Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-03-17
REAL RELIGION rs DIVINE.

The term religion has q variety OF
Interpretations in these latter times,
Every form Of faith and worship,
whether Christian or Pagan, Jewish or
Gentle, may come within the meaning
of the word religion. But this can
scarcely be applied TO opinions that
do not include belief IN and obedience
10 n Supreme Being, The definition
given by the Apostle James, though
rot complete. may be regarded as corr
rect az far as il goes; that Is Pure and
indebted religion before God and the
Father Is this. TO visit the fatherless
and widows IN their affliction and to
keep himself unspottcd from the
world" This recognizes both belief
in God, even the Father, and practical
Righteousness
The christian" religion, as COM
monty understood, comprehends all the
different forms and socts and organ
izatlons which recognize Jesus of Naz-
areth as the Christ the Savior Of man
kind, and receives the principles which
he advocated as rules for human con-
duct. Any so-called religion" that
does not accept them cannot be rightly
denominated Christian
There Is tendency, however, among
some people protesting TO be Chris
tlon, to regard the Savior of mankind
as lie proclaimed himself, only as a
great teacher Of philosophy and ex-
cmplar for human emulation That
IS TO say. He was no more than an UNI
common man, tho son of Joseph the
carpenter, whose existence began with
His birth AZ Bethlehem and whose
death was simply an execution AZ Il
condemned malefactor, which was
cruel and unjust but bearing IN 1t no
vicarious Offering or atonement for
the sins OF the world. With them re-
ligon does not inhere IN a series of
oral or written revelations from God
the Father, adapted TO conditions ex-
isting when made known from on
high, but Of a growth IN human in
telligence and conception OF right and
wrong, thus making all religions Of
human origin and all ideas Of Deity
the thoughts and notions Of mortal
men.
II this modern definition OF religion
Is right. then 1t is certain that the dec
larations made by Jesus Christ, az re-
corded In the New Testament and
those OF his apostles who eXpounded
the Christian faith az well as the an
nouncements OF the Hebrew prophets
found IN the old Testament scriptures.
are false aud delusye and to be re-
jected 10y stlonal persons In this more
enlightened period If there Is no
such actual parsonage as the God de-
scribed in the Bible, who talked with
chosen agents on earth and revealed
Himself By the means described in
holy writ, and of whom Jesus OF Naz-
nreth was the only Begotten from
whom he came and TO whom he re-
turned and Of whose image lie was
the express likeness, then that which
has been relied upon for ages az the
fNNN'Aif lfeANANf " NNitf AlA' WY AHAiN
dalton Of real religion is nothing bat
q fable a deception and a snare,
An the sophistry pretended logic
vain philosophy and so-called science.
with which doubt IS cast upon the rec
ords OF Divine dealings with mankind
ana that enter into the modern the
cries OF religious growth. are hat con-
Predictions Of the religious faith which
has guided the most advanced relig-
ious thinkers ana vorshppcrs through
all the centuries since the time OF Gre
alton, They cannot be harmonized nor
made TO run together. They are infidel
10 Christianity and 10 Hebraism.
We here quote from a sermon re-
Gently delivered 10y the pastor Of a
local religious society, az TO the
position of cultured and educated
person" Of the present day, He said
His idea OF revelation should con-
celve of a continuous process whereby
the story Of the divine immanence is
read as an unfolding tale. II would
be story OF God revealing himself I'm
orderly tequenees and not in the closed