North Park union., 1901-03-15
Religion.


Man is a worshipping being. ne
may not only worship terrestrial
things; but an invisible intelligence
} which he acknowledges above and be-
yond himself And little wonder
simply because 1t is a principle i'm.
planted in the nature of every son
and daughter born in Adams race.
Should any deny this, then let him
take his place in the kennel or corral,
and associate with his own kind; for
a belief in God or supreme being is
I the line drawn between man and beast.
Or, let him turn to the 14th chapter
Of Psalms, and read the first sentence
| OF the first verse, and say within him
self, "that means me" While there
remains the faintest belief OF super.
natural power IN the human heart, at
some time or under some circum.
stances it will crop out, although it
may take the presence Of big me-
teor to make it manifest.
But n belief in supreme being,
and the necessary steps taken to ap-
pease the wrath or gain the favor of
the same, by human beings, goes by
the name religion. But the Chris
tians' worship means more than
merely religion. 1t means salvation,
and salvation means to be saved
saved from the common curse which
is on all men, saved from the curse
man brings on himself, saved 70
highest realms of bliss.
| Tho Mohammedans, the followers
of Buddha, of Confucius, and others,
have a religion--but the Christian
has salvation. The term Christian
means very great deal. It means
to be like Christ. II is said of him
that he was perfect, and that guile
was never in his mouth. To be Il
strict observer of all the precepts and
examples found in the Christians
Bible, and be free from all tho con.
taminating influences Of the world,
does mean very great deal. The
word plainly tells us that "the soul
that sinneth, it shall die" And with
out purity OF heart no man shall see
God. II this be true we can readily
see that some whole creeds and sec.s |
are simply libel on the name OF
Christians. For some even go so far
as to deny the divinity of Christ,
when the word plainly tells us that
there is no name under the heaven |
given among men whereby we must
be served, only Christ. That he
Christi has all power on earth and in
heaven. That no man comcth to the |
Father but by me Christi. Yet the
very name Christian is held in de
rision-and why should it not be?
If salvation is to be judged by those
who take the name of Christian. The
world can plalSly see that there is an
Inconsistency somewhere, and without
taking the trouble to investigate, will
pass a rash judgment.
There are few books in existence
that men, both in and out of the
church, are so profoundly ignorant of
as the Christians Bible, yet we live
in land of bibles. Where does the
trouble lay2 Too many loaves and
fishes, preachers. The demands Of
God are stringent. They strike at
the passions and evil incllnations of
the human heart. The demands are
implicit obedience. Too many chick
en-hearted preachers, afraid Of their
bread and butter-of their popularity
we're never sent of God, but ordained
by men. Men have taken the respon-
sibiiity Of governing the church on
their own shoulders, and have left
God out, hence God has little or moth.
ing to do with the churches of to-day,
hence the calamitous result.
Men everywhere are asking the
question, what are the churches CON-
ing TOT Better ask, whero are they
going to? People are making q
great bug-a-boo about the saloons.
Let the saloons alone and convert the
churches. Then Mrs Nation can lay