p. 176 | Religion: Its Future by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jan 16, 1893

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 19, No. 11.

Religion: Its Future

By Editor

"Religion: Its Future."—The Literary Digest has an article from the Rev. Dr. Momerie, condensed from the London Fortnightly Review, on the above title, which contains many good things. It may be taken as an indication of the feeling of unrest and uncertainty—unrest because uncertainty—there is in the minds of many as regards the future of religion. "Christ and Christianity," says the writer, "are

as wide as the poles asunder. What is now called Christianity has for its foundation pre-Christian paganism, and for its superstructure past Christian metaphysics." The writer then shows how the pagan idea of God has come in through the doctrine of endless torment, and how the orthodox doctrine of the atonement had invested God with hatred and enmity toward man instead of love. The religion of Christ, he says, will never die. Of Christ he remarks:—

"He has lain buried for centuries in the tomb of theology; but his resurrection is at hand."

Of the church he says:—

"She will live if she become in reality what now she is but nominally—the church of Christ. . . . She must take a fresh start from Christ. She must be born again. To go back to the simple Christianity of Christ would be to get rid at once of all her corruption. Then true worship would begin—the worship of a Deity who is only good; while in every worshiper would be enkindled an enthusiasm for righteousness, a passionate resolve to 'work together with God' for the elevation and the amelioration of the race."

And the great obstacle to all this our writer points out thus:—

"It is we clergy who are the great obstacles in the way of such a change. The great majority of the clergy are so saturated with the spirit of ecclesiasticism, so wedded to the religion of the past, that their conversion seems almost hopeless. The church will never be reformed until her clergy have learned the lesson—which any 'infidel' could teach—that righteousness is man's first and only duty."

This witness speaks true, and righteousness, the only righteousness, is found, oh, so freely! in the Lord Jesus Christ, who invites all to come. Reader, look to Christ and him alone.