritualist. aS we'll rs IL Christian. if
lie Is tncttul enough IN pointing his
phrases ana prudent enough in guarding
ms expressions, that man can stand no
the acknowledged representative of the
most conservative of the churches Of
Scotland and England, and be recognized
as Il true I.evite. Let IL man in the wild
license of modern theological Thought and
the passion for freedom and originality
cut mp this Holy Bible with his penk nife
until nothing supernatural is left. and
laugh away the Pentlteuch and the hook $
OF Isaiah and Daniel, and yet he can Sc.
cure the highest place in our theological
seminarics and he recognized as II star
lecturer ut our Christian conventions and
retain his standing without challenge
Nay, let the very sanctuary and temple
nj God he prostitutcd to religious enter.
talhmentS and exhibitions that would
scarcely he counted decent on the stage
ami the regular programme of parish
work include the weekly dance AS well
aa the weekly prayer meeting, and vet it
may all he canonical; and the members
and officers of this man-matie medley fold
theil arms in self.complacency, like
Micah, and say, 1T is all right, seeing /
have Levite To he my priest
" We have il picture of the sad fruits
Of religious compromise. The SEQUEL of
the story of Micah is iromcal and most
trasicai y band of frceb0oters from the
tribe of Dan pressing forward after new
territory came to the house of Micah and,
finding his priest, asked counsel about
their movements and were encouraged on
their predatory expedition. They went
forward and finding II beautiful repion
returned to their own tribe and organized
IL powerful force and these, following i'm
the Footsteps of the pioneer party, first
cane Co the house of Micah and stole his
priest and his gods, and when he followed
them, protesting and pleading, they
cooily advised him to 90 home for fear he
should yet hurt, and marched on with his
booty. leaving him only the cold comfort
of their scorn. And then passing on, they
invaded the peaceful territory that their
pioneer party had discoy cred and put the
helpless villagers mcrcilcssly TO the sword
taking possession OF their country, where
they, in turn, organized I'M iholatrous
shrine and seat of worship, which became
in succeeding years the most corr urtims
influence in all the religious life OF the