The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1923-10-26
THE JUDGE
REVIEWS
THE LESSON

to thy light. and kings to the bright
ness Of thy rising Isaiah lx:3.
There are three great missionary
religions operating in the world to-
day" said the Judge in opening th'
lesson discussion before the Men:
brotherhood class. These are. in or
der OF their antiquity. Buddhism
founded by the Indian mystic, Buddha,
about 4S0 b. C., Christianity. begin
ming with the advent of Jesus, and
Mohamedanism, beginning July 10,
622, after our reckoning, but that date
is the first day OF the Mohamedan
calendar These three great religions
have been aggressively missionary and
today number their converts by the
millions. All are competitors, one of
the other, on the mission field today.
All claim to be universal religions.
teaching salvation according to the
peculiar tenets OF each fas,h. These
three religions trace their beginnings
to founders, or 'saviors,' and in each
case are book religions. That is.
each has its scriptures or sacred
writings. As against our Bible the
Buddhist has his canonical volume
called by several difficult names, one
OF which is the 'Tripitaka,' collection
OF discourses by Buddha to his dis
ciples. The Mohammedan has his
Koran, and for it he has the Hottest
veneration. 1t contains the 'revela-
ton given to Mohammed
Now it has been rightly claimed"
continued the Judge. that these great
ethnic religions, 'ethnic' being the
term used to distinguish between the
Christian faith and these others that
| have mentioned, have messages OF
truth in them. We have in this coun-
try students of these Eastern cults.
and they are loud in their praise OF the
beauty. the loftiness OF expression, and
even the moral teaching contained in
these competitive bibles" |, for one.
believe that there is much good in all
this ancient literature, but there is a
great deal more that is utterly con-
fusing. and when these ancient mysti-
cal writings are compared carefully
and intelligently with the teaching OF
our own scriptures. the complete SUI
periority OF the latter is at once ap-
parent. The prophet Jeremiah thus
wrote OF the people of his time: I
For my people have committed
two evils: they have forsaken me.
the fountain of living waters. and
hewed them. out cisterns. broken
cisterns that can hold no water.
We have many people like that in =
america today. They forsake the most !.
body OF teachings the world :,
as ever known to study mere medi- s.
Gritty IN comparison. Even admitting
hat there is light in these ancient y
ooks, why use candle light to read =
when an Edison mazda lamp is -
The best reply ever made III
those who claim other religions are al
list as good as the Christian faith was u
lie answer given by Wendell Phillips s.
one who asked, Why send mis- ~
onaries to lndias Isn't their religion ''
bod enough for them?' Mr.. Phillips III
Piled, The answer is India.
Il have a friend" said the Judge 10
Vho recently wrote me asking my
''nion OF Sinclair's 'Esoteric Budd
m, and he seems quite enthusiastic
er IT. He considers it fine philos-
" OF life. Now he belongs to that III
ISIS OF people who have forsakenl
&c fountain of living waters. the
tristan Bible, and are drinking the
I'D, insipid, unwhoesome water of
oxen cisterns' Spring water cool
resting, sparkling, re-invigoratine. an
against the long-standing rain water SAY
n barrels ,or u..t;. 'o"'.' III inv
vivid simile the prophet jeremiah iio
s IN contrasting the message of
IN the prophets with the chean Guy
'teric' messages OF the inferior re- 'e"
ons that many of the people of his az
c were dabbling in. 1t seems char oy
sristic of many alleged 'well-edu- .''o
"a people that they throng to adopt "e
ap limitations, or inferior habits. in ue'
d OF holding fast to that which is ''o'
a. and has been proven by the ''e'
sage OF time as inimitable and un- -
'assable.
comparison of the ethnic religions u
Christianity is suggested in the
len text Gods message is light 9
the cry Of humanity was voiced
great scientist who, as he lay dy-
gasped, More light more lightr 4
ay nations are realizing as never !
re that only the light Of the gospel ]
h is the great missionary message J