Gilpin observer., 1909-06-10
The PRESBYTERIAN Assembly.

Denver and it's work has passed into
history.
Nothing of vast Importance was
transacted, aside from laying plans
for more efficient work by that
great ecclesiastical body. They are
admittedly a body of men of culture
and education, we'll qualified to deal
with the ponderous questions with
which they are confronted. dealing
with the spiritual and religious ma
ture of mankind. This was also the
four hundredth anniversary of the
birth of John Calvin and a great
many remarks of a eulogistic charac-
ter were indulged in by the divines
who claim to be disciples. John Cal
vim was history maker, one Of those
strong natures who took life serious
ly and who believed in the words of
the shorter cathechism, MANS chief
end is to glorify God and enjoy Him
forever" There were great questions
to be dealt with in his day and he
rose to the occasion, handling them
with a mastery hand.
Stroke nettle gently and it stings
you for your pains,
But grasp it like a man of mettle
at It soft as silk remains"
The church needed Just such
man as he to stand up against the
world and the immoral practices of
the day by those who We're supposed
to light the way. But he held many
beliefs which the church today brand
nation and predestination.
| Original sin was another idea
which is entertained yet by the
church and great many of the mem
bers who believe with Holy Willie
and Bobby Burns makes him say,
What was l, or my generation,
That l should get sic exaltation?
|. who deserve sic just damnation,
For broken laws,
Five thousand years fore my creation.
! Thro' Adams cause
The idea of original sin is reason
able but not that it had it's origin in
Adam, who represents the departure
Of the human family from the ami
NAL. There was the discovery of it's
existence and realization Of its pre-
sence. From that date the human
family began to make history and it
dawned upon them that in order to
advance in the scale, they must "cru-
| sify the flesh with it's affections and
| lusts." Original sin was those carnal
the lower forms of animal life
| through which the human family
passed in its evolutionary course, and
the "fRn of man" was only the dawn
the assent rather than the decent.
These questions that have disturbed
the religious world for ages can easi-
iy be answered by this course of
reasoning, and in no other way.
The fact that so many sects, and
SO many religions, are phases of evo-
luton, the human race striving after
the best plan possible to raise man
kind to Its highest possibilities.
Progress is marked even in a Pres.
byterian line alone by the fact that
the members have outlived the ideas
of CalFin in great many things.
They will not admit today that in
fants are thrown into hell because
of original sin; in fact they will not
admit the hell as pictured by Calvin.
So the church has been forced to
abandon a great many beliefs that
were held as essentials a few hund-
red years ago, and there are others
that should be dropped SO that the
thinking part of mankind could en-
list in this great cause.
The bible is still held to be the
inspired word of God from cover to
cover. What is needed is an expur-
gated edition, and l believe that
some day in the future We will see
the work of remodeling that great
est compilation of history, aligory,
poetry. fiction, law and theology. in
to education and inspiration with the
vulgar, Objectionable and sacrilege-
Gus portions expunged.
A portion Of 1t has been compiled
by men whose hearts were surcharg-
ed with cruelty and revenge and they
pictured God after their own hearts. |
If Dante's Inferno had been writ
ten before the selection of those
books which comprise the bible. 1t
would have been compiled as an ex-