The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1910-03-18

your traditions traditions OF the ancientS
Uohn VII, "; Mark VII, -; Peter l. lS). |
ooO-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
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 flocks. They promptly
and reverently set their creeds on a
high shelf where the people might not
80 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 Spirituaistic
child's play.
With the decline Of Christian doc
trines, including heart union with
Christ and an understanding Of its
terms and 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, 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 partisan spirit,
which takes pride In their organiza-
ton, Its wealth, the value Of it's church
property. the largeness Of it's collec-
lions, the grandeur Of its music, the
wisdom, learning and ability Of its
preachers, and the fashion and wealth
Of its constituency.
1t 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 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-Crit
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 it's creed-idol,
the present Laodicean stage of the
| Church would speedily come to it's
senses, as suggested by our Lord.
Then, instead of feeling themselves
rich and increased in goods and hav-
ing need Of nothing, our dear Chris
| tan brethren of all denominations
would realize the meaning Of our
Lords words-that Churchianity as a
whole today is poor and naked and
miserable and wretched and blind
Revelation iii, 14-22). AS Christians
Of all denominations we have cause Of
| rejoicing that we have outgrown the
| trundle-bed creeds of the past and that
we can no longer wrap ourselves COM
fortably in the narrow bigotry Of err
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 man can stretch himself
| on It; and the covering narrower than
that he can wrap himself In it, isaiah
| xviii, POI. 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. 1t is a
cause for rejoicing. Even though the
| transition has been accompanied by a
| great falling away into Higher-Criti-
| cism, Intidelity. 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 opened, our hearts are led to
closer walk with God, more care
full and prayerful study Of his Word,
and to subsequent growth in grace
and in the fruits Of the holy Spirit.
Do some inquire for clearer specifica-
ton respecting the features of the
creeds put upon the shelf. which we
think should be no longer cared for, but
! allowed to fall? We answer that Of
! course there are good features in all
Of our creeds-truths which will never
fail. But with these truths are mixed
the errors which are, as the Proverb
says, Dead flies [thatl cause the ONT
ment to stink" (Ecclesiastes X, u.
There Is plenty more Of the ointment
in Gods Word. 1t is indeed the "balm
of Gilead" and pure-without the cor
roding fly of error. This is what we
all want, whatsoever our denomina-
tional name, and the sooner we get 1t
| Tho hattpr for uS FOR tho Tousa apd