The Detroit times., 1916-08-29
IrtsrsstIensI sunday School Lesson
fss Sept Q 10 "PsSFs Sorrows and
Comforts. Corinthians, tt:2t-


Oelsftnousnsss "a the commoneet
and most dangerous substitute for
Christianity current today. A Jelly.
nsh negatfvcnsss. which II az timid
~ . muskrat. passes current as
euodusss. In some mind piousness
and spineicesness are synonyms. A
common idea OF goodness is not TO
disagree with anybody even with the
6evil himself. Our grnndfathers
wers called Dtssenters. but their
eSunAchildrsn are of the creed call
"a Asssnters. We agree with every
Aody and everything. from the prop
osition that God and man were both
originally lin the yolk Of an added
egg" 10 the familiar doctrine that
whatever Is, ia right" and that to
be popular In the chief end OF man
and woman.
Although II may be sheer ho~h.
the newest ism and spasm may get
. respectful and sympathetic hear.
fng from Christian people. After
al" says the current notion, "it does
not matter what you believe, so long
q you try TO be kind Therefore,
the latest colored fakir- from Bom-
bay. II he be AT all clever. can get
large following. fat living. and
much sweet adulation from Boston
women who have "outgrown" the
iuloeral creed Of their Puritan for
bears. No cult IL too silly TO find a
vogue. be II the religion OF walking
naked through the grass in the sun
l1Glt, or of breathing ty a certain
rpts. or OF entering into the silence
q q supreme Egoism, or the burn
ing OF incense to the sun. or the wor-
ship Of nebulous Mind. or the Hindu
Ism of transnligratlon. or-but what
y the use OF trying to catalogue all
car follies.
Any earnest chronicler of the
times must confess that, as whole,
our society is intellectually enervat-
q. We are not sure what we be
liese Boston and New York are
almost "a ready 10 hear a Hindu
Yogi az a Billy Sunday Old re-
1igions, new religions; comparative
religion. no religion-all are pretty
much alike to your modern man or
woman. This is true TO degree
that would alarm the average min.
lister. IL he knew il, OF many per
sons within the churches, as wen "a
% the great mass outside. Present.
day Christians. owing perhaps TO a
lack Of leadership. are willing 10 let
many precious inheritauces 60 by
default. They surrender the Chris
tian Sabbath almost without a pro
test. so also they let the Bible 60
from the public schools. The prop
csition that this Is a Christian ma.
ton In likewise permitted TO go by
default. The integrity and inspira
ton Of the Bible Is Yielded quite
as easily. Once let snyhody-be he
soap-box orator. or a hedcing col
Iege professor--say that "the con
census Of modern scholarship az
frms"-and shoe. the Christians
runs like chickens before a hawk
without waiting 10 see whether the
bird that affrighis them may not BE-
only crow
When To stand Up and And Fight
Opportunity. the Sunday schools
OF the world are this week called
into the school Of study Of old Pau
Of Tarsus. 10 learn 10 stand up and
contend for the truth. As this les
son and many other New Testament
passages make clear. controversy
may be Christian duty. The early
church fathers were great contro
ycrsialIs,s. Truth was so precious In
their eyes that they would be alien
ated from friends and homes, and
even from life itself, for ITS sake
There is something majestic about
the spectacle OF those great intel
lects battling over doctrinal and &c
clesiastical points. We nave enter.
ed into the Inheritance they left. but
we have forgotten their militancy.
wonder IL the reader OF these lines
can, on the instant. name a single
great Christian coniroversalist In
North America tolsy, a champion OF
the truth as It Is in Christ Jesus
In the past these have been tho mea
who have made Christendom their
4 debtors.
Controversy On high plane
which viii not dodge or misstate
any Facts, nor impugn the motives OF
q brother, Is one Of the essential