Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1910-03-12


infdelity OF the colleges gradually pen
etrating ven into the Sunday School
lessons and even into { High Schools
Of our MISUNDERSTANDING all faith in
Gods Book? But what led to this de-
parture from the Word Of God-lnto
Higher-C Crit. inidelity and into
the Evolution theory. which makes
void the Word of God; and into Chris
tian Science. which puts a premium on
~faIsehood; and into Theosophy and
Spiritism, the receptions of the fallen
angeIs-demonisTn? How m it
that all these unscriptural theories
now flourish. whereas only a century
ago Gods Word was respected and its
doctrines were studied by Christian
people of various and conflicting
creeds? The answer is that with the
increasing light of our day the creeds
of the past are seen to be f~allacious.
irrational, by all who use their think
ing apparatus. The leaders in the va
rious Churches discovered this in ad-
vance of their iocks. They promptly
and reveren''y set their creeds on a
high shelf where the people might not
SO particularly notice their flaws, but
might continue their reverence for
them, until gradually their attention
would be drawn aside and their hope
and faith ~transplanted to Evolutionary
soil or Theosophistic and S%piritualistic
child's play.
With the decline of Christian doc
trines, including heart union with
Christ and an understanding OF It's
terms and conditions, C~hurchianity
| came in, to take the place of Christi
anity. Today the pride of all denomi-
nations centers. not in their doctrines,
but in their institutions. The people
are no longer exhorted to hold fast to
| the doctrines OF Methodism. Calvin
| ism. etc. but TO hold fast to the Sys-
TEN. They are no longer encouraged
to think of their system as being the
| only one, outside of which there would
be no salvation, but they are encour-
aged to cultivate a partisan spirit.
which takes pride in their organiZa.
4 tAOhf L "talAbf Ii o1b vi I hull
| property. the %largeness of its collec-
tons. the grandeur of its music. the
wisdom. learning and ability of its
preachers. and the fashion and wealth
of It's constituency.
1t is not our wish to offer a single
unkind or urbrotherly criticism. 1t is
our duty and privilege. however, to
| nnipt ont fhot tho Grand 1natrfnnS Af
the various denominations, now set on
the shelf as too frail and imperfect TO
stand handling and investigation, are
not and never were the doctrines of
| Christ and the Apostles. 1t is our duty
and pleasure 10 show forth TO Chris
tan people to the extent Of our ability
that the teachings of the Bible, the
doctrines of Christ, are grand, noble.
reasonable. worthy OF all accepta-
ton" To the extent that we succeed
in doing this we are bringing back
straying Christians from the deceptive
boys of Evolution and Higher-C Crit
cism to the firm foundation. the solid
rock OF Truth-God's Word.
1.-THE Wounds of a Friend"
Faithful are the wounds of a
friend" is the Divine assurance. We
cannot, therefore. better show our
friendship and Christian love to our
brethren than by pulling down from
the shelf their reverenced creeds and
allowing them to fall in pieces beyond
repair. If every church could be thus
induced to pull down its creed-idol.
the present Laodicean stage of the
Church would speedily come to its
senses, as suggested by our Lord.
Then. instead OF feeling themselves
rich and increased in goods n hav-
ing need OF nothing, our lear Chris
tan brethren OF all denominations
would realize the meaning of our
Lords ~words-that Churchianity as q
whole today is poor and naked and
miserable and wretched and blind
Revelation iii, 14-22l. Al Christians
Of all denominations we have cause of
rejoicing that we have outgrown the
trundle-be creeds OF the past and that
we a no longer wrap ourselves COM
fortably in the narrow bigotry of err
r0r. The Lord caused this TO be writ
ten in the long-ago through the proph-
cts, saying, For the bed Is shorter
than that a man can stretch himself
on it; and t G covering narrower than
that he can wrap himself In it" isaiah
xviii, 20). If in connection with this
growth which has come to us and by
which we have nobler conceptions
than had our forefathers of the rights
Of man under the Golden Rule, it is a
cause for rejoicing. Even though the
transition his been accompanied by q
great falling away into Higher-C Crit
cism, lnfdelity, Evolution, etc, never
theless even these errors are in many
respects preferable to the blindness
and bigotry. Happy are we, dear
friends, If. the eyes Of our understand
ing being orrned, our hearts are led TO
a closer walk with God, a more care
ful and prayerful study OF his Word,
and to a subsequent growth In grace
and In the fruits Of the holy Spirit.