The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-01-12

VIVA . lFOoNAAANossAS y N$s.A
FROM ETHICAL CHAOS. N
New York World: The Rev Dr.. R.
sHebcr Newton preached yesterday at
4 Ali Souls church q discourse startling
y nstteadyaneed ground taken. In Il he
declared that the world had outliyed
Christianity and a new religion must
bcS found. He said: y. 81.
s.The problem .: the world at this
moment Is How to ind a religlonT
Some great conception which shall be
once more capable as the old were ca
pablo OF welding societies and keeping
mans british elements in check.
grThe traditional systems of divinity
which have guided the course OF the
western world seem 10 hosts OF men to-
day Of as much help as the charts OF
New York harbor drawn up by the
primitive Knickerhockers would be to
our monster steamers. si
sSg.,The mass OF average Intelligent men
are slowly and painfully realizing that
there Is no answer In tho Thirty-nine
ARTICLES and Westminster Confession
sforsus In the year OF 1883. Their whole
thought is as antique and obsolete as
.estt1e language OF Chauceri and Spenser.
Men ask now for gospel In the YER
: naculars OF the nineteenth century-not,
necessarily new gospel, but at least O
Translation OF the old gospel of the me-
diaeyals and anc!ents into q tongue un-
a da,l NJ fto ppnn1a y. Z.
s1Sublimelyl unconscious OF the day
< that lis breaking outside the church
siwalls, our priests go droning the old
refralns. shout an impossible Bible and
ian unnatural Christ. and annthematiz-
" ing those who don't care to come In
and sl!stenito their music OF the past.
Pulpits are tlmorous and silent on the
questions OF the age. Conventions reau-
thorlze at every tclennial session as
astext books for theological Summaries
\ learned treatises which are as accur-r
+ ate maps OF our present knowledge as
1.-THE celestial charts OF the Ptolemaic
q q astronomers, with cycle and epi-cycle
. scrlbh,ed Ger or the sixteenth century
terrestrial globes.
1.-THE will OF one OF our citizens, given
( to the public during the week past. Is a
pathetic illustration OF the confusion
which Is prevailing all about us In con-
sequence OF the changed outlook. 1t
seemed to this estimable man that all
religion had become unreal and he
therefore foreswore It In his last will
+ and testament.
I've can readily see that Il was not
religion itself that he was foreswearlns
: but simply the theological systems, the
\ ha1tn g. ~ 1tr~ta tnt,
4 have become largely outgrown, but
which the churches stu persist IN
4 cllnglng to- The traditional system In
which he was brought up has Indeed
deceased to be capable OF guiding our
2 thought or OF satisfying our inquiry.
Everywhere this passion for pleasure,
Is overriding the institutions and Gus
* toms OF religion. threatening as the
& lecturer to the Ethical Society the 9TH.
= er day indicated. that most remarkable.
bened!ctlon OF society, the day sacred to
1.-THE, spirit - ~ 49, - 2 ~
iIi...sWhat is needed Is not denuncatlon.
! but the .quickening OF new idea and
81 the klndling OF new Ideal which shall
rs once more guide and inspire man to o
life higher than that Of pleasure.
The modern worship OF wealth Is part
al OF this same recoil. = The good things
which God has prepared for them that
love Him no longer seem realSto the
TX man who has lost faith In God himself.
g The other good things which the world
hath prepared for them that love 1t, he
9 seeks with all his heart. IA
s"Give him vision OF God and he
will again seek Gods good things. With
i such vision In his soul riches no lon
ger satisfy him. Till that vision lrlses
= what else can he seek?
THE characteristic feature OF polIt-
aical life In the modern world is democ-
racy. The set toward it Is universal
and reslstless. .)N&
1T Is tremendous experiment upon
(which humanity is enterins-one un-
paralleled in history The dangers OF
st have been foreseen by thoughtful
men. Those dangers are realized now.
ii by the blindest.
They resolve themselves on analysis
ia into. the decline OF religion within the
~ heart of the people. Democracy can, be
trusted under high enthusiasm when
s9s seeking a lofty ideal. while owning the
RE- rule of a real religion.
Can democracy be trusted without
( religion? Ig
tIit &C luGulSr VI plCTl
show themselves to involve real re-
lision: Liberty without law is license.
.as{ What law other than self-intcrest can
e bind men long without the vision OF
that higher life In which we are all
members one OF another. all parts Of O
q divlneAwhole? .gFe,
Freedom is possible only to the free
man. the moral being, capable OF dis
81 corning right and able to choose and
ri obey It. Equally Is Q wlll-'o- the-wispi IL
~ by It We mean equality of gifts and
q powers and advantages.
1.-THE real equality possible 10 man
s3s lies in something independent OF cir
IN cumstances, superior to conditions
IA something back OF and above matter
e and material things. Men arc equal on
W ~ as they are parts of an nll-Inclusive
eY3,wholc. which lifts all alike into COM
mon life a. 4its5lf
q 9"Society itself. the civilization OF an
tEss industrial and commercial era. Ia evoly-
Y Ing a. new order before our eyes. ;,
.tsSS2 IS Everywhere q new and moro glorious
ordergis struggling to emerge from the
isiGethicnl chaos we call civiliZa ton, await