Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-12-10
The Times-Dispatch Sunday
Sermon
THE NEW RELIGION.
Ky j, a. EIil,RnIx.

| chosen.
to loose the bands of wckcdncss to undo the
heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go
free. and that ye break every yokc?"-Ismah
lviii. 6.
There are more religions than one al
though there some people who profess
to be of tho Christian faith-the most lib
eral of all rcliGfons-that will contest the
truth OF this statement. They perhaps are
sincere In believing that the other religion
is dclusion.
there Is good in all of them though we cam
not avoid the force of Solomon's obscrva-
ton. that God hath made man upright; but
they have sought out many Inventions"
And as result of these Inventions
there are few of the religions which In their
Goctrinhl details do not impose unncc-
ccssary burdens upon faith that 9TH
erwso might count in the Divine pur-
pose OF eventually redeeming the world
from injuStice--sin. For SIM In It's
last analysis, is but injustice TO humanity
as paradoNical as the statement may sound
For every "sin" committed, some individual
sustains hurt and no unit in tho great hui
man mass can sustain injury without tho
whole OF II being injured.
Tho Gallilcan Teacher founded no new re-
Hsioh. win the sharp sword OF truth He
topped the burdcnsomc details of confusing
doctrines from all religions and taught the
religion that must in time become universal
ITO EtHsped the meaning OF Gods message
IN the quoted text and proclaimed II In It's
FULLEST sinplicity-"oose the bands OF wick
edness, undo the heavy burdens let the on
pressed go free and break every yoke"
But they have Sought out many invcn-
lions and the religion that he preached has
oecn walking in hobble skirts for 1000 years
Thcre ts no new relig ION" and never has
been any-rcliGion is old as the creation
Tor In the beginning God created man IN
right, but. alas. he got down on his
all-iours and has mostly been there ever
SINCE true these earnest searchers who
nave graspcd the Divine intent find iusti1-
cation In the persistence of Ignorance in the
lace or accessible light In proclaiming that
intent as the new religion" There Is that
abouf Ignorance which refuses to bc an
peaicd TO except In terms of novelty.
yet the so-callcd new religion is the only
true religion OF any religion worth while 3, :
factor in civilization.
God doesn't need anybody's help. All that
lie requires OF you IL for you to do for one
another by doing what Is just and right
'"at requirement. were universally lived
up to- the detailed duties enumerated in the
text would be Unnecessary There would Ia.
no bands OF wick cdness to loose no heavy
burdens to undo. no oppressed to lie, 20 free
no yokcs to break.
iheFs nave been men OF courage in all
ages who dared to assail the Inventions.
That have obscured the truth and paraIvzod
religious effort. Many of these have SUI
iereu mariyrdom rather than yield the truth
as they saw it. The labors OF these men
nave come down to the present generation.
some planted. others watered, and now tho
fruit is slowly coming into evidence. Soon
it will ripen
The religious life Is tho natural life TO
live 1t, should be the chief concern OF every
Individual, because 1t means good to him
and through him good TO all III, hath
shewed thee. man. what is good: and what
ooth the Lord require OF thee. hut to do
Justly. and 10 love mercy, and TO walk hum
bly, with thy God?"
the unnatural religion has overlooked
these requirements. vital to the life of any
religion that forwards civilization.
The new religion" rejects the mountain
Gus code of olcEes with it's costly retinue
OF eNpositors ana knuckles down 10 funda-
mentals.
The new religion says DR.. Charles W.
Eliot. rejects absolutely the conception
that man is an alien in the world or that
God Is hlienatcd from the world. 1t rejects
also the entire conception OF man AS n
failen being, hopelessly wicked and tending
downward by nature; and II makes this en-
phatic rejection Of Ions. accented beliefs h.
cause IL finds them all Inconsistent with n
humane. Civilized or worthy idea OF God.
IT. now, man discovers God through self
consciousness; or. In other words. If II is
the human soul through which God is re-
Fcaied' the race has come to the knowledge
Of God through knowledge of Itself. and tho
best knowledge OF God comes through knowl-
edge of the beat of the race"
Ihere are SAID Bishop William NJ. Bell
In an address before the Federal Council OF
Churches in America "world-widc demands
for better social and economic conditions
with regard to religion. Each Increase of
power must be more and more constructive
we shall have TO put into all social pro-
cesscs tho Christ-type of man One
OF these days we are to have an American
business life sanc;ihcd and purified II Is
no utopian dream. II VIII be business not
for colossal individual realization but bust
ness for human ministry and the elevation
of all mankind"
In the bringing about of these conditions
what more Is required than to be obcdicnt
to the tcXt?-'To loose the bands of wicked :
ness. To undo the heavy burdens and 10 let
tho oppressed go free and that We break
every yoke"