Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury [Connecticut]) 1903-1917, 1908-01-29
A VISIBLE CHURCH
Established When Christ Made
Peter lis Head.
Editor Democrat:

The democracy of religion seems to
be the new watchword of Protestant
ism. Recently two OF our local
clergymen have dwelt upon that fea-
ture and not long since a writer In
the Literary Digest dwelt upon the
same thought. 1t was not a distinc-
tive characteristic in the old regime
or Professionalism, Lutheranism was
rather favorable to monarchy and
Calvinism, whilst 1t had no very
strong prediction for monarchy did
not strongly incline to the democracy
idea. Its inclination seemed to be
toward an aristocracy. The individu-
al was subject to the congregation
ruled by pastors and elders and was
to some little extent hierarchical, al
though OF course not as much that
way as Catholicism. And the ele-
ment of aristocracy it carried into
secular affairs, SO that only church
men could be selectmen or magis-
trates. With them visible church
was deemed necessary but with
that wing OF Calvinism that came to
be called Congregationalists the Wis
1ble church was not national but
local 1t was oficered pretty much as
follows: A pastor or preacher to
preach and administer the sacra-
ments; a ruling elder, who should
help the pastor In the administration
Of discipline; deacons to administer
the financial affairs and charities and
widows, to care for the poor and sick.
Now all this Is changed and the in
dividual is the all-important element.
And, as | understand the modern
thought, which by the way is not so
entirely modern, the individual comes
into direct and immediate union with
God. Religion consists in 1.-The in
ner life of loving obedience. But TO
whom do | owe this living obedi-
ence?" To God l will doubtless be
told. But suppose that | am an
atheist and do not believe In any
God, and by the individual liberty of
conscience, such is my incontrovert-
ible right, to whom do | owe then
living obedience?" Certainly in
the hypothesis not to God because if
am an atheist there is for me no God.
And yet on the other hand the in
dividuaized Inner life of loving
obedience" Is the sum total of a reli-
gion which does not necessarily in
clude any specific form of christian
ity. 1t is very elastic form OF chris
tianity which can include atheist, in
fdel, heather Chinese; but in that
case the inquiry is pertinent Of what
use was Christs coming, unless we
look upon Him as only the human
philosopher and II so, all christianity
is sham and colossal humbug.
This Inner life living obedience
as the sythesis Of religion, reduces
religion to mere sentiment. Religion
Is indeed sentiment, the most pow
erful perhaps that man knows: but it
Is more than this. 1t is the ackDow-
ledgment and worship of the deity
and as such is not merely an act, but
law. But to what law am / to
render this living obedience
will be told: To the law of God
But in the assumption of this
democracy of religion, this principal
element of which is individual lib
erty, the law of God is left entirely
to my own Interpretation. which
means In the last analysis, that we
surrender ourselves to our own in
stinctive nature, to be guided as 1t
moves and impels us. Carried to ulti-
mate conclusions this would seem to
me to do away with an actually ex-
listing God, and make Him only a po-
tential being, for 1t does not neces-
sarily imply more than the idea OF
God. 1t makes OF God nothing more
than mighty force, some vast energy
developing itself from some inherent
necessity and not by any freedom OF
will. This system of religion would
do away with Gods providence, and
not only sacraments are not neces-
sary as has been intimated by Pro-
testant clergymen. but all prayer
seems to be an improperly. Indeed
II we leave aside whatever social
features they may contain, churches
are an expensive but a useless lux
ury. In fact, Chirst's teachings, His
mission to His apostles, His passion,
death and resurrection. were not at
all necessary. All the good work
done in outlying island possessions,
In very truth all missionary work
done in the name of religion, is as
religious work, vast waste OF time,
money and human energy. II seems
to me that in this hypothesis Christ Is
stuItified for OF what use TO send
apostles to preach whatsoever
have commanded you" IL religion is
simply the Inner life OF loving
obedience" as each one may feel II
for himself.
Religion then becomes mere volun-
tary obedience for If | have absolute
liberty Of conscience. am constrain-
ed by no law save that which is vol
untary and there is no moral obliga-
ton to worship God. My only obli-
CATION is to obey the law Of my own
nature. and at most religion would
be nothing more than the harmonious
action of all my faculties, IL indeed il
would mean even that. All that IL
essential is mans own nature and
the existence OF a God is quite
supernuous To make religion a mat
ter Of voluntary obedience is in effect
to deny God, for IL involves the idea
OF religious indifference, that truth
is variable according to the indiytd-
ual and that therefore the God oil
truth is reduced TO the individual
conception OF what truth is. The
insistenee on this voluntary obedf-
enee looks like a revival Of the old
Parker transcendentalism 50 promi-
nent many years ago in our New
England states and the essence was
precisely this internal voluntary
obedience. the element OF 'yolun-
Z fairness depending upon the individ-
nal himself without reference to any
law outside himself.
/ The force Of the argument drawn
F from unity is evidently a poser TO