The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1899-03-31

The realization of God as his Father
was the handspring and keynote of the
life of Jesus. Every duty was under
taken with the incentive, II must be
about my Fathers business"
Realizing for himself the stimulating
power of this joyous relationship, there
is no evidence in the Gospel narratives
that he sought to restrict this comfort
and inspiration to himself. He lived
among his disciples, and they lived with
him, all working together for common
end. He prayed to his Father, and
taught them when they prayed, like him
to utter the endearing words, sour Fa-
ther." He might have reserved this for
himself,-"My Father,"-and taught
them to say something else,-as, "Thou
awful Sovereign" or, "Thou Ipscrutable
and Unknowable, Judge Of ALL" l re-
ally think that, had the task been assign
ed to some Of our theologians at certain
periods of the thought Of Christendom,
something of this kind would have been
offered.
The study of the history OF Christian
doctrine Is a most suggestive one, though
to many it would be dry reading. Con-
captions of what Christian doctrine is
show the widest divergence. The Roman
church has always held in theory, and
declares IL today through her popes,
that the doctrine of Christ is o sort OF
deposit, left In trust to the church to pre-.
serve intact, just az one would deposit
some yaluables In bank vault. There
they are to remain, and are not to be
tempered with.
A more logical and Scriptural view ii
that Christ's doctrine is an organism, 6
seed, Ieaven, which is TO grow anC
spread, with new and more abundant
manifestations for every age. This hal
In fact been the case. Despite the effortI
of the Roman, or any other church, ther'
Ia no such thing as unanimity with re
gard to scores of matters OF Christian
thought. Even In the Roman church
Itself, that most conservative of institu
tions, there is as much difference between
the "Ultramontane" and Liberal wings
as there Is between the most diverse o
the evangelical denominations of Protes
tantism.
Every age,-one might almost say eV
cry nation, --has had, lthen, and presum
ably ever will have, It's distinct type o
Christian doctrine. And this
DOES NOT IMPLY THAT CHRIsT's TEACH
NGs ARE REJECTED OR ALTERED
In any degree, for they are not. 1t 1
largely matter of where the emphasi
Ia to be laid, of changes in crstomar,
forms Of expression, OF the point OF view
Of more or less complete understand
Ing OF their spirit.
Ii Ia interesting, In view of the natura
conservatism of mankind, who cling /,
an idea or formula and defend it, sfmpl,
because it is venerable, how, neverthe
less, through the processes of TRANSITION
Inevitable in this on.rushing univers
whirling through space, these idols ar
one by one gradually shattered, thes
shibboleths are altered. Fond hearts, o
all religious faiths, have lovingly con
structed their choice creeds, walled AM
Ou1GKtsscu LuGm ~ Wills 1nU mOSS sun
stantiaI OF intellectual stone then In ex
istence, and have planted their anathe
mas against any one who should dare t
trespass upon the sacred precincts. Bu
time and change have not spared them
A Russian countess, a violent disbe
lever in future life, had built after he
death, through the provision of her viii
mausoleum II stone, Of the stronges
type that could be devised. In this he
remains were placed, and the entranc