Newspaper Page Text
8
The Golden Age
(SUCCESSOR TO RELIGIOUS TORUN)
Published Ebery Thursday by the Golden fZge Publishing
Company (Inc.)
OFTICES: LOWNDES BUILDING, ATLANTA, GA.
Price: $2.00 a Year
Ministers $1.50 per Year.
In cases of foreign address fifty cents should be added to covet
additional postage.
Make all remittances payable to The Golden Age Publishing Company.
WILLIAM D. UPSHAW. - Editor
A. E. RAMS A UR, - - - Managing Editor
IEH G. BROUGHTON - - - Pulpit Editor
Entered at the Post Office tn Atlanta. Ga„
as second-class matter.
<^TRADE 5 COUNOL>
To the Public: The advertising columns of The
Golden Age will have an editorial conscience. No
advertisement will be accepted which we believe
would be hurtful to either the person or the purse
of our readers.
Caldlvell in 'Europe.
Mr. A. B. Caldwell, the acomplished manager of
“Men of Mark in Georgia.’' and one of the most
active Sunday school and Baraca workers in the
country, has gone to the World’s Sunday School
Convention in Rome, intending to make many other
points of interest on the continent before his return
Mo America.
Mr. Caldwell lias promised The Golden Age some
(echoes from his European wanderings, ami we are
sure a treat is in store for all who follow him from
the Tiber to the Thames.
‘Broughton ’s ‘Dream.
In his postscript to his general letter which we
publish elsewhere, Dr. Broughton speaks of the pro
posed new Tabernacle as “the dream of my life for
the people of my section of this great country,’’
and in his appeal adds these true words: “It is
almost impossible to think of an investment where
a dollar will cut so many ways and do such prac
tical, abiding good.”
7 he Narrolvness of "Liberalism. ”
It is a comedy and a tragedy in one —the nar
rowness of “liberalism” I The truth is, liberalism
is the most illiberal ism on earth. For liberalism,
so called, vaunting itself on its liberality in thought,
is so illiberal that it actually grows red in the face
and cries out, “old fogy,” “mossback,” “Puritan
ism,” and “the dark ages,” against any man and
every man who dares to think for himself and who,
in this thinking and feeling, declares allegiance of
mind and heart to the Faith that is called “ortho
dox.” Liberalism is so narrow that it demands
that everybody shall be as 4 ‘liberal” as it ; s. It
will brook nothing but agreement with itself.
“lie is a liberal man in his thinking.”
That sounds smart and “distinguished,” doesn’t
it ? But for our part we do not covet such desig
nation. If, in order to be called liberal and gen
erous, this writer, either as an invidual or as an
editor, must connive at, ami fellowship every sort
of error, simply because it is advocated by some
“genial and charming personality’’-—then you are
welcome to charge “narrowness” forevermore.
The Editor of this paper is gratified to count
among his warm personal friends some who are
Christian Scientists, Universalists and Unitarians.
His forefathers died at the block and some went
Home on the wreathing bosom of flame in order that
men might be any of these things and more —or
less —if in their mistaken blindness they should
choose to be. But blood-bought liberty for tlies'*
friends and all who believe with them must not
mean that he must minimize the Blood-wrought
salvation that comes to him through the atonement
of Jesus who was God!
This liberty to believe something or nothing (if
The Golden Age for May 16, 1907.
the latter wore possible) would still be kept for
these mistaken ones if the keeping should again
cost blood and treasure, but it must not mean that
we must pat every man mi the back and say: “It
is all right about what you believe just so you
are honest.”
This paper stands without apology or compromise
for the vital verities of what is called “orthodox
Christianity.” And only that side can be dis
cussed in these columns. The Golden Age is not a
forum for all-comers —it is an advocate.
If that be narrowness, make the most of it!
When this paper was born a little more than a
year ago, we determined that nothing that put a
question point after the inspiration of the Bible
or the Deity and Atonement of Jesus Christ should
ever ‘enter these columns.
With love for all men. especially those who are
of the household of Faith, this is tile “narrow
platform on which we rejoice to stand. Liberal —
yes, liberal with our own, but not liberal with the
only Truth of God that has ever lifted mtn out of
the ditch and put the minstrelsy of Heaven in tin
man hearts redeemed!
John Watson ’s Immortal Sentence.
The recent death, in lowa, of Dr. John \\ alSoii
(lan Maclaren)—a beloved exile from his native
land— puts into italics ami frames anew in the gal
lery of our thinking that immortal sentence by
which We believe lie will be remembered when’ ev
erything else he has ever written lies buried with
all other forgotten books. It has mellowed thou
sands of young preacher’s hearts with a tenderer
filial love, while tiring them with the supremest.
passion without which all preaching is vain. Who
lias not felt an unspeakable warming of the heart
when reading that tender, stirring chapter, “His
Mother’s Sermon,” in “Beside the Bonnie Brier
Bush”? It was an eventful hour. The young
preacher had returned from college rich with hon
ors. He must preach his first sermon in the vil
lage kirk. The people were expectant. He was
nervous — because he was human —and because he
was human he was ambitious!
