Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-02-06
The Old Testament and Education.

the OtC testament ana CQuCdN,on.
Religious education differs from re-
liGious instruction. The later aims at
giving information or exact knowledge.
the former includes more. 1t seeks to
influence the Will, 10 fashion or mold
the character 1t IS Il process Of soul
nutrition. of the development of ones
moral aud spiritual nature. The fun
damental postulate of this Is the recog-
milton OF an all-controlling. allloving,
personal force in nature and in human
life: or. in other words. belief in
God. This Is the subsiratum OF a re-
hgious education, as the meaning of
the word religious Itself implies.
And the Old Testament is the incom-
parable means of impmssing this be-
lief, because OF all writings having
this idea of a God in a high and
worthy form II takes this Idea the
most for granted. One reads the
modern newspaper without necessarily
thought of divine activity. in the
world. One reads of the Old Testament
with scarcely any other thought. This
universal presence OF God in all his
tory, In all human life, is stated by
the Old Testament writer's, not as an
iulSISHtts pat ih'Nt- iAC - s''s'N
lutely and directly at hand. He is as
real as the events and actors with
whom he associated With equal di-
rectness and impressiveness does the
Old Testament teach the fact OF the
controlling personal force in nature as
we'll as IN history.
We are to observe that the teaching
of the history OF the Hebrews, which
Involves Biblical criticism, is not the
same as the teaching of religion The
two things ought to be kept distinct.
A great fault, NO my mind, In the usual
expositions of the Sundays school les
sons taken from the Old Testament, Is
that these two spheres of teaching are
inext,dcably jumbled together. His
torical Investigation, however, has
place in religious education in Interest,"
ing persons in religious truth.
Arc Church Endowments Desirable?
The manner OF providing financial
support is subject of perennial in
terest among church people. One plan
proposed is the establishment of
endowment funds. Some of the prac-
tical advantages and disadvantages of
such an arrangement are pointed out
by the Rev. II. w. Watjin, in the
Waterman.
A church endowment seriously af-
fects the snirN of benevolence. II cam
not be otherwise. AS a rule people Will
not give unless they feel a strong Inn
pulse or are strongly urged. "A
church endowment fosters more or less
the spirit of greed. The question with
many As not, What can l give to the
church?' but, What can l get?" a
church endowment takes away one
great incentive to endeavor. viz,
necessity. Where there is money
enough, there seems to be nothing to
work for. A church ndowment Gre
a.es more or less jealousy on the part
of outsiders. An endowed church IS
constantly beset with solicitations for
aid of every description. Ihese are
some OF the disadvantages. Let US
look at the advantages. A church en-
dowment takes q tremendous purueh
from the shoulders of the pastor. He
has no care about the next month >
salary. He can meet his own financial
obligations promptly, and not lose the
esteem Of his fellow citizens. 1t enables
tha ,.astor to concentrate his energy
along spiritual lines. While pastors Oh
other churches are planning some
money-making scheme, he can lay out
campaign for evangeilsac work'
What to me is the greatest advantage
os an endowment is, that 1t enables
! the church to carry on It's goou WORN
on a high plane even in 4 declining
| community An endowment gives q
church also a social standing that IS
not to be altogether despised. An en-
dowment enables the church to make
and TO keep its house of worship at
tractlve Many OF our churches are
not adapted for the best possible Wofh'
they are cherries. uneomforiaoie' NJ
ventilated. Does an endowment dc.
stroy the spirituality of the church
Nv mo means. The worldly minded
may be found alike i'm the poor ana III
| the rich church.