The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-04-06
THE INITIATIVE, THE REFER
ENDUM AND THE RECALL
AS APPLIED TO REVEALED
RELIGION.

we cOluucuGeu upon Tie NEW he
ligion" as expounded by Profess
sor Edward c. Moore in the Peo-
pies Church, st. Paul, and in the
State University, Minneapolis.
showing that the New Religion
is nothing more nor less than the
complete reputation Of the Chris
tianity of the ages, as no longer
BETTING the ideas and supposed
needs of humanity, and the sub
stitution for it Of something that
may be termed the expression Of
the so-called modern aspirations,
according as each individual, still
calling himself Christian, appre-
hends and judges those aspira-
tions. Last Sunday the theme
was taken up in several of the
non-Catholic pulpits Of St. Paul,
and treated with applause along
the lines marked out by the
spokesman Of Harvard. The ten
dency to cling to superannuated
forms and dogmas, it was pro-
claimed, must be abandoned: the
'Snew" must be resolutely entered
into: the church must be re-
vitalized, and made to sympathize
with men, as men today think and
move. 1t is the recall" applied
with a vengeance to religion, to
the teachings and ordinances Of
the Founder Of Christianity-the
Prophet, it may be, Of the Pales-
tinian thought of long ago, but
today an out-of-place anachron-
ism, which the sooner buried and
put out Of sight, the better all
around for progressive humanity.
Of course, as we remarked,
underlying this ''recall'' in relig-
ion is the utter forgetfulness that
Christ taught F'as having author
ity," and taught for all nations
and all ages; the utter forgetful-
ness that God is and must be
the Master, while the only role
allowed to man is that Of the
humble and submissive disciple;
the utter forgetfulness that Christ
spoke for all time, that no iota
of his words was ever to pass
away, though heaven and earth
should pass away. But all this
matters not to the advocates of
"the New Religion" individual
man is supreme: laws, from
man or from God, are not to be
counted with: institutions and
constitutions, by whomsoever set
forth, endure so long as the in
dividua1 man approves Of them
and should tear themselves into
shreds when he bids them van
ish.
From it's inception Protestant
ism was nought else than the
initiative, the referendum and the
recall" as applied to the Christian
faith. The essence Of Protestant
ism is the substitution Of individ-
ual thought for authority, whether
that authority be the Church,
the more immediate representa-
tive Of Christ, or Christ Him
self, in whose name and under
whose mandate the Church
speaks and works. At first
Professionalism was not altogether
logical: it shrank from the full
consequences Of it's vital princi-
ple-the superiority of each and
every individual, though mex,
pert and untutored, over courts
and constitutions, however ven
cradle and authoritative courts
and constitutions may prove
themselves to be. For many years
Professionalism had it's creeds and
synods to which obedience was
peremptorily demanded. Time,
however, is more imperious in log
ic than human proposal: it brings
out in full fruition the seeds once
/ given over to termination. And
so today we have Professionalism,
as Mr.. Moore expounds it" the
initiative, the referendum and
the recall launched forth in un.
restricted swing within the ranks
of its discipleship. Principles to
be held and acted upon, the indi-
vidual Protestant decides for him
self. Synods and conferences give
/ judgment: but DEGREES and resolu.
tions of synods and conferences
are beatings of the air without
the approving verdict of the indi.
vidual Protestant. Courts affirm OF
deny: very well, if the affirmation
or the denial pleases the multi
tude: else let judges be deprived
of Office, and others more respon.
sive to the throbbings of the pOpu.