The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-07-14

every man that asketh you a reason of
the hope that Is In you with meekness
and fear.
Peter III. IL.
"A number of years ago there APP
Npeared a little book entitled: why /
Am What I Am" said Rev. j. A. Ten
Rroeck at Christ Episcopal church
Sunday morning IN a sermon on why
| Am an Episcopalian.
IL was collection OF short state
ments by adherents OF various religious
bodies as To why they belonged To
their special church This question is
a little egOtistical however. and often
calls forth secondary answers | pre-
fer 10 approach IT from the church's
standpoint and ask, What right has
this church To claim my allegiance?
we occupy a unique position among
the religious bodies, both i'm public
judgment and in our claim. We are
openly ard professedly protestant. We
are often accused Of being catholic.
wv lubNi tfi tlt pplh
and catholic. We try Ia recognize
truth where ever we see il. We occupy
a middle ground.
"Our church is not what is popularity
known as an up-to-datc church. We
discriminate against 'fads' in religion.
We set ourselves against whatever
mars the dignity or spirit Of reverence
i'm public worship. II by up-t dat"
YOU mean lowering of standards To
catch the crowd We are behind the
times and hope to stay so. We de-
cline to make the house of God an
amusement hall on Sundays. where
they preface an elaborate concert with
a few prayers. and substitute it for di-
vine service
Our church always stands with the
ma ority We have no peculiar teach
ings. Take any truth which we hold rs
vital or important. and YOU will find
that truth held by The ma jority OF
Christians. For example in having
Apostolic Succession we differ from
some. but we hold with four flfths Of
Christians. In the matter Of infant
baptism we hold with the majority.
Our church makes three positive
claims fer herself.
|. Christ her founder.
H.. The Bible her guide.
Ill She is modern. as well as an
Gent
l. Christ her founder. When Christ |
was on earth He founded church and |
promised To be with Il to the end Of
the world: therefore that church Is in
the world TODAY He whose word car
not be broken formed IL for His own !
abode" That church has had a check |
cred career She has had her ups and |
downs. Man have used her for their
own agerandizement. But He has ever
been with her. Now He leads with the
hand of love. Now He scourges and
rebukes her. We do not claim perfec-
ton.
I'VE delight To trace the career of
that branch To which We belong. w"
see how IL left the shores OF Asia ana
spread over Gaul and from Gaul To
England. We recall that long battle
If the middle ages so Valiantly fought
Tor the liberties OF the Church of Eng
and We delight To tell of the setting
lp of the church in jamestown in 1907,
md of those trying days following the
war of the Revolution when God So
guided this church To keep
intact the fundamentals of doctrine
discipline and worship which had been
handed down through the Church of
England during those long centuries.
we Justly take satisfaction in III"
historic fact that We can trace our his
oric unity with the church that Christ
heritage.
III. The Bible her guide.
The church came before the Bible.
rhe Bible came out of the church !
Tod revealed His truth To living men
md they taught the church. and later ;
wrote that truth down. The church f.
objected their writing and decided [
What should and should not go int tn"
3ible. The Bible Is the child, not the 5
mother Of the church The Bible de" !
cribes the church In it's original puri~ :
v. II is the authoritative treasure I
,ouse at Christian teaching. We use {
as a guide To encourage the church l
When she is right; To set her Alright
,hen she il wrong.
OH. The church should be modern =
y well as ancient "a
Some things are Interchangeable. Goo
> tho SEINE Sin Is sin and man al I