He must tell with startling evidences of learning
the “very latest” in the realm of theological
thought. The sermon was laboriously thought out,
carefully written and polished “alter the similitude
of a palace.” But his heart was restless. he was
not ready to preach. And then there came 1 Voice
from the sacred past: “John, when you stand up
to preach your first sermon in the kirk, don't for
get to speak a gude word for Jesus Christ.”
It was the voice of his good old Scotch mother
• —it was the voice of God!
It was the downfall of sermonic pride, but this
was followed by the exaltation of Him who said
“Ami 1, if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto
me. ’ ’
"'Eternal Rebenue” On Jugs.
We hear often of “internal revenue,” and
some unfortunates, maybe, are inclined to think it
“infernal" revenue. But the most unique and blis
tering revenue we have yet seen is called “eternal
revenue. We saw one of the stamps on a jug. It
was one of those jugs that came from a place when*
it ought not to have been, and was expressed to
a place where it ought not to have come.
Jefferson City, Tennessee, the home of that great
institution, Carson ami Newman College, is like
some other “dry” towns— it will occasionally re
ceive a jug of liquor by express. But every tim*
one of these serpents coils up in that depot. the
railroad agent, who is a. live, enterprising Chris
tian man, reaches up for his package of “eternal
revenue stamps,” and sticks one light on the face
of that blooming jug. Here is one of the stamps
which the writer saw on one of these jugs the
other day:
“Epon the wicked He shall rain snares, fire and
brimstone; this shall be the portion of their cup.”—
Psalm .11 : (5.
Now, that is what we call spiritual enterprise.
I'niil we get an anti-jug law at least lei every
express agent arm himself with a package of these
“eternal revenue stamps,” and stamp every iug
with an awakening Bible verse.
Grabes and His Critics.
The effort of some papers to impute selfish mo
tives to John Temple Graves in his Chattanooga
speech, declaring that he was on a quest for dates
on the lecture platform, is little it is shameful •
it is mean! Mr. Graves deliberately gave up the
platform as a profession several years ago in favoi'
of the editorial chair, and we happen to personally
know that he recently declined several dates that
would have paid him handsomely, Ihe public
would rejoice to see him lecture oftenOr than his ed
itorial duties on The Georgian will allow. John
Temple Graves has a master mind, a gallant hciift;
a fearless soul and a gulden tongue He lias
always been an independent thinker, but lie iteVer
dips his tongue or pen in guile. He is chivalrous
enough and great enough to argue without malign
ing and to differ without bittefiless of heart Os
words.
We never knew him to do a little thing. His ed
itorial page in The Georgian is like a g’ulf-stream
of crystal warmth and beauty, flowing through
daily journalism —fructifying wherever it goes and
blessing wherever it touches.
H H
President Patton in Atlanta.
That is a wise, substantial thing which the Cen
tral Presbyterian Church, Atlanta, is doing in
bringing to the city President I rancis L. Patton,
Os Princeton Theological Seminary, for a course of
public lectures.
Although it costs the church SSOO to secure these
lectures, they are given free to all who will “come
and drink.” Beginning 'Monday night ol this
week, and continuing through Friday, his subjects,
are as follows:
“The Theistic Yiew of the World.
“The Seat of Authority in Religion.”
“The New Christianity.”
“The Person of Christ.”
“The Philosophy of Salvation.”
These are vital themes being discussed by one
of the greatest and most devout thinkers in Amer
ica, and his masterly messages are enriching the
thought-life and the heart-life of Atlanta's reli
gious leaders, both in the pulpit and the pew.
We commend the course of the Central Presby
terian Church in making this wise educational in
vestment. The type of men that Princeton gives
to the world is a crown of increasing brightness
for that great citadel of Christian truth.
With Grolving Enthusiasm.
Dr. J. W. Repass, President of Centenary Female
College, Cleveland. Tenn., writes: “I have been
receiving The Golden Age for several months, ami
have read it with growing interest and enthusiasm.
I have intended for some time to write you express
ing my opinion and appreciation. It is not enough
for it to come to the college library. Put me on
your subscription list.”
A Nelv Vision of Life.
“Editor Golden Age:—
“Your trip to Ackerman, recently, was genuinely
appreciated. The school children are still saying:
’Let nothing discourage you; never give up.’ Your
short visit to our town was a real feast to all of
us who heard you. I want to say this because I
feel it in my heart, and I can’t be satisfied till
I speak out what is in my heart. Won't you please
come to see us again ? We are anxious to see you
You make us feel better and help us as no other
man has ever done Io see that, virile life is some
times hard, yet it is a great privilege to live in
this world. You have helped me, brother, and have
given me a new vision of life.
“Your paper is one of the best I have ever read.
God will richly bless von for the work you are do
ing in scattering sunshine and inspiration in the
lives of others, ami for the work you are doing
t<» conquer the demon of strong drink. A patron
of the saloon took (lie life of my father not many
ago, ami so help me God, I will fight the
saloon as long as I live. May God bless you in
your work, is my earnest prayer.
“Ackerman, Miss. J. R. Nutt.”