The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-05-22
BY wILLIAM T. ELLIS.

BY WILLIAM T. EIhIiS-
Probably the meanest type of Chris
tianity ever I have run across IN the
world is what 1 found at several
points in the Orient. where mission
aries OF certain American sects AVOID
ing the difficulties of pioneer WORK
among the heather, have planteo
themselves in the midst OF the con-
verts of older missions, and nave IN un-
dertaken to proselyte them 10 thelr
particular tenets concerning INNER
sion, or holiness, or some peculiar sec
tartan distinction. Environed by all
the opportunities of the non-Chrlstldn
world, and with their smallness re-
buked by the presence of a great
need, they yet do not hesitate to wean
away from another missionary the
fr1hft of many years of labor, all Tor
the sake of some shibboleth. Ihey
call this foreign missions; instead II
is one of the worst forms OF domeStlc
eectarianism tranSplanted to 1or-
eign shore.
That is about what the strict legal
lists from Jerusalem Church trleo 70
do in the Antioch mission field IL Is
perhaps we'll that Luke does not men
ton the names of these trouble-mak-
ers and separatists, who were blind to
all the glorious leadings OF Coo
provid ence, and open-eyed only 10
the legalistic rites of the Mosaic law
The persistence of shibboleths IN re-
ligious life is a curious phenomenon
which may some day be ScienuflcaIly
studied It was true of Judaism ana
of Judaized Christianity. 1t Is true VI
Buddhism in all its branches. so that
It is reported from Tibet tnat Two
sects have arisen, one contendlng LOT
the merits of prayer-wheels driven 9y
water-power, and the other conteno-
ing for prayer wheels driven by VINO
power. Tibet is not so far distant IN
spirit as may be imagined from some
centers of American Chr1stenoonn- N
Scotland the Wee Frees as the
branch of the Free Church Whlcn re-
fused to enter the union nave peen
called have steadily grown more ana
more intolerant, and with each year
Law down an increasing number OF de-
tailed rules for their adherents-Dur-
dens too heavy to be borne.
The Religion of Rote and Rule.
All shibboleths are opposed to the
genius of Christianity. Into!erant oe,
norninationaIism, sectarianism ana
separatisn are foreign to the mind OF
the Master where the Spirit of the
Lord is there is liberty" Where there
is no liberty it may be questioned
whether the Spirit of the Lord is TO
be found.
The tendency to make Christianity
a thing of rote and rule is one which
every generation has to face and flgnt:
There is a certain type of small m1no
which wants its religion carefully
labelled and formulated into deflnlte
rules for every department of con-
duct They would delight in the ko-
ran. with all its innumerable regu-
Iations of behavior under every cir
cumstance. Some churches ana
preachers display tendency to stress
unduly certain forms of violation of
their churchly codes as the most
dreadful of sins. Similarly. they en-
phasize conformity to definite regu-
lationS as the sum OF righteousness. 7
Now If the New Testament makes
anything clear 1t is that the Gospei
of Jesus is not a catalog of detailed
practices. but a new spirit OF life. |
Christ is not a barrier. but door.
He Is not a limitation, but way
Who so follows Him closely cannot
walk man-made paths but finds him
self led out into newness of liberty
and breadth of horizon, and largeness
of soul.
A study of the present-day Oriental
Christian Chruch reveals surprising
of Occidentalisms that have
crept into our church life, and with
which the Oriental Is inclined to dis
pense. We put the converts from
under a serious handicap
by trying to make them conform to
our western order. Thus we have
church stseples in China. Northern
Presbyterians in South China-where
the unfortunate division between
North ard South. IN many such
ways we have been inclined to per-
petuate the provincialisms of our wes-
tern churches in these alien lands. We
are of the school of Judaizing Chris |
tians who feel that the GENTLE believ-
er must conform to the whole Law OF
Moses.
Champions of Liberty.
There is a milk-and- water type of |
Christianity which decries controver- |
sy. Lacking spine and spirit, it would |
manifest itself only in supine affabil- |
fly and in gelatinouS submission to |
all opposition. That kind of religion |
is not learned from the New Tesla |
ment. There is no scriptural warrant |
for conceiving of Christians as sugar. |
The Bible bids them be salt, and salt |
was a master controver- |
sialist. His apostles followed in his
train.
That is a false conception Of uber-
ality which would surrender without
contest the dearest convictions and
what we possess of liberty and toIer- !
ance and intellectual life to the stout
spirits who dared to do battle for the |
truth. Let US not now decry them. |
Paul and Barnabas met the narrow
ing Separation Of the Pharisaical sect
Of Jerusalem Christians with a f1inty
front. They championed freedom in
Antioch itself, and then made the
three hundred mile journey to Jerusa-
lem to continue the debate in the
Council Of the apostles and elders. |
This first great heresy OF the infant |
Church was fought out in the
presence of the whole Church, and
the day was won for a broad-gauge
conception Of the Kingdom of Christ |
Working by the Way.
Fighting is always bad when it |
causes men to quit work. Christian
controversy is good when it inspires
men to activity. The trouble with
most differences of opinion in church
circles is that persons become so |
busy about disputation that they for