The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-10-23

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which we are called upon to face, are
50 common.
Let US bear two things In mind: We
have in the church two distinct classes
I Of mind-one known as the ultra-con-
servative and orthodox, and the other
the extreme liberals without wishing
to make any unjust criticism. It seems
to me that both these parties who con-
stantly view each other with some sus-
niclon and mistrugt. and both Of which
We personally believe TO be quite sin
cere in their own way, are neither Of
them conducive to true spiritual un-
foldment. which alone we believe viii
eventually hold and build up the Uni
versal Church OF Christ.
The extreme orthodox party insists
on retaining as necessary dogmas and
doctrine which no doubt served their
purposes IN the past, but which. to a
large extent, have been outgrown ana
no longer appeal to the masses of the
appeal to the seriously minded and
deeply thinking man and women.
On the other hand, the extreme lIo-
eral branch pay too much attention to
the earthly sociological side OF life.
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. and the entertainment OF the people
are given too much attention. to the
neglect OF true spiritual embodiment
and development. We are living in a
decidedly materialistic age and those
who are intensely spiritual feel and
crave for the atmosphere of true spir
ituality at all religious services. There
are those who can and do get their
necessary spiritual meat and drink in
the church today In spite OF what we
do not hesitate for one moment to call
the -church's wordlinees. Whereas,
others who are really longing for true
spiritual enlightenment and instruc- |
ton, stay away because they so often
and repeatedly only get those things
which they feel they have Dutgrown, |
or else find themselves immersed in a
sea Of church secularism and worldli- |
ness which positively hurts them; so
they stay away or hunt for what their /.
soul Graves In first one and then !,
another of the various so-called new
cults which are so numerous today,
and many of which contain scraps Of
spiritual food which they ought to be
able to receive In the church. but which
they so often do not, and in some cases,
even hear Knocked.
One Of the most needed steps at the !
present time, SO It appears to US. is
for the church not theoretically, as
she does, but practically, to come out
boldly for intellectual Liberty taking
as a sufficient basis Love to God proved
by our Love to our Fellow Man.
Let US remember that different In
tellectual conceptions may and do help 4
differently constituted minds, and that
Truth is as Infinite as the source from
which 1t springs, God: and that true
spirituality Is the embodiment Of the
Christ, the Divine Spark within. by
following in the footsteps OF Jesus, the
one Perfectly Christed or Divine Man
the world has as yet produced-the
first fruits Of those that slept. who
commands his true disciples to follow
him.
The trouble today is that the church
is not dispensing all the different kinds
OF spiritual food the masses are crying
out for. Instead of being the abode Of
true spiritual instruction, embodiment
and development. in many instances it
IS too much the place of worn-out plat
itudes, out-grown interpretations OF
truth; too often a social. instead of a
religious society. So much so. that
many of the truly religious are rebefl-
Ing against its incorporation into tho
kingdoms OF this world.
Then, again. the church seems to US
to try to deal too much in collective
way. We are liable to forget that each
soul has its own individual difficulties,
doubts and trials. and that we need
more individual contact. whore our aid
can be given more efficiently. by
adapting itself to individual wants and
necessities.
In the church. ana especially in the
larger churches. the personal contact of
the clergy with the individual member
OF his congregation is much more diff
fcult than It formerly used to be when
there were practically no organizations
and meetings. both religious and secu-
lar, which he Is now so often called
upon to attend. or else to BIO put on
the back list.
This is o day OF large corporations.
where the personal element is largely
giving place to mechanical routine. and
this is undoubtedly spreading into the
churches, and undoubtedly Is not con-
ducive to higher spirituality and that
personal touch which ripens into
and trust.
tire masses that she has the real spir-
Itual food that they are craving for,
they win flock to her fold. '"The mat
ter OF support will solve itself" said
the Master. seek We, first, the king
dom Of God, and his righteousness and k
All things needful VIII be added unto
you" This Is just as true as the day
when 1t was first uttered. But before +
we can hope for these results, human
ty will have to learn by bitter expe-
-ience that they can neither here nor e
have any true and everlast-
ng happiness and peace OF mind until 3
hey have made compensation for ALI
he wrong they have done. and until
hey have brought their lives into per-
'ect harmony and obedience to the
avs Of God on all places Of their being.
The trouble largely IS that many do
lot sufficiently grasp the fact that the
church IS not an institution to Offset
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