Evening star., 1926-05-20


nv Dr g. Parkss Cadman. president OF the
Federal Council of Churches OF christ IN
aI.s that pr appear so Se re ] Of
Ae trends OF thought in the many letters
which he receives.
South Bend, Ind.
WIZ yon kindly name the most
picturesque and striking passage from
the pen Of the late Thomas Carlyle?
Answer: There are many passages
Of Carlyle's that are notable.
Among them all l prefer his de
scription of the capture of the Bastille
in ''The French Revolution.
Cambridge. Mass.
realize that no subject. least or
al suoh difficult one as religion. can
be condensed into A few inches OF
newspaper space.
am n skeptic and | believe that
all progress has come through DOUBT
Of accepted theories, including Chris
tianity. Professionalism and the dis
covery Of our country.
To tell the truth. do not know
what to believe about religion or
why | should believe any of the so
called religions.
Will YOU kindly assist me by giving
yoIir answers to the following ques-
tions:
/. What does present day Chris
ianity predict as a future state for
an agnostic?
2. Christianity has had it's rise.
Will it not have its fall?
3. In view of the fact that many
Of our leading thinkers and best
brains of the last century have re-
jected Christianity wholly or in part.
does 1t not seem To indicate the trend
~ tol- nj
common intellectual level is raised?
T. In what way is Christian
superior to other religions, as for
instance ronfucianism?
:. In school our children are sup
posed to ne taught 70 think. why
ask them to believe things, In religion
which cannot he proved. which are
denied by opposing religions and
which could well he different?
These are some of the questions
which 1t will he necessary for the
Christian religion 20 explain or lose
strength continuously. | have no
quarrel with the motives Of most good
Christians. hut feel that many high
minded non-conformists have equally
high motives | doubt strongly that
my challenge 10 cast light on any of
the above questions will he accepted.
Answer: A sani;ating sllepii"ism
about dubious matters or beliet wen
becomes every intelligent person. But
doubt Of all accepted theories has been
more often than not The result of an
overmasterinE faith In far better
theory Columbus was suspicious or
the current ideas about the western
ocean because he had better, though
not correct. ideas of his own on that
Issue.
icfi finn n
Identifies faith in Him with reasoned
conviction that Ills claims as its
Lord are valid lie taught that I'M
belief was the deliberate and willful
rejection of that which those who re-
jected it knew to be true.
From this standpoint the future
state of an agnostic tone who claims
he simply does not know should be
left to the determination of Just and
loving God. But we may he sure that
honesty Of conviction is more accept
able to God than 1t is to man.
. Christianity is not described in
the New Testament 3 having risen.
but as a revela ton of the Divine Will
to man which is superior to all earthly
contingencies of decay and dissolution
Z. Your statement is somewhat
sophisticated. What ere the best
brains? Who are the leading thinkers?
ST. Paul was either unknown to or
ignored by the wisest minds OF his
day. Where are they and where is
he in the present experimental esti-
mate of humanity?
Probably Christ ia nifty has com
msnded quite its fair share OF intel
lectual power in every age. And no
religion has done more to raise the
common level of mentality. The most
tions.
4. Christianity's superiority to
other religions can he practically
tested by a careful comparison of the
peoples and lands which profess any
one of these religions. Let China rep.