The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-02-27
The Religious Thought Of the Day
as Expressed in the Sec
tartan Press.

clpleS or SeNereSt mathema tics, and the
whole range of Old Testament Scripture
/ is filled with recognition of the fact that
order is Heavens first law. The church
/ had no right to set up cloistral supersti-
i lions in opposition to that luminous
common sense which shines through
every page of Gods dealings with man
as we'll in His creative arrangement.
When religion burst the shackles OF such
superstition, then it became indeed the
| very inspirer of science, and that I'M
grateful handmade has sought to turn
at times against its fostering hand, but
science itself is not antagonistic. The
/ opposition comes from those who have
started out with hatred to the Bible and
have used their influence to array sci
ence in seeming opposition to the Word
of Cod
THE action of the New Jersey pastor
who, the other day, requested his pres
| bytery to erase his name from it's roll
because he could no longer subscribe to
the statements of doctrine laid down in
the Westminster Confession of Faith,
deserves commentator" remarks the
| New York observer" Pres.). For
though bound as minister to teach his
charge his convictions of what is truth,
| he recognized the fact that he was also
the agent of a church, and SO bound not
to teach doctrines not approved by the
| body which appointed him. This dis
| tinction is unhapply, not always OBJ
served by pastors who find themselves
drifting away from the doctrines OF their
church. That it is not is due in most
cases to an exaggeration of the right of
private judgment the basis of Protes-
tantism, as opposed to the judgment or
presbyteries, conferences and convoca-
| tons 1t is insisted that as Protestant
| ism grew out of the exercise of this right
the church, as represented by its con-
stituted authorities, in limiting its ex-
ercise by her ministry virtually destroys
| her own foundations. If the individual
minister is to be debarred from question
ing the authority of any particular doc
trine. then the Reformers clearly erred
in challenging the leading dogma OF
Christianity in their time.
|
after all and before all, churches
are for religion" says the Christian
Register Unit.) of Boston. 1t IS
because men and women are children
of God that the churches exist, that
| they may become nearer to each Other
| and come nearer to God. They exist
that every day they may go about then
business more and more in accord with
| Him, and that life may be, not petty
| and small but infinite in its relations
| Ecclesiastical organizations, confer
ences synodS, religious conventions
and all the machinery connected with
what are distinctively called religious
organizations, exist for the same pur-
pose. Some object to all organization,
and are incensed against the machinery
of the church; while others worship the
external forms and the means used, for
getting the end for which they exist.
The prophet Habakkuk, in a passage
of wonderful vigor, describes the men
who use fishing tackle and nets, and
then, rejoicing because their fare is
made plentiful burn incense to the nets.
Those who in our day worship the IN
stitution. forgetting the end for which
it exists, make the biunder which eX-
cited the wrath and contempt of the
old prophet. They who are sent to be
fishers of men make a lamentable mis-
take when they worship the fishins
tackle, and forget the object for which
it was made"
Faith in immortality is not unrea-
soning," says the New York 'Independ
net" 1T rests on an intellectual con-
viction. One believes in God for rea
son, possibly no more reason than the
good one of the authority of wiser peo-
pie. or for combination and multiple
ity of good and sufficient reasons. Faith
in Immortality depends on belief in al
eternal God, in the immateriality of the
soul, and in the teachings and the res
direction of Jesus Christ. These rea
sons, we'll thought out, or felt but no;
analysed, will convince most people
that we shall live beyond the grave
or at least, that the balance of evil
dence. not mathematical but probable.
settles that way. Then let ii settle.
Rest in it. We ask nothing blind. We
would have no mere act OF Will drive
US away from the rock of reason to a
baseless faith; we only ask that what
reason has concluded should be ac-
cepted, lived on, and acted on. Theirs
is no new evidence against God and
the future life coming UP every day
We do not dig new doubts about GOD
and heaven out of old mounds as they
dig fresh acts of history out of Chal-
dean ruins. If an old argument for
faith seemed to be affected by some
new discovery or theory in science. then
Immediately open the old question set
tie it anew with the new evidence and
then let the settlement stand"
while ii is true that reyivals are not
gotten up by men but sent down by
10 txf1
operation is not to be excluded" says
the New York Christian Intelligencer'
tRef). Men are not to be the mere
passive recipients of renewing ana con-
verting grace, but the active participa-
pants in the work of preparation that
goes before the reception Of blessing
They are to avail themselves of the
highest distinction possible to man. that
of being workers together with God
in the redemption of sin-enslavel and
lost souls. Though the Scripture is
explicit. BY grace We are saved through
faith: and that not OF yourselves, it is
the gift of God. not of works. lest any
man should not boast; in other words.
while salvation is all of grace as the
mighty. moving, efficient cause, and to
the God of all grace is to be aseribed
the glory, yet, fundamentally. mans
agency is to be considered and en-
ployed; it oan9ot be dispensed with.
The man saved by grace is tor tell the
wonderful story of saving grace to his
unsaved fellow-men. The sinner who
would be saved must be conscious of
his sins, confess them. repent CT them.
and forsake them. This is his work,