Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-03-25
OLD-TIlNE RELIGION
BY BISHOP w. A. O.

paraded their worthless nOstrums long
enough. The people must turn away from
these sociological quacbs, and go for healing
to the Great Physician.
Secretary Wallace, OF the Department OF
Agriculture, put the case well when he said
recently, latter the experience of the past
five years people are coming to the opinion
| that the only salvation of the world lies in
return to old-time religion"
A large body of evangelical Christians,
sembIed in Germany few weeks ago,
sounded the same true note. The old reli-
gion alone reveals saving power.
The religion that was true and necessary
yesterday is true and necessary today, and
will be true and necessary tomorrow The
saints of former generations did not follow
cunningly devised fables Our fathers were
not fools, and the men who seek now to sub
stitute rationalistic speculations for "the
faith once for all delivered unto the saints"
are as conceited as they are backslidden.
Men of their sort have never brought de-
liveranCe to men and nations in periods OF
darkness and despair. With all their prating
of progress it is simply the truth that they
have always and everywhere led backward
the people who have needed their misleading
cries. When has a Martin Luther, a John
Knox a John Wesley, or a Jonathan Ed
wards risen from their ranks?
Isaac Taylor said of the leadership of just
such men that when Wesley appeared "the
people Of England had lapsed into heathen-
ism or a state hardly to be distinguished
from it."
In our own times we have seen the reli-
gious life of Luthers Germany blighted and
blasted by the same sort Of rationaistic
| leaders, and now a large company of the
most deyOut and wise Christian men in that
land of disaster and distress are calling the
German people to return to God as the only
remedy for ain their woes
Why, then, should we admire and imbibe
! the diluted Christianity which has cursed the
people of Germany, enfeebled their faith,
and wrought their ruin?
We want not a religion that has been
Watered down by infuSiOns of ratiOnalism
Such Christianity cannot answer the i'm
peritive needs of our imperiled civilization
A great Christ, whose redeeming grace is
preached with unfaltering confidence, is re-
Quired to master and overthrow the mon
strOus forces of evil in our day. Unsuitable
lust armed with incalculable millions of
money, cannot be conquered by babyish
type of theological sentimentality. We need
| a great salvation.
The present is no time for preachers to
be reducing the stature of our Divine Re-
deemer by denying His virgin birth and dis
solving the body of His resurrection glory
into q mere mist 1t is no time to dispense
the angelic host which gladdened the hearts
of the shepherds Of Bethlehem with the Sc
raphic strains of their heavenly anthem 1t
| is no time to seek to obscure with clouds
of murky criticism the beams Of the star by
|
to the manger where was lying the new born
King at whose feet they poured out their
! treasures of gold and frankincense and
myrrh
When the whole earth is filled with Ra-
chefs weeping for their children and refus-
ing to be cOmforted because they are not
and when in all the crowded cemeteries of
the world millions Of disconsoate Marys are
crying, They have taken away my Lord, and
l know not where they have laid him." it is
no time to order away as intruding specters
Of superstition the angels of the resurrec-
ton.
1t is rather a time when each and all
should with Thomas cast away our doubts
and fall at his feet in adoring love, crying
in joyous confidence, my Lord and my
God!"
Let us have done with rationalistic charla-
tans and charlatanry and embrace the di-
vine Christ whom the glorious company of
the Apostles, the goodly fellowship of the
Prophets and the noble army of the martyrs
praise whom the Holy Church throughout
the whole world doth acknowledge; who is
the King of glory, the Everlasting Son of
the Father"
Coming to Him, weary world shall find
rest for its soul, even the peace of God
which passeth all understanding There is
no relief for it except in Him.
"Other refuge have we nome