Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-07-12

Oeakers of today, and his vast audi
nee was evidently much in sympathy
B NTH bis utterances. He took for his
sext the words. THE Father of mer-
les and the God of all comfort."-2
Corinthians 1:3,
In bis opening remarks, the Pastor
tated that when in India. China and
Japan last year. he was forcibly struck
lgith the intelligence Of many among
hese peoples. He visited their idol
emples for the purpose of noticing
he degree of reverence exhibited and
he status Of worshipers. He was ia
yorably impressed; many seemed sim
.ere, absolutely unmindful of any 9th
er matter than their own worship. He
made inquiry as to what Importance
was attached to the idol. Was 1t re-
}garded as the god, or merely re-
hinder Of their god? He was assured
of the latter-that the idol itself was
known to be of metal, or stone, or
wood, and was used merely as a re-
minder Of their god. in much the same
way that Catholics use the crucifx-
not as worshiping the image or the
picture, but merely having these be-
fore the mind to assist in fixing rever-
ence and the spirit Of worship.
Our Creed Idols Worse.
At first, said Pastor Russell, l felt
disposed to chide the heather for the
horrible features which they give their
Images. said to myself. Why do
they not make graceful, beautiful idols
INSTEAD of horrible ones? But little
reflection brought me Shame and con-
fusion. said to myself, Look at the
rreeds, the idols, the images of God,
set up in Chrlstendom. We have not
attempted to picture our Deity in wood
or stone or mineral, but we have writ
ten out description Of His character
-our Christian creeds.
These Creeds stand before our men,
tai eyes with exactly the same hide
GUS features that the tangible idol has
before the natural eye Of the heathens,
Each different creed shows slightly
different image of God, but they are
all horrible. They all picture God as
q most atrocious character, more hide
pous by far than are any Of the idols
of heathendom.
How could anybody carve, or cast,
or model, mute image. or idol, that
would speak such horrible things as
all Of our creeds portray by descrip-
lonl Where is the artist who could
picture God celebrating upon the
creaton Of the human family, and be-
Tore beginning His work planning and
arranging a great place called Hell
land some say another called Purga-
tory, creating flre-proof devils to man
these, laying up fuel for use therein
through all eternity, and then start
Ing the human. race with provocative
powers with the foreknowledge that
thousands Of millions would spend
eternity in these horror chambers!
Who could picture or model an image
representing q God who would. after
preparing such a place, inject new life
and vigor into the poor sufferers so as
10 prevent their ever dying-so as to In
sure that they must live everastingly
under those horrible conditlonsl Nc
neathen was ever capable OF such an
imagination; and hence none was eveI
aole to picture such a God, either In
cay or stone, or metal, or wood, oT
with the pen. It remained for the most
cultured and civilized peoples Of the
world who had enjoyed most Of Gods
Iavors and blessings and Enlightenment
10 misunderstand Him most. to mis-
represent Him worst, and carry those
misrepresentation to the heather.
The Heathen Know II, Too.
Missionaries have indeed reached
rev people and brought them under
measure Of Christian influence, bu
.nelr number Is SMALL so also their In
,eIllgence. Like some true Christian
mere they have reverence for Coz
"dly encumbered with error. Th
more Intelligent classes are agnostlcs
christianity, so-called, has led them I,
uoubt their own religions, but It has no
given them anything in their stead.
When some Of the higher caste ma
yves learned that my preaching wa
uiuerent from that Of the missionaries
ana that II presented a God Of Love
ana an ultimate opportunity to all man
iund to come into harmony with hfn