Newspaper Page Text
Mareh 19, 1913 1 T H E f
Editorial 1
A Conference will be held in Richmond April
16-18, representing "A Movement for the Country
Church." It will be an important assemblage.
Topics of vital importance will be considered
by capable speakers. People are awakinrr
fn ? -1 ?^
HQ w Uis anaicgiv jn/auiuu IUC WUIiU V ClIUICIl
holds in this militant kingdom. Educators, reformers.
industrial promoters, editors, sociologists,
health specialists, country-life enthusiasts
and other wise counselors will lend their influence
to enlarge the opportunity and increase
the activities of the rural and village church.
Country life is coming into its own and the
churches must he ready to "hear a sound of
roincr in the tops of the mulberry trees."
We are pleased to give assnrance that the most
approved views on inspiration are held and
taught at the Thornwcll Orphanage. We had
ever assumed this to bo trne until we received
a marked copy of "The Thornwcll Messenger,"
containing an article on The Federal Council,
from which we made a quotation and on which
x we commented in our issue of March 5. The
article was sent us hy one of the most scholarly
and intmentiai ministers of the Chnrch, end well
known in many sections of the Sonth. TTis conBtrnction
of the lanjfnasre qnoted w'as evidently
the same as onr own. "We thoncrht and still think
the qnotation, literally and in its context, tanpht
erroneons views of inspiration. The nnthor however
has a riprht to constrne his own lnnsmasre.
the intent of which is its real valne. This is
done in an article printed on another pacre, entitled
"A Letter from Rev. J. B. Branch." To
assurances or sound conviction contained in this
letter -we extend pur most cordial commendation
and to its author our most fraternal greetings.
The Protestant Magazine is published in
Washington, the headquarters of activities in
national politics. Its name indicates the great
cause which it represents, a cause with which
the people must reckon whether they will or
not. The last number of the magazine contains
this information: Mr. Thomas J. Carey, of Palestine,
Texas, wrote, on Jnue 10, 1912, to Arch
bishop Bonzano, of Washington, who is lenown
as the "papal delegate," asking him: "Must I,
as a Catholic, surrender my political freedom
to the Church t By this T mean , the right to
vote for the Democratic, Socialist or Republican
party when and where I please." The reply
of the "papal delegate" was: "You should
submit to the Church even at the cost
or sacnncing political principles;" wiucn
means "yes" in answer to the inqoiry of Mr.
Carey. "Romish publications and prelates, including
Cardinal Gibbons, frequently deny that
tbe Church attempts to control the politics of
ita subjects and thus control the politics of the
state. Here we have a very high authority, the
political representative of the Pope at "Washington,
who, without intending it for the public,
resounds the notes of his master's voice so all
mow tiaan
(/ " I
Secretary Stimson in his annnal report, speaking
of the morals of the army, says, "The record
of the nrmv in this r??nrW in nlinTripfnl liAvond
that of the ftrmy of any civilized nation." Tills
eonfesion is prompted by a desire to have the
canteen, or government liquor shops restored.
| The argument is that the enlisted men will havg
intoxicants and it is better for the government
to supply them than for the soldiers to patronize
saloons outside of the military stations. There
>KB8BYT1&I4N OF THE 8 <
Votes and
are several things to be said of this evasive
pleading for convenient drinks and plenty of
icem. it is altogether prooaoie tnat army ?Ulcers,
both high and low, are not entirely oblivious
of their own tastes and convenience in demanding
that the government shall supply intoxicants
at the army posts. Furthermore, if
army officers can compel their men to keep their
heads up, shoulders back, knees straight and
toes turned out while at drill, they might enforce
rules ngainst beastliness and debauchery while
the men are off dnfv Mnnv nf ttie mnct nv.
pericnced officers, ranking high 1n both character
and position, utterly condemn the canteen. As
an index to the methods employed for restoring
it to the army posts, an inquiry was lately held
before the committee on military affairs in Congress.
At this inquiry only witnesses who favored
restoring the canteen were allowed to
testify. In an elaborate report of the proceedings,
published at government expense, oppon
cuts of the canteen were allowed, in answer to
humble petition, to insert a few pages of evidence
on their side of the controversy.
The Kappi Sigma Pi (Knights of St. Paul) is
an organization for boys. It differs from the
Boy Scout organization in that it places emphases
on the spiritual rather than the temporal.
It has its departments of recreation and mental
culture, but as its literature announces
"It was born of God to meet a great need
in saving boys and this is the sole ob.iect
^ C it ! a! f? Ta f- * il -1-1 -1 it -
vi me u^uuizuiiuu. n is runner sraiea xnax
90 per eent. of the K. S. P. boys become earnest
Christians and unite with the church. This
estimate when compared with another estimate
to the effect that 80 per cent, of the hoys who
enter the Sunday schools never confess Christ
nor unite with the church, becomes significant.
