The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-02-07


that we very seldom here nowadays
discussion among representatives ol
various denominations as TO which
church il the true church, as 10 which
church il was the Christ, or the dis
eiple OF Christ really founded, Tor
they have never prohted anything and
never will | would rather see the
jealous followers OF good and truth
striving to make the children, the men
and the women around them better
believe that 4 church library. q
chuech gymnasium, or church swim
ming pool will do more good than
ths NEST able efforts OF the most un-
compromising doctrinaire ! believe
that Brother Gilbert did more good
lest summer by taking the small
boys oi his church Tor an outing up
Saddle Mountain than he would have
done had he remained in the city and
preached at those boys twice each
day. Religion is worth nothing to us
excepting as we live IL as we prac'
tiee il,
in the course OF the evolution vi
religion il is not now considered that
a long, sad face is the sign OF good
man The nearer one is to God the
happier he should be and he should
be able to radia,e that happiness with
continuous smiles OF JOY, Heaven is
more likely condition that a place.
a condition OF supreme happiness and
harmony with God
an all nations among all peoples,
the priests OF religion have been the
leaders Of the people, Show me the
man who controls the belief OF a
people and ! will show you the real
ruler OF those people Regardless OF
the criticisms that are to be heard
constantly leveled against the
churches OF America, ! feel very sure
that the American churches are now
doing more good for the American
people than they have done at any
time in American history, and that
they are doing more good tor the
world in. general than the churches
OF all other nations cambined. be"
lieve that the churches OF Astoria are
doing more good ior the people oi
Astoria than they ever have done
Denominationalism is the life OF true
religion, for through II the whole /
truth will the sooner be learned.
But the positive opinions about
The doctrines in most instances have
given away TO that broader, better
feeling. the attitude and position oi
The student and scholar, that after
lll it is better to be an earnest
seeker after truth. an honest man
,pen 10 conviction. that il is to assert
without reason that one individual
opinion is the truth, the whole truth
and nothing but the truth, and that
another individual opinion, just as
eminent in every respect, founded
Jus, as thoroughly on logic, Is talse'
wholly false and nothing but talsity'
The great task OF the preacher, oi
every Christianity. is TO Danish sui
iering in all its forms, whether pov'
crty or disease, or that ignorance OF
truth called sin,
THE thing called doctrine has
no more to do with making man
good or bad than the thing called
politics. A man is good or bad de-
spite whether or not be believes in
sprinkling or immersion, and some
the good Christians ! know do not
believe in either Only the tool says
there il no God. Each one OF us
must form our own opinion about
God in our own way
Mathematics is the only exact
sccience. /, is difficult to demon
stratc some so-called sciences be
cause OF the number OF theories IN
volved. But all truth can be demon
strated when it is fully eompre-
hended
Every man, woman and child in
Astoria ought to attend the church
which comes the nearest conformlng
to his opinion. Every minister who
has a positive conviction should cx-
pound his beliefs according to his
ability and opportunity.
"The churches OF Astoria are a liv-
ing breathing force for good. The
usefulness of any church depends up
on its minister more than all other
things combined To illustrate, the
acknowledged leading minister OF one
town may be Baptist, OF another a
Methodist, or still another a Presby-
ta.;.o auJ ca IN