ds of ancient orthodoxy. But
is _this_ safe? Is it safe or honorable for the church to be impotent to
carry out her own dogmas? Is it safe for her to be under the charge of
inconsistency from the world because her statute books and the practice of
her members are at open variance? Is it safe for the views of an
influential Christian teacher to be known only generally and vaguely, that
his church and the world may draw undue license therefrom? If he is
convinced that the church has been mistaken in this matter, and has in
past years committed herself to undue stringency, is it safe to let the
error remain untouched, and going on working its pernicious consequences?
If the gospel teaches a larger liberty, a broader conception of Christian
living and Christian enjoyment than the church has preached, has that
minister who conscientiously believes the fact any right to withhold the
truth because he deems it unsafe, and to let a falsehood (as he believes)
gain currency and power, and forfeit moreover the attraction presented to
a sinful world by his more cheering and liberal conception of Christ's
teachings? Not safe! Will not God take care of his truth? Doubtless men
will misconstrue it. Doubtless they will wrest the preaching of gospel
liberty to the confirmation of worldly license. But the greater the danger
of this, the more reason why the truth, the _whole truth_, should be
proclaimed loudly, boldly, distinctly, frequently. When the water is first
let into a reservoir, it is apt to be very muddy; but that is no reason
why the reservoir should remain dry forever. The water will settle by and
by, and the whole people be refreshed. If there is truth in these more
liberal views of amusement, it is in vain for religious newspapers to
shirk the discussion of the question. It is in vain for influential
ministers to beg young men's Christian conventions not to raise it. It is
in vain for the pulpit to preserve a discreet silence. The thing will out.
The truth will stay swathed in no cave in the rock. The things that have
been spoken in the ear in closets will be proclaimed upon the house tops.
The Christian public will the sooner attain correct views on this subject
through free discussion. If the thing be not of God, it will sooner come
to nought through this process than through any other. But by their love
for souls, and by their sworn loyalty to God and truth, let the clergy run
the sword of the Spirit through and through this