Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1911-04-19
"The Church aud Reforms"

"The Church AID Reforms.''
(The following address, delivered
before congregational County conven-
ton at Bloomington June l, 1909, dy
F. w. Baldwin of Barton, is published
after the lapse of years at the request
of those who heard it them.
The committee of arrangements for
this convention, have assigned me the
topic "The Church and Reforms" or
| as one of the committee has suggest
ed, what attitude the church should
take in regard to such reforms as are
likely to be demanded in the COM
munity, or region which the church
regards, or should regard as its field );
should the church aspire to leader
ship; and if so what means should it
use?
Our encyclopedias inform us that
the word reform" means "to bring
into new shape, course or dispo
sition.' Taking this as the meaning
of the word. my experience has led
me to consider the word reform"
as applied to many things as a dan
gerous word. and to refer to some
thing to be afraid of, and to be dread
ed.
Among this class of reforms may
be named "Christian Science,' "The
New Theology" brought forth in a
book published by one F. J. Camp
bell, and of which Theology Prof.
Fairbain, author of 1.-The Philosophy
of the Christian Religion. "pronounces
it "Farrago of Nonsense. Anoth-
err of this class is DIR. Edward Wor-
cester's Emmanuel Movement" of
which DR.. Worcester himself says in
an article in the Ladies' Home Jour-
nal of November, 1908
1.-The real question is whether
shall do my work ef7lciently and sci
entlhcally and make my ministry a
growing success, Or whether | shall
do as the church at present is largely
doing, In superficial and ha,f-heart-
ed manner, with the result that the
churches are emptying and the heal
ing cults are gaining by leaps and
bounds. The mere fact that the re-
ligious healing cults of this country,
now claim membership of over a
million and half men and women,
ought to open the eyes of the blind
to the fact that persons suffering
from mental and moral disorders, de-
sire religious help''
Upon the same page DR.. Worcester
says, "A prominent professor who in
consequence of nervous collapse had
been obliged to give up his work, said
to me, the other day, Convince me
, that God is my Father and I shall
, leave this room a we'll man. Of the
. desire of the suffering for moral and
religious help, there can be no cues
tion, whether such help is to be found
In the Christian religion is another
matter. Of this so-called reform in
an address delivered in Boston Nav
IA. 1909, before the Episcopal church
congress, Rev. Charles Lewis Slater
lay. ID. D., III discussing this move
ment, said There is positive dan
ger In this movement, lest those who
hitherto have proclaimed the preemi.
hence of the spirit, seem to withdraw
from their belief. and admit that
bod!es after all are the main things
IN ne. we value the doctor, who
makes bodies strong, we value the
teacher, who makes minds keen, but
our task is beyond this-we are trying
TO make great souls. A further dam
ger turks IN the movement, in that it
tends to make religion soft.''
thlnk Pauls counsel to the church,
woulu apply well to DR.. Worcester's
observations, where he said, "Now |
| SOo NJ cLuTGn, marx them
which cause divisions and offences.
contrary to the doctrine which we
have learned. and avoid them for thew
that are such, serve not our Lord
Jesus Christ but their own belly and by
good words and fair speeches, deceive
the heart of the simple
So much for few of the so-called
modern reforms in religion. The
Standard dictionary gives another def
milton for the word reform. ITO
change from bad to good. To free
from evil and SIM" These definitions
are plain and clear, and everyone can
understand them and there can be no
question but what it is the duty of the
church and every church member to
at once enlist under the banner upon
which is inscribed "To change from
bad to good, to free from evil and
SIM" The World Almanac for 1909
gives the number of the members of
the churches. Congregational. Metho
dists. Disciples of Christ, Presby.
terian and Episcopal in the United
:, States as Ii, 297, 399, to say nothing of
CONTINUED ON PAGE SEVEN