New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-26
Salvation Army
Meets Opposition

The Starvation Army is doing a bet
ter type of real religious work than
any other agency. although their infu--
ence is not large and their circle OF
activity is limited. Practically all OF
the other agencies. however, oppose
the Salvation Army in one way or ano-
other. In France | discovered quite
an opposition on the part of the \.
NJ. G. A., which is very influential and
enjoys a practical monopoly thus Tar
among the American troops, TO the
Salvationists taking any part IN the
work for the troops, either in the cities
or in the camps.
I have indicated that the idea OF a
state church is likely 10 get a severe
Jolt after the war. The fate OF the
evaneelistic denominations will be hap
pier. but even they will have to change.
The message will have to undergo &
reconstruction or enlargement auc
modernization. The world will not
much longer respect the ancient sys-
TEN Of orthodoxy founded on verbal m
spiration and literal Interpretation.
Along this line have been interested
in observing a superficial type OF theo!-
oey which we find in certain places ~
America called re-mlllenarlanism.
Its Fundamental element is that the
world is going to hell and must con
tinuc 10 do. 30 until it gets so bad thai
Christ will return in the body and
establish Himself as ruler This theory
arises from applying liberalism mis-
takenly to the apocalyptic literature o.
the Bible. Il throws upon God the re-
sponsibility for the evils OF the social
order. and gives It's adherents an lncen-
tive to hasten the trend of the world
bellward instead of attempting TO
purify the social order.
have found this doctrine in Eng
land but have not heard OF II else
where. and in England it is no more in
Auential than it is in Americana not
nearly so vociferous. European peo-
nile will not believe that they are fight
ING for a decaying world. but IN the
interests of an advancing civilization
and this. in theological language, ls
what Jesus Christ meant by his teach
ing about the Kingdom of God.
| could not here elaborate on the al
iustments which must be made IN our
religion to meet the demands after the
war It must not be called a modern
ization. for there is need of recovering
some old conceptions as well as 10
embrace some new ones. The Church
must by all meals resurrect three OLD
doctrines Of the faith; she must SET
her moral standards again ana insist
upon human goodness: she must again
learn the value of the individual soul
and she must puC a new emphasis upon
the immortality Of the spirit of man.
At least two OF her old doctrines
must be revolutionized: the theory OF
nraver must be based mainly upon its
/ lubiective. rather than it's objective
| value: and the old doctrine of verbal
| and plenary inspiration, with its at
I teudant theory Of literal interpreta-
/ tion. must be replaced by the dynamic
| and personal theory, which insists that
| all inspiration is personal in its source
! and that the inspiration OF the Bible
! consists in its ability to inspire men
And there are two things which The
| Church must embrace IN her religious
conceptions II she is 10 live and -four
! ish in the future: One is a recognition
| of modern scholarship in al its bear
! ings. especially i'm the bearing Of his.
/ torical facts upon the subject matter
/ Of the faith; the other is the social idea
/ Of the Kingdom Of Heaven, that per.
/ feet human soriety is the goal Of thu
/ human and the divine effort. These
| changes are all on the way, and they
! cannot possibly he stopped.
! The great religious need Of the world
( is for larger conception Of God, 4
| God who can meet tho needs of thu
world, it's mind and heart, IN such days
a. these n. G.. Webs has argued that
We need smsller God, one who Il
| finite as man Is finite. But he has
made no converts His book has at
| trscted an answer, presumably becsus'
| IL was 50 easy n answer; otherwise II
| has not been needed.
Mr.. Wells lived all his life as AZ
outspoken nationalist Of the most radI
cal socislistic type. In this war h,
realized the reality OF spiritual
world for the first time, and must i'm
! modiately deliver himself upon H. III
! had tho zeal Of new convert, but II
vas zeal without wisdom. Our idea oi
! God is already too small. Out Of the
var will com. larger one, else Europe
Ia morally lost