The Republican journal., 1912-02-15
cbdstian Courtesy and Relig-
ious liberation.
,s,mon by Rev. Ashley A. Smith of
The UniversaIist Church, Bangor.

~ y ho then is Paul, and who is Appollos,
s.--risters by whom We believed, even as
-t-d gave to every man? l have planted,
lbs Hatered: but God gave the increase"
-.sapears, from the reading of this IA
chapter that the Church in Cor
=, which Paul had established, was
! =. warning religious parties, factions
.-.- were neglecting the larger purposes
~ issues and mission of the church,
+ghting over minor questions and
-. ,-s- -rng their time and energy in the
- sauaDbles and unseemly wrang-
=. Of craftsmanship. The spirit of
-t.-r7 and Intolerance was rife in this
Than Church. Instead of obeying
- ,-sc.irg of Christ, instead of think
rn and following Him, there was
r ~ competitive glorification of the
94s party leaders. One faction
lcei Paul, another Chephas and
- -rs the eloquent Appollos. 1t was
ition of affairs that moved Paul
us words of rebuke and admoni-
h saw that the church was d.
ard weakened, as an efficient
and religious force. For while
Ii -..-a an of Paul, and another am
.us, are We not of the worldly
- VINO then is Paul, and Chepas
4.ulos but servants of Christ, by
-,. - came to believe on Him." He
.. under of the Christian Church,
Va owe our undivided loyalty and
--..re, not to any servant or minis
Ms though he be as eloquent as
o. -ator Appollls or as full of mis-
ha
p5stle.
picture of the early Church in
= not unknown in history since
~. ~-, and it is too familiar spec
..- ar4 too frequent condition of
~ stan Church today. How often
q lrcn has forgotten or ignored its
-r and glorifed some sectarian
-s.-r; now frequently its varying
a.. ss have cried, we are followers of
lar alvin. or John Wesley, or John
,-.. Of this or that servant or minister
.L..st. How often has narrow sec
ia IN overshadowed Christian fra
and courtesy: how frequently
ton and jealousy and intolerance
.s stroyed sweet spirited zeal and
I4lity ana sympathy, and the
--.r1 Of Christ become the scene of
z.-5-r and bitterness and strife. Some
r VIZ most revolving crimes in the
.--s,of human history must be charged
Church that assumed the name of
e. Mister and asserted ALLEGIANCE to
Urn. out denied his spirit and DETAINED
purpose, by the narrow intolerance
r. rsentless prosecutions that swept,
3D. - Of bn fo,r Goll
.tnern France: deluged the Wal
--sl AZ valleys as with a food of fire,
n gerspread the Netherlands with a
eli tial cloudof terrorism and destruc-
he fiendish torrents of the Span
# .llsition were born OF bigotry and
~ rance and received the sanction of
r. n1lrch. The Massacre and St.
.a new, one of the bloodiest spots
Z Hi,tory's page, was conceived in the
rant, vindictive heart of Catherine
j jci, who deluded by her sectarian
srsrcsm thought that in the whole
~ laughter of the Huguenots she
be qing God service. We read of
r--e resolutions today with mingled
.t- II Indignation and pity. 1t al
ems to the reader of history as if
"ao were nearest to the spirit and
If the Christ We're the ones who
these prosecutions in the fullest
-.a--.-. But pers -cution and intoler-
this old violent murderous kind
Men no longer attempt to re-
--- ri suppress religious convictions
rot agree with their own in the
u., british ways. We no longer
r pn the cross like the Scribes and
: -s, 'use the rack and the unspeak-
lures of Iorqumarda and the
ia of the lnquisition, no longer
-a at the stake and eXut in the
-..g curling fagot-fames that
round the forms Of the martyrs,
= lJnt Smlthtie!d: but the same
Intolerance and persecution, re-
M 'o d higher plane, can say with
care, 81 can speak daggers
ru.E. use none. The tongue can
'-- ANA fay as well as scorching
81 riies. In far keener and more
ays than by headsmen's axe, or
lang III : scatfold, or fagot flame, men
y. rsecute their fellow men because
&c 7-r-ace of religious opinion and con-
gH.. When some years since sat in
'a Temple and heard a venerable
rr-.r On that platform, in his suppli-
el 70 Almighty God, pray that all
s---- and inhdels, Unitarians and Uni
7--'aJsts might be brought to the sudden
II ' perdition, | thought, to myself,
e as black and bitter bigotry. as
.-mr,us and fendish intolerance and
I,+a9tion, as ever moved the heart of
,r no kindled the cruel martvr.fres
G.- the forms of John Huss and
sae-1s, Cranmer and John Hugh Lati-
-r fr they were consigned to the
-.ny- + an hour while this modern. min
aea4 prosecutor finds nothing inhu-
,r. rtthjnp unchristian in conS;oninr