Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-09-03
A City That Was Too
Religious
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS

There is such a thing as being
too religious" Even a community, I
like an individual. may develop this
fault. The greatest authority on
Christianity that eve lived. the
Apostle Paul, criticised Athens as
being too religious" OR. W. When
spiritual subtleties and theological
niceties and barren speculation take
the place of simple faith and holy
living, then the condemnation, too
/ ~ligious,'' falls.
Most of us know men of this sort:
they do not weigh a pound in shap-
ing the opinion and life of their as
sociates; they are disregarded by
normal persons in the ordinary re-
lations of life; yet they are wrapped
up in the phrases n ~ecstacies of
'spirituality." They are too reli-
gious" because their beliefs are not
working out in applied righteous
ness. Zion City, ILL.,, is an instance
of a community that is too reli-
gious;" for in spite of its punctilios
and pieties. it contributes nothing
to h effective Christian sentiment
of the State of Illinois.
Worse yet, and a closer parallel
to the condition which Paul met in
Ole Athens. is a case of a large pro-
portion of u modern Intelligent
STA" They maintain a sort of in
tellectual aloofness toward all reli-
gion. Spiritual enthusiasm is bad
form" in their eyes. They dabble in
all the current cults, from voodoo-
ism to occultism, but are not deeply
affected by any. Tolerance and in
difference are almost synonymous
words in the vocabulary. They pat
the Lord on the head" patronizingly,
and approve of Christianity as good
for the lower classes" but for them
selves, like the Athenians of old, they
spend their time in nothing else,
but either to tell or to hear some
new thing" Their favorite altar is
that dedicated to Novelty. They
would rather "be up to date" than
be holy. Fashion is to them a great
er word than faith. In their con-
ceited and aloof attitude toward the
concerns of the spirit. they are too
religious"
This sort of intellectual pride and
Observation-Disclosures is harder to af-
feet with the Gospel than sheer
paganism. Paul found idolatrous
and commercially-minded Ephesus.
and even corrupt Corinth easier to
evangelize than intellectual" Ath-
ems. These speculative butterflies
gather no honey, carry no pollen,
withstand no storms. When our
prophets for the new day are heard
they will be found to have Savona-
rola indictments for the shallow and
barren sophistry of our cultivated
people" who are too religious" for
everyday Christian faith and prac-
tice.
Brains and Religion
Make no mistake here; real intel
lectual power is as different from
this supercilious complacency of the
intellectuals" as the ocean is from a
painted bit of stage scenery. These
Athenians who treated Paul con-
temptuously were the "shoddy aris-
tocracy" of an ancient intellectual
center whose glory had departed.
Centuries had passed since the gold
en- age of Socrates and Plato.
Athens had become a self-conscious,
strutting, parroting sort of Green
witch Village. The worlds profound
thinking. surprising that of an ear
lier and more glorious Athens, was
done by this very a Paul, whom
Athens despised, and by the Church
Fathers who followed him.
To near a cheap and noisy infidel
pirate from a soap box on the street
corner. one would neve know tina
1IIlSlldllly lldu Gu anu lG'
: vivified the brains of the Graeco'
Roman world. Profound and subtle
thinking, such as puts to blush eve
the best intelligence of our own day,
was done by the giants of the Early
- Church. Vigorous discussion of the
: most difficult subjects vas prevalent
! among the Christians of the sub
apostolic age. An intellectual awak-
ening of the world has always fol-
lowed a revival of religion. An open
Bible opens brains. Scotland is a land
of strong men and original minds be-
, aus it is a nation reared on the
Book.
Y "Harper's Magazine" THE Allan
tic Monthly" The Saturday Even
ing Post" and other secular publ
cations, have lately been publishing
articles upon religious problems. be-
cause the editors know that the sub
ject is of profoundest interest to the
Y most thoughtful minds. Edward S
Martin, who is probably the best es-
sayist writing for this western world,
cannot keep his pen off the para
> mount issue of applied Christianity
L In scholastic circles many of the
:, most famous brains of today, even in
materialistic Germany, are engrosset
with questions of the Christian re
ligion. In the realm of affairs WI
find the most eminent men in thu
Il English-speaking world avowed ant
: concerned Christians. Second rate
thinkers may scott at religion. blu
t first class minds know, with that in
tellectual giant. Augustine. that
Thou has made us for Thyself, {
V Lord. and our hearts will never bt
at rest until they rest in Three"
The Gentleman Preacher
No mature Christian is eve a boor
Bad manners disappear as Christ
Spirit rules a life. The real graces OF
culture accompany the grace of God
D Fashions forms may be learned b.
cote. and displayed by coarse ant
cruel spirits: but the gentle hear
is the only source of true gentility
Good people unconsciously make III
the only genuine good society.
Paul was a gentleman as well as
: soldier-saint. His conduct as well a
his letters betray his g~raciousness
His yea never e~xtinguished his cour'
tesy; though his courtesy nevei
emasculated his courage.
So when Paul came to Athens ht
e established a point of contact. INT
great statesman of Christianity, b.
the way, is a perfect type of tn
good diplomat, possessed of bot
suavity and strength, considerable
and. convictions. AS he had pre-
scented Christ to the Jews as a full
| I - "a 4l4,- fntth CO hn nffnrn.