The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1910-03-12

IaiSehuOd. ara into lneOSOply ana
Spirltism, the deetptions Of the fallen
angelS-demonism: How comes ii
that all these unScriptural theories
now flourish, whereas only u 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 fallacious,
irrational. by all who use their think
ing apparatus, The leaders in the va.
rious Churches discovered this in ad
vance of their aocks. They promptly
and %reverently set their creeds on a
high shelf where the people might not
so particularly notice their flaws, bur
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 Spiritualistic
child's play.
With the decline Of Christian doc
trines, including heart union with
Christ and an understanding of its
terms aud conditions, Churchianity
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, bur 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 encou
aged to cultivate a partisan spirit,
which takes pride in their organiza-
ton, its wealth, the value of its church
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 its constituency.
II is not our wish to offer a single
unkind or unbrotherly criticism. 1t is
our duty and privilege, however, to
point out that the creed doctrines of
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 to show forth to Chris
tian people to the extent OF u ability
that the teachings Of the Bible, the
doctrines Of Christ, are grand. noble,
reasonable, worthy of all acccota-
ton To the extent that we succeed
In doing this we are bringing back
straying Christians from the deceptive
boys Of Evolution and Higher riti-
cism to the firm foundation, the solid
rock Of Truth-God's Word.
"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 and hay
ing need Of nothing, our dear Chris
tan brethren Of all denominations
would realize the meaning of our
Lords words-that C%hurchianity as a
whole today is poor and naked and
miserable and wretched and blind
Revelation iii, 14-22l. AS Christians
Of all denominations we have cause OF
rejoicing that we have outgrown the
trundle-bed creeds Of the past and thai
we can no longer wrap ourselves com.
fortably in the narrow bigotry Of er.
ror. 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 the covering narrower thar
that be a wrap himself in IL" Gsaial
xviii. 2Ol. II in connection with thi.
growth which has come to us and by
which we have nobler conception,
than had our f~orefathers Of the right.
Of man under the Golden Rule, 1t is /,
cause for rejoicing. Even though th,
transition has been accompanied by {
great falling away into Higher-Cri
cism, %Infidelity, Evolution, ETC., never
theless even these errors are in man.
respects preferable to the blindness
and bigotry. Happy are we, dea-
friends, II, the eyes Of our understand
ing being opened, our hearts are led I,
a closer walk with God. a more care
full and prayerful study Of bis Word
and to a subsequent growth in gracI
and in the fruits Of the holy Spirit.
Do some Inquire for clearer specifoa
ton respecting the features Of thl
creeds put upon the shelf. which W,
think should be no longer cared for. be
allowed to FAM We answer that o
course there are good features In al
Of our creeds-truths which win ueve
fail. But with these truths are nike
the errors ahich are. as the prover
says. Dead flies lthall cause the oini
ment 70 stink" (Ecelesiastes K. 4
There is plenty more Of the ointmen
y I'm Gods Word. In IA indand tha ahoiv