The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1926-05-21
RELIGION M ADE
RIDICULOUS B Y
FOOL. DEFENDERS

Another Elizabeth CITY min
lister has the courage to raise
calm and impassionate voice
against the vicious and hateful
howl OF rabid l'undamentalism
| in North Carolina and plead tor
modcrnity and tolerance. Rev.
Hilary +. Bowen, pastor oi the
First Christian Church of this
city says that the very litc OF
Christianity is threatened to-
dav by ignorant defenders OF
the faith who arc fighting tor
dead limbs Of an ancient tree
when they should be using the
pruning knife.
There can be nothing mere pathe-
tic than the Self-stylcd defenders or
tbe faith" declares Pastor Bowen
"Thcv are not defendin. the faith
at all; they are making it ridiculous
i'm tho eyes of intelligent men ana
embroiling religion in controversies
where she does. not belong ana
where, out Of her proper realm, shc
IS foredCOmed to defeat. Scientlfic
problems are not matters for faith |;
they nre matters for investigation.
Mr.. Bowen goes Oh to say:
conventional orthodoxy il a
curse 10 progress. 1t is like the
deod md fruitlesS limbs CT fruit
trees, which should be trimmed each
ycar from the live and fruitful parts
nj tbr tree. Permitting these dE-
! ing fruitleSs limbs to remain oniy
indcbtors the energies Of the tree
70 fruitIcss future and dishonors
the best that is lying dormant with
in it's powers.
! "Whcncyer and wherever the
church puts down its pruning knlte
| f. rust. there you will find ine!tl'
cheney. self complacency. and poten-
tialitics lying at ease in Hion' while
the hungry and thirsty souls OF men
wander in darkness trying. TO llha
home. Every man longs for home,
inst hs thc energetic powers OF
every tree strives for the best. Will
i'm its possibilities.
Christ used the pruning khlle
moro laviShly than any olher anu
more wisely too. He cnt from Inc
energetic forces Of the religious lie
e his are the clogs Of dead cate
corios throw into oblivion the chains
That bound them 10 his aye ana
ravc the world pruning knife
that if used will forever keep lis
free.
jesus Used The Pruning Knife
"Christ showed us how to use
This magic knife, when he made wal
IN ccrpmonial observance of his day
and selected from ancient thought
the host to hn found and with his
own initiative gave us n working
hyrothosiS for a'practical religion
| for all times.
This tru" and lifc-giving prin
ciple will never die. because it is a
WAY of handling the methods oi
each generation in way To Slvt
new life TO the buried energies oi
n thirsty and hungry soul. Nc
methods grow stale before this
magic principle which Christ gave
10 the world. Some religions arc
static and final. because they know
nothing of this wonderful prlnriplf
of life. These religions are llNc
dumb driven forces liShered from
cne century into another hy sheer
force of need. to adopt new care
oorics i'm n new arc.
"This Christian principle has bPci
tho life of Protestant thrlStlahltE
although it has not been used stead
ily. Only great reformers like Mar
fin Luther and others have beer
content to Use this principle lii Il
better sense. As soon as one grea
rcfOrmers begins to Use this prnh
ing knife we find new fruit to hoh"i
tho one who successfully dld iEf
pruning, but 70 the Sorrow OF man
kind this fruit is too often r"nteh'
with bearing honor TO tho retorme'
III mere words and ceremony raih
cI than using The principle III q new
or way. that made the works OF tht
rcformer possible.
Eve are prone to idollZn Inc
works of the past rs the works
of finaIity. Why is ii moi
uossiIle TO honor the rcfOrmerS OF
the past by continuing their work
Shall we continue in our weakness
TO say Lord! Lordn and do moi
tContinuod on Pa-c "Wc>