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February 21, 1912 ] THE
STRIP OFF THE MASK.
We have ateadily held that what is known as
higher criticism Is really the form that modern
infidelity has assumed. The avowed infidel is
now silent, probably because he is convinced that
his work is being done more effectively by a
class of men who are within the organized
Church. These men are quite numerous in some
branches of the Church and are in high places
of authority. They should be disposed of
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promptly, me unurcii that continues to harbor
them must bear the reproach and rest under
the suspicion of sympathy with gross errors or
indifference to it. or lack of courage to oppose it.
Attention is called by the Herald and Presbyter
to a published statement that Dr. William
Adams Brown's "Theology in Outline" has been
translated into Japanese and will be published
by a concern which is known as "the leaders of
the non-Christian publishers in Japan." The
editor well says, "We cannot conceive that any
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uut a uuii-^.nrisiiaii puonsner wouia agree to
issue such a book in the language of a people
just coming out of darkness into the light of the
gospel The time is coming when Christian
Churches will be forced to draw lines and disavow
responsibility for men who deny the very
doctrines which are the foundation of and the
reason for missionary work, both at home and
abroad." ?
A quotation is also made from Dr. David J.
Burrell, well known as a valiant defender of the
faith, who believes that the Church can have
more respect for a persecutor like Nero or an
infidel like Ingersoll who fights from the outside,
than for destructionists who conduct their
campaigns of unbelief from inside the Church.
The Doctor is very forceful, quoting the highest
authority with fine effect when he says:
The Church in Ephesus was greatly vexed hy
a certain Hvmenteus. who being an elder in holy
orders, treacherously opposed the gospel. There
were manv infidels in Enhesus. open and avowed,
hrave and honest in their belief: hut the case
of Hvmeuicus was singular in that he insisted
on teaching infidelity within the bosom of the
Church and in defiance of his covenant vows.
For this the Christians of Enhesus were enjoined
to "deliver him over to Satan" and have no
fraternal dealings with him. TTis name was
therefore held in execration : not because he was
an unbeliever, but because being an unbeliever
he insisted on easing himself a Christian in order
the more "ffeetivelv to undermine the foundations
of truth. Thereby he forfeited even the
eouivocal honor which belongs to a brave blasphemer
and that modicum of praise which is
universally granted to the most erring of honest
men.
And in after years when men like Hvmenreus
went visiting among the churches, the edict went
out: i 'on* to yourselves: it tnprp come any unto
vnu and brinsr not the doctrine of Ghrist. receive
him not?<nve him no fraternal 'Rpppntions'?
npithp'* hirl him Oodsnepd; for hp that hiddeth
him Godspeed is partaker of hia evil deeds."
There are some denominations who seem so
bent on numerical showings in membership and
money that they will take anything in reach and
hold on to all they get even at the cost of having
known enemies inside the walls of Zion The
net loss to such a Church in spirituality, faith,
conviction and faithful service is beycnd a'i
estimate. A pniF^nous so: ;t:ou permeate* the
whole compound and the .u,v requires the dmgg>l
1o label it "poison;" end it doesn't take
a diocerninc ?; iilie long to d-'oide that a Church
that knowingly sanctions corrupt teachers is
unsafe, not true to its own profession. If this
*vere the whole truth it would be sad enough,
hut more than this, such a Church scatters the
germs of unbelief broadcast and forfeits its
right to the confidence of those who otherwise
would be disposed to honor it for high-born conviction
and conscientious adherence to principle.
When the Church ceases to bear witness to the
PRESBYTERIAN OF THE S <
truth and becomes simply a pandersr to patronage,
it is shorn of its strength and forfaits it*
claim to Jiviue commission.
THE AGE OF MEETINGS AND SPEECHES.
Referring to the multiplication of conferences
of all kinds and to the fact that there is so very
much talk and so very little real work in comparison,
The Inquirer, a British publication, has
this to say about the situation in Great Britain:
"We wonder, sometimes, how long people will
delude themselves by thinking that they are promoting
the cause of religion by multiplying
meetings. Occasional gatherings for counsel and
fellowship are distinctly helpful, but there has
been a tendency in recent years to increase their
number to such an extent that they threaten to
become a weariness both to the flesh and the
spirit. The spring months of the year are crowded
with them, and no sooner is the summer ended
than we are plunged back into their vortex.
They are the fashion, and they go on with a kind
of dull momentum of their own, in the faint hope
that they are helping men to love one another
and to promote the Kingdom of God.
