AND A TEACHABLE SPIRIT.
The result of receiving _church_ interpretations as infallible, whether of
priests or regenerated laity, is the assumption of a similar infallibility
by each person who thus accepts them.
This is accomplished by a very singular fallacy, thus:
The regularly ordained priests, or the regenerated priests and laity of
the _true_ church, are claimed to be the only persons qualified to
understand and interpret the meaning of God’s revelations. The question
then is, _which is the true church_? The Catholic says, “Mine, and no
other.” The Episcopalian says, “Mine, and no other;” and so says the
Presbyterian. The result is, each man decides that the true church is _the
one that agrees with his views of what the Bible teaches_.
Having thus decided that the church that agrees with himself is the true
church, the man proceeds, not only to receive reverently the decisions of
his church, but assumes that every other man is bound to do the same.
The Catholic receives one set of interpretations from the church that he
himself has infallibly decided to be the true church. The Protestant
receives the creeds and confessions of the church he has infallibly
decided to be the true church, whose regenerated ministers and members are
qualified to understand the Bible, as no unregenerated man can do.
Being thus sustained by his own claims as a regenerated person, and also
by the claims of the church he adopts as the true one, there is little
foundation for poverty of spirit, humility and meekness. How can a man
feel “poor in spirit,” as destitute of the knowledge requisite for right
action, when he has his own regenerated mind and the guidance of the
regenerated true church? How can a man be meek when others strive to
enlighten him by showing that he is in the wrong, especially when such
efforts are those of the unregenerated, or those shut out of his true
church?
How can a man become very humble and lowly in his own conceit, when, in
contrast with most of the world, he alone can feel and act virtuously or
understand truly God’s revelations?
The natural tendency to pride, self‐sufficiency and dogmatism is still
further increased by the assumption that humility consists mainly in a low
opinion of “the nature” with which we are endowed. Thus, while assuming
infallibility in one aspect, they still can claim to be humble and lowly,
because they abhor and despise their depraved nature and its results in
themselves.
At the same time, the most remarkable self‐deception is practiced in
regard to their own Christian graces. These all being supposed to spring
from a regenerated nature imparted by God, they disclaim all honor or
merit, and give all the glory to God, who has wrought these graces from
their dead and sinful nature. By this method they imagine they attain a
true humility and lowliness of spirit.
But every man of great genius, and every woman of uncommon beauty,
understand as truly as the professedly regenerated person, that their
gifts are from God, and are willing to give all the glory to him for thus
distinguishing them from their fellow‐creatures. And the ascription of all
the power and glory to God does not save the professedly regenerated
person from self‐complacency and pride any more than it does the genius or
the beauty.
And yet we find religious writings abounding in such disclaimers and
ascriptions, which are evidently regarded as proofs of humility and
lowliness of spirit. It is true that such expressions do often flow from
the hearts of the really humble and contrite; but the fact that a person
regards and acknowledges God as the author of his own extraordinary gifts,
that raise him above his fellows, is no _proof_ of humility, while it is
often so regarded.
In contrast to this tendency of the Augustinian system, the common‐sense
view teaches that while our nature is noble and perfect in
construction—the embryo image of its Maker—it is destitute of that
knowledge, experience and training, for which it is equally dependent on
God and on man. And as the requisite knowledge can be gained only by the
aid of those minds around, whose happiness is affected by our conduct, it
is clear that a willingness to learn from any quarter and to be told our
mistakes by any person, is the natural result of an earnest desire to find
out and obey the truth. And a consciousness of our own liabilities to
mistakes, and a certainty that there is no one “that liveth and sinneth
not,” tends to induce compassionate sympathy for the failings of others,
and an indisposition to force opinions on them by any other mode than calm
statement and argument.
At the same time, an earnest desire for inquiry and discussion is
generated, which naturally leads to patient investigation, courteous
demeanor towards opponents, and to all the graces that wait on a gentle,
humble and truth‐loving spirit.