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WHY THE ‘‘NEW THEOLOGY’ IS HERE
HE main tenets of the “new theology”
which is causing a spiritual upheaval in
Great Britain, are thus defined in a
book written by its leading exponent,
Rev. R. J. Campbell :(—
The “starting point” of the New Theology
“is a re-emphasis of the Christian belief in
the divine immanence in the universe and in
mankind.” [Note the fact that the doctrine
of “the divine immanence in the universe and
in mankind” is not a Christian belief at all,
but is pure pantheism. The definitions which
follow, and which are quoted from Mr. Camp-
bell’s book, represent the very opposite of
Christian teaching.]
Gop.— “ The mysterious Power which is find-
ing expression in the universe, and which is
present in every tiniest atom of the wondrous
whole.” “My God is my deeper self.”
EviL.— Evil “is not a thing in itself, it is
only the perceived privation of what you know
to be good.”
Sin.— Sin “is the opposite of love.” “It
is the God within who is injured by it rather
than the God without.”
Divinity or CHRIST.— Jesus “ was God mani-
fest in the flesh, because his life was a con-
sistent expression of divine love, and not
otherwise.” “Jesus was the child of Joseph
and Mary, and had an uneventful childhood.”
Future REWARD AND PUNISHMENT. —
“There is no such thing as punishment, no
far-off judgment day, no great white throne,
and no judge external to ourselves.” “The
true resurrection is spiritual, not material.”
“Heaven and hell are states of the soul.”
There is no reason why such a system of
doctrine should be called the “new” theology.
All these doctrines are as old as heathenism,
and “the old heathenism” would be the fitting
and truthful name for it. This old heathen-
ism now comes boldly forward under a Chris-
tian title, to deceive those who know so little
of God's word that they are not able to dis-
tinguish between true Christianity and the
basest counterfeit. And sad to say, the great
mass of the people in this country as well as in
Great Britain, are almost totally ignorant of
what the Bible teaches. This was not so in
the days of our grandparents, and the devil
would not have dared to attempt such a de-
ception upon the people of that time; for they
read their Bibles and knew what was the true
religion. But nowadays people in general
know little and care less about the teaching
of the Word of God, and are consequently all
ready to be made the victims of the grossest
deceptions. When people treat God's word
with indifference, scarcely caring to look be-
tween the lids of the sacred volume, they be-
come not merely ignorant as to its teachings,
but filled with the belief of error. For such,
the devil has his soul-destroying deceptions all
prepared, and there is no defense for their
souls against him. ‘The truth of God is the
Christian’s shield and buckler, with which he
wards off the darts of his adversary. Ps.
91:4. Jt is impossible to overestimate the
importance of thorough, prayerful study of the
word of God. L. A. S.
THE WATCHMAN
EDITORIAL NOTES
THERE is reason to believe, say some au-
thorities, that the unprecedented weather of
the past month is in some way connected with
the terrestrial disturbances which are now be-
coming so frequent, in the form of earthquakes
and volcanic eruptions. It is believed that
great atmospheric and terrestrial disturbances
may be. due to the same general cause. Ac-
cording to Bible testimony which should not be
overlooked on this subject, the earth is getting
unable to bear the weight of the transgressions
of its inhabitants, and the end will be that
“the earth shall reel to and fro like a drunk-
ard,” and “shall fall and not rise again.”
See Isa. 24:17-20. This whole chapter re-
lates to conditions now existing on our world.
Every person in this country who cares to
know the difference between truth and error
ought to read the series of articles on Chris-
tian Science now being published in McClure’s
Magazine. They go back to the beginning
of things, and trace historically the events and
influences leading up to the development of
this false religion, especially as connected with
the life-history of its founder, Mrs. Eddy, and
so completely expose the fraudulent charac-
ter of the whole system that one would nat-
urally think nobody could have the credulity
after this to follow it further. And yet all
experience shows that no amount of exposure
of such frauds will keep some people from
being captivated by them. ‘The only sure
safeguard against religious deception is Chris-
tian faith.
