The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1909-07-30

clergy. The ''divine right of kings" in
deed survived until the last century and
doubtless there are few people who
still believe in the superiority of the ar
istocratic and titled class, but IN most
civilized lands the average citizen ha,
now his own opinions on this subject
and practically all believe that soon no
government can or will exist except bv
the consent of the governed and for the
benefit of the governed.
Religion itself is also undergoing a
transforming process. This may seem
heretical to some reader. but it is per
haps true that the same obiector might
have been turned into the wilderness as
hereto even as Roger Williams, if he
had lived in the days of those undonbt-
edly plous people called the Puritans
Two or three hundred years ago, and
less, it was an accepted doctrine OF the
largest dissenting Protestant denomina-
ton, that, if man was born to be,damn-
ed he would be damned, and more than
that he ought to glorify his Creator for
creating him for the purpose of going to
hell. Perhaps there are still some peo-
pie who yet believe the same but if
so they are not saying much about it.
BY this we do not mean to mxke any
criticism of those old church people;
they were living up to their day and the
thought of that day, and this one doc
trlne is simply brought up as an illus
tration of the distance all churches and
church people have gone even in quite
recent years in "liberty'' in religious
matters and! doctrines. There was a
time less than a hundred years ago when
a woman member of the Methodist
church could not wearsa feather in her
hat or a flower in her bonnet.
In literal belief in the Bibles great
change. Almest every person believes
in living God. But the limitations of
the human mind preclude the personifi-
cation of such being. The heather
tries to do it with crude earthen or
wooden image, and his more educated
brothers of Ohristendom try to make
some sort of mental picture and both
fail. God as a being is absolutely in
comprehensive to the human mind.
Miracles are equally inconprehensible
A miracle is suspension of some natur-
al law. If one puts his hand in the fire
he expects to suffer pain. If no pain en-
sues then it is because of the intemen-
tion of some other natural Law, butother
wise there will be pain, unless miracle
is performed. We cannot conceive of
OF the suspension ofany natural law. II
therelwere no pain we would be looking
for reason other than miracle.
But belief in the incomprehensible is !
not impossible and is not unreasonable. |
We believe in hundreds of things we do
not understand because we have un-
doubted proof of the fact. The great
differences in doctrinal disputants of the
present day is that they are trying to
form into the concrete that which is alb.
stract. They are trying to comprehend
the incomprehensible, Each tries to
make All image of his human conception
and naturally each brings forth differ
ent appearing and generally very crude
figure. But after all they mean about
the same and believe about the same,
but fail or differ in their expression Of it.
The grandest thing in this connection
has been the gradual expansion of the
eleventh commandment and it's compan-
on texts, Am I my brothers. keeper"
and '"The' greatest of these three is char
ty." In consequence of the best relig-
GUS thought of the present day the uni
7ersal brotherhood of men has come to
oe not only an accepted doctrine of the (
church but of all civilized men. In the
'ld times religion was only sort of lad
ler with which to climb to heaven, TODAY {
t is becoming more and more the doc
rine of how to live happily on the earth.
Then the now, was ignored for the fu- c
ure and Gods earth was thought but
tep above Hades. Today we are begin I
ling to realize that this world is pref q
y good place-if the people in it will t
'ehave themselves as men and brothers t
hould.
The religious world is growing more
md more charitable" in the true Paul.
to sense. Christians no longer burn or
lang or imprison each other. They arell
Nj