Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-10-25
OLD-TIlNE RELIGION


by Christ and the Apostles And this pre-
tentious and preposterous program IS Sc
riously proposed by a committee OF liberal
lists who indulge the conceit that they are
wise enough to advise all the churches how
to improve the Christian ministry! Amaz-
ing egotism Colossal conceit!
Well, the churches will not adopt it, and
it is not worth while to consider 1T except
an absurd proposal which reveals the
true inwardness" of liberalism, and the god
less, Christless goal at which it aims.
The Richmond (Va.) Christian Advocate
treats the proposal with this sharp and
well-deserved criticism:
'It is interesting to note this picture of
the new preacher and the training he is to
receive for the work Of preaching the gospel
of salvation to a lost world.
This new preacher product of our pres
ent-day civilization must be equipped to
deal with the problems of the day There
are many of these problems of the day, but
the chief one is sin and salvation. In order
to properly equip a modern preacher for
present-day work he must not be taught so
much of the Old and New Testaments, the
ology, church history, etc. These are out
of date things not suited to the problems
of the day The things that must be taught
are psychology, sociology, world history,
political economy and political science
IF the Old and New Testament must be
discarded in favor of these in the class
room it follows that the Bible is to be dis
carded for these in the pulpit. So the mod
ern preacher instead of proclaiming the fall
of man and Gods plan to redeem him by
divine love, will give the congregation a
Sunday morning discourse on The Psychic
Urge in the Brain Cells
"He will doubtless tell them what all theo-
logians called the fall of man was dis
carded psychic spark plug, and all that is
needed to right what the church considers
wrong is to properly relate the psychological
urge with the pulley wheels of the thingum-
bobs.
Instead of having REVEALS, the new
preachers will hold annual chautauquas in
which lecturers will give learned discourses
on world history, political economy and po-
litical science. The peculiarities of the pre-
historic people will be shown from the stone
age down to the nut age. Political problems
will be discussed, such as The Personnel of
the Roman Senate and How to Read the
Congressional Record to Best Advantage'
"Now this is not ridicu1e of learning.
Preachers need all the scholars can give
them. But it is an attempt to point out
plainly what this committee and some 9TH
ers are trying to do-nameIy, let these
things take the place of the redeeming Cos
pei of the Son of God Here it is in plain
words: Less emphasis the Old and New
Testament, church history and theology and
more on psychology, sociology etc., so that
the new preachers in the new day may be
able TO deal with the problems of the day,
and right here, gentlemen of the jury, is
! the big problem of the day. 1t is how to
deal with this sort of fooishness and enable
the wisdom of our great Redeemer to out
shine the foolishness of the world
The editor of the Richmond Christian Ad-
vocate has pointed out plainly what is pro-
posed by this program. of the committee Of
liberalists.
/ What sort of preachers will it produce
1t will not produce preachers at all. 1t can
produce nothing better than petty clerical
politicians, talking on secular subjects in the
pulpit. They will not bring messages from
God, to the people, and no two of them will
agree about the secular subjects which they
may presume to discuss. The competitive
cries of nostrum- mongers in the market
places will be quite dignifed and benefit
cial as their sorry performances in the pull
pit.
God save the Christian churches in Amer
lea from becoming infested with such a
plague of pestiferous pretenders
God give our churches pastors filled with
Christly compassion for the unsaved souls
of sinful men! God send us messengers of
heavenly grace to seek and save the lost!