Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1915-10-21

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b Rl. Rev. Charles D Williams Pro
tcsfknt Episcopal Bishop a Michigan
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! The eccls.;ss.;cai mind
> The accle.;ast;cs ~ 5
The eecles;asticaI mind 4 4 closed
mind--and tbere 4 nothino Il rsstnts
a. ,nucl, a. beinu nried open to receive
I new idea Its settled rrle az ihdee-
ment its accented test Of truth. il what
lie new Il never true and what.is true il
never new" Philip Gilbert Hammer
ton has aptIy compared the convention
al process Of religious instruction and
training 10 the process of etching on
riass The mind of the pupils first
covered with an impervious coat Of
pious prejudice. The pattern of the
desired creed is then carefully traced
with the stylus Of authority; and then
only is the mind exposed to the sand
blast Of reality end the acid test Of ex-
perience which cut along the exposed
lines only and the desired creed is in
delible engraved upon the mind.
The other characteristic Of perver-
ted religion is the ecclesiastical con-
science. It is strikingly illustrated by
one Good Friday scene. A procession
is sweeping through the street of Jeru-
fsaIem, bound to the governors palace.
| Who compose this procession? They
are the religious leaders of the people,
the prominent divines, the chief eccles-
/ iastics, the dignataries and preIates Of
the Church and the Sanhedrim. the
chief religious legislative body of the
4 nation. 1t is as if YOU rolled into one,
the. Presbyterian General Assembly.
i the Methodist General Conference, the
4 the Eoisconal General Convention. the
/ Roman Catholic Hierarchy. and the
Il house of Lords with the whole Bench
i of Bishops.
4 What ia tbe business thev have in
band9 Tbau ave infant IN committing
4 the GREATEST crime il. history . crime
at witch the world has shrlijered ever
s;nca Thew wo,,Id cri,c;fv The So, Of
4 Cod Rnnt at Piiilata,s threshold. thav
ston wbu7 AZ thaY have st,,mhled
across a statnfa with ! na,altv ] can
IN of the f,bnrcb with j sanssff;on And
these neonla haya.a o-teat ,rdsnact fo,
, nenalties and sanctions Il ,bsv have
little 3rtrnth and r;pb+eonsness 7,
thew sbould enter . baathan3honsa tho,
|, Passover roornino .tbav uo,,ld becon.
! cararop;allv daf;lad and prf;t - nor
taka of tba sacrament Thew wo,lf
! lose their remtation for strict churct,
n,anab;n Tbay ara inae6 n;,elv ecrnn
J nlons and uterlv nnnr,nc;nlad ennn
i truthful and unriohteous. piops AMI
D nerverted.
Il not the portrait familiar?
' There, are certain great prircinle
If r;obt living JInen them rest alik
r ALI institutions and ali humanl;fe Tn
State the Church commerce trade
r society and the individual life are bull
al mon them. Thew constitute the FL al
4 mental law of liberty for ali huma
. life individual or associated 0nlv 4
o life obevs that law. can It be free an
!. full and Joyous.
! But in order to apply these principle
d to circumstances and exigencies. til
Ell State makes statutes. the church car
!, ons ard rules. and society. custom
i. and good form. each profession its pre
j fessional ethics. and trade sets m II
$ various commercialcodes. These ar
i sometimes good. sometimes bad some
!. times Indifferent.
Rut the ecclesiastical conscience
holds the precs ut so near The eve tha
It hides the principle: il substitute
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