The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-22
Ul1r Naerala y and SEeaps
THE COMING CHURCH.
REV. IL. FAY MILLS TELLS WHAT 1T
OUGHT TO BE
Snys tho Basis OF Fellowship Should Iayc
No Ecclesiastical or Doctrinal Tcst-The
Administration Should Ise Thor
oughly Democratic
Chutchs Mission.
lBoston Hcruld.1

lbOStOu IlcTulN.
The Rov. Benjamin Fay Mill
spoke in Music hall at Boston tn,
other evening on "Ihc Coming Churcl
What it Ought to Be" In par
he said:
"In tho first place, tho basis o
fellowship should have no ccciosins
tical or doctrinal tcst nor any bar
riers arising from formal affiliations.
Jews and gontilcs, barbarians anc
Scythians, bond and free agnostics
spiritualists, matcrialists and pccplt
holding oycry intellectual theory
under tho sun should be able to bt
conscientious members Of a righteous
church.
"Followship will be based upon
the unity of the race. Tho religions
Of the past have all grown out OF
humanity, and, as ono of our poets
says, they may grow out Of us still,
There should be no test as to attain
ment Of character, but only of p,r-
pose.
"In the second place, tho form OF
organization should vary in differing
communities and circumstances The
administration should bo thoroughly
democratic Tho initiative and
referendum and imperative mandate
should be put in practical operation,
both because Of their rcasonablencss
and on account of tho possible train
ing for their use in the politics of
tho near future.
SIN the third place, the mission Of
tho church should include tho utter
ance Of message and tho most prac-
teal service. The message is simply
the word Of faith that this IS Il good
race in Il good world in Il good uni
verse, tho message of hopo that all
things must change for the better,
not necessarily in essential character,
but in outward conditions and attain
ments; tho message of lovo rs tho
key to all problems, philosophical,
scientific, theological and practical,
and tho revelation of the mysteries
Of earth and heaven.
81 do not mean that the church
should over become identical with
the State. Tho timo was when the
church was tho State and the school
and controlled all educational and
eleemosynary institutions. As has
been well said, II part Of the work OF
the church is done when the State
assumes such service, but it is the
business Of the church to have Il
general concern for the well being OF
humanity and to mako the State too
holy TO tolerate any wrong.
$50, too, in her relationship to in
dustry and commerce, it is her busi-
ness hopefully, patiently, wisely, to
discover the laws Of human inter
course in matcria! things. Believing
in tho progress and the universal au-
thor Of the law of love, sho should
see which way tho world is going
know where it is now and what the
next step to be taken should be- She
must insist upon her economies boina
founded on justice.
"In education she will sot hcrscl
to Danish ignorance. She will b,
the inspiration for trucr character
building in the training of the young
She will sec that thoro is bcttor care
for the poor, insist upon tho onlight
ened treatment Of tho insane and al
other unfortunates, rcgenerato tn,
criminal and civilize tho prison. Sh,
will promote tho truest brothcrl,
relationship of tho employer and tn,
employed"