The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-08-17
m THE RELIGIOUS WORLD.
What the Church Folk Are Thinking About and Doing.
Religious News From Elsewhere

rominationa lines must be abolished.
Great mergers are coming among the
I churches; but see What barriers are
erected by these property rights and
by these professional positions. 1t
is an open secret hat the Northern
Presbyterian Church n the Dutch
Reformed CHURCH do not unite, chief
ly because the lawyers have said that
the title to the immensely valuabl
Dutch Reformed properties would not
hold valid in such a union. Likewise
the proposition hat is being consid-
cred in several churches to consolidate
boards is meeting with shrewd and
powerful opposition from the men
whose positions might be imperiled.
Is not all this ali e~xaltationL of special
interests above the free course of
truth, and the welfare of the King
DOM?
DemetriuS. and Some Others.
This whole lesson hinges or the
vital question of special interests
leaked by religion. Let us not rant
bou Ephesus, when in our own day
Demetrius is fourishing in many quar-
tiers. Some of our denominations are
-hOneycombed with ecclesiastical poll
tics, which put the interests Of indi-
viduals above the welfare of the
Church. Bishop Hamilton told the
Il ., dt
the time of their last conference, that
he was shocked by their self-seeking,
and he babe them go home and prac-
tice h they preach. The Northern
Presbyterian denomination lately took
action in it's highest court against the
use of tobacco by it's members, but it
had not a word to say concerning the
Demetrius of ecclesiastical-political
practices that would disgrace the secu-
10 ~ rites Tn thn ~1nron IF tho oeocnn1
that prevailed at Ephesuss the Church
must ave new courage to cleanse
herself. Christianity must be pure be-
fore it a be powerful. Only a clean
Church a serve or save the world.
With the relentlessness of righteous
ness, the self-seekers and special in
terests must be driven from Individual
churches and from the denomina-
tons. =
"Great is Diana!"
The moi that Demetrius raised at
Ephesus, ostensibly IN behalf of the
goddess Diana, cried for two hours,
Great is Diana of the Ephesians."
Luke has drawn a perfect picture Of
a mob-throaty, headless, and subject
ITO. the leadership of any kind Of ras-
calls. The cry in behal of Diana was
a false cry. It could be truly inter
preted. Great is our job" Abdul
Hamid raised the same cry in behalf
Of orthodoxy when he sought to de-
feat the reform party. Every pre-
tender to the unstable Moroccan
throne lifts the banner of a "holy
war" Predatory interests at Washing
ton shout themselves hoarse over the
sacredness of the Constitution and the
judiciary. All these are but new
visions OF Great is Diana of the Ephe-
slams"
We see this Ephesian mob swarm
ing hither and thither like a hive of
bees. They knew not whereof they
were come together. They were as
clay in the hand OF a few shrewd agi-
tators. Stupidity, they thought that by
much shouting they COULD prove their
case; but truth is not established that
way. In popular voting the devil has
often had a majority. Truth is not
determined at the ballot box, nor by
force Of arms. Truth is truth, though
one must hold it against a multitude;
and soon the noisy tumult of the
EphesiaHs was forever stilled by the
quiet touch of the truth of Christiani-
ty. A few months ago DR.. F. B.. Meyer,
of London, preached the Christian
message in the ruins Of his very
theatre where PauIs enemies rioted.
a Man Who WithstOod a Mob.
Let us call in the town clerk Of
Ephesus," quantity remark a preach
er, when in family or church the dis
cussiOn threatens to grow warm. For
there are in every situation usually a
few 1evel-headed persons who see be-
meath the ~pretensions of the demago-
CUES, and inquire to the inner GER
tainties Of the matter. Such was the
town clerk Of Ephesus, who arose and
stilled the tumult, giving the sage ad-
vice: eye ought to be quiet and to
do nothing rash" He got to the core
Of the matter by pointing out that
Demetrius and the silversmiths, if
they had a valid case, could take it
to the courts. There were regular as
semblies for the determination of all
the matters that might be involved.
The appeal was one to the majesty