Show AGITATION IN THE CHURCHES if as has baa been said eaid the agitation of thought to is the beginning of wisdom this ought to be a very wise age believing the aphorism to be true the mental unrest the fearless questioning of all social religious and political creeds usages laws and ceremonies way may be regarded as one of the hopeful encouraging signs of the times As the sultry and depressing atmosphere is cleared by the sometimes thunderstorm which to is succeeded by clear skies and a deliciously cool and invigorating air that imparts buoyancy and cheerfulness to the soul so will storms brewing in church and state throughout the world certainly result in clearer conception of the truth in moral and spiritual progress in broader and truer liberty an fn in more universal happiness and prosperity and in iia a higher and nobler type of manhood and womanhood nor is this hopeful faith regarding the future in the least diminished because it appears inevitable that this b lessed blessed OM ra of righteousness and harmony will be preceded by a period of intellectual strife more startling in physical conflict flicht more tremendous than history records the signs of the times are both ominous and encouraging there thereisa is a growing disposition to break loose from om all authority in family in church and in state the old question caby by what authority doest thou these I 1 things to is being asked by the people of their priests and self constituted rulers and the questioners will no longer be satisfied or cowed by the answer of anathema bullet or bayonet the masses are beginning to think noi need beit be it surprising or discouraging if at first they come to wrong and disastrous conclusions we all learn by the things we suffer there seems to be no other way neither should we wonder at the extravagant and unwarrantable skepticism and insubordination exhibited by the uneducated masses while the intellectual giants of the age are the pioneers in criticizing criticising critic ising laing and exposing the fallacies of existing institutions and in teaching the people that the only rightful authority either in religious or political affairs is in vested exclusively in them and in human reasons the result must inevitably be a mighty upheaval and overturning of society and modern civilization to be succeeded by a better purer wiser happier condition than the world has any conception of there is a movement among the churches in the east bast especially in the episcopal and the presbyterian led by such profound thinkers think era as heber newton philips brooks dr rainsford Rai naford dr parkhurst dr briggs and others which to is creating ng as much commotion as luther did in his day they claim for themselves and their Tol followers lowers larger freedom of thought in religious matters and the right of individual interpretation of the teachings of the bible as well as the creeds of the churches whether they will be willing to accord to all the liberty they claim for themselves remains to be seen cosay to say the leastie lea leam titis is very doubtful the brightest minds in the episcopal church realize that they cannot establish the claim to apostolic succession and so declare tha teven if it could be successfully established it is unimportant and unnecessary to the validity of their calling and the prosperity of their church among nearly all of the protestant sects mete there is a growing disposition to regard all external ordinances as nonessential non essential to be observed or disregarded according to the desire of each person without in the least detracting from their claim to co be obedient followers of christ and true christians we can understand and respect though we cannot agree with the man who rejects the bible and chris altogether but it is impossible to understand how any man professing to believe in the precepts and example of jesus christ as recorded in the new testament and that is the ahe only record of him which the world accepts can ignore the ordinances of baptism and laying on of hands as being neither important to or binding upon all disciples of christ if each person may select such parts of christs teachings and example as suits his caprice and ignore the rest what to is to become of christianity as a rule of faith and practice the only difference between such men and col ingersoll Js is that the hattei exercises the right of judgment to reject a little more than the former the test of love is obedience ce if ye love me keep my commandments P 4 he that hath my commandments and keeneth themie it is that loveth me it go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy ghost teaching them to observe au all things whatsoever I 1 have commanded you 11 II I again go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature he that believeth beli eveth and is baptized shall be saved either jesus said these things or he did not if he did they are binding on every creature no man however powerful his bis intellects Intellect is exempt if it be claimed that the words referring to baptism and other ordinances are interpolations then bow are we to tell what to accept as christs teachings and what to reject true we may judge judge by the context we should be justl justified led in rejecting as spurious any passages which conflict with the general spirit and tenor of an authors writings but these passages agree with the entire teachings and practices of christ and his disciples as recorded in the new testament and it is on the assertions and doctrines contained in the new testament that the faith of most christians to is founded they have no other basis for their belief therefore if each one selects or rejects what he pleases the foundation of their faith will be undermined as effectually as would be that of any building if each workman should take out a stone because he considered it unnecessary jesus himself was baptized so the record states saying thus it behoves behaves us to fulfil fulfill all righteousness can it be right or safe for us to neglect what he felt it incumbent to observe when peter preached on the day of pentecost lie ie said repent and be baptized every one of you for the remission of sins when saul was converted by the personal appearance of the savior to him this did not release him from the obligation to observe the rite of baptism ananias said why farriest tar riest thou arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins 52 when the jailer believed the gospel we are told that he and his household were straightway je ie without any delay baptized philip baptized the eunuch after he believed even after the holy ghost had fallen upon cornelius and those assembled with him they were baptized by peters command there are many other hi instances stances that could be adduced proving that baptism was considered essential by christ anti and his hia apostles are we wiser or letter better than they do we more correctly understand what christs teachings were in this respect than did those who had been daily with him for or years I 1 have heard the assertion made that devout people in this age understand the genius of christianity better than ever the early apostles did but surely no sane person would pretend that we do or can know better than they what were the teachings and the practice of the savior upon these and aid other important doctrines it is said that the essence of christianity is love for and loyalty to christ true but the test 0 of t that at love ove an and loyalty Is ia obedience the essence of marri marriage e is love for and loyalty to each ot other er no outward ceremony can constitute a true marriage when these elements are wanting but would those professedly christian people who deny the necessity of baptism or other ordinances of the gospel of christ presume to assert that no ceremony to is necessary to constitute a true and lawful marriage yet they may do so in the latter case with as much consistency as in the former the only difference being from the orthodox stand point that the statutory laws regulating marriage are of human origin while those relating to adoption into christs Chri ats society are divine if any choose to deny that christ prescribed any ordinances as essential they must ignore the plain teachings of the now new testament and they are not half so consistent as those who deny orthodox christianity altogether persons may yield an external obedience to the ordinance of baptism and yet be destitute of the spirit of christ just as parties way may go through the ceremony of marriage and yet be aliens to each other in spirit but whoever has the spirit of christ will manifest it by glad and loving obedience to all his requirements not deeming his slightest wish or request unimportant just as husband and wife who are really such delight to do each others will love does not ask how little it may do for the beloved object but eagerly anticipates every desire so those who love jesus christ will not ask how bow much of his example and precepts they may safely ignore but will feel that obedience to every one of his requirements quire ments is not merely obligatory but a joyful blessed privilege 1 14 8 4 |