Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-06-18


1--WE are convinced of the necessity of Baptists
themselves supplying the denomination with the
leading books to be used in mission study classes
An examination of many of these undenominational
show that a number of them not only mini
pected in such books but they frequently contain
matter that is definitely intended to break down
UNCONVENTIONAL loyalty In fact some OF them go
out of way to belitte UNCONVENTIONAL loyalty
and threaten the adherence to distinct scriptural
principles" -.
1t is not an unworthy sectariansm which in
spires these words, but spirit of conscientious de-
voton to the convictions duty which the Baptists
entertain. They are to be approved for their sim
certify and candour.
There are many undenominational movements"
and organizations abroad in land just now which
undertake to use and then abuse the churches They
ask the preachers to supply them with the names OF
the leading members of the churches, secure the use
of the church buildings, and draw all the influence
of the churches into the promotion of their schemes;
and then they proceed to berate both the churches
and the preachers if they were utterly backslid
den and almost useless. The agents of these move
ments" and associations" often talk as If nobody
but themselves understood the mind Of Christ, or
had skill and pety sufficient to do the best christian
work They set themselves up experts" and &C
count the pastors of the churches the cumsiest
sort of amateurs in the art of winning to Christ
They talk much of the kingdom Of God in way to
suggest that about the only institution which is not
included in the kingdom of God is the church of
God Athletics baths, banquets, conventions, as
semblies resorts, and the like seem to be
their most approved for saving the world and
establishing the kingdom Of God in the earth Preach
ing the gospel observing the christian ordinances and
attending upon the regular services Of the church
do not appear to rank high as means of grace with
these super-enlightened leaders of new and ap
proved type of christianity
1t is not to be overlooked that all these move
ments" and organizations" have a body of salaried
secretaries whose salaries paid by appeals to the
liberal men of all the churches-men who have been
made by the churches the liberal christian men they
Also these irresponsible bodies addicted to
making and selling sundry publications, from which
a considerable income is derived There lies before
me now an advertising pamphlet, put forth by one
of these extra-church movements, in which 1t is
stated that more than a million copies of its books
have been sold. While some of the books sold may
have been fairly good, of them which have fall
len under my eye have been good as the books of
the churches which the field, and at least
one of them which have read is exceedingly poor
and very misleading But it may be asked, how
could these books attain to great circulation If
they not of the highest order? The answer is
easy connection has been skifuly established with
all the churches and then worked for all it was
worth and thus has been created market for them.
One of the reasons for the excessive zeal of the
agents of the movements to work outside all the
churches is that all the churches may be worked
Much is made of the Observation-Disclosures feature
and constant defamation Of vague sort is in
dulged about christian unity" Professions of "su
perior charity" put forward in contrast with the
narrowness of the churches. Upon the whole these
movements" to be projected the syndicate"
and big business" plan of things They wish to use
the churches simply as distributors of their
and supporters of their agents Hence in the pros
pectus of every of them is printed the name of
person tie representative" of each of the
large churches of our land. But by whom these
representatives" appointed? Certainly not by the
churches named These representatives picked by
the group of conducting these schemes, and
they have responsibility to the churches to which
they belong. They were picked simply to establish
nexus with the churches for business purposes, and
not for any work of representation whatsoever.
The whole method is one that the churches
and then abuses them. In order to keep the pace
with all the churches, defnteness of belief is de-
nounced and indf1nite and atmospheric senti-
ment is set up a sort Of pillar of cloud by which
henceforth Gods Israel must be led. Such process
leads no where but ends always in confusion Of
tongues.
1t is something than folly to try to make
all the churches break with their past history and
renounce their cherished convictions. They will
consent to wipe out, ignore the history by
which they have been developed, nor abandon the
principles which gave them birth. And If they could
be induced to consent to any such Remuneration of
their characteristic excellences the result would not
increase of zeal and faith, but only output
of gush and insincerty. To blend all christian
churches in organization, in which they could
not coalesce unless they denatured, would not
augment the of piety in the EARTH but would
only deteriorate the religion of all the churches 1t
the logical and inevitable result of all interdenom
national syndicates that they level doom the life of
all the members of the combine to the level of the
lowest member of it. They never leveI up life
The truly good man is not the who suppresses
his convictions, but the who stands Stoutly by
what he honestly believes And God wants good
men, not favorless and insipid sentimentaists. We
should love good men who bravely believe. One such
man is worth a thousand cowardly spirits who are
ready to sacrifice truth and right for the sake of