The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-08-31
SAYS MORAL MEN
WHO SHUN CHURCH
SHOULD ORGANIZE
Professor Schmidt, of Cornell
University, Talks on lib
eral Christianity
DECLARES TIME Is RIPE
FOR WORLD MOVEMENT
Thinks All Religions Should Join
in Without Pride or
Prejudice.

The ninth service in the Parliament
of Religions held in Unity Church, Uni
tartan, Montclair, yesterday, was on
the subject, "YVhat Is Christianity?
The Message of Liberal Christianity to
the World Of Today by Professor
Nathaniel Schmidt, of Cornell Univer-
sity. He said in part;
What is liberal Christianity? 1t has
been practised for over 1900 years; fifty
generations have come and gone since
the hcralGing of Christianity to the
world, and two-thirds Of the people OF
the universe believe In 1t. There are
those who say We should accept the
faith OF our fathers without question
or doubt; some feel that religion is not
a matter of inquiry. but OF acceptance.
Others would like 10 know what Chris
tianity is, SO that they would know
whether they are really Christians OF
not; or perhaps, maybe, to discard the
Christian religion, as they may not be-
lieye in the old prophecies. We are
told that Christian doctrine can be
found in the Bible, yet that is the book
from which the Hebrew gets his re-
ligion. So in the New Testament we
must look for our authority for the
Christian religion. Yet the writers In
the New Testament do not altogether
agree. We also have our creeds, such
as those made at Ephesus, CONSTANT
nople and other places, but they do not
mention Jesus, Many teachers of the
Christian Church have made creeds,
but none of them entirely agree. Shall
we AXE st. Augustine, with his creeds
and heresies, or Luther, or Calvin or
many others, such as Moody and Spur
geon, all of whom differed not only in
small things, but in fundamental
things?
while in Jerusalem. in 1904, l met a
noted Episcopal divine. l asked him
what he thought the fundamental doc
trines of Christianity We're? He re-
piled hat he was glad l had asked him
that question, because he had made a
study of it. They are: Belief in historic
Episcopalianism; belief In the Word OF
God; belief in the sacrament. A short
time after | met a Japanese, who had
gone to Jerusalem to study Christian
ity, and / asked him what he thought
the Fundamental doctrines of Christian
ity were? He also said he was glad
had asked him the question, because
lie lldu DtPl hlciHllS II sluhy - ~
They are: Belief in the absolute au-
thority of the Scriptures; atonement
by the blood of Christ, and damnation
of the heather.
However, the worships that have
been going on during the ages In arts
and sculpture are all displaying Chris
tianity, more than any other religion.
The great hymns of Christianity must
be taken into account; no other religion
can be expressed in the same beautiful
language.
"I can conceive of a man who be-
Iieves in a God, who does not think he
requires Jesus in his life, does not
pray, and yet is filled with affection
for the founder OF Christianity, Jesus
of Nazareth, being said to live a Chris
tian life: who ear listen with reverence
to another Offering up a prayer, yet
lives an entirely different life. These
are persons who look on the matter of
death and know not, and In all rever-
ence care not, whether this is the life
allotted to them, or whether there is a
life everlasting. Too many men shun
the church. The time is coming when
the great mass of life outside the
church, good moral people, should be
organized into a great moral society.
The time is now ripe Tor such a world
movement of all religions, on a basis
of rational and moral standing for
good, and entirely unprejudiced, as will
take all in"
Mr.. Schmidt is professor of Semitic
languages and literature In Cornell
University. He was director Of the
American School OF Archaeology In
Jerusalem In 1904-5. and is the author
Af amy hb01g- mn thnAIouxy aud nrf-
entail history. Next Sunday the sub
feet will be 1.-THE Message of Judaism
TO the World Of Today" by Rabbi Sam
uel Schulman, y. ID, of Temple Beth
El. New York city.