Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-04-20
OLD CREED MADE NEW,

A new departure in the statement Of
faith mas been made by the Maple
wood Congregational church, Of
Maiden, Mass The old and elaborate
confession, to which members former
ly were to subscribe has been aban-
doned for the following:
u believe in God, the loving Father
Of the race.
hood Of man, as taught by Jesus
Christ.
II believe In Jesus Christ as the Su-
preme Revealer OF divine character, as
the moral and religious Teacher the
spiritual Guide and the Redeemer Of
men.
In uniting with this church. prom.
lse 10 give myself 10 its service, to
work for Its upbulding, and 10 walk
with all its members and with all men
In a spirit of charity and faithful
ness"
The first notable point in this Is the
fact that faith in universal brother
hood is placed between faith in the
First and Second Person of the Deity.
The old confessions OF faith always give
our Lord the next place after the Eter-
nal Father, both Of whom they declare
to be OF the same essence equal in pow
err and IN glory. Here the Son is given
rank next 10 universal brotherhood"
Another notable point Is that the Sec
ond Person Of the Deity Is not declared
TO be God OF Cod" but merely "the
supreme Reyealer of divine character"
the Teacher" the Guide" and "the
Redeemer,' His divine attributes and
character are evidently not recognized.
though the first place is accorded Him
among the worlds Jewellers" teach.
ers, guides" and "r2deemers" much In
the same way as the first place among
prophets Is by Mohammedans accorded
to the Arabian prophet and reformer.
sun another remarkable feature OF
the declaration of faith is the absence
OF all reference to the Holy Spirit, by
orthodoxy always regarded as the third
Person of the tribune God. A great
change Of sentiment in regard to the
orthodox conception of the Deity must
have taken place in certain quarters
Of the Christian" world. We are aware
that Congregationalists do not claim
authority for their declarations OF
faith. They do not believe In creeds as
bond Of union still such statements
must be intended to convey an idea
Of what is commonly believed among
their members. Otherwise there would
be no object whatever in formulating
and publishing such statements.
There is no doubt that the thought
Of the religious world is slowly under
going a transformation. The tenden-
cy is to recede from the old creeds ana
standards Of faith, many OF which are
wholly unintelligible and 10 find some
simpler and more practical definitions
Of doctrine There is quite a strug-
gle between the old and the new. In
this struggle many are lost 10 the
churches. Their faith falls when the
ancient foundations are shaken II
seems to us that what the entire re.
igious world just now needs Is 10 adopt
and to act upon some such declara-
ton Of faith as this.
we believe all that God has re-
vealed. all that He does now reveal.
and we believe that He viii vet reveal
manv great and important things per-
tanning to the Kingdom Of God"
II is impossible 10 find a way out OF
all error except through the light Of
revelation. 1t is not possible to prog
ress in the right direction unless that
Hight be continually with us. Most OF
the churches are now where they were
ages ago, In knowledge They are
stationary, while In other respects the
world has advanced. From every large
body fractions have broken loose, be-
cause they could no longer bear the
armour OF the generations long ago
pest, but felt the Irresistible need Of
new modes Of thought and methods.
But they, too, have become stationary.