Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-02-08
ATLANTA MINISTERS
FLAY RECTOR WHO
QUESTIONED CHRIST

Two Atlanta ministers, one fell
low member of DIR. Percy Sticlney
Grants faith, in their Sunday SER
mons, vigorously challenged the
New York Episcopal clergyman's
denial of the deity of Christ.
Dean Thomas H. Johnston. in his
morning sermon at Sc. Philips
Episcopal cathedral, described the
attack on the divinity of Christ as
"a second cruciixion-this time at
the hands of his friends of the pull
pit"
DR.. G.. A. Campbell, in his eve
ming sermon at the Druid Hills Pres
byterian church, declared that when
man in church pulpit starts OUT
to deny the divinity of Christ, he
| ought to get out of the church
| there is nothing else to do"
Dean Johnston said he was mot de-
nouncing the New York minister for
his professed doubt of Christ's deity.
but for his act in remaining within
the church and using his influence
to persuade others from the princi-
pie on which the church was found
| ed.
| Violates Confidence
"I accord every man the right to
his own beliefs" he declared. "But
minister of this church is given
certain prestige by having vested in
| him the priesthood and in return, he
must not attempt to pull down the
very fabric of the church.
| eff Christ is not God, then let us
| have a sacrifice in honor of Plato.
! When the undertaken hangs crepe on
our doors, let us cry, 'Oh, Plato, help
lus! When the baby is sick, let us
cry to Plato to restore it to health,
eff Christ is not God, then the
Nativity scene with clouds of angels
proclaiming the coming of the Lord,
was a Belasco act arranged by God
lIf Mary did not hold in her arms
in Bethlehem that night the Son of
God, she held the son of Joseph and
an illlegitimate son.
eff Christ was not and is not di-
lvine, hope something will happen
to close forever the doors of this
church. If He is not the very God
of the very God every church in
the country should be closed"
DR.! Campbell declared 1t is the
church's commission to preach the
great truths of the GOSPEL and that
the church has no mission IT it fails
in this regard.
Basic Mission
"Sone of the great truths of the
gospel are the divinity of Christ, the
inspiration of the Bible, the atone
ment OF Christ and the future life,
DIR. Campbell said.
when man starts in to deny
Christ's divinity, or the inspiration
Of the Bible or the authenticity o.
miracles, T don't see what he has
left to preach about--he might as
well get out of the church, for he
has nothing else to do. When he
denies these fundamentals OF oul
faith he gives the lie to the Wore
of the living God. If minister re
pudiates Gods own word, what Il
left for him to preach? Such a min
lister has no place in the pulpit OF
church dedicated to God"
"Of course, an individual may deny
the divinity of Jesus Christ, the in
SEPARATION of the Bible and every fun
damental of the Christian religion
but when he takes such q position II
must not be from the pulpit of a
Christian church. A man who mas
querades as a minister OF the Gospel
and gives voice to such opinions not
only sails under false colors, but at
once divorces himself from the
church which he processes to repre-
lsent."