The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-01-29
EMPHASIZE SOCIAL
SIDE Of TEACHING
Progressive Element in the
Church Has Kept Pace
With Worlds Progress.
so DECLARES DIR.
KARL r. STOLZ
Addressed Methodist Minis
tiers in Conference at
Grafton.

sso WV .SN'p
like individuals, adapt itself to- en-
vironment. and that religion today is
making vital contact with the present
age. is tho contention of DR.. r. Stolz
Of Wesley college as expressed by him
at the meeting in Grafton last evening
of the sub-district ministerial gather
ing of the Methodist church. Mctho-
dist pastors of the churches on the
Great Northern and Northern Pacific
lines north Of Grafton are present at
the conference which is continuing to-
day. j. G. Moore Of this city Is pres
ent at the gathering.
DR.. Stolz discussed THE Modern
Emphasis in Religion" and spoke in
part. as follows:
1t is a natural law that only those
individuals that adapt themselves to
their environment survive In Il
in the biologicai world is equally true
in the religious world. The religion
that fails to make vital contact with
the present age cannot share In the
survival of the fittcst. There is u pro-
gressive element in the church that Is
making a constructive effort to solve
modern problems Ivy emphasizing the
social side of the teaching of Jesus,
the religious education of II child.
and the Immancncc of God.
1t is a tribute to the comprehensive
ness of the teaching of Jesus that
every age has found support In II.
The modern man does not examine 1t
for proof texts for subtle doctrines.
but for light on mans relation to man.
Deed has displaced creed. Men are
making inquiry as to what Jesus
taught about the state. the family, the
care of the poor. the rich. Applying
the social teaching Of Jesus. men are
everywhere raising voice and hands
against current social abuses-against
graft and greed in politics, against the
miscarriage of justice in our judicial
system. against child labor. against
the white slave traffic, against the
sweat shop. The church has passed
dogma and creed were tho test of dis
cipleship: it has had it's emotional age
when tho feelings were the springs of
the christian life; it is now seeking to
apply the principles of brotherhood to
the complex problems of the twentieth
century.
In its method to c%vangelize the
world the church is taking seriously
the teaching of Jesus with reference
to the relation of the child and his
God. Through religious education it is
conserving the religious life of Its
childhood. The spirit of the move
amtent which aims to" conserve the ma
tural resources Of the nation and to
increase efficiency generally. has be-
gun to animate the church. Under
the old regime the church taught
that the child was innately and totally
depraved. Unnatural and premature
religious %uphcavals have prevented the
normal development of the child's re-
ligious instinct. The church is learn
ing to trust the instincts Of Jesus who
called little children blessed. said n a
theirs was tho Kingdom OF Heaven
and most cmphatically insisted n q
unless adults in their perverted state
became as little children their destiny
was dark. The church is now rcaliz-
ing that its function is to provide
nourishment for the spiritual life from
the cradle to the grave.
The constructively progressive ele-
mcnt in the church Is Widening It's
conception of God. In times past men
saw q manifestation of God In por.
tents and prodigies. in the weird and
unusual, in %infractions of and depar-
lures from natural law. Such a view
was based upon the conception of Il
God who. having flung the world out
Of his creative hand. was leading a
sel%f-suflcient existence apart from
men and the universe, and whose sole
revelation Of himself was in the form
Of the miraculous. The church is be
God, to emphasize his sustaining
presence in his world. Natural law is
now regarded as Gods mode of self.
expression. The ancient saw his God
in the burning bush which was not
consumed. In a rod that budded. in
the opening of blind eNe in the un-
stopping Of deaf ears: we see Him in
every bush that grows. in every bud
that swells. in every eye that sees. In
every ear that hears. We do not be-
lieve less than u fathers: we believe
vastly more. Science and religion are
striking hands: the conflict between
them is dissolving. for religion is ap-
preciating the natural manifestations
of God and science is conceding the
supernatural source of natural law.