The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1920-10-21

Invitation Oh
| Noses, as record
| ed in the text
-44-@ This severe dis
cipline emphasizes a great principie
that is forgotten just now by multi
tudes. That principle Is that III innings
pertaining to mans relationship 10
God, there are just two positions.
Christianity Supreme.
1. There are just two camps Win
reference to world religions; Christian
ity on the one side, and all the other
religions of the world on the otber.
As friends of Christianity, we may
recognize most excellent qualities In
some of the other religions OF the
world, indeed, In some modern re-
ligions; but Christianity must sup
plant all other religions, as II will DO
when its great Head is revealed IN ms
regal glory. To make the Christian
religion coordinate with the great re-
ligions of the world cannot be toier-
ated for a moment. 1t is Christianity
or nothingl AS DIR. Samuel ii. Kellogg
says, In "The Light OF Asia ana the
Light Of the World" OF Buddhism;
at is impossible that both BUDDHISM
and Christianity shall become means
of salvation to those who receive them
and regulate their beliefs ana con-
duct by their respective teachings.
That systems so profoundly antago-
nistic should both lead man to the
same beliefs and the same end Is
moral impossibility." The same thing
would apply to every religion ASIDE
from Christianity.
The Two Church Camps.
z. The principle of having sharp
lines of distinction as to rengious
things Is illustrated In the present
situation in Christendom. The church
is divided into two classes; those who
hold to the fundamentals Of the Chris
tan religion and those who do not.
The time has about come when the line
which separates the two wings In the
church, the orthodox and the liberal,
shall be drawn. 1t is now a question
Of loyalty to the integrity of the Bible.
In other words, Is the Bible the Word
Of God or does 1t only contain the
Word of Godl
A prominent pastor in Chicago
quite recently said that there were
Just two camps in the church; the
camp Of those holdldg to the position
Of the Moody Bible institute and other
great Bible schools, and the camp or
those who hold to the position Of some
universities which foster criticism of
the Bible as the very Word Of God;
and he boldly placed himself in the
latter camp.
The terms "orthodox" and liberal
need not be misunderstood. The or
thodox are those who hold to the hts
toric Christian faith as 1t has been
quite clearly presented in the great
confessions of Christendom. The lib
erals hold substantially to the Ger
man higher criticism which denies in
falllbillty to the Holy Scriptures.
What taking sides means cannot as
yet be clearly known. II may mean
riffs in the great denominations them
selves some of these having already
appeared or it may mean the forma-
ton of evangelical Christians into
new communions without respect to
UNCONVENTIONAL connection; or II may
be the integrity Of the denominations
as now, and where there is FREEDOM
nance Of the liberal view, the ortho-
dox view may be held under protest,
outward division not attempted nor af-
fected.
Tho Personal Application
8. The principle Of the two camps
applies as well to the individual stand
point. A man is either on the side Of
Christ or he is opposed to him. II L.
here that there is practical depart
ture from the true standpoint. While
not insisting on II as dogma. multi
tudes act as II they believe that n per-
son as to religion can be neutral, that
he can be pleasing to God without de-
claring either for God or against him.
Moses did not see this when he said.
"Who Is on the Lords side7 Let him
come to me-" Jesus said, I'VE can
not serve God and Mammon." He saw
the sheep and the goats and not
third group OF animals. He said. "He.
that Is not against me Is on my part"
and HE that is not with me is against
me-" There can be no midway" and
no mo mans land" for the individual.
lust where the line that divides the
wo classes lies is difficult to point out.
% individual is acting wisely who ig-
ores the truth that ne is on one side
that line or the other, the one be-
n region Of safety and infinite.
lSs. and the other a region of dan
and eternal death. A man 10
thor a Christian. or he is not.