ProBaBLy the most prominent figure in Eu-
rope to-day is Emperor William. Upon him
depends, more probably than on any other
ruler, the peace of Europe. The German
Kaiser’s opinion regarding the probability of
war in the near future is certainly worthy of
note; and his opinion is, according to the fol-
lowing report from Washington, that war is
coming :—
“The Kaiser Wilhelm tells his people that
the reason he disapproves of holding an inter-
national exposition in Germany is because he
knows that a great war is imminent, in which
almost all the great nations of the earth will
be participants. Hudson Maxim of New
York, the noted inventor of maximite and
other high explosives, who is in Washington
on a business visit, not indirectly connected
with the war and navy departments, is decid-
edly of the same alarming opinion. He tells
me that ‘despite the recent peace meetings,
the world is on the verge of a great conflagra-
tion,” and he adds: ‘The world is at peace to-
day, but the nations are preparing for the con-
flict that is to come. In fact, that is the only
reason there is peace. During the next two
or three years we shall continue to be free
from war, and then, in my opinion, the war
dogs will be let loose to fight until a complete
readjustment of political, industrial, and social
lines is made.’
“Talk of turning spears into pruning books
is, therefore, futile. Germany is building
eighteen new battleships in order to protect
herself. Russia must necessarily replenish
her navy. Japan is going ahead on naval lines
all the time. She is preparing for the time
when she will struggle for the control of the
Pacific — and struggle with us. . . . The world
is on the verge of a struggle, and when it
comes, we should be prepared.”
The preparation that is most needed just
now 1s a preparation to meet in peace the
coming Prince of Peace.
Few persons probably have never heard _
about the Roman Inquisition, which flourished
back in the Dark Ages; but probably there
are very few who have any idea that the
Roman Inquisition still exists, and that it is
not only alive, but very active in the propaga-
tion of its nefarious business. Yet testimony
that such is the fact comes from an apparently
reliable authority. Ex-Abbe G. du Balloy, who
was Secretary of the Vatican Council in 186g
and 1870, and was at one time present so as
to overhear what was said at a meeting of the
Inquisition, makes this statement: “I have
good reason for saying that the Roman Inqui-
sition at the present time is much more ter-
rible than in the sixteenth and eighteenth cen-
turies, when it worked for the most part in
the light of day. Its 200,000 agents or spies
are scattered throughout the world, occupying
every station of life from royal princes down
to domestic servants. These spies make their
accusational reports to a superior, who sends
these reports in cipher to the secretary. He,
in turn, passes them on to the president, who
then places the correspondence before the
monthly meeting of the Inquisitors. If no
reply is deemed essential, the informant re—..
ceives an envelope containing only a sheet of
blank paper. If the person is thought worthy
of death, a red seal is forwarded in the paper,
and the sentence must secretly be carried out
by the one to whom the seal is sent. If this
be too dangerous a course, or the offense does
not appeal to the imperial inquisitors as se-
rious enough, a gray seal is dispatched, mean-
ing a seclusion for life in a convent or, if pos-
sible, in a prison; or possibly a white seal is
posted, which would signify that a doctor
(Catholic, of course) must be called in to cer-
tify insanity and so compel the unfortunate
victim of Rome's hatred to spend the remainder
of his life in an asylum.”
It is Rome’s boast that she never changes,
and history well supports the boast.
Tue difference in the results of missionary
work where the Bible is not used, and the re-
sults where God’s holy and all-powerful word
is made the basis of the work, is strikingly
shown in the contrast between the following
reports, one made by a Catholic missionary,
the other by a Protestant. Abbe Dubois,
speaking of his thirty-two years’ work in In-
dia, said: —
“During this long period, I have made, with
the assistance of a native missionary, between
two hundred and three hundred converts. Of
this number two thirds were Pariahs, or beg-
gars, and the remainder were composed of