The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-09-24
9burt germons
For
5unnap Dalf-Dour
Theme:
is TRUTH ESSEN
TIAL?
T. II i.
BY Smith Baker, D. D.


r. + T.
Text: The words Of his mouth were
smoother than butter, but war was in
his heart: his words we're softer than
oil, yet were they drawn swords
Psalm w., 21.
r r +
One of the most false and danger
Gus remarks heard in stores, shops
and among the people is: "No matter
what man believes If he only lives
right"
Every sober, intelligent person
knows it is unphilosophic, unscientific
and un-Biblical. To the superficial
mind it is plausible, pleasing and in
fluential. Such persons are captivat-
ed by it to the neglect of serious
thought and to an external morality
which becomes substitute for reli.
gion.
1t Is at the bottom of the cry against
creeds, dogmas, and doctrinal preach.
ing. Men who are reasonable and in.
telligent upon other matters and de.
mand that the most mechanical work
shall be done according to scientific
laws, repudate the science Of theo.
logy and the laws of the spiritual life,
yea, the common laws Of the mind as
less real and less important than
those Of the stone mason or the
house carpenter. Thus the concep.
ton Of the Christian, among many
persons, is only that of "a clean, good
fellow among men," A trying to be
as sweet and lovely as you can. Even
some ministers preach no more than
this and more of the people accept it
as good gospel The sense of account
ability, responsibility and penalty,
save to the State, is gone. Caesar
and the ethics of social life have TAX
en- the place of Christ and the Bible
as the law of life. Sweetness and
light are substituted for spirituality
and holiness.
This is what every serious pastor
feels to be the great spiritual peril of
the times-a substituting the present
for the eternal and the love for man
in place of a love for God, putting the
second commandment before the first.
The pastor of an evangelical church
recently said to man who made no
pretensions to religious interest, 81
don't believe anything come into the
church and that will make better
man Of YOU" Even this amiable sin
ner said, that was a theology too
thin for him."
This becomes a sadder fact when 1t
reaches up into the relation of minis
terial standing, for here in the most
sacred of all relations the Importance
of the truth is ignored, and we are
called to recognize and fellowship men
as Gospel ministers simply because
they are good. sweet men, no matter
what they believe. Said college
president, 1--WE should not question a
candidate for the ministry about his
theology, but take him on his charac-
ter"
A minister may teach that "the
Bible Is a dissolved book and nc
longer authority" and we must recog
nize him as a Gospel preacher. He
may teach that Christ was only the
best of men and only divine in the
sense that all men are any more sc
but not at all to be worshiped as
deity and we must admit such min
lister into our pulpits as a Gospe
preacher. He may teach that the
miracles were but myths with no his
toric value, yea, that there is no spe
cial supernatural in the Bible and we
must fellowship Him. He may teacf
that regeneration is but the natura
higher nature in man, and In no sense
a supernatural work Of the Holy Spir
1t, and we must recognize Him as {
Gospel minister. He may teach tina
Christ never founded church, O
commanded baptism, or established
the Lords Supper, that these are onl.
human institutions of mans creation
and we must fellowship Him as re
ligious leader.
= Has a conservative thinker no dut,
to his own conscience? Ought on
who believes the Bible is Gods super
natural, inspired record of His low
and plan for redemption of the worl
! from sin through Jesus Christ, to fe
lowship as a religious teacher hiI
who says the Bible Is no longer al
= thority? Ought man who believe
- in the absolute deity of Christ, an
= worships Him as God to fellowship a
b teacher one who denies all that
u Ought one who believes in an obje'
!; tive atonement upon the Cross for tn
sins of the world, fellowship as
spiritual teacher one who denies
all?
These are becoming more and NOR
g serious questions with large numbe
a Of preachers. To many of us, tn
l, Bible and the deity Of Christ and th
, objective atonement are facts as rel
It and precious as God Himself. Are "
It to be considered narrow and bigote
II and uncharitable because we say
a men who reject them, go your wa
IS that Is your principle, but we cann'
It travel with you, your Bible is not o,