"A strange faet about meetings is that they
are attended only hy the very small fraction of
the religious world which has a taste, almost professional
in its quality, for this particular kind of
excitement. Large numbers of the most religious
people in the churches never go to them; some
are distinctly repelled by them. It is partly hecause
they are fully occupied with other things;
hut also in no small degree, because this ceaseless
round of meetings with their atmosphere of
advertisement and platform rhetoric, strikes
them as injurious to the higher ends of life. Most
of the churches have a small set of men, who appear
again and again on their platforms, and
make the same speeches to the same set of applauding
people. They may be right in thinking
that it is a wise expenditure of energy, and
that they are strong enough to save the soul of
religion amid this tlood of talk. Hut there are
so many signs that people are simply tired out by
the plague of meetings that clearly the time has
come for the whole matter to be submitted to
some revision of judgment."
mm rriwJSKANT DEMONSTRATOR.
Under the title of "Doers and Not Hearers
Only" The Presbyterian prints some straight
talk which reads after this fashion: "In both
Europe and America, the religious papers are a
unity on insisting that there be less talk and
more work. For some time we have been running
to conventions, conferences, banquets, congresses
and round-the-world jaunts and campaigns,
and little or nothing has come of it.
Thousands of dollars, months of energy, and
years of time have been consumed and yet nothing
done. Theory has consumed practice and indolence
has smothered struggle. Now conference
in its various forms is good, and we must
have it, but it has been over-done. Again there
is a reaction against that company of men who
go about the world under the name of exnerts.
telling men what to do and how to do it. Religious
workers, especially ministers know what
to Jo. The important thing is to get it done."
There is a long list of men traveling over the
land on funds contributed by devout people for
the spread of the Gospel, proposing to deepen the
spiritual life of the inhabitants, to arouse them
from their alleged indifference, to increase liberality,
and show them the latest methods. The
pastor* can do these things and his is the work
that abides. The intinerant demonstrator ought
to find some real work to do.
If your heart is filled with the love of greatness,
remember the greatness of love.
3 U T H (179) 11
NOTES IN PASSING.
BY BKBT.
"Haste ye, and go up to my
Lord of lather, and say unto him, 'Thus
All Egypt, saith thy son Joseph, God hath
made me lord of all Egypt.' " So
Joseph spake to his brethren as recorded in
Genesis 45:9. Lord of the land in which he had
been a slave and afterwards a prisoner. A more
complete turning of the tables could hardly be
imagined, rsut Joseph was careful to give the
honor for his elevation to the God to whom it was
due. "God hath made me lord of all Egypt."
To be in subjection to sin Is the condition of
millions of strong, capable men, and attractive,
noble-minded women, and also many young children
; but to become masters of that which masters
them is entirely within their power by the
grace of God.
The mastery of the believer over sin is not
only domination over that which wants to control
him, but it is the victory over that which once
actually did enslave him and hence is the greater
victory. But there was still another element in
this elevation of Joseph. He now was lord over
Egypt to the great advantage of the Egyptians
themselves. And I am sure that if
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through the grace of Christ over the world doe*
not prove a blessing to worldlings there is room
to question whether I have really obtained such
a victory.
It is hopeful also to notice that the victory
God gives is complete. There was not one
province of the land of Egypt over which Joseph
did not rule. "Sin shall not have dominion over
youno sin can stand before the power of God.
In this great truth let us conquer.
Said God to Abraham, "Fear
77ii/ Shield, not, Abram, I am thy shield."
In the early days with its hand to
hand method of fighting a good shield was indi-pensable,
and no doubt, many a soldier could
say that he owed his life to the excellency of
his shield. There can be no better security
against danger in any of its forms than that wise
precaution which an intelligent faith in God always
suggests. There can be no better shield
against sin than God himself. "If God be with
us, who can be against us?" Hut the soldier had
o carry his shield with him and he had to raise
that shield so as to present it to the foe. And we
if we would have the victory over sin must carry
Christ with us, and we must raise him aloft, and
push him forward into the very face of the
enemy. There is a power in Christ valiantly uplifted
to bring confusion into the ranks of our opponents.
God did not say to Abram, " I am thy sword."
Even so good a man as Abram could not be
trusted with such power. The temptation to
wield the sword on slight provocation would be
greater than any man could resist, and so God
has kept that in his own hand, "Vengeance is
mine, I will *-epay, saith the Jiord." If we can
trust God to shield us, we can certainly trust
him to defend us.
Literature records no finer compliWorth.
ment than that to which Smiles refers
concerning Aristidcs. "When a passage
in praise of mortal goodness was once recited
during the performance of one of the
tragedies of "Aeschylus, the eyes of the Athenian
audience turned involuntarily from the actor to
Aristides." So Lamartine paid tribute to De la
Eure. "Listen citizens," said Lamartine to the
riotous crowd as he introduced Do la Eure, "it
is sixty years of pure life that is about to address
you," and the uproar ceased at once. And
this power and influence is within reach of us all.
Tf likeness to Christ is your desire, then
you are on the way to it.