Christianity of the 20th Century.
Zion's Advocate, August 1901, Vol. 40, No. 8.
Rev. Dr. W. J. Erdman, of Germantown, Pa., who was former pastor of Mr. Moody's church at Chicago, recently preached a sermon in the Brown Memorial Presbyterian church in Baltimore, in which he is reported as saying, "God waited a certain time, and when man had failed He sent His son. No new light can consistently be expected today. Therefore the gospel should be preached as in the first century. Man has not changed, sin has not changed, the need of salvation has not changed, and hence the remedy for all the ills of the 20th century is found in the Gospel of the first century." In saying that "God waited a certain time, and when man failed He sent His Son," he meant that God waited for man to find Him and to learn how to be saved. He stated this in the fore part of his sermon. This implies that God did not know what man could do, so he placed him on trial to find out. After He learned that man could not find Him out, or learn how to be saved, He sent His Son. Dr. Erdman said this in a sermon listened to by hundreds of people, and his words were sent out to the readers of the Baltimore Morning Herald. Is it not strange that as wise a man as Dr. Erdman must be, would say a thing so ridiculous, and is it not equally as strange that intelligent people regard it as a wise saying, worthy of a place in a leading newspaper?But the "Doctor" proposes to preach the Gospel of the first century, and to discard all new light, asserting that there has been no change in man, in sin, or in the need of salvation. If he would do this, and all other preachers and all the churches would follow his example, there would be a very great change. What a great change that would be! In the first century there were no Sunday Schools, no Epworth Leagues, no Christian Endeavor Societies, no Young Men's or Young Women's Christian Associations, no Missionary Boards or Societies. All these and all other human institutions would be abandoned if every one would take the stand proposed by Dr. Erdman. There would then be but one religious institution, the church of Jesus Christ, composed of immersed believers. The Lutheran church, the Presbyterian church, the Episcopal church, the Methodist church, the Campbellite church, the United Brethren church, the New School Baptist church, not one of these or of the other modern churches existed in the first century.
Wouldn't it be a great change if all were to return to primitive christianity, and preach the gospel of the first century? But it will not be done. Dr. Erdman himself will not do it. No, the churches of the world will go on, getting farther away from the christianity of the first century. The fact is the world was just as much opposed to the christianity of the first century at that time as it is now. It is claimed by some now that the religion of that period would do then, but that there has been great advancement, and a demand has arisen for changes in the christian religion. Those who thus object to the old fashioned doctrine and practice now, would have objected to it if they had lived then. Let us, who really desire to preach the gospel of the first century, and follow the practice of that period, "stand in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein." We will not be denominated great by so doing, we will not amass wealth by this course, but we will have God's approval which is far preferable to honor and wealth.
J. R. D.
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