The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-11-23

servatism and liberalism. each decry-
ing the other. as they are always used
TO do. and each unable to recognize
the function Of the other in human
debate with as much patience as pos
sible which recently filled the leading
columns of a religious weekly. I have
been struck with the half-vtew logic.
learned champions Of the two schools
employ in the discussion OF topic
that ought to be lifted to very much
higher philosophical plane. One would
imagine that each party. respectively.
expected that the world would either
be set forward. or set back. by the
decisiop Of . congress OF preachers.
There was a time. perhaps long. long
ago. when such momentous results
might follow synodicai deliverances.
turn. The church. enthusiastically con-
stdered. has come to be az fractional
IN its moral influence upon the world
as II is fractional in its external Or
OF the world awaits with growing i'm
patience the disappearance OF Q frac-
ti0nalism and factional'sm which had
its beginnings in ha'r-splitting dog
impossible either to enlighten or to
interest anybody. and owes its perse-
verance more to denominatfonal hered-
ity than to anything else.
The church. AZ such. has less influ.
ence in the world, but the truth. Of
htvinely appointed conservator. has
more influence In the world than ever
before. Dogmatists and sectariss have
done all they could do. and are even
that influence. but it persists In spite
OF them, and this fact stands like an
impregnable wall OF evidence that the
Christian religion has Almighty God
behind il. No human system either Of
moral philosophy or of religion could
possibly survive an equal amount OF
narrow ness and folly upon the part OF
its votaries. But the church survives
because the truth upon which II -
founded-which 1t SO often interprets
as a mere charter OF partisanry. which
IL SO greatly obscUres by its Ignorant
dOgmatics-is nevertheless divine. ana
as Fundamentally essential to human
happiness and human progress a. the
truth 10 moral and spiritual first. and
intellectual only incidentally, Tor IL
can be realized without being analysed,
and bursts with all its unexamp1ed
splerior upon the inner experience OF
the humblest man. who would only be
hopefully confused by the definitions
Of the trained theoiogian.
No one Is greatly disturbed by any
ephemeral or accidental controversy
who realizes that ideas and moral
their mode Of action. Men are merely
infinitesimals and atoms In this ire
sistible stream OF tnevtta1le evolu:
ton. but this particular indnitessmai
other particular atom that he can set
il forward. and SO they pull and hau!
at each other while the current Of the
ages carries them all along together.
This pulling and hauling. this anxiety
and agitation. Is good for the atoms
because IL develops them into the best
possible atoms, the most vlrSbe. the
mos; potential. and II ought not 70 be
regretted by anyone. II would De dSf-
ficuIt to find anything moro un-
a church editor that the discussion OF
federation had disturbed the peace ana
quiet Of the church Your radical has
no more useful mIssion than TO Disturb
that peace OF slumber. that quiet OF
stagnation. and your conservative fui-
fills his divine mission when BY re-
siStance he makes peace Impossible.
I am not come" said the Master In
AN men Il am not come to send pescs
on the earth. but . sword Jesus OF
Nazareth was not Q conservative
Church federation 10 not . funda-
mental question. although even the
will admit that church frsctionalism
is essentially abnormal Tho IDEAL IL
IN universal brotherhood. not founded
upon the shifting ooD0 OF mutoai
compromises. but upon the SOLD rock
of spiritual unity. We observe two
most sienffcsnt phenomena-on the
one hand the waning os the dogmaf!st-
, on the other hand the steady growth
Of spiritual unity. let patience have
her perfect work" No amount Of
shouting viii check the one. or adj
vance the other. 4 new era evidently
ar1ses. but - asks the consent or guild
aace OF no man. nor any set Of men.
nor any school % thought, nor any
system Of philosophy. nor any sect cf
ireligioa Jealous utilities neither
block q nor hesp u forward. but 70
q man win he may battle his sou! In
the OplenAor Of its sunrise. and re-
fleet more and more Of It's glory upon
| MS times and upon MS generation
4 BENJAMIN G. NOONAw.
savannah. Va.
AoOsSsv ss6e 20 SAe Arr Casa
Ito the Editor Of The T!meo-Deopatch:
eiY.--fs there not another SIDE 70