The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-11-04
WHAT IS BELIEF !?
Is It Necessarily Based on
q Regard For Accepted
Church Dogma.
A CHRISTIAN DEFINED.
May a Non Attendant at
Church Be a True Believer
Among the Churches

Some time ago 1.-THE News printed an
article from the pen of a popular ana
wideawake churchman on the matter OF
religious doubt. The same writer mere
with presents his peculiar views on the
subject Of Christian belief. His remarks
are as follows
During a recent confab with q a
who Is a non-church-goer on some OF the
cardinal religious disputes now agitating
church circles, naturally our CONVERSE
ton drifted In the direction of the true
meaning Of religious belief. and the prac-
teal requirements and possibilities or q
religious life. Now, I found this lady to
be a bright n intelligent person. and
one who has admirable views of he- moral
obligations, and is ~actuated by a CON
scientious regard to what is right and
proper. Butlike a host of men and wom-
en- in the world she has an Idea that one
cannot be q sincere believer without a
perpetual %scrupulous observance of GER
tain established forms and p~erfunctory
acts commonly accepted by many as i'm
peratiye necessities to secure the fullest
realization of profitable advancement in
religious life and the richest soiace OF
religious hope.
Judging from this particular case 1t
strikes me that the ideas Of a great. many
people regarding What is really necessary
in a believer in religious truth Is based on
a reyerent regard for church dogma. and
a high estimation for the reyered theories
and deliyeranees OF the great masters Of
poIemic theology. These things confuse
and bother the mind. People are SO en-
crossed with theories and speeulations
that they seem to lose sight Of the fact
that the Christian religion is the
simplest and most rational system OF
truth ever ~propounded for human investi-
cation n acceptance. 1t just amounts
to the simple belief of a few plain and
evident truths.
"Now h really constitutes a true
Christian? AS / understand h generic
and evangelical significance of the term
It, means one who gives a conscientious
and open ayowai OF a firm persuasion Of
the truth OF the Christian system. Prac-
tically to be a Christian is 60 be an out
right professor OF his belief In the religion
Of Christ. That is to ascertain and follow
the example, and endeavor to obey the
precepts Of Christ so far as 1t is within
the scope of human possibility.
ITO sum up the whole matter, a
Christian who is worthy ofthe name, and
is really sincere is practically a believer
who's life is consistent with his profess
sions. and constantly characterized by all
the essential qualities, and acts of a man
who means well and diligently strives to
be honest, truthful, just. magnanimous,
virtuous n right minded. 1t matters very
little Ii such a man goes to church in a
regular fashion. follows up all of the
external form. and ceremonies of the
church, or whether he sanctions any of
the theories and requirements enforced in
creeds and formulated dogmas.
Real christianity does not depend
upon these things. at least so I view the
matter. A man may never attend church
n confess to rave no creed. and yet be
as sincere and earnest in his belief and
as near to heaven as the most deyout and
habitual church attendant. whose stand
Ing In church circles is rated as Al.
SIT is iamentably true that the Pro-
testant. churches are losing their grip on
the masses. We are compelled to admit
the fact. People do not attend church
yet they are all right. 1t is simply be-
cause the people cannot and evidently do
mot approve of the ereeds. methods and
requirements of the different churches
The Methodist Church in e York City
last year did not average one convert to a
minister. So declares a leading Metro
poiitaH divine, who claims to poEsess am
pie and irrefutable evidence to consirin
his statements. Yet while there are fewer
of all kinds of Protestant Church goers
in the city today than there were many
years ago Their is actually a continual
Increase in the multitude Of men and
women whose very lives are the unmis-
taxable disqualification of the inherent
and controlling essence OF vital religion,
1t shows that the hearts Of the people are
in a good. moral condition. that they
mean well. do well and are living right. /
can see this more and more In my daily
study of humanity.
There are thousands Of men and
women who never think Of going to
church to make a public declaration of
their faith. and yet they are Intelligent.
earnest, true and hopeful Christians In
every sense of the erm.
True religion is based on absolute per-
son2i matters. It Is q belief and practice
that plainly nanlfests itself in the prac-
teal bearings, various relations, common
dealings and domestic retirement of every
day life. Furthermore the main principles
Of Christian belief are quite simple and
easily eomprehended. Any child of or
binary intelligence can grasp them. There
is 10 need Of learned exegesis, or creeds
or church formula to make them apparent,
In respect to the b-rain-sphtting. soul
narrowing devious intricacies. Of the for
midabie dogma Of election and kindred
hgments Of finite conception we need not
lose any sleep. We can get into heaven
without being able to master mystifying
theological problems"