Literature setting forth the aims and methods
of the organization may be secured by addessing
Kappa Sigma Pi, 221 W. Fourth Street, Cincinnati.
Here are alternatives worth thinking about.
Many great voluntary religious organizations
have been and are being formed. These hold
annual or more frequent conventions in addition
to ordinary local meetings. These conventions
involve much timo and large sums of money
Tlieir beneficial effects are variously estimated
It is now commonly said that the expected fruits
of the great Men and Religion Movement whict
cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, from firsl
to last, have failed to materialize. The othei
alternative is that instead of conventions ant
religious mass meetings, their delegates be ap
J i. i a it. _ a? 11_ .11 -1
poinicu iu sei apart tne rime usually anowea ioi
the convention, to importunate prayer, persona
communion with Christ, reading of the "Word
Rclf-examination and meditation, and daily per
sonal evangelistic work, witnessing from th<
heart to the love and abonnding grace of Christ
and that the expenses of mass meetings and con
ventions be devoted to home and foreign evan
gclization. this work to involve as many person:
inni iiiiimi rApcnnr null tkiur tin tiic u 'iivrn
tions. Which would yield the larjrer and mori
lastiner result.* and -which would he more profit
able to those who are exercised thereby*
The Catalogue of Anstin Theolopn'cal Semi
nnrv for 1912-1013, with announcements fo
1913-1914, has been received. We welcome tlii
documentary evidence of the prosperity nn<
t wide influence of our citadel of faith in th
Southwest. The faculty consists of a full corp
3 U T H # (249) 9
Comment
of professors in charge of the usual departments
of instruction. Experience, scholarship, rosourcefulncss,
and sound conviction are happily
combined in the teaching force of this cherished
msnruTion.
The Register, published by the Presbyterian
Theological Seminary of Kentncky, contains the
annonncemcnt of that flourishing institution for
1912-1913. The strong faculty, liberal endowment
and equipment, and large attendance of
students give assurance of increasing service to
the Church at large in training men of sound
faith and superior scholarship for the work of
the ministry.
STTAT.T. WP ftOWDPOMTor
At a time when the value and authority of
revealed truth are being so widely depreciated
in the estimate of religious leaders, and the cry
for the submergence of cherished doctrinal beliefs
for the sake of bigness and broadness has
become so clamorous, it is well for tbose who
love and cherish the eternal truths of inspira
tion to emphasize tliem and defend them with
unwavering fidelity. The advocates of a merely
humane fraternity, the culture of purely human
instincts by purely human methods and appliances.
under the guidance of a vague, universally
diffused religion* sentiment or influence, are
demanding not only recognition but leadership.
Tn the accomplishment of this purpose it is
Iheir ambition to secure the following of the
evangelical forces of the organized Church, as
1 well n<5 their own school of rationalistic religion1
ists. They are prosecuting this purrose with
1 increasing energy and w'th an audacity that
' is little less than startling. Their latest achievement
in prosecuting their ambitions purpose was
1 the capture of the Federal Council. Evangelical
Churches must squarely face the question whether
they will consent to align themselves with the
prevailing skepticism or will hold uncompromisingly
to the authority of the gospel by withholding
organic fellowship,
i The situation is becoming clear to the exoosi
tors of religious thought and activity, warnings
1 arc being sounded and counsel freely given. The
5 following from The Presbyterian of Philadelphia
impresses us as being most timely and wise:
Tm: Feokrai Council.?Tt has been generally
? recognized among the evangelical Churches that
t the Federal Council has been captured, body
t and soul, by the so called liberal or higher criti.
eal men. They have elected as president. Dr.
. Similar "Mathews. They choose such speakers
as Professor Steiner. who says that Daniel is a
bundle of myths. The various commissions are
: made up chiefly of men who are leaders in liberal
I tnouswrs. "inis matter has received considerable
attention in some of the leading religious journals.
Conspicuous amon^ tliese are the Presbyterian
Standard, the Prfsbytertan of tttk
5 Sottttt, the Christian Observer, of the Southern
' Southern Pre.shvtcrian Church, and our honored
colleasme. the TferaJd and Presbyter. All these
. seem to he of one mind as to the defection from
c, faith of the Federal Council. All raise the question,
What should be donet The Presbyterian
of titf. SotTTTf and the Standard are decided that
0 true evangelicals should withdraw from the
Council. The Christian Ohsmifir nnrl tho TT/>r
al$ and Prrsbutrr seem to be of the opinion that
Hie evangelicals should remain in the Conneil,
and fiirht. We are in sympathy with the with
drawnl. Little good is to he accomplished by ror
mainine in an organization for contention sake.
s The purpose o'f the Conneil was to nntte the difj
ferent bodies on the jrronnd whiich they hold in
1 common. in order that they miorht oontend
e nsminst a common foe. If evangelicals remain
s in the connection nnd keep silent, then thp<Jonn