The Detroit times., 1916-08-29
In the Religious World
MlLIrANcY IN RELIGION.

methods OF Christian Progress
There is a sense in which every
Christian leader and teacher should
like Paul. be a oontroVersialist
/ nssten 70 add. that Christian
controversy Is as different from
church Squabbles and denomination
al chickering's aud petty quarrel. as
an eagle Is from a mosquito. There
is no warrant in Scripture for the
miserable little chickering's which
sometimes stultify the life OF a con
Sregation
The first qualification OF con-
trovers&list-es Paul makes clear In
his second letter 20 his Corinthian
CONVERTS m unimpre&chable par.
sonai record. He must 60 into court
with clean hands The seltseeker
and the rDoney-lover cannot contend
successfully for ne faith Of Christ
That Is why Paul pointed 10 his own
record IN Corinth and elsewhere He
tore aside tho mantle OF personal
reserve. and showed that he bore
In his body the marks Of the Lorl
Jesus Pauline conducts squared with
Pauline doctrine All during those
ardlous tent-making DAYS. and
through perilous prosecutions and
personal sufferings, he had been I'M
consciously preparins his credentials
for he great debate Thus does the
everyday duty. we'll done. prepare
US for lIfe's great crises.
The Cause Of Controversy.
Like every other pioneer. Paul
knew the bitterness OF seeing 9th
ers follow along the path he had
blazed in order 20 vrest his leader
ship from him IL addition 10 gar
nering the fruit OF his labors. they
tried 20 discredi- him After he Ia.
established q Christian church al
Corinih. these false shepherds came
&c Iu.Slesd his loIk log their Own
advantage II seems as Il always
during the cluDci' periods OF actiy.
it's there have pean these pTe'en.-
ers ard usurpers, with lhsit special
isms and cults. and their criticism
o. the church n Is 20 -r,s plague
from which the ,Iu:ch suffer TO
day. Claiming Aigh ut.e sad es
pecial Gifts for themselves these
false apostles mad attempted. az
parently. &c wean The Cor.HthisA
Christians away from Pau and 10
cast aspersions upon his authority,
his AGILITY. and his financial tnteg-
rity. in The matter Of The collection
for the Jerusalem POOR. Evidently
also. these usurpers had condoued
unchr.stian practices on The part OF
church members. so that they we're
departing from the stric' line OF
morality laid down hy Paul Kip
ling's fable Of the moth that cor
rup;ed d hive of young bees is quite
applicable.
Sore saints would have gone OF
vhimpcr.ng 10 sympathetic friends,
il iliireated as Paul was oy the
church al CorinJh. They would have
had a grievance for the rest OF their
days. Not so Paul He was OF stern
er stun. He knew the place OF tn
grace OF resignation. and also the
place OF militant indignation. He
| could he a suffering SAINT. but he
! could also be shifting soldier with
a sword OF controversy, For he was
a frst-class fighting man. 4 seemed
Ito him the more Christian way 20
give those interlopers at Athens q
| chance 10 practice The vir; ues Of res
! igua;ion and hun liaiion II Is bet
/ ter wipe OFT a plague than 70 fee
! from IL Paul va; not the sort u
citizen who would fee 10 a pleas
| ant suburb and To- the city 20 10 he
devil Instead. he Va ou'd stay and
! help clean up IN" cry lr thi. spirit
, ne undert COX 10 onh2hten The mis-
led CORN hian Christians and 20
contend viii their p-Irring leaders
While lie offer 81 with difidencs
and apologies, ha~.ng al OF strong
mans dislike 10. Doas'ing. Paul
nevertheless submits his own char
acter and achievements Pc Exhibit
A" in the great controversy Really
the whole case rested On the char
acter Of the apostle
Thai Is why il &C. such an awe
some thing % be = preacher or =
Christian leade- What /, Dwight
l.. MOODY had been a CRATER. and
the world had found IL CUt What
/ If Robert r. Speer should 10 dlscOv-
cred 20 D, an idle -elf-secking loy r
OF money and o. no'orlety imagine
John r Mot putting hi own com
fort and reputation and bank ac-
count above N Crristianization Of
he world The con ecu snces would
be caIamitous for all Christendom.
Whoever dares 70 accept a place