The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-01-26

'SNrcc%r".s':Scs.<.s sS.<:%SsS.%.<S4
| Move to the bloody city Of I,ichfieId -
| presents much more interesting study
! 10 the student OF religious phenomena
! than many illustrations OF the normal
! religious life. Yet II Is not TO be for
gotten that the other is normal and this
| abnormal
We are not desirous as we ara Led
sometimes 10 believe, to escape author
ity. The few who are thus led lie on,
side the range Of humanity's earnest de-
sire ana the sturdy toll OF the race on
The contrary the wise thought OF the qe
Is loyalty devoted to tho inquiry. NOT
How shall we escape the voice OF au-
thority.' but Where shall we find that
mat by Its very nature commends us and
which viii receive our willing obedience. -
SEARCH FOR AUTHORITY.
The search for truth il a search for
authority The pursuit OF ethics Is to
find that which has worth suficient TO
De criterion OF life. On the. basis Of this
the students Of ethics today are divided
IN TWO, or mer-. great parties. In prac-
ucal life as well az in theory there In
no question that Is so persistent n. the
question. what shall ! obey. II We were
dead to that we should he dead to the
thing which not only disnihes but con-
Al.
all We know the animal is not disturbed
by such a question, the fact that we
are. distinguishes us from the animal
~ was the ever recurring question OF
authority that finally led Martin Luther
out OF the fold OF the Roman Catholic
church' II was the ceaseless desire for
stable ground OF authority that led the
me spirited sweet souled Newman
into the Roman Catholic church. where
he found the rest he had sought. who
mas been tossed TO and fro on the sea of
religious thought who has not envied the
mental character OF those who were able
10 throw reason TO the winds and sur
render TO the unfailing guidance Of the
Roman Catholic church.
QUESTION OF AUTHORITY.
II Is question OF authority that sep
arates Professionalism and Roman Cath
olicism today. II Is a question q, an
thority that separates the conservative
ana me liberal In all denominations.
ii 'here IL any difference TODAY be-
tween conservative huma rianism and
Hperal Congregationalism II is a Siner-
ehce fundamentally In their resnec,iva
conceptions OF authority. When one l,fa
uIle's from another 81 is due to a differ
,nce , OF authority One man sinks 10 the
leFeI OF the beast. not because ba has
escaped authority. as no sono,,,as
,hinks but because he obeys the voice
below him e 'oiee
Ahother man rises TO dignined manly
character because he obeyss the voice tho,
is above him 'e Hia'
IL would be surprising that since we are
sIpce una so escape authority. but rather
shlCe We are all seeking 10 find n that
mere should be many mistakes NAL
ne report was carried back 10 Enrsrne
~ 'hu nrst Voyakers 10 our shores that
rarlA
precious metal ''''eu IN
.,SS1 S,nce all men were anxious TO become
sCne a. tbbinGinn biGin ~ is not surprising that
spIne IN ihelr haste and Ignorance trans
ported with great labor and expense shiu
yellow gold " W "e
MANY DECEPTIONs
Nature ga " 10 test our skill has IN.
Nsa ihlIaIol:S OF al! things OF value
srs, siS" nv seemed to be ever ready 10 as
deception into account There is velr,vy
metal mat will not stand the test OF the
sie aIla' .r, mere Ia siik that will not rus
tt' lhsre ere diamonds that Will not cut. ,
glass. There are philosophies. too eiabo-
rate ones, that 40 not explain. Interpre-
ta'l,ns tnat only confuse creeds, from
What what bel,eyo bSgl,nsye' ~ ~hiea do rot cypress
l9gies that DO not save. Laws. there are.
thM do not command obedience
nhheIe are thinys set forth as things OF
authorit%, they have the power of a king
back OF them. the threatening bull of n
rope, the entroaties OF priests. the sane
lions Of ceclessiastical synods. they are
hoary with old age. men bow with cour-
lesN TO their large claims and have re- |
stect 70 their gray hairs, but they don't |
These things have in reality no vital
authority. They can not say do this. and |
men do -. DO not do that, and men re- |
sstran. Yet 10 secure obedience IS the one |
thing that all this blowing OF trumpets |
and shouting ones self h-9 ree a. - so
cure. ~
NOT THE TRUE RING.
The thing Is false. 1t has not the ring
on Carkles eternal yea, yea yea and /
IL alien 70 life II does not seek uf. !
fore, docs not seek IL
me mistakes that are made however.
~ ~ ,, Cnoosing an authority for life are not |
uways due 10 the choice nf an author1fv |
,hat Is alien and evil. We Know tho an. |
ItrSnce most men DO. betW cen gocl and /
~ we are usually able ~ define that |
Whlcn We obey and are In n position 10
say whether q is moral or immoral I'm /
.harncter. There are two kinds OF au-
,,h92rrity. both valid. that are not always
distinguished. and the failure To- do this
ltt-umes causes confusion In Thought /
hsquiet In life and I'm many cases is the
= lurce or disruption In the church and
~ ~ iack OF fruitfulness In Christian llv-
There are two questions which one may
'sk concerning q thing: what Is the
lrgin OF III and second now that tt IS
lere. what is It's value and significance
These two questions and their answers !
tive rise 10 two very different conventions
Z authority. The first may be- called tho
lutnoritv. y thing possesses on the ba els
" its origin or history. the second is the
.uthoritN a thing possesses on tho ba sis
" its worth or value
The failure 10 rec'gnize these two
ources ~ authority is one " tho chief
easons for the conflict that IL being