Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-06-20
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blnliy forward. trusting to chance, Is
to Invite di.1ster
Rev clyde q Ordwoy must have felt
thle necessity lie has recently taken
the bearings and We finds that the
churches of the world are about to
lose their leadership lu the progress ot
civilization In the June Arena he ey-
nlalus his views on thls subject The
yuy fact that the chmchcs are under
the necessity OF rasoitlng 10 so many
schemes ana oxpedicn,s, ranging from
"a dime supper to an institutional
church. Is to him proof OF their wan
ms power
Another fact which also indicates
decay Il, IN bis view. that they are on,
of torch with the working classes, that
they have hHt % small place in, and
but a focblo hold upon, the life Of he
great mass OF society II "a also true,
IN the min. Mr. Ordway says. that
the churches are failing TO mold the
Interest and commend ,hc means Of
the more wealthy practical philanthropy
ists and reformcrs, and further fact
that keeps the world aloof from the
churohee,i and dlstruslful Of them IL
act bitterly autagonlstic toward them,
Is the er!l that exists IN their own
rouks.
But according TO this critlc--and who
can successfully dispute him?-the
greatest cause Of inefIioiency In the
chuIch,s IN their enGcavois for the
higher lie OF the world, and the thing
lhut most strongly makes their survival
opon to question is sectaiauism. "The
existence he continues. of large
numbers Of churches, in proportions
atcly small communities, as is often
the case, all striving iealously and sell
fshly and separately to save indlvldu-
al souls by winning them TO their own
particular creed and membership. while
society. in the very midst OF which they
strive, Is honcycombed with degrade
ton. and the uplifting works of com.
mon humanity and reform langulsh in
neglect where the poor starye IN gar
rete or de OF disease for lack Of care.
and crime and corruption flourish In
the back streets while sectaran gos-
pei is preached IN elegant churches to
thin congregations OF well-to-do ana
hisoted Christians who viii not co.
operate with their nelghbors in works
Of humanity and social righteousness
preeonts spectacle OF institutions that
are puerlle and dying Wnd that. per-
haps ought 70 dicl so far as living
ana needy world is concerned"
The fact Is that the churches OF the
world are all so far different from
the divine pattern. as to make 1t i'm
possible FOR them. to serve the purpose
for which the plan was made. by the
great Architect. That is the real cause
Of the conditions observed by the writer
In the Arena This is the sad truth
OF all OF them Not one has remained
true Their builders have all deviated
from the plan, and built on strange
foundations not laid by the first build.
ers, That Is the trouble. Suppose the
government Of great nation would &c.
lect a site for a magnificent govern
ment building, and adopt plan for II.
and cause workmen 10 commence rear.
ing the structure according To the
plans, and on the site selected sup
pose further. that wicked men should
kill or scatter the laborers. and COM
mence erecting a number OF structures
IN many places, each according to other
plans Suppose also that the different
builders would contend between them
selves ana that each OF them would
maintain that his site was that select
ed by the government, and that his plan
was the authorized plan That is.
practically what the denominauonal
situation in the world is today. There
Is a confusion both OF plans and sites.
and for each # Is claimed that It IL
the only one,
The church planned by the Divine
Founder was an organization with I'M
spired men, competent To interprete the
VIII NJ God 10 man In all things es.
seutial 70 the welfare of man u was
endowed with gifts and graces tor the
victory over sin. and an lbs conss-
uumoes temporal and eternal i was
Instituted IN the midst of the earth.
ior The purpos OF gapulmg with the
problems Thee were then OF The utmost
Importance. 10 leyclod mankind. but
not hv lowering any OF its strata bu,
by cevatinr them olL It aimed at The
emancipation OF woman. the liberation
" tho slave, the democratic idea IN
government and the general brother.
hood Of man under the supreme rule OF
the Eternal Father It aimed at the
establishment of peace. truth Justice.
Such was the Church such her aims
and purposes
Bot all this was changed when The
church and the world were gradu.
ally merged into one The ola
Roman psennism assuming the
robes u the church. The council
Of Nice marks really the obdication Of
,he church leaders Ia favor Of pagan
rulers and from that hour the
church now apostauzsd. commenced
70 lose Us power Tor good
The reformation ana not help matters
much We would be the last TO deny
the sincerity Of the Reformars. or the
great good thai came from their work
without which mankind Womb t,ds,