p. 339 | Untitled article by Mary W. Howard

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Third-day, November 12, 1867

THE BONDAGE OF POPULAR THEOLOGY.

By Mary W. Howard

Unwittingly to themselves, and unconsciously to most who hear them, do our secular writers and speakers often evince a correctness in Bible doctrines which most religionists of our day would do well to observe and improve from. A newspaper correspondent, speaking back to us from over the water recently, used this expression: “Among you, where a sort of semi-spiritualism pervades all the churches,” &c. This originated some inquiries in my mind, but the following, extracted from the recent speech of Gen. Sickles at Philadelphia, has aroused some thoughts that seek expression.

“Within the sound of my voice is the spot where the sublime truth was proclaimed, that all men are created free and equal! Upon this rock our republican institutions are built, and no power can prevail against it.” Speaking of the brave comrades who had fallen, he says: “Their shrouded forms lie buried in many a forest, and like autumn leaves their nameless graves are numbered only by the recording angel. Let us sometimes listen to their sad voices, mournful as muffled drums, and heard through the yielding sod.”

This sentiment sounds much more scriptural than one lately heard from a religious pulpit, when, in a glowing outburst, the dead were represented as “leaning over the battlements of Heaven, and beckoning with spiritual fingers, to dwellers upon earth.” But this I mentioned incidentally as proof of my quotation from the newspaper correspondent; for the thought suggested, which I desired to express, was of Jesus making use of the same words in his address to Peter when he had enunciated his sublime truth, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Matt. xvi, 16. Upon this rock, this sublime truth, that Jesus was “the Christ, the Son of the Living God,” which flesh and blood had not revealed to Peter, to-day the church of Christ firmly rests: and, blessed be God, the gates of hell shall not prevail against it, either through the machinations of Papal Rome, who would have Peter the rock, nor yet the misdirected efforts of those who follow in her footsteps, in mystifying and spiritualizing the teachings of God’s word.

I refer now to that refined kind of cowardice, which makes one apprehensive of offending the prejudices of one’s order, a sort of subtle bondage that prevents a clear vision, and correct judgment; so that the beaten track is scarcely deviated from, though it be unconsciously followed, by such as would be quick to resent an insinuation, that an unbiased judgment and appreciation were not exercised. When the secular speaker used the words, “Upon this rock is built,” no one thinks of referring it otherwise than to the truth just pronounced; but in the Bible, so accustomed are most to unthinkingly following authority, that it is at once applied to Peter. So too regarding the keys, as grave a mistake is often made: as if it were not equal to possessing the keys, (verse 19,) to have the honor of preaching the first gospel sermon of the kingdom, after Christ’s ascension, and again the first sermon to the Gentiles, at the house of Cornelius, Acts x, 34–45—thus opening the kingdom to both the Jewish and Gentile world.

I have said “unthinkingly following authority:” not but what authority is good, if it be correct. Indeed, so willing am I to receive correct instruction, that I appropriate such wherever found, even as Elijah unhesitatingly received his daily food by the brook Cherith, from an unclean bird. But I sometimes hear instruction (?) from accredited sources, when I am ready to question the propriety of hearing even, without protest, to vindicate my right to the name of Protestant! and did, not long ago, on one such occasion, venture the remark, as I passed from the audience room, that it was a pity that there were not some Aquilla and Priscilla, to instruct the speaker in “the way of the Lord more perfectly.”

MARY W. HOWARD.

Malone, N. Y., Oct. 1867.