The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1900-06-16


Ho,o scouId the Sermon on the Mount do
for q Confession Of Fdith'"
'Burn theological millinery Put
old doctrines into a inuseum.n Thus
cried Rev. DR.. Bekrend in his address
to the recent Ecumenical Conference.
I heartily approve the tontre and the
shelving. 1t was pleasant to hear the
applause which greeted the Doctors
vigorous language.
Once stooa ia the gloom OF theo
logical library, and what I saw on the
shelves touched my spirit with melan-
choly surprise. There we're tones and
folios aud psnphlets, tier on tier
works on the Standards of the Church,
Apostolic Succession, the Real Pres
enoe, 8aptismal Regeneration, Eternal
Tseprobation, Imputed Righteousness,
Prcdestination to Eternal Death, the
Hypostatic Union, Salvation by Faith
Alone, the Divine Right of the Episco-
pate
4 bOOho a0AlNCl lCScs dll isCies iot
tell the way to the blessed life. Christ
tells it in & single line! But they were
there, tier on tier, the rubbish heap
of ages. All occasional grain OF good
in it, perhaps like the infrequeut jewel
} in the eatacombs. But the general
irn pres ion was disheartening, appalI-
ing, sepulohural.
If religion is real, if it is worth while
at adj, it certainly rests on some deep
'fundamentsl principle, something sim
I plex practical and obvious. God is
: Love and Wisdom, and it is unthinkable
4 to suppose that He has made the
salvation Of His children depend on
\ belief In some metaphysical creed
t whose intricacies leave them in hope
: less intellectual confusion.
y 4 do not remember that Jesus exactet
of His disciples any statement O
Il opinion. They were simply to follov
f Him, engage in works OF charity am
j. good will, help in the new teaching
!. healing and feeding ministry. Fl
Is forced no creed upon the Twelve
a. They were permitted to serve and gro'
e in silence, the truth unfolding With
them like flower.
Mea will not always be agreed co q
corning speculative theology, but the
# can always love and serve. Ia simpl
rs, Hove and service, then, we find the onl
of possible basisfor union among ueu {
% %, good will.
ss Everywhere is heard general d,
10 Lmand la the churches ior simple
n creed. How would the Sermon on tn
40 Mount do for a.eonfession of faitht
"a II we wish something simpler still
,sj we might take the Golden .Rule. I'll
or Master declared this rule to be "tf
ma Law and the Prophets" This certaiul
Of will do to begin with; the practice
to this divine principle will keep US a
busy for centuries to come. Whe
we have eommitteao this rule to Iii
thoroughly 1t will be time enough
ask for the next problem.
'us Or, If you prefer, let US take the d
ng rection given the rioh young man WI
&c. went running to Jesus, and who, knee
'at ing, asked Him, "What shall do tn;
L HAY luutgIb 6tOHhal itiCs llCl
IL certainly jesus announces the essenti;
ne reg uisite. What does He answe
ne Does He refer the yo1ug man to
ed metaphysical confession of faith? N
IRE His answer is as direct, simple ar
reasonable as the light. He tells Il
10 Young man to keep tn commandment
ne Finally He tells him to consecrate b
DO, life and fortune in the common goo
On another occasion Jesus ANNOUNCE
nt. His own commandment saying: 9TH
ny is my commandme that We love o,
III, anothec as have loved YOU.
eu These commandments are simpl
f. yet profound as life, all pointing
one central principal--that ms
should look away from seltinterest al
for learn to help the neighbors in Il
ew spirit of humility ard Joy. How wou
my these commandments serve for 4 co
me fession of faith?
re. Aud now take the dramatic paSsa:
where Christ descr .bes the last J1d
ment. Men have lived their lives al
IS. are standing before the Great JUDI
At the final assize. What in tina, drei
hour decides the fate OF men! y
their belief or disbelief in dogmat
ost- theology. Not even their opinio
ing about God. No, the one thing tn
Vs- tells Tor destiny is their treatmene
ady their fellows. Those who are accept
ere are received with the words, II W
ite hungry and ye gave Me drink; max
+, as and We clothed Me; sick and ye ca
ons unto Me.* For inasmuch as ye
rive it unto the least OF these my brethr
will We did it unto Me-"
nay What sublime vision Of justice a
lker humanity
the When happily we learn that religi
get at bottom is secular service, that
La love God is TO love the true and order
t is life, we shall be too busy living our J
enir ligion to find time ta hunt heretics
and their opinions. II we must ha
ct church trials, let them all be in re
rimapd of those brethren who a
can failing to live by the law Of charity a
will affectionate justice. Let us have tria
il you will, in cases where there h
been failure to feed the hungry a
clothe the naked-where men ha
our ground the faces of the Door 10 p
nth up their blood marked millions.