The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1936-05-07
Back To The Church


lister will have to bury him in the
end, as one had christened and
another married him, and an anony-
nous writer in The Forum has de-
cided that he will go back to the
Church while there is still life in him.
He has found that the Church, which
he quit some years ago, can get along
without him better than he can get
along without the Church.
Raised in an orthodox home, this
mana physician in a State hospital
in the Southeast-fell away from the
faith of his mother because of intel
lectual problems. Yet, tho he believed
that Adam is as legendary as Prone
theus, and that sin is largely rever-
sion to primitive character traits, he
was unhappy in his sterile churchless-
ness. On Sunday morning he always
had feeling that he ought to be at
service-he was missing something.
Then one of his little boys fell ill.
He called in the best pediatrican he
knew, and then, in fever of anxiety,
he prayed an old-fashioned prayer that
his little boy would get we'll. 1t was
inconsistent, but it helped
So much for the spiritual reasons
behind his return.
He visited an orphanage operated
by his denomination. Those happy
faced youngsters showed him what
the Church is doing. He talked with
classmate who is a medical mis-
sionary and was convinced that the
medical missionary was dong service
for the natives of Africa. He found
out that he couldn't wholly dispense
with the services of the Church HIM
self, and that he was giving nothing in
return. He was a dead-beat.
Then there are the children, who
must be brought up in the Church or
out of it. He was decided.
"Our creed" he writes, sis simple
enough:
eve believe in an intelligent Crea-
tor, whose evidence for US is manifest
principally in nature and in the ac
tons and thoughts of certain Of our
fellow men.
eve believe also in very real,
compassionate Jesus, whose principles,
if followed rather than talked, will
lead to the greatest possible happi-
ness.
eve believe that thousands of peo-
pie in other churches and other creeds
have successfully followed these prin-
ciples, as have many individuals out
side of any church. For our purposes,
however, they are a little easier to
follow in association with other peo-
pie united for the same objective.
While not unaware that fearful atroc-
ties have been perpetrated in the name
of religion, we can find neither author
ity nor precedent for such deeds in
the life of the Nazarene.'
Let the cynics laugh:
eve are going to church to drink in
the deep, soothing music Of the mas
tiers, so universal that it knows no
limitation of creed; composed alike by
Protestant, Catholic and Jew.
eve will sing the old hymns, also,
and feel better and stronger for hav-
ing sung them; some of them are
among the finest poems of the race.
eve expect to listen to the preacher,
too, not being so completely sophis-
ticated but what some of the things
ne has to say will do US good. And
should we think his sermons too sim
pie we ought to be able 10 comfort
ourselves with the pleasure this
thought will give to our egos.
Furthermore, we're going to help
with the church work being carried
on, even if this requires an apparent
reversion to Babbittry. We know that
it is too expensive, overorganized and
smacks of Rotary methods, but we
feel that it is much better than none
at all. So we're going in for the mems
club and the women's auxiliary, and
are going to buy indigestible cake at
unheard-of prices, help with welfare
projects, get up baskets for poor fam
lilies, and send the children to Sunday
school.
"And perhaps if we do these things
for the next twenty or thirty years
we may achieve that inner content
nent so many old-fashioned Christians
seem to possess, but which is rather
conspicuously lacking n the ranks CT
the intelligentsia."