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A Series of Lessons in Mystic Christianity1082
“Modern theology concerns itself principally with a plan for evading
divine justice, which it elects to call ‘Salvation,’ and it makes this plan depend
entirely upon what a man believes, or rather upon what he says that he
believes. This whole theory of ‘salvation,’ and indeed the theory that there
is anything to be ‘saved’ from, seems to be based upon a misunderstanding
of a few texts of scripture. We do not believe in this idea of a so-called
divine wrath; we think that to attribute to God our own vices of anger and
cruelty is a terrible blasphemy. We hold to the theory of steady evolution
and final attainment for all; and we think that the man’s progress depends
not upon what he believes, but upon what he does. And there is surely very
much in the bible to support this idea. Do you remember St. Paul’s remark,
‘Be not deceived, God is not mocked; whatsoever a man soweth, that shall
he also reap’? And again, Christ said that ‘They that have done good shall go
unto the resurrection of life’—not they that have believed some particular
doctrine. And when He describes the day of judgment, you will notice that
no question is raised as to what anybody has believed, but only as to the
works which he has done.”
In this connection, we think that it is advisable to quote from the address
of a well known English churchman upon this important subject. The
gentleman in question is The Ven. Archdeacon Colley, Rector of Stockton,
Warwickshire, England, who said:
“In the realm of the occult and transcendental, moved to its exploration from
the Sadducean bias of my early days, I have for the best part of half a century had
experiences rarely equaled by any, and I am sure, surpassed by none; yet have they
led me up till now, I admit, to no very definite conclusions. With suspension of
judgment, therefore, not being given to dogmatize on anything, and with open mind
I trust, in equipoise of thought desiring to hold an even balance of opinion ‘twixt this
and that, I am studious still of being receptive of light from every source—rejecting
nothing that in the least degree makes for righteousness, hence my taking the chair
here tonight, hoping to learn what may help to resolve a few of the many perplexities