Novemper 15, 1904 manifested in the great redemptive sacrifice, and of his inten ZION’S WATCH TOWER (354-356) ing “times of restitution of all things spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets since the world began.”—-Acts 3:21. tion to bless the world through the glorified Christ by appoint Vou. XXV ALLEGHENY, PA., DECEMBER 1, 1904 No. 23 CLUBBING ARRANGEMENT FOR_ 1905 As usual, all Warcu Tower subscriptions for the United States for 1905 will include subscriptions to the Old Theology Quarterly. And this year we have effected a special arrangement by which all paid Watcu Tower subscriptions for 1905 will include without extra charge, a subscription to the Solon BROTHER RUSSELL’S The following journals are now publishing Brother Rusvell’s sermons regularly, viz:— The Schnectady Union............... .... Scehnectady, N. Y. The State... cc ccc ccc cc ccc ccc e ence eee eees Columbia, 8. C. The Pittsburg Gazette... wc... cece cece eee Pittsburg, Pa. Journal (monthly) for four months. It is a secular journal of good tone; price with privileges $2 a year. Its claims for public recognition we heartily endorse, having profited thereby ourselves. Its advantages apply only within the United States. All U. 8. subscribers may look for their first number in January, SUNDAY DISCOURSES The arrangement with the latter was for one year, and expires with the present month. Should it not be renewed all of its unexpired subscriptions sent to us for it will be placed in other journals publishing the discourses as a regular weekly feature. CHRISTENDOM’S ANXIOUS SITUATION BY REV. E. F. BUBR, D.D. We see, in many pleasant respects, just what the Fathers saw. The old Christian flag is still waving; the old Christian creeds still maintain their places; the old Christian sanctuaries are still open every Sabbath; ministers preach and pray in them «till; there are still prayer meetings, and sacraments, and Sunday Schools, and Bible Schools, and Salvation Armies, and Northfields, and Bible Leagues, and Christian Endeavorers. It 4s not a surface Sahara by any means. And yet the condition of things among us is very serious— so serious that it would be the height of unwisdom to blink it. Beneath the fair crust of Christian forms and professions boils and tosses an amazing amount of un-Christian and anti-Christian thinking. We do not know exactly how much; but that it 1s formidably great we do know. Every now and then eruptions occur which startle us as with a blow. Latterly, these outbreaks have sometimes come in groups and with almost volcanie violence; and the impact on us has been as when the smith with both hands smites the anvil. We are shocked— shocked at the mass of destructive material belched out from most unexpected quarters; from pulpits noted for orthodoxy ; from seminaries supposed to be bound to the old Gospel by more than seven green withes, which not even a Samson could break; from Associations, Presbyteries, Conferences where grey heads listen patiently to attacks on the Bible, which a few years ago would have raised a storm of astonishment and protest. Lo, the new departures of a few years ago have expanded into the “new Christianity” of the higher criticism, the destructive criticism of the Bible. Under the egis of the Christian name this unwelcome immigrant has come to great estate among us. Its shadow covers and chills great denominations, great presses and great educational institutions. To multitudes the Old Testament is gone and the New Testament is either gone or going. Not a few deny or question fundamental Christian doctrines—the messiahship of Jesus, his miraculous birth and incarnation, his miracles, his atonement, his resurrection and ascension, and even his reliability as a religious teacher. Many whose standing in the ministry is still unchallenged question all these doctrines; and very many more are plainly feeling their way to the same depths at various stages of descent. These men, even the most radical of them, are preaching their views without hindrance in our churches and presses. They occupy chairs in our colleges and seminaries. The defection is so great that no ecclesiastical discipline is attempted. Courts, civil and ecclesiastical, have been appealed to in vain to prevent the perversion of trust funds defended by oaths and creeds as strong as human ingenuity could make them. In spite of ironclad creeds and quinquennial oaths rationalism has appropriated many strategic positions in the high places of the field. The leading colleges of New England invite to their chairs and pulpits the most radical Unitarians, Universalists and Rationalists; and, as if the home supply was not large enough, are at the trouble of importing them. Whole associations, Presbyteries, conferences, are dominated by views of the Bible which defy all the Protestant confessions and which would, a few years ago, have been met by storms of protest and excommunication. In view of this general situation the friends of the old Bible naturally look with anxious eyes to see where stand their missionary societies. What do they find? I will speak only for Congregationalists. Other Protestant denominations must apeak for themselves. Just now they may find themselves much better off than their neighbors; but they will, at least, find that they are being menaced by like conditions. serve as a warning. OUTLOOK OF CONGREGATIONALISTS What do Congregationalists find? They find that the higher criticism now sits at the council board and swarms in the constituency of each of their three missionary societies. Whoever sees that much sees reason for grave apprehension. All these societies are on the brink—liable to be crowded over it at any moment by the pressure from behind... . . Is there not cause for uneasiness? Have not evangelical churches reason to fear that as little discrimination is made in the laborers sent into the home mission fields as exalts among the men sending them? Is it not certain that men who think that higher critics of an extreme type are suitable persons for the championships and directorships and presidencies of missionary societies will think them suitable for mission work in the field? Our misgivings are very great. Our fears are stronger in the battle than our hopes. We are willing and even anxious to contribute to send the old Gospel into all fields, believing it to be the power of God unto salvation; but we are not willing to do as much for another Gospel. It is forbidden us. So we feel obliged to query with our two home missionary societies: “What are you doing with our contributions? What sort of men are you sending into the mission fields in our names? Let us know. It looks more and more as if you must be sending forth men whom it is against our consciences to send and support. Is it so?” Again our three missionary societies are so linked to a fourth that whatever patronage is given to one is measurably given to all. They present themselves for patronage in a lump, make a common appeal, have a common publication, divide among themselves certain common expenses and receipts. and are thinking of a common anniversary. We cannot bless one without blessing all; cannot help the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions without helping the Congregational Sunday School and Publishing Society. And yet this latter society, acting in the name of all our churches, and at the expense of all of them, is engaged in publishing books and Sunday School helps and a weekly newspaper notoriously and grossly in the interest of the higher criticism —the newspaper presumably bought and supported, in part at least, by denominational funds and claiming denominational authority. Moreover, this society has just come into avowed alliance with a well-known organ of the higher criticism; namely, “The American Institute of Sacred Literature,” for the purpose of capturing in its interests our Sunday School teachers. Such is the society which all our churches are now being urged to support liberally—urged by the common voice of all our denominational societies, as expressed in innumerable circulars, in a plan for having a special agency for each society in each church, and in the actual appointment of a field secretary to give his whole time to the work of swelling the contributions of all the churches to all the societies—not excepting the most objectionable. Is this tolerable? Do not the other missionary societies see that their working in harness with such a society, and even helping to gild and draw its special chariot. is fitted to disturb confidence in themselves? Would not all evangelical churches feel wronged at having their contributions so used if they were aware of it? We should at least {3465]
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