Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-05-25
THE SEARCH FOR THE TRUTH

the Bantist convention the Rev. DR.. John Roach Straton, of New
York. was cried down when he attempted to prevent the Rev. DR.
". ?. Faunee. president of Brown University, from speaking, on
the ground that DIR. Faunce is too liberal in his views on religion
and church doctrine. In the Presbyterian general assembly the
liberal preaching of the Rev. DR.. Harry Emerson Fosdick, OF
New York, was the issue, although the committee report on the
matter upheld DR.. Fosdck, the convention a a whole denounced
the liberalism of the New York preacher.
Only recently the Rev. Dr.. Percy stickney Grant, of New
York. caused considerable discussion, not only in the Protestant
Episcopal church, of which he is a member. bat throughout relig-
ions circle generally, by his outspoken ideas regarding some of the
fundamental principles of Christianity. A short time ago IN The
Worlds Work, there was published an article by a Methodist
Episcopal minister who was pastor of several prominent churches
in the West. but who had been forced into retirement against his
wishes because of his liberal views expressed in his sermons which
we're Objectionable to the leaders Of his denomination,
Other ministers have left their denomination to establish com
munity churches because they insisted upon freedom OF utterance
that they felt was denied them under UNCONVENTIONAL ties. Ihey
have insisted upon Interpreting the Scriptures for themselves
doing their own thinking and drawing their own conclusions Be
cause they have differed with those who pose as leaders in the de-
nomination they have elected TO withdraw altogether rather than
.4apxsss their personal convictions.
what does all this meant It Is evident that there is a spirit
&c resaesspess in the churches. It is significant, too that the
churches with the liberal pastors are usually the ones that are
crowded at every service. A young minister, the other day, e1I
nrsssed the wish that he might preach in his pulpit the things that
he wanted TO-. He dared not fer fear of being brought up before
his church officials. And yet some people wonder why more young
men Of education and ability, men who have been taught to reason
for themselves, do not enter the ministry.
Those who have read Christopher Morley's where the Blue
Begins" will recall what an uproar Mr.. Gissng caused when he
defed the rules and canons of the church for once and told his
congregation Just what he actually thought. He was driven from
his pulpit and had 10 flee from the locality.
The tendency of the times i, for liberalism and tolerance. The
masses Of the people are naturally religious, but they have out
grown the narrow confines Of denominationaism. The tremendous
growth Of the community church in the small towns is an evidence
Of this. Instead Of having three or four churches, each one slnly
attended and the pastors half starved because Of the inability of
the community to support 50 many preachers, the town supports
one church that Is filled with %worshipers, and one preacher who Is
well provided for. The petty differences over what is the right
meaning of certain phrases in the Bible that was once so important
to former generations, do not trouble the people at all. Each man
is free to hold his own views on such matters and they all meet to
worship God in a spirit Of respect and benevolonce that is more
l~Christ.like than all the church doctrines and creeds that were ever
written.
When the churches can forget their petty differences, liberal
ize their creeds and give their ministers the freedom that they
crave in Interpreting the Word of God so that they can give the
best that is in them, there will be more young men studying for the
ministry and the churches will be crowded with people anxious to
hear the truth.
It is largely because so many ministers do not themselves, be-
lieye much of what, they are preaching, lacking in sincerity and
honesty, that so many pews are empty in so many churches. These
ministers are suppressng their own personal convictions in an eff
fort to conform their thoughts and ideas to others who have writ
ten the creed and formulas of the denomination to which they be-
long. If they preach what is in their minds they would probably
be hailed before the church officials on charges. To avoid this no
toriety, and for fear of being a minister without a church at all,
they suppress their own thoughts and try to preach the doctrine
that has been prepared for them by others. But their insincerity
is easily seen just as sham is always detected no matter how much
one tries to hide it.
The spirit of liberalism is abroad in the churches as well as in
everything else. The truth is what the people are searching for
and they are determined to find it. God is on the side of truth
every time and in this changing world even UNCONVENTIONAL creed'
that may have been held inviolable by generations past, have go
10 conform to the truth as it is unfolded as time goes on