Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1919-10-31

first century closed there was a deposit
of divine truth left in the form of some
writings by prophets, apostles, psalm
lists, herdmen, fishermen and others,
all inspired of God. This deposit may
be considered from some three differ
ent standpointS: First, it was some
thing that was for all the world as
such, all nations and peoples. 1t was
intended to be the foundation of the
religion that the world needed; and
upon it grew up the system of belief
which, while varying in different coun
tries and centuries, was substantially
the same everywhere, and should be so
today.
The church fell heir to this treasure
but failed to be true as its custodian
Teachers of theology were like the
Talmudists of old, and receded further
and further from the original teaching
as the centuries went by.
This deposit of truth also was given
to the individual, for God never in
tended that his Book should be under
lock and key.
But in quite recent times the as
poets which that faith presents were
greatly varied, and are quite different
from the aspects in a previous time.
The departure from the faith may be
spoken of under three general propo-
sitions:
l. That faith is still the limit of at
70 RIy hn ri Of ifc
mics, although the form of attack has
radically changed.
2. There has been a departure from
the generally accepted Interpretation
of the Word of God on the part of a
very large number of teachers of re
ligion and various subjects in which
the church in it's external relations
particularly are outwardly interested.
What was the burden of that re-
| ligious teaching? The ultimate denial
of the supernatural. The result of this
| with many theological teachers has
been in the first place the full accept
ance of those views, and secondly a
kind of teaching which leaves the pu-
! pill without any positive conviction. A
further result has been that genera
ton of younger men educated in semi
naries where there was such positive
denial of the supernatural, or the hesi
| tating and uncertain teaching, has
grown up, and is at best uncertain il
| its convictions.
A still further result is that the peo
pie of the churches ministered to BY
such men are not Informed as to the
great truths of the Bible, and become
the easy victims of all kinds of heresie!
such as Christian Science, theosophy
etc. Or, if they have not gone off int
these heresies openly, are merely exist
ing as bodies of Christians, with few
signs of real life. A grand total resul
is that we find the Church of God to
day sturdily Indifferent to the vita
truths of Christianity, and holding fas
to its existence by introducing al
kinds of physical buttresses. Their
are great church buildings, universi
ties, colleges, etc, mere charnel houses
for within there is nothing but decay
ing flesh and dead mems bones.
8. But there is another aspect of tn
day that is observable-the decay o
individual faith. The writer has ha
many say to him: "We do not knoy
what we believe any more" Inquire
being made along certain lines. sue
as the deity of Christ, the authorit
of the Holy Scriptures, the subject @
regeneration, the same lack of fait
was still expressed. There is nothin
sadder than this in the whole realm q
religious phenomena-people withoU
faith. This aspect becomes TRACED
when we realize that the young peopl
of our Christian homes even expires
themselves as having no belief. On
place where such faith is ruined is
the Goddess colleges and universitie
of the land. The charge must not b
placed on the state universities, fo
the danger from them is not so gres
as from the universities that al
founded by Christian people and al
under nominal Christian control.
What is the remedy? Before thi
remedy can be presented, many wi
succumb as victims of their ignoranc
but the tide may be checked, if th
world can be brought back to the a.
ceptance of the great principles of th
Protestant religion. The Chruch of Go
can do much by positively requiring {
its teachers that they teach nothin
. but the fundamentals of our Christia
religion, and teach positively.