The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-04-12
A Confession OF Faith.
By Layman Abbott, ia bringing to close his
pastorate OF Plymouth Church, +
Brooklyn, February, %. -
From the Outlook.

From the Outlook.
The religion, then, that I have tried to
preach TO you has been something more that,
theology or ritualiem or ethical rules OF con-
Ing about religion Is not religion. Ordered
public worship is desirable, but ordered pub
tic worship is not religion; 1t only ministers
TO 1t. Trying to do righteously to your neigh
not very profound religion. Religion-that is.
the Christian reigion-seems TO me to be-
this: Hearing this Christ call and trying to
follow him; catching the spirit OF this Christ
and trying 10 reproduce 1t; seeing that there
are other people who do not know him as
we'll as you know him yourself, and trying to
communicate him to others; and doing this
by the lips, and doing II oy tne iiie; Ike hengiodn nd
1t Is living the divine life In the world. heil.
glon, therefore, means to the manufactures
divine participation Ia the WORK OF coos
the divine worK OF distribution OF comfort
and well-oeing; to the lawyer. the misistry OF
justice, which is Gods own attribute; TO the
doctor, healing, health. giving, which Cnrlst
also did on earth; to the teacher, unveiling
the hidden truth to the eyes Of men; to the
mother and to the father, translating into
terms that little children can understand the
fatherhood of God and the motherhood OF
God. Religion Is life. and life is love, ana
love Is God :; and the Christian religion Is Goa
In human life.
II is not all individual; 1t is also social.
Christ brings men and women together IN
one household Of faith. he does not ask that
they think alike; nor that they worship
alike; nor that they act alike; but that they
love alike. Some Of my brethren In the
our creeds: but when 1 turn to the New
Testament what find is, "rooted and grouno.
ed In love-" not In creed. The oond tnat
binds us ali together and makes US one great
brotherhood is love, which is the oono Oh
II there is any one topic on which I have
spoken In this church, on whlcn more OF tne
members OF this church dissented from my
have no overweening confidence In any
methods ofsocial reform which have advo7
Gated in the past or hold to In the present
but of one thing am perfectly snremtnat En- ave we
more, Christianity means Christian brotner.
hood. II means Christian unity IN the
Church !; II means Christian democracy IN the
Nation II bfnb means a az ibe nations of the earth
shall have part; 1t means fellowship; com.
munion, q common life. The world will not
be redeemed by a tariff, nor by the aoolition oo
of tariffs, by persona! tax, nor oy the aoGm,
tion of personal taxes, by levying everything
on the land nor by levying nothing on tne
land; 1t will not be redeemed by SOCIALISM,
nor by individualism; 1t Will not Dc reoeemeo
by the Republican nor by the Dem9crau,1, ,,
party, nor by the Prohibition party. IL VIII
be redeemed only when we come 10 unoer-
stand that because we have one fatner ~
heaven we are all brethren; ana Tue TIL ,,a
brother will see in the poor brother. and the
strong will see in the weak brother, ana tne
pureminded and the developed VIII see IN tne
impure and undeveloped brother; and the
Christian church will do what Christ did.
not say, 1 will care tor the worthy poor. ooI
also Give me the unworthy poor, Wnat eau
do for themP For TO be q Christian Is TO bear
anothers burdens, and SO fulfill the law OF
Christ. Religion is not narrow gate through
w6ich single individual can slip up. int0 o,,a :
ontsde If II were | would not want It.
would rather stay where men are In sorrow
and in struggle. in poverty and IN need, ane
share their sorrow and their sunerlng VIII
them, than escape alone on ule'nne ano
leave the rest to perish.