The Washington herald., 1909-07-26

! recently before the university's summer
school Of theology
DR.. Nelms said II there was TO be
new religion, as proposed by DR.. Eliot.
based upon the personal decision OF its
/ followers as 10 what right and wrong is
/ to be and what the moral status Of the
community shall be, he could not see
anything but n rapid crumbling OF the
social fabric that would bring a state OF
immortality and idolatry not equaled in
the worst days OF ancient times.
/ He said the remarkable statement OF
what DR.. Eliot thinks IS to be the new
religion goes even further than any OF
the advanced advocates Of the higher
criticism.
But" said DR.. Nelrns. I'VE cannot ex-
pect TO find in DR.. Eliot. at his advanced
age OF seventy-fve years. that mental
vigor, once his proud possession. we can
expect to find in a younger man."
The Unknown God.
The text on which the sermon was
based was The unknown God" It dealt
with st. Paul in Athens. when the
apostle delivered his remarkable address
before the professors. teachers, and phi
losophers Of the great universities Of the
then greatest seat OF culture and learn
ing in the world Dr. Nelms said st.
Paul was speaking TO men not bound TO
the traditions OF his own faith. but in
tensely interested IN religion: men Of
great learning and culture, the greatest
OF any age or land. They were the Athe-
Nd
in thought in the age In which they
lived, the real leaders Of secular thought.
classic and profound These men, he
said, have not only assumed TO be lead
ers OF secular thought. but authority as
religious leaders. They were the brains
and culture Of the great Athens They
had brought St. Paul from the market
place and challenged him % ebate In
the court. It was a match between the
philosophers and learned men Of the age,
thinkers who taught in the great univer-
stiles, against the religion or Jesus
Christ.
Tho spread OF Christianity" said Dr.
Nelms. "Drofane history tells Us, caused
the universities 10 loss their influence,
and finally 10 close. This was a contest
as 20 whether the intellectual leaders
titled to speak with authority In spiritual
matters
'The same condition has come to pass
In different ages. and this same challenge
IS now IN Issue by many OF the dis
tinguished professors OF our best univer-
stiles. who are leaders OF secular thought
This is ClC-rly evidenced by the recent
utterances Of Or. Charles W Eliot, OF
Harvard University, in connection with
what he sees At 10 teach young theo-
lOgians as a new and the true religion
OF the day. He IS not alone IN this ism,
as can be seen from the opinions and
teachings OF such men as Profs White, OF
Cornell: Bowen. OF Boston. HAdley. OF
Yale. Giddings. OF Columbia: RosS or
the University Of Wisconsin; Hoffman. OF
Union College; LOugh, OF New York
University; Mary Whittier Calkins. or
Wellesley and Schurman Of Cornell. and
others, as reported in The Church in
the Crucible.' IN the August number Of
the Cosmopolitan.
Take Similar Positions.
''These distinguished gentlemen take
practically the same position in condemn
ing the Christian religion. and in fixing
the basis in what they are pleased TO
call a new religion, as taught By the
Christian church. and suggest the basic
principle OF the new religion needed, and
soon 70 be what the distinguished gentle
men choose to make It. They make II
quite clear they have never read the Old
or New Testament, or II they have, they
have forgotten the entire story OF the
life and death Of Jesus. They tell US that
tho new religion in it's purpose must be a
religion of sacrifice: they forget the sac
rifce Of the humble life and death OF
Christ They tell Us II must be a re-
hgion Of service 10 men. They ignore the
teachings OF Jesus. basing the coming re-
ligion upon the very principle, not simply
IN His teaching, but In His loving serv-
ice.
They tell us the new ism must have
prevention as its watchword, which was
the whole basis OF the religion Of Moses;
that the new religion must be without
a spiritual or temporal authority, without
moral code or no standard of right or
wrong except as seems best to the indi- |
vidual eyes; have no consolation, but
a preventive religion by reducing the
need Of consolation. 1t offers no future
consolation, and no god except that di-
vine impulse which the educators fix in
the souls OF Individual men. There Is no
external god. denying that q great su-
preme power has control over things
spiritual and temporal.
Believes Them Sincere,
Il believe these men are sincere; they
are men OF learning and character. Their /
error and tho fallacy Of their teaching
lies IN assuming that the scholars and
philosophers are capable, as such, of |
teaching with authority. They are not
so even as TO enlightenment or counsel
in spiritual things.
The same conditions which prevailed f.
at Athens when Paul taught there and |
the city was filed with Idols prevails in
this country to-day. and it is a condition
TO be looked upon with alarm by Chris
tan people the land over, that these
university learned men nre to teach the
young men and women these false doc
trines If the young men and women
attending our universities are taught
these new doctrines and follow the teach
ings they receive in the class room, they
will soon be found paying their devo-
tions and tribute on the altar which the
teachers and leaders in secular thought
are erecting TO The Unknown God"
Rev. SpOOner Protests.
The recent declaration OF DR.. Charles
W. Eliot. president emeritus Of Harvard
University. that the world Is 20 gain a
new religion. called forth a protest yes
terday from Rev A. W. spooner. pastor
Of the Sixth Presbyterian Church. who
delivered q sermon ar fhn u,orpfpe, sar.. |