The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-02-08

Law In the Spiritual World" IL q fins
example or how devout, liberal and
scholarly man can do much to reform
old theologic forms from within those
forms themselves. The revelation of
God must be reasonable. fitting the In
stincts OF natural religion, supplement-
Ing by its full light that light which
lighteth every man that cometh into
the world: And 1t is reasonable. A
very remarkable book, "The Continuity
Of Christian Thoushts" shows the reader
how all the harsh and repugnant the
mechanical and absurd Appearances to
theology were not at all in, the early |
Christianity of the days OF the Greek |
theologians. but were grated upon our |
religion by Augustine and HIS success
sors during the dark ages OF scholastic |
cissn: In our day we are simply shak-
ing of the incubus OF Latin thought
and getting back to the simplicity of
Christ ana the earlier fathers Of the
church.
Christianity now Is apparently torn
and divided in its theology simply be-
cause we are living in an age Of liberty.
But in all this diversity and conflict
the days Of apparent uniformity. For
our religion is peculiarly adapted to
grow in an atmosphere of freest dis
cussion and untrammelled doubt and
unhindered opposition. It dwindles
and pines under the shadow Of any
sort Of authority or human protection.
The widest variety of opinion is nec-
essary to that unity of the spirit which
L. tIA H.. Ill
warning opinions must prove their
| truth by each striving to help men most,
| by excelling in benevolence and good
| will and all the tender humanities
| Christ gave as the test OF real truth.
| / find more of the spirit of Jesus among
| men now than in any era In history.
| Men may hiss the church, and 1t hurts
| me, but what of 1t, If they reverence
still the Christ, and scorn the church
only because 1t is like Him? More and
| more all men are turning to the Mas
ter for the solution of the problems Of
life and DEATH Sociology and politics
and every reform are quoting Him
more and more. each party shaming
the other because 1t fails to measure
up to His ideals. We cannot guage the
influence of Jesus by the membership
/
little, in public opinion, in the trend
Of reforms, in the undertone of litera-
ture, In the quietly accepted rules OF
social life 1 find more of our Master.
The sun of righteousness is rising upon
all civilization and the radiation and
refraction of His light is filling al
mankind by His beams that have faller
in full acceptance into the hearts of 9
few.
Goods in His heaven;
Ais right with the world!"
There is not the wide gap between
| the church and the world there was II
apostolic days. The church Is not al
, | pure now as then; this Is often charged
| but we are apt to forget that whil
| the church as such may not be SO nea
| His ideal, the outlying world Is mucl
| nearer. No man Of good judgmen
can deny that with all its evil the pres
ent age Is much nearer the ideas o
Jesus than the age Of Augustus. There
q fore facing Him, let the church say
4 HE must increase, but / must de
crease" 1t may be that the church
! to be cast aside for its refusal to go o
. according to Gods plan; we canno
!: | tell. Or IL may ratner oe' ohu .'io
e our prayer and hope, that 1t Will ris
{ renewed, grasping the full meaning
d it's opportunity, and in the century
e come still make good its claim to be tn
f body of Christ. AT the close or ths
: century may the sun, as he runs n
e rim of light around Weakening cart
v upon the Lords day, touch the harp
Il praise in all temples, and the air
h filed with the Tie Deum OF the one un
IS versal church Of God. sung by nj
h mainly that has sunk Its quarrels
g common-sense, by all nations ana u
$. islands of the sea, by all men ever!
n where, lifting up holy hands, witho'
a wrath or doubting:"
n. Holy! holy! holy!
"A Lord God of Sabbath!
"a | Heaven and earth are full or III