The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1904-04-06

this Or that dogma or denomination
al creed? If there Is not, what ex-
cuse Is there for the existence, in
every city and village in the land,
of SO many churches which differ
only on some abstru ,e question OF
theology? Will some one arise and
give a reason for it-not narrow,
technical constipated reason, but a
broad. logical, convincing one?
There was erected at Hamline,
Mimi, few years ago theological
seminary building, by society
known as the Norwegian synod.
The building cost $4,000. Before
this seminary was two years old
ground was broken for still larger
one at ST. Anthony Park, two miles
distant, by the United Church So
ciety (Norwegian). The latter, now
complete and in full operation, cost
S115, 900. I had asked several peo-
pie, adherents to one society or the
other, to explain the difference be-
tween the two societies, but none OF
them was able to say more than that
the difference was one pertaining to
theology. One day | happened to
meet the vice president and secre-
tary of the ST. Anthony Park semi
nary, and asked him the same ques-
ton. He was very intelligent and
courteous gentleman and, at my re-
quest he put his answer in writing.
Here it is: "The theological differ
ence between the two bodies to
which the ST. Anthony Park and
Hamline seminaries respectively
belong has reference to the doctrine
'Predestination The United
Church, on this point, holds to the
old Lutheran view, while the Nor
wegian Synod leans toward the Cal
vanistic doctrines"
Think of it! Two great institu-
tons, less than two miles apart,
costing in the aggregate of 5000, 600,
and maintained at an enormous ex-
pense, all because they differ, and
differ but partially at that, on the
doctrine of predestination! 1t would
seem as reasonable for church
body to separate and worship in
different buildings because it could
not agree as to whether the planet
Mars is inhabited. Our moral and
physical obligations are neither
altered nor lessened by any views
we may entertain concerning pre-
destination, or any other question
of theology. Our duties and re-
sponsibilities to ourselves and to
others are precisely the same what
ever views we may hold, and the
church does the greatest good
which reaches out the farthest with
it's arms of moral, mental and ply
steal assistance.
DR.. Hills is not the only one that
has seen that the conspicuous ten
dency of the age, in religious mat
tiers as we'll as other things, is
toward the practical. Men in all
walks of life, and all commercial,
civil and political bodies are recon
struct;ng their methods to conform
to this tendency. Church members
are continually shifting from one
denomination to another, and min.
listers everywhere are severing de-
nominational cords aid joining the
So called Peoples churches
where less attention is given t.
creeds and more to deeds. They
desire to embrace religion for its
morality and not for it's dogmas
Abstruse questions of theology are
being dimissed because they are in
competent, irrelevant and immater
lial, and because the' people prefer
something more practical, some
thing that helps the needy anc
makes the world better, wiser ant
| happier.
The little city of Redwood Falls
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