These being facts, the whole matter of church organization and discipline
is soon to become a matter of general discussion, the result of which, of
course, can not be predicted in any details. But it is certain that the
more discussion there is, the more the common‐sense system will become
dominant. And it is certain that the portion of the people connected with
churches will more and more demand discussion. They will assume that their
pastors are not to be their authoritative, dogmatic teachers; but their
leaders in worship and ordinances; their presiding officers in
discussions, and the administers of much of that kind of knowledge needed
by the people, to enable them to act independently in interpreting the
Bible for themselves.
What Women will do?
The great principle of Protestantism, in distinction from Catholicism, is,
that every person is to be an independent interpreter of the Bible,
responsible to no man or body of men; and that every person is to
_protest_ against all that conflicts with this right.
This principle carried out consistently, makes theologians and pastors a
class sustained by the people, not as dogmatic teachers of their own
opinions, but as persons set apart for the purpose of gaining and of
communicating to the people all the knowledge needful to fit them to use
their rights as _authorized interpreters of the Bible_.
But though all Protestants hold this principle theoretically, by far the
larger portion have never practically adopted it, but, as a matter of
fact, go to theologians and pastors for their _opinions_, and not for the
_knowledge_ on which opinions are to rest. Thus it is that ecclesiastics
control the faith of a large portion of the Protestant churches, as
authoritatively as do the pope and priests control that of the Catholic
church.
We have seen, in the case of Isabella of Spain, one of the most
benevolent, conscientious and lovely of women led on to the most unjust
and cruel deeds, simply from practically adopting the principle, that her
religious teachers must be authoritative guides of her opinions, and that
her own common sense and moral sense must bow to ecclesiastical dictation.
The present time is one in which the women of this country must decide in
regard to this same principle and on practical questions of the deepest
moment.
It has been shown, that with small exceptions, the Catholic and Protestant
theologians and clergy unite in teaching a depravity of _nature_ in every
human being, involving these questions:
Are we so depraved as to be incapacitated to interpret the Bible, and made
dependent on ecclesiastical and regenerated persons to interpret for us?
Does the _invisible true church_ consist only of those whose _nature_ has
been re‐created, or of those who, without any newly‐created nature, truly
desire and purpose to use all their natural powers according to the
teachings of Christ?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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