Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1906-12-22
From Our Rclipious Fxch,rvcs


heard from secular llps For the
case offers one feature which nothing
less than criminal folly can AFFORD to
overlook l allude to the steady
growth of a body OF instructed pub
lie opinion which is adverse. not to
this or that side OF the controversy,
but to the controversy itself. As the
strife proceeds religion Is seen to be
suffering humiliation, and the world
the morally bankrupt w I'D
looks on with shame. That world.
whose own deepest interests are uu-
derstood To be the matter tn dispute,
is beginning to suspect the bona fides
of quarrel which, starting with
pretensions 50 high. seems at times
to be nothing else than a prolonged
vendetta between church and dis
sent. The churches have them
selves only TO thank II the world.
saddened by the spectacle before Il,
begins to despair of it's high places,
and TO look to It's Nazareths for the
coming Of better things. The Hib-
bert Journal.
The American church Is not the
church OF the common people. our
influence has been on the side OF the
privileged classes. and we have con-
tributed to the discomfort and the
distrust until we are ignored and
counted out in the Efforts of the COM
mon people to secure fair chance in
the struggle OF ne So true Is this
that representatives OF our ministry
have dared to say In great cities, "I'
have no sympathy with organized
labor" Even representative bodies
Of the church have practically said,
These matters are not our business. -
But this IL the darker side. From
each part OF the church and from al
most every modern school Of thought
there Is an increasing consciousness
OF the guilt of such n situation. and,
still more. an inspiring consciousness
of the responsibility OF membership
I'm the kingdom OF Him who would
contain all men In His family as
brothers. To these we must look
for the restoration OF the divine or
der and the apostolic democracy. .--
The Churchman.
II means much for Christianity
that the church Is placing stress upon
religion In this present world. Too
much time aud EFFORT has been con-
sumed In the cndeavor to portray a
heavenly life after death. rather than
a heavenly life here and now.
What we have In the New Jerusalem
will depend largely upon the kind OF
men and women that we send from
this world into the next To deny
B that we have nothing 20 DO with
what is 10 De over there is 20 aiilrm
that we are puppets. existing simply
We are laborlng for the kingdom
OF God here. and at the same time
we are laborlng for the kingdom OF
God on high our citizens there VIII
be. in mind and spirit. such as We
fashion here. Then why dwell upon
a far-iistant immortal lifeg Here
and now IS our work Rev Samuel
Gilbert. Ayers. In the uuiyersalis'
/ Leader.
In spite of an the creed making oi
the past. Christian theology has not
yet reached "a final form. aud tho
great principles on which Il rests u
they aro 10 remain alive and active
must md for themselves ever new
modes OF expression In the lives and
souls Of Hen. Standards Of ortho'
doxy are useful enough Ia studying
the history Of doctrine. but they
ought not 10 be sot up 10 judgment
OF a llvln. faith. This Is thinR
which can express itself In an INFINITE
variety OF intellectual forms. and ho
man or company OF men has any
right 10 insist on others conforming
10 their opinions. save on tho basla
OF A conviction Ike their own'--The
British Congregationaliat.
1 Il was because tho man OF 'h'
psaims saw God IN power that nc
could be 40 thankful for what was
going 20 be. lie had bis VERY DARK
ltlmes.-we shudder when wo read
about them now.--but ne could al
ways see light ahead. He looked
down the ages and proclaimed VIC
Tories. And so II is now Things
are not as they should be- but iAi'h
lin God says that they are goins %
ne better A day Of thanksgiving "a
a proclamation Of God. ana Hiohs
with Il gratitude FOR the past Hn'
hone for the future. The Advance