New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-10-21
CREED REVISION.
WHAT CORRESPONDENT REGARDS AS THE
FUNDAMENTAL ERROR OF ORTHODOXY

WHAT a CORRESPONDENT REGARDS AS THE
FUNDAMENTAL ERROR OF ORTHODOXY
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: The important Presbyterian Church dissat-
shed with its venerable creea is openly agttating
for e change. Other important sects are quietly
drifting away from their Orthodoxy" Early IN
this century, during my boyhood, the zeal and
growth OF churches were greatly stimulated by the
aerce heat and pungent odor Of burning birthstone
Even when the preachers theme was God is
love" II he saw unconverted hearers present he
5ared not close his discourse without puneent
warning and appeal-preaching that made me red
not with righteous Indignation, and drove some
insanity and even TO death Growing intel-
gence has so changed this that I have not hear
genuine. old fashioned hell fire sermon" in near
" a half century. Then the feeble protests of
Cniversalism almost unheeded but now It's
mite OF early leaven is leavening the whole mass
God is too just and loving 10 doom any of us 10
eternal torment therefore there must be a proba-
ton Of great efficiency after death" All or nearly
all viii be finally saved the pulpit ceases TO warn
and the pews become careless. self-ndulgent
This increasing peril 10 church efficiency arises
from one fundamental error Of orthodoxy Beecner
he year before his death repudated this error in
an editorial Of The Christian Union" A few
other clergymen have lately done likewise but no
marked impression is yet visible I ask The Trib-
insert this article because o. an almost life
long acquaintance with it demonstrates its love
viii secure wide and attention; O. editors
OF great denominational pa pers. pledged and per
haps prejudiced could not insert IL.
OrthodOxys fundamental error is the doctrine
Of mans natural Immortality. so widely believed
IN both Christian and pagan nations: that man is
a dual of body and soul-this soul being an i'm
material. immortal unit entity. the real man. and
body the complex instrument Of soul. The lessons
Of nature and Of the Bible contradict this We
know that is ''begotten Of corruptibIe seed 80
gsstated and born Just domestic animaIs-a
purely animal process that cannot create immortal
only. said He who created Dust thou art
and unto dust shalt thou return To a company
Of Jews who were fun Of animal life He said I'VE
viii not come unto that might have ffe
Like natural brute beasts, made 10 be taken and
destroyed, such shall utterly perish in their own
corruption Man must be begotten again of in
ChrisD and born again from the dead in the
First Resurrection this mortal can put on
Immortality i the bread which COM
eth GOWN from heaven. II any man eat OF this
bread he shall 1--we forever" Not eating he must
finally be as though he had not been
Reason, facts Bible thus harmonize But or
thocoXy, teaching Chrlst's inerrancy and mans
natural Immortality. Is staggered by Christ's en-
phatic teaching that few IND the way ~ l,fl ;,
many the way OF destruction" II man is I'm -
mortal, destruction must mean eternal Conscious
suffering. Christ, whose noblest work is bestower
Of immortality, is thus ignorently robbed Nv
churches consecrated 10 Him. Reform this funds-
mental error, and creed revision win be easv
At the Chicago Worlds Fair there was s yerv
attractive Parliament Of Religions" He who rem
resented Christianity did understand IN. ms de
Il merely system Of morality thus reducing n 10
the level Of great pagan religions, whose morality
Is based on the Golden Rule. If Buffalo has ons
may Il select better advocate.
S1iddletown. Conn. Oct. !. 1900