Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1904-02-25

simply to lay down body of dogh ~.
embodies final truth, and confessioi"cas
which the whole world must subscribe re-
gardless Of individual reason and unaf..
fected by the growth of knowledge and
moral consciousness. The attempt has al
ways failed. There is no creed that holds
the same meaning for us to-day which it
held for mankind century ago. 1t 1T ls
not now actually changed in form, as in
the case of notable number, it is changed
in content to the minds of its adherents.
II we are but willing to open our eyes we
shall find that there are hundreds of means
of salvation, and each me hod breeds
sect. But what does the method signify
beside the tremendous ultimate fact that
Here is the universal and permanent thing,
IN some way the truth has percolated
through every mind that we are put into
this world in order to grow We are not
universally interested in speculations about
Nirvana, or about atonements, or about
the Survival of the fittest" nor in the
discussion as to the proper ann WI }ther
for happiness or virtue. Perhaps every
one is interested in one or another Of
these means to the end, but we are all in
tcrested in the outcome salvation for the
human race. 1t is universal longing. 1t
is one of the permanent things of religion.
Then mankind has been universally m
teresed in another thing-the incarnation.
Ever since man became man and learned
that there was power outside OF himself
to which he was bound he has thought of
this power as in some way entering INTO
and becoming the guiding power OF some
object OF the visible world. At first 1t
was mere stick or stone, tree or river
or wild beast that was the chosen dwelling
place OF deity. Then iii good time the fee.-
in,r ,rra,v that popn but man woull m kp a
suitable habltation for the Creator; so we
hear OF the Greek heroes. descendants OF
the gods" of Druida and Dephic oracles
and Of prophets in all lands whose speech
was controlled in an especial way by Deity.
We hear of perfect incarnation OF Deity
in Buddha born OF virgin. with his dl-
vine parentage attested by miracles OF va
rous kinds. and teaching that there are
many incarnations similar TO his own.
that whenever the world has advanced to
a condition in which its seeds are different
from the old, God incarnates Himself III
mortal who thereupnu becomes a great
leader and prophet. Our minds, OF course,
now revert TO another incarnation, that or
God in Jesus who also taught that there
ore many incarnatlons; who prayed that
His disciples might be one with God as He
Himself was one with Him. And agaln We
see the tendency OF men to obscure the
great truth by the particular example. Inc
truth which has most obviously appealed
to men is the incarnation ol God IN SIM
gle man. or, formerly, IN class OF men,
as prophets or priests. The truth ot that
cndurcS. and that has been pointed out
bv Jesus and all the greatest leaders OF
men Is that OF perpetual and unlverSa IN.
carnations God has breathed the breath or
lite and ha, lit the spark of divinity IN
mankind. for We are HIS children. made IN
His moral image. mhcrItOrS OF Ills divinity
because We are natural sons aud heirs.
This is the tremendous tdct toward winch
the world is cropping. it explains the now
proven TACT that manklnd's trend Is up
ward rather than downward It gives us
the courage for going ON, for keeping up
the struggle when to our restricted view
the obstacles seem lnsupcrablc 1t com
pels us to believe that this world Is found.
cd upon good, that the good 10 Fastening
on toward immortality, while evil Is seiT
destruction. If Gods IN HIS heaven
Gods in His world as well, the gualantor
of it's fundamental integrity, the lnsprer
OF every good thing IN the heart ot man.
DO YOU not see how intimately connected
are the two ideas, the incarnation of God
and the divinity OF man? Boil ideas are
everywhere rccurrcnt IN the theologleS OF
the world, though their particular EXPIRES.
sion IN Que faith Is utterly different from
that in another. and il j, the difference IN
the isolated expressions of the truth that
keeps men apart. The permanent thing.
the larger truth must wait upon on fur'
thcr enlightenment and broadening ot view
before it can bring US together. We are
learning. it Is true. The existence 0t An
unwonted spirit of liberation and unity IN
religion, the modern armatlon OF tine
universally Of spirit shows that we are
catching some glmpscs OF the larger truth