I attack the Church--yes,--and why?
Because it has departed from the Faith! Because it is a mere system
now,--corrupt in many parts, as all systems must naturally become
when worn out by long usage. In many ways it favours stupid
idolatries, and in others it remains deaf and blind and impervious
to the approach of great spiritual and religious facts, which are
being made splendidly manifest by Science. Why, there is not a
miracle in the Testament that science will not make possible!--there
is not a word Christ ever spoke that shall not be proved true! And
may I not be called a Christian? I may,--I must,--I will be,--for I
am! But hypocrisy, false measures, perverted aims, and low pandering
to ignorance and brutality, vile superstition and intimidation--
these things must be destroyed if the Church is to last with honour
to itself and with usefulness to others. To-day, over in England,
they are quarrelling with bitter acrimony concerning forms and
outward symbols of religion, thus fulfilling the words of the Lord,
'Ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter but within
ye are full of extortion and excess.' Now, if the Spirit of Christ
were at all in these men who thus argue, there would be no trouble
about forms or symbols of faith,--there would be too much of the
faith itself for any such petty disputation.
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