The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-04-22

mont" A few weeks aso the writer attended
q lecture at the Roman Church OF 81. Francis
Xavier IN Sixteenth street. where there was q
weeks mission. Never In any church or BY
any speakers have ths terrors Of death and the
last judgment been more ~ieariully described
thar they were BY those Jesuit priests. to a
church crowded from end to end by men,
for II was q special mission to men
At the end. after two speakers had
expended all their strength In assalling the
wicked. the men present were informed MAJ
ten confessors we're present to receive their
confessions all this TO a church crowded In
every part for a week. night after night. What
do we see In our Protestant churchesf Empty
pews. whilo at Catholic churches. preaching q
God OF vengeance for sin. a God OF wrath. the
several services OF the day are each crowded
with believers. Yet Protestant ministers think
! by modifying the creed, taking out the sting OF
original sin. preaching only a God OF mercy. OF
loving kindness. a Christ OF forgiveness, that
the churches will fllP Whatever may become
OF nv Protestant Church. there ls a last resort.
Rome stands faithful to the ancient creed 10
most things, and we can or must forgive her
some shortcomings.
But II cannot be that our Protestant faith Is
10 20 uoWn UeIDTo w hSStutS VI hoh "">
seem more regardful OF self than OF the time.
honured faith OF the fathers. BY the higher
criticism they would DESTROY the Old Tesla
ment for the sake OF science and modern mock
sentiment. The so.called myths are to DO
expurgated and original sin and the vengeance
OF a God OF wrath for sin are to be eliminated
Pelasius II was who introduced the heresy that
children were born sinless as Adam was
..xAs nnl k-x- ka alupnnfal hantiRn
yet original sin was done away with. 30. We
must assume II, our modern heresiarchs would
do. Plagiarism has plagued the Church ever
since and seems to have Q fresh hold now.
After the Nicene Council. Arianism. by policy
and favcritism OF the court. prosecuted Trini-
tarianism. Athanasius was exiled time after
time, and when Genseric in Africa at the head
OF the vandal power-a brutal tyrant. Arian In
name rather than In faith -persecuted with as
much terror and barbsrlty as ever did any
Roman Emperor. Augustine. worn with the
labor OF writing against the herssy OF Pelagius.
died he. the ever faithful and steadfast Chris
tian writer, from whom Calvin drew the in-
s~piration OF his faith and communicated itto the
fathers OF English and Scotch Presbyterianism.
SO predestination and election, ~effectual call
ing and salvation. became the faith OF the early
retormers in France. the Netherlands and In
Great Britain. as against Lutheranism in Ger
many and consubstantiationL. The Church OF
England embraced it up to the time that Laud
led II away out OF malice into Armlnianism.
the noncontormists protesting,
In America. New England churches were also
~fervent in 1t. Harvard was founded to educate
ministers in that faith. Now Harvard has
fallen from grace. Arianism has made sad
havoc there. In this last year Yale. ever the
home OF the C~alvinist as Harvard was, no
longer holds chapel services. 1t Is too large. too
rich. The last President elected was on a
modern financial and not theological PLATFORM
elected for a purse-holder, and not to cad In
prayer: and 30 they make merchandise OF the
ancient study OF theology. Perhaps better 30
than q corps OF professors who teach the de-
structior OF faith in the old ideals. who spend
their years picking flaws in the Scriptures OF
the Old and New Testament,
The nnality OF il all may be Rome. AN
roads lead to Rome" said the ancient writer.
II NAV come true In this later time. and we
may live to bless the rock Of 81. Peter against
which the waves beat In vain. "a we may well
do, II the Popes OF the future prove to be as
faithful as the last two. II may be. element
will come sgain-with temporal power put
away as a temptation. and only spiritual
power retained. spiritual power purified.
Let the Protestant Church make a stand for
the early faith OF the fathers. or go over into
opportunism. and with that make merchandise
offalth. as Harvard and Yale have done.
NEW YORK. April 20. THOMAS ScoTr.