Evening journal., 1911-02-13

against conception OF SdlNaDOn aa
a sort OF first insurance from possible
loss in the hereafter or a ticket OF ad-
mission admitting the holder and the
holder only TO Il spectacular pa adise.
Such a conception of salvation. it
maintains puts a premium upon what
is most offensive to God, namely re-
fined selhshness. Salvation is the
spirit of Jesus Christ in one here and
now. the spirit OF moral purity, holy
obedience and noble unselhshness. It
says little about savings oneself and
much about saving humanity. lts
motto is, For thei- sakes. consecrate
myself. These are some of the cur
rent conceptions the new Protestant
ism protests against.
Speaking positively, what docs It
itand for?
1T stands first for the use Of cdu-
cational principles and processes in
the field Of religion. This does not
mean It is opposed 20 revivals and
conversions of the traditional type.
IL believes in them, but IL also be-
lieves that the life of the spirit which
begins with conversion is amenable 10
educational processes. 1t is most un-
should be regarded by so many even
today as antithetic to each other.
hey should go hand IN hand The
religion Of the majo itv of Christians
will safely stand a liberal impression
OF intellectual and moral intelligence.
he life of the spirit needs knowledge
quite as much as inspi alton.
The new Professionalism stands Sec
/ Ondly for a type of religion which Is
efficacious, not only in the prayol
meeting and class meeting, but I'M the
stress and strain Of life. It calls FOL
pure, unselfisb, serene and heroi
life and all the disappointments, an
trials OF time.
Religion of Social Effort.
Again IL stands for a religion O
social effort. It's watchword is tn
kingdom of justice and love here ant
now. The religion of Moses was emf
nently a social affair. II was a socia
issue which he faced. Shall We or.
the praises of Moses and deny tn
principle for which he stood, its appli
cation to the conditions of today
This is what many men consciousl.
or unconsciously are doing. Chris
tianity unalterably stands for such al
I
able him to fulfil his GOd-given posi-
biliues. The logic of Christianity
demand reaches to the bases Of man
economies as we'll as his moral life
Christianity is cheated out of its in
herent prerogatives when 1t is bowe,
out of the economic realm as a in
truder. Men may politely or other
wise bow II out but IL is bound L
come back; IL may be in the for1
Of a great social revolution. Nothin
is settled right until It is settled Il
the court of the religion of Jesus.
Stands for Cooperation.
Finally the new ProtestantisI
stands for the practical co-operatio
Of all Christians to bring in the king
dom Of God. Cooperation is the cal
Of the hour.
I'VE need church members who dc
sire not to make Presbyterians, q
Methodists, or Baptists of men an
women. but intelligent, broad-mindeS
big-hearted Christians. We need
work for a spirituality for ourselve
and our fellOw-men which permeate
the whole life. wears eyery-da
clothes, goes to the shop, the offic
and the school, a spirituality whic
asks not for dreams or prophet
ecstasies or sighs for Paradise bl
wants a chance TO live for the world
betterment here and now. This is,
substance, the new PrOtestantis
and I appeal to you II every con
munity does not need it. Does M
Wilmington need It? Do we not a
need a more intelligent grasp Of II
basic principles OF the Christian r.
ligion. We need more Of the spirit
convicting and converting power. "
also need more Of His illuminatin
power. The rising generation can
saved to organize Christianity on
as we employ the educational methC
In dealing with It.
I'm conclusion will not loc
Professionalism take on new life al
experience a great uplift when v
cease trying to make EpiscOpalian
or Methodists. or Presbyterians OF o'
fellowmen and endeavor by our wor'
and deeds to make Christ-like Chri
tians OF them. II signifies nothing
the kingdom OF Christ to add unspi
itual men and women to our col
munions. Such additions may bu
large to the eye OF man but not
the eye OF God. But who can measu
the significance of the addition of o
man OF woman who lives the life
the spirit as the master lived Il"