FAITH NOT OF MEN by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Mar 27, 1893

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 19, No. 21.

FAITH NOT OF MEN.

By Editor

IN demanding a law limiting religious discussion, Dr. Leighton Coleman says, in the January number of the North American Review:—

Hardly anything is more injurious to the State than a lack of confidence between man and man. It threatens the disruption of the very bonds of society. And this is the risk that is run in allowing religious discussions to go on indefinitely and wantonly, robbing men of their faith in God and Christ, and so, in turn, of their faith in one another; for faith in man has its highest development among those who believe in God.

To the first two sentences we do not object, but the next is most fallacious. The quickest way to destroy all confidence is for one set of men, whether they call themselves Christians or Mohammedans, to lord it over their fellows, or to bind their freedom in any way. Under a proper civil government the infidel or the idolator has as good right to discuss or question the origin of Christianity, together with its various tenets, as a Christian has to discuss or call into question the religion of the infidel or idolator. And an honest, manly discussion of these things, as men, will do more to lead to a proper understanding of righteousness and truth, of confidence in and respect of each other, than can be compelled by all the laws ever made. Rome tried for more than one

thousand years to compel confidence, and so establish government, but it resulted in the destruction of confidence, in espionage of men over their fellows, in the wrecking of governments, and the putting to death of millions of as honest souls as ever walked the earth.

Faith in man alone is born of selfishness, pride, and idolatry. Such kind of trust God does not approve. See Jer. 17:5. But should not Christians trust each other?—Undoubtedly; but when one Christian trusts another Christian, because he is a Christian, he trusts not his brother, but Christ, who is in his brother. But there is nothing in all this world which will create such suspicion and distrust of men as what is contemplated by the words above quoted. It ultimately means the espionage and the Inquisition of the Dark Ages.

Again, true faith in Christ is not dependent on what men may say. The true child of God, like the loyal soldier, draws closer to his Master, lifts higher the standard. His faith is founded, not on a hierarchy, not on the word of men, but on the rock of the word of God; and God's word will stand. And he who is builded on it will endure, despite all the waves of unbelief which beat around its base. "That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God."