Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1910-12-01

~ n" church. Chicago. de-
&NSfNS clared In a recent ser
mon tha, the church of
the present is the recipient Of many
just criticisms from men OF the world.
and Il would do well to proht by
them
The church In It's ancient forms.
has passed said Doctor McIaren.
and its modern form Ia likewise pass
Ing away. Notice. I say form. and to
this ] would add custom. Time Ia the
test OF all things. To Its infallible
decision must be subjected the things
OF science. government. religion and
all else. Setence proves ard she
disproves. Hut custom. clings.
Witness the passing Of old ma
chinery. likewise OF old theories no
longer able to retain their place in
any sound working philosophy OF life.
Witness also the passing OF ancient
forms In religion and theology
That is not to say that some good
has not risen out Of this strange mass
Of curious forms and now impossible
beliefs. Quite often we aud spirit
accompanying them utterly foreign to
the forms In which they are clothed
a spirit which srappled with the
higher and the truer. which II at time.
beheld with singular claarness and
beauty. but which In lieu OF the times
and customs II could neither unfold
I nor retain
The profound student can catch
even between the lines % Calvinism
giimpses which a future mind. equally
strong and more enlightened. will
formulate into q great working the
I ology which Ne do not now possess
Infinitely truer and sweeter than his
theology vas the soul Of 81. Augustins.
and there vas never theologian
whose heart was more thoroughly an
/ ehored IN the infinite And this 10
true Of many an ancient and modern
theolosian and creed maker
World 10 PresressIna.
Out Of this age Of absurdities the
world has passed into another age Of
less absurdities and less cruelty. and
I yet an are whose religious effects
have painsd and crippled the more en-
lightensd and hindered the progress
Of the kinxdom % God
I refer 20 the age Of creed. eiass
and sect distinctions The nrxt has
passed. the second Il passing and n.
third l. doomed 70 die The age os
Christ and Christianity Is coming. but
Is not yet here. All Ne have yet ~
eeived 10 . for~xieAn. q prophecy of
What = yet 10 Be
That tie church % today does no,
meet the Demands Of the age - too
painfully evident % need comment
t Certainly the church q today Is not
without rs maEnifcsnt examples q
life caa-artsr aid <ensrosity. herein
10 i,s salvation But that Il Is far
from me~sinx the Demands of cur ad
vanesa iife and pru<rvss Is true 70 an
eHtent that most people do not real
TIE
On ons af our chaufauqua pro
xrams this seAson. IN xhieh the spsak
er also had = part. ors u the greatest |
sas delivered By a brilliant young
iawyer % the NsW York bar on The /
Trial u Jesus From Lawyers |
stanapoint~ From Rsnan To chan
had not been paid And yet this high |
class lawyer and man. honorinS and
Sorshipinx the Christ a. hs seems to
has no Ese for the church and does
not attend ~
Inc manager OF the platform. also
a leading lawyer of long experience
and one of the snest citizens Of Iowa.
assumes a like position. while a Lead
ing physician tn the audience declared
himself a member OF the sane big
I church Those are not the coarser
skeptieal class. but men Of the higher
type
Criticism % tne Church Often Juss.
These gentlemen gave quite freely
their reasons for the position which
they take. which. by the way. are not
new We have heard the all before
I that the churches are stiI too narrow,
too sectarian. too intolsrznt. and that
/ churehes-especially IN the smaller
/ towns-are so numerous and conflict
ing that they maintain only a msdi-
ocre ministry which does not appeal
/ to the brains and heart Of the com
munity a; all That the gentlemen
/ referred TO have a misconception Of
/ the church is plain to BE- seen. but
/ that there Is ground for their asser-
tons and sometimes for their position
| Is likewise unfortunately true.
To set such criticism aside as IN
worthy our attentson were utter folly
/ on our part The true man is he who
viii listen TO his critics. n they are
U -
the church will do well TO observe the
same rule.
AS a remedy for the defects cited.
/ the speaker developed the following
points: A more united. a more com
prehensive and better working or.
/ ganization. Denominationalism must
go These things Of the past will suit
no times to come. They have had
their day. Give US now a real union
OF Christsndom in the name and spirit
/ OF Jesus. Let the smaller churches
unite their scattered forces and main
tain stronger ministry. Secondly:
Let the church become so strong.
| SO sweet SO vigorous. so self-saerin-
cling in life and spirit and practise
that the ecclesiastical tyrant, the
church boss, the religious hypocrite,
with his cankered gold. or the tx.
norant creed victin. with his rule or
ruin policy, shall find no welcome or
| quarter in IT,