South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-04-24
OUR DOCTRINAL
SITUATION" TOPIC
AT FIRST BAPTIST
DIR. l.. 5. Davis Declares There
is No Alarming Change
in Doctrines.

our D0ctrlnal situation was the
subject taken for the sermon a the
morning service AT the First Baptist
church yesterday by the pastor Rev
u. s. Davis
Some things have appeared IN the
public press lately. that 20 an out
slider would give the impression that
there is A wide spread doctrinal un-
rest in the church. This might be
alarming II true There might be
a strong current OF liberalism among
the churches but personally I have
not discovered II. Never during my
entire ministry have I found so many
men preaching the essential truths
and accepted doctrines of Gods
Word as today.
AS I look back over my ministry
today find happening just what has
happened a number of times since
began 10 study for the ministry.
About so often there IS some word
that the thinkers Of the religious
world fasten upon, discuss. analyze
and seek TO solve That particular
word comes 20 stand for move
ment" that passes over the church.
When l entered college the word
everybody was talking about was
nature. Dr. John Fisk was lccturing
in Harvard. he had written his
book on The Idea Of God" in ma
/ ture. Everybody was hurting anath-
amas at Fisk. Books were being
written 10 combat his heresy of evo-
/ luton. 1 recall that too was alarm
/ ~ o.
I lieved was 10 be lost I'm the intel
\ lectual battle But lived TO see tho
/ church OF Christ weather the storm
and come out stronger in its faith
than it was before.
BY the time / reached the Univer-
sity the word that was then new
/ but taken up with tremendous zeal.
was sociology. This was a sort of
reaction against the individualism
that had prevailed for so many
years. Sociology became a move
ment." We sought to save humanity
in the mass Social centers were
founded. Hull House in Chicago.
and similar institutions sprang up
all over the country. The Y. NJ. c.
a, as a great social factor came into
prominence. Men preached with
great zeal the Social Gospel Great
good came out of the movement and
men saw as never before the need of
the SOCIAL application of the teach
ings of Jesus Christ
] had not been preaching lonS be-
fore another word sprang into un-
usual use That word was character
Immediately the pulpit began TO deal
with this word. Books were written
and a food OF literature was upon
us. Some went so far as 20 preach
a salvation by character. One de-
nomination made character a plank
in the platform OF its beliefs Some
quoted the scripture work out your
own salvation with fear and tremb-
ling and stopped. Others went on
and added the remainder of the pass
age, "for it is God that worketh In
YOU to do His good pleasure" we
came out of the discussion with a
finer sense of the spiritual relation oil
the believer 10 God.
Now we are discussing the using OF
another word That word is psyche.
logy. Everything is 10 be determined
by the psychological reaction" oil
skill" We are in a wave Of the
study of the psychic phenomena
J Moro books are being written on this
particular subject than upon any
other. Sir Conan Doyle has come
10 help us out. This is one of those
strange intellectual waves that pc
riodiCaily- passes over the country
but like all other waves, it too viii
tpass.
4 The word we are using in the
church at this time is "fundament-
ais" This word implies that there
are certain great outstanding doc.
: trims that are fundamental 10 re-
ligion. 10 the developments of the
spiritual life and the salvation of the
soul. And this is true 4 gospe
that neglects to preach those funda.
mentals, is not a gospel that is TN,
power of God unto salvation.
Personally ! am not alarmed. mol
am I disturbed. welcome any
means 10 bring these fundamental,
10 the attention OF Christians anc
non Christians.
What I do want 10 say is that a.
far as I know the great bulk of tn,
ministers are sound in their faith il
the fundamentals 7 have talke.
with ministers of my ON denomina.
ton and Of others. ! have no per
sOnally found any falling off from tn,
[ faith. They believe in the personal
] ity. holiness and love Of God. tn,
Trinity; the inspiration of the Bible
the Deity of Jesus Christ: the neeC
OF salvation through Him. IN,
J resurrection and the future life: Gu
, Lords Second Coming. There nevc
was a time when the church o
Jesus Christ was blessed with a NOR
intelligent and Consecrated leader
ship in the pulpit. than today.
rejoice without measure in the splen
did Christian. character OF the min
/ inters OF our Protestant faith