Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-08-01
PREACHING .MoRMoNIsM.,


DR.. Aked. pastor OF Fifth Avenue
Baptist church. New York. has recent
ly. IN an article in Appleton's ar
raigned the peculiar methods by which
some churches arc seeking to maintain
their existence In explaining his mo-
tives for proclaiming solemn truth,
he gives his views of the duties OF the
church as a power for good in the
world. And these views are in harmony
with those expressed by Rev. n. NJ.
Hail. OF Springfield, Mass quoted
in these columns. Or, Akod. according
to the New York World, says:
EITHER Christianity is good for cv-
crything OF 1t is good for nothing.
n it is good for nothing it should be
at war with the obsolete. and an as
certaiued imposture deserves nothing
better than to be trampled under the
feet of men But II il is good for every
thing. then It would seem that the time
has come for a fresh and strong en-
dcavor 70 make this clear TO the mind
OF the present generation, for there is
every indication that without an at
tempt to apply religion to the whole
round OF human life. to every personal,
domestic commercial. political and ma
tional question the churches of this
country viii be deserted within a hum
bred years and theological seninaries
win be bowling wildernesses.'
I'VE are living in period of transit
ton We nave lost standing ground
in the old We have not found AIDE
quate basis in the new The physical
sciences have given us a new universe.
There Is a new geology, new astron-
omy, a new chemistry. a new biology.
There is a new knowledge of all things
In the universe and out of II. The
church has IN large measure failed TO
assimilate the results Of the new know
ledge. Too often the cultivated, the as
piring. the brilliant among our young
men and young women are turned
away from the church by the foolish
and ignorant Nominations of the
preacher. The mere suspicion that
Christianity burkes inquiry. breads the
light and is out of harmony with the
revelations of modern science is fatal
to their faith"
| 1T has become so clear that not the
| dullest can miss it that the church
| which has nothing to say to social prob
| lens has In our day no claim to OK
istence. Soon. il 1t be not laughed
off the face of the earth, IL will remain
only as the house founded on the sand,
| the refuge of the ldlcr the self-seeker
ana the coward. but n refuge which
VIII fail them when the storms that
| are gathering break upon 1t. We may
| be profoundly thankful for the prom
ise of many mansions in the sky but
| the gospel for the day demands bet
ter homes below and better men and
women in them"
DR.. Aked sounds the very notes
which first startled this generation
when the heralds of our dispeusation
summoned the worlds attention q
their message, He points out thai
Christianity must be applied to ever,
action of human life. politics not ex
copied. lie pleads for a rational raltt
in harmony with the truths revealed il
nature, and he maintains that unles
the churches have something TO sa.
on the social problems, they have ~
place in our day. These truths wer
maintained by the Prophet Joseph, am
his successors. They are proclaime
to the world today And that Is IN
chief reason for the sharp contlic
The world demands u church that vii
do nothing but sing hymns and dres
we'll on Sundays. II demands the RICH
to manage worldly affairs without tn
interference of God. But the Christla'
conscience Is awakening 10 the absurd
lty OF that claim, And Or. Aked voice
the sentiment OF awakening Christian
ity when he says: I'VE may be pro
foundly thankful for the promise o
many mansions IN the sky, but the SOS
pei for the day demands better home
below and better men and women il
them That is "Mormonism" in a nut
shell.