Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1911-02-25

eth after rbe water-brooks
Difficulties In the Way. Says Pastor
Russell
The words Of the Wall Street Jour
nal respecting the need Of the old-ume
religion are along proper lines. The
Bishop sees clearly what also have
80 frequently pointed out. namely.
that the sO-called New Theology. High
er Criticism and Evolution theory have
so undermined faith that II would be
folly to look for return Of the pious
earnestness Of the past. which was
built upon living faith. even though
II was not the pure faith "once dellv-
cred unto the saints" Jude 81.
We do not admit that none today
are plous: that none are what St Paul
styled -sanctlfied In Christ Jesus
Il Corinthians /. p. We claim that
there are as honest as upright. as
loyal children OF God today as ever
lived in the world. But they are few.
The vast majority. under the false
teaching mentioned by the Bishop
have utterly lost the faith once de.
llvered to the saints" The great ma
jority Of professed Christians are drift
ing Long ago they gave up the creeds
Of the dark ages" and believing that
the Bible taught the same things as
the creeds. II also Is being abandoned
as too absurd for present lay intelli-
gence. Higher Criticism ,another name
for in6delity and opposition to the Bi-
bleI. Evolution. Christian Science.
Theosophy and Atheism have swallow.
ed up the majority Of the intellectuals
Of the Churches. and the mediocre
masses are rapidly following them into
the outer darkness OF unbelief and
godlessness
II ls impossible for an honest man
who has lost his faith In God. and In
the Bible az the Word OF God, to take
a real heart-lnterest In prayer-meet
ings. in Bible study and in attempted
holy living. He finds nothing substan-
tlal for his faith 10 rest upon. He
srorns 10 he hypOcrlte. Hence the
0ld-time religious life In not to be gen.
orally expected
Modern ReVivals Unsatisfactory.
Modern revival methods lsangy talk
clOwniSh actions and pretense that
rising 10 ones feet in public assem-.
bly, means Christian reformation and
spirit t-begettingl is too foolish for think.
Ing people of the class represented by
the Editor Of the Wall Street journal.
II Is not for M TO say that absolutely
nothing is accomplished. and that all
fall away who. under excitement.
stdnd mp to he prayed for. or to lndl-
cate that they prefer TO spend eternity |
In bliss rather than in torture. We |
DO, however. mean to say that such |
persons are bewildered. If no worse.
and year after. we fear. are as bad |
or worse than the year before This is
because they are not really converted
-hecausr they have no real foundation !
for faith given them, and have no
faith 10 put upon such foundation
They nrp moi even what St Paul STYLES
"BnbeS In Christ" q Corinthians III. II.
for only the spirit. begotten belong to
that class.
What Is Really Needed.
The revival really needed should NOT
be looked for nor expected amongst
worldly people They have nothing Of
to revive IL should begin
WIN Christians who have not vet lost
llI their fulth In God and I'm the Bible.
These Sh"nld become awakened to the
fart th'I spirituality and faith nre at
low rNh Their prayers should as.
end to God. rnd their Bibles should no
fuded az never before. They should
nnEr use of prps9nt-day helps I'm their
blhle study and become fervent and
'erlvitied Of spirit through better nm.
lerStandlng of the Scriptures They
must see that the Bible was not pron.
'rIy represented In the creeds of the
'aSl; that II Is In direct opposition TO
many OF the doctrines of the nost
which have Justly become repulsive 70
Intelligent minds
When once they get the proper focus
N Gods Word, one passage lllumlnot.
ng another their faith in God and in
he Bible will become a living one -
moving one, nnd, with this spirit. foith
ND works viii come Christian zeoI
ewency Of spirit In the service OF the
ord With these in turn win come
In helping one another. nc.
lVites In family Worship. In Blble
laSseS, In PRAYER and testimony moor.
ngS' etc Then as the Master said
hey VIII let their light shine and the
Worldly viii see and he Influenced by
hese living erlStles, known and read
T all I'll Corinthians ili, p
Most Important Points.
II Is useless for any to nttemnt ~
ehe'e' or~to attempt To teach Others
nat God Is great, and Just. and loy.
lE while az the same time teaching
nat He prepared before the foundo.
oh ot the world, an Immense torture
humber in which thousands of NH.
onS would he forced to spend eter.
lty. How our forefatherS could be.
eve this and yet believe somehow or
Ih'r that God ls Love we do not up.
eniand. II was their faith In Gods n
owe aud not their faith In eternal
lrmen' which constituted the mower y
God working In them for GOOD and =
mich offset the errors OF their crceds !
u hrgr degree Rut no one OF 10. /
ny who Is At all awake can any long.
IhlnG of worShlpping II God inferior =,
! himself A God unmst ,na nDI,,!