The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-06-11
Rev. d. Il. Gowen Untangles
Some of Its Difficulties.
THREE STUMBLING BLOCKS
Preacher Denies Charges That
Chrisfs Teachings Blind Men to
Duty I'm This World, That They
Contain Nothing Positive, and Do
Not Directly Condemn slavery or
War-ChristIanity and Patriotism.

At the evening service at Trinity Parish
church yesterday the rector, Rev. H. II.
Cowen, discussed the subject Of Moral
Difficulties OF the New Testament" basing
Che discourse on ST. paufs words to the
Philippians dv-s). Whatsoever things are
true. whatsoever things are honorable,
whatsoever things are just, whatsoever
things are pure. whatsoever things are
lovely, whatsoever things are Of good re-
port; II there he any virtue and II there
be any praise, think on these things
This text" said the preacher. is one
OF the most comprehensive precepts Of
progressive ethics ever penned and most
men would be prepared TO regard Il as
fair description Of the ideal Of conduct
which Christianity has set before the
world. Indeed 80 universal has been the
feeling that the grace and truth which
came by Jesus Christ have been the SUI
preme reforming forces Of the world in
The realm OF morals that II may come as
a startling revelation that there are
those who profess 10 find moral difficulty
In the New Testament However. that
there are such. and these OF influence in
the world Of letters and Of culture forces
upon us the need OF examining and con-
fronting their position.
"A typical example Is afforded in Mr..
lie Gaillenne's Religion OF a Literary
tion we have accomplished the inestima-
BILE separation OF theology and religion,
he declares that such a book as Whit
mans Leaves OF Grass" IS more help
ful than the New Testament for 1t in
cludes more
Signs Of the prevalence Of such a feel
ing are manifested In the substitution Of
ethical culture for a religion Of worship
and duty and probably the feeling has
been 10 some extent nourished by the
Spencerian doctrine of the evolution Of
ethics from the desire to obtain what -
agreeable. But nearly all the criticisms
floating around at the present time with
regard 20 the morality OF Christianity
may. so far ns this generation Is con-
cerned, be traced back to two dIstin-
guished writer's, Francis W, Newman
and John Stuart Mil Not that the two
are agreed together, for whereas Newman
alleges the defects are not partial, but
total They pervade the entire moral
system ana are the greater in each part
the greater It's importance AR Mill Is
found declaring, 1 am as far az any
one. from pretending that these defects
are necessarily inherent In Christian eth
les In any manner In which 1t can be
conceived
Ready to Meet all Critics.
This contradiction might be deemed a
sufficient answer but we are ready to
come to closer quarters. As preliminary
II IL we'll to romemher that Christianity
is not primarily a moral system Chris
tians do not think Of Christ as a moral
philosopher, but as power OF life. Other
religious systems were la essence codes
OF morals. Christ came to give a. new
motive and new power for the keeping
Of the law. Yot, since Christ came also
as n moral exemplar. It would be fatal
10 HIS GLAZING could II be shown that His
morality falls short OF the highest. The
simplest way Of examining the question
H. 30 take the objections against His
teaching which have been urged
MIR. Newman's first complaint is that
tho New Testament contains no body OF
precepts elaborated 20 meet tho various
needs OF life To this the surlcient an
swer Is one that Il is against the ideal
OF Christian growth that the religious
life should be reduced 20 the keeping OF
rules our growth f. to ho not mechani-
cal, but organic Second no body OF
precepts can be framed absolutely valid
everywhere and At all times. The Talmud
made the EFFORT IN fourteen folio volumes
and failed. Cicero attempted It with
tudicrous results IN De Oficus' The
Caruists 81 the middle ages attempted 1t
and the results to religion were fatal.
since the ingenuity OF meeting fresh cases
found it's equal III the discovery of fresh
lOophoics or escape.
Infinitely hotter "a the safeguard OF
progressive morality ia the grand Chris
tiRn generalization, Thou shalt love the
lord thy God with all Thy heart ana t1y
pcighhors rs thy self since here Is in
culcated an obedience resting on love and
tho desire after conformity of character
and brotherhood limited los no divisions
OF country race or acct Thus 81 An
gus,ino well summed up the cthic. OF
Christianity IA a phrase. only love and
then do what thou wilt