Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1913-01-06
ARE WE IDOLATERS?

Is this an age OF idolaters? The
lyoid charge of the English that the
American people worship the al
mighty dollar" as yet remains to be
disproven. Not until the poor man
who strays into a Iich church is in
variably treated with the same defer
ence and courtesy as the one clad in
silks and furs, will the charge be dis
proven, nor possibly even then.
Money worship is not confined to
America, nor is any other form OF
idolatry. 1t has even crept into our
churches. Nine out of ten Protest
ants will declare that the use of the
crucifiX and the images made use of
in the Catholic worship is idolatry,
but this is not confined to that
church. Does not many a Protestant
worship his church instead of his
God? Many resent and declare i'm
pious and immoral and criticism of
either the doctrine or the organiza-
tion of the church to which they lend
their belief. They worship the man
created organization instead of the
Infinite who created all.
Another class worships the old
Whatever is, is right"
The man or woman who believes
that ITO be out of fashion is to be
out of the world" is worshiping
fashion rather than God.
Our Christian Science friends tell
us, and with good show of logic, that
to turn to matter for the remedy for
physical, spiritual or financial ills,
when all comes from God, is idol
airy. Their opponents retort with
the declaration that Scientists wor-
ship Mrs. Eddy, and there you are.
is it not certain that some of us
are worshiping man-made God; an
image of our own creation; a being
who is simply a larger edition of our
selves? Do we not all need to return
more to the observance of the COM
mandment to Love the Lord thy
God with all thy heart, and thy
neighbor as thyselc"?
1t is worship of creed, rite or or
ganization which impels us to Judge
our fellow men, not the worship of
God. 1t has been the worship of
creed, not God-love-which has
caused the religious fanaticisms of
past and present. Few Catholics of
today will contend that it was the
worship of God that impelled st. Bar
tholomew's massacre. Few Protest
ants will declare the Salem eXecu-
tions due to the love of God. Yet
each thought they were worshiping
Him, when, in fact, they were bow
ing down to and serving an organiza-
ton.
Had God, love, been the ruling
spirit of the church from the DAYS
of Jesus, such stains would never
have blotted the history of the world.
Nowadays the spirit of worshiping
! organizations does not go to the ex-
tent of physical violence, but it does
lead to maral, social and political in
justice and prejudice which is far
from being in accord with the charac-
ter of God or the teachings of Jesus.
Sometimes it seems as if the effort
employed in trying to teach others the
errors of their ways is more than
wasted. The mote in our neighbor's
eye is so much more clearly seen by
us than the beam in our own. If
each cleaned before his own door the
entire street would be clean If each
! properly guides his own thoughts and
actions it will give him little time to
attempt to direct the life or beliefs
of his neighbor, AMI his example will
be worth more than the precepts of
| thousand. The man who lives a
life OF purity, peace and charity is a
sermon which cannot be criticised
! and the man who fully lives up to
the commandments as laid down by
Jesus will live such a life. He will
worship God, love, not creed, church,
money, power, or aught else.