Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-11-05
Three Schisms Threaten
American Religious Life
Commoton In Protestant Episcopal Church Over Panama
Conference Is Synptomatic
(By the Religious Rambler)

been forced; some churchmen are
openly saying that it portends a split
in the denomination. AS to that only
time can tell.
A Present Religious Issue
Certainly the tendency to accentuate
the two words protestant" and cath
olic" is far wider than the Protestant
Episcopal Church. Within that body
1t is partly an academic discussion of
dogma. In another and more preva-
lent phase it has become one of the
gravest issues in American life. For
there is no concealing the fact that
there is a widespread tendency toward
open antagonism between adherents
of the Roman Catholic Church and of
Professionalism. especially in public af-
fairs. There is apparent a deplorable
and dangerous inclination to carry re-
nglon-or, more accurately, sectarian-
ism-into politics. This issue has
within a year determined many local
contests in various parts Of the country
and threatens to play a part in the
next national election.
No other present development of
American life is more important, and
less treqently treated in the press than
this difficult question of sectarianism.
Agitators have seized 1t and have in
dulged in reckless and bitter accusa-
tons. Men of both creeds have or
ganized widely and are in secret or
open competition, political. social and
even commercial. 1t will take the rip
est wisdom of churchmen and pat
riots to prevent an unAmerican and
unChristian strife.
Liberal VS.. Orthodox
The while these cruder and subtler
aspects of the clash between catholic"
and protestant" ideals are at work,
another conflict is raging which bids
fair to have large consequences in
American religious life. This is the in
creasing militancy of the disagreement
between orthodox" and 'conseva-
tive" thinkers. 1 regret to record that
this controversy seems to be growing
in bitterness.
In ecclesiastical circles, this is the
line that is constantly being drawn
Men are elected or defeated for Office
upon it. Whole denominations are
being shaped upon this issue. In
many cases this zeal for Orthodoxy"
or liberalism" arises from a sincere
devotion to mems conceptions of truth;
in others, il appears that unscrupulous
ecclesiastics are fomenting the agitation
for their own purposes. An intoler-
ance quite out of keeping with the
twentieth century is being manifested
on both sides. Nobody knows where
it will yet lead.
Second Coming" VS.. social Service"
When thoughtful observers of relig-
| ious tendencies meet in candid and
informal conference. one is likely to
! hear much talk of a real divergence
| between those who believe in the lit
| eral second coming of Christ to bring
| in the millennium, and those who hold,
either that Christ has already fulfilled,
at Pentecost, his promise to come
again; or else that his second advent
| is outside of human knowledge, and
that the only concern of Christians is
to be found ready.
Now this is no mere doctrinal quib-
! BILE. 1t affects all the work of the
church. Premilleninarians hold for
example, that the world is steadily
growing worse, and that it will con-
tinue to increase in wickedness until
/ Christ comes. They point to the pres
ent war as Sign of the times
Their only hope is that a few souls
may be saved out of the world to be
ready for the Lords coming. Then
when He returns in the body, His
kingdom will rule the world.
One man holding a contrary view
| declared, This means that spiritual
methods have failed, and that God
must win by German methods" A
! Chicago preacher, active in humani-
tartan enterprises, said THAT idea
puts a crimp in all my work" For
! the premillenial advocates estop all
social service. The most literal among
them say, according to a recent publi-
cation endorsed by Drs. Torrey, Scho-
| field and others, that the modern So
cial service activities are really of the
devil.
! With these delicate, difficult and
dangerous cleavages. along funda-
mental lines, existing among Chris
tians. it Is clear that an extraordinary
degree of craftsmanship is called for
| to- day in all the churches.
M