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offers a bloodIess sacrifice. This Chris
tian ritual grew up--as an indispensa-
bic means Of pleasing and appeasing
God. The Christian ceremonial sys-
tenn does not differ essentially from
that against which the prophets pro-
tested.
Necessary to Unlearn Errors.
It seems it is now necessary to I'M
learn much error. Some of these
errors make of Christianity an intolra.-
Bile bondage; others make it a theory
OF vapid unrealities. Such men as
Voltaire and Tom Paine were attack
ing these carcicatures of the truth. Re-
Gently woman writing in the Satur-
day Evening Post was saying some
smart things about Christianity. among
them. that no person in health and
comfortable surroundings ever sought
the comforts of religion. She was
laboring under a stupendous self de
ception, which may have grown out
of some grotesque form of Christianity
with which she was familiar. The old
habit OF substituting denominational-
ism for Christianity has led to con-
tempt. When the world outgrows the
given Denomination or creed. those
who are only acquainted with that,
and who insist upon holding on to it,
imagine that the bottom has fallen
out OF Christianity, and all takes on
the appearance of unhealthy ~
TT is a vast error to ignore all that
cannot be put into our formulas. Men
have also been strangely dominated
by word or symbol This may do for
those content to dwell in the twilight
of half-truths, but to fresh minds the
exact truth is necessary.
IF real Christianity cannot square
all y Il
and you nor / nor all men can stay
the march of mind. but if it be the
eternal truth Of God none can over
throw it.
Old Testament Law Was Bondage.
The Old Testament law was
bondage which Jesus said no man
could bear He freed the churches from
it, and there is always a tendency to
drag them back under the yoke. Con-
Meeting baptism with circumcision, the
attempt to do something sacramental
to the unconscious child, the looking
up to some big man instead of to
Christ, are traces of world-old error,
and make Christianity seem unreal to
many minds which otherwise would
welcome the simple and powerful Cos
pei of Christ. If one go with the
Judaizers one mile he must needs go
with them twain. Let us face these
things"
Synopsis of Sermon.
With this introduction began a dis
cussion of the What and What Nots
of Christianity, and some of the points
made were as follows:
THE Christian life is not a life of
imitation Of other peoples expert
ence. 1t is not the catching up of GER
tain religious phrases and repeating
them. 1t is not the recital of some
outward creed. These things do not
make Christians Neither can Chris
tianity be learned out of books. The
Christians Secret of a Happy Life was
the experience of one womani Pill
grim's Progress was the experience of
a monk. Bakers Saints Rest was
the experience of a consumptive! Not
even familiarity with the Bible makes
q Christian.
Christ Laid No Stress Upon FEELING.
Some teachers have tried to make
us believe we must feel and act a Ger
tain way and we cannot This is as
far as the east is from the~west from
the teachings of Christ. He laid no
stress upon feeling and did not even
plaee the emphasis upon conduct The
theological examination at the begin
ming of the Christian life has forced
unreality and positive dishonesty upon
thousands of church members. Jesus
did not hold an examination till after
years and then simply asked them
VINO do We say that I ann
Christian Life Not inherited.
And then the Christian life is not
life of inherited magical results One
cannot inherit his fathers religion any
more than he can his fathers learning
If results are conceived of as coming
to the child without any conditions on
his part it is unreality Religion thus
becomes disconnected with the rest of
life. Jesus was careful not to separate