Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-04-27
JEW, CATHOLIC, PROTESTANT

A short time ago a lecture was de-
| liyered by a New York author and pub
lclst, Mr.. David Lubln, on the three
great branches Of religious thought rep
resented by Jews, Catholics, and Pro-
testants. The lecture Is reproduced in
The Rochester Herald OF the 10th Of
this month. It contains much that is
worthy of thoughtful consideration
though at times the lecturer INDUCES In
fancful flight not unlike that Of the
followers Of the famous mystic, Swed-
enborg.
The lecturer suggests the unification
Of the three religious systems mem
toned. AS to how this can be done, he
is, very naturally, silent. But speaking
on the subject Of unity he makes this
original and striking explanation:
Let us for the time being set aside
their respective doctrines and primarily
take up the consideration Of their
names and what these names mean, and
We find that Israel means Champion
OF God Catholic means Universal,
and Protestant one who protests And
now let US for the time being combine
all these and we have The Universal
Champion OF God In constant Protest
protest against ignorance and wrong
The inference drawn is. that an or
ganizatlon that would indeed be a
champion Of God, universal and pro-
testing against wrong would be the
Church Of God. There would be no OBJ
lection, he thinks, to such an organiza-
ton. 1t would maintain its place In the
world as the greatest factor for good.
But the three organizations have all
lost that which their respective names
stand for, He says:
Are the people then opposed to them
because the churches are the Universal
Champions OF God in constant protest
against Ignorance and wrong?
II think not, | believe on the con-
trary, that the people object to the jew
ish church because IL Is not in our day
The Champion OF God, that they OBJ
ject 10 the Catholic church because II
is not I'm our day Universal, and that
they object 20 the Protestant church be-
cause Il does not In our day Protest
against ignorance and wrong.
"The objection therefore, springs from
the fact that the churches assume
names and titles 70 which they have
no right when viewed by the claims
which they make and by the labors
which they seyerally and collectively
perform. The Jew prays, but does not
champion: the Catholic prayr. bui does
not universalize. and the Protestant
prays. but does not protest. The letter
Ia here. but the spirit elsewhere. and 10
II has come to pass that many, seeing
The hoIlowness Of the churches, are led
TO become Indifferent and In time to
antagonize,'
Thore is much truth in this The very
object for which the Church OF God was
founded upon earth, was that It should
be universal and a champion Of the
right. protesting against all that Is
wrong. For that cause the Savior died,
and the martyrs followed in His steps.
When the church left this mission un-
performed. II became one with the
world, an apostate church.
But how can union, and return to
first principles be effected? That is,
after all the important question. Ger
talnlv not by joining together the three
branches. all OF which, according TO
the lecturer. have failed In their mis-
sions. Three errors do not make one
truth: three dead branches tied to-
rether do not form one live branch
three diseased organisms in one room
do not make one strong and healthy
organism.
The Lord. Himself, has provided In