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    "THE ESSENTIALS OF RELIGION"

   The Ohio State Journal writes
a brief editorial under the above 
caption in commenting on the 
theological views of the Theolog-
ical Seventeen who had some
very startling as well as revolu-
tionary discussions among them-
selves in the First Congregational
Church at Columbus last week.
   Belief was expressed in the
idea of recolution, the garden of
Eden as a fairy table, and doubt
was expressed in the literal in-
terpretation of the Bible and ac-
ceptance of doctrine long held by 
the church of today.
   But the theologican laid very
strong emphasis on the ida of 
God, Jesus Christ and his king-
dom.
   "We believe", said Dr. Evans,
"not in a power that has made the
world and set it going and that
resides outside of it.  We believe
in a indwelling directing energy.
We believe not in a God who 
manifests himself once in a while
by interference with the natural
order, but in a God who is the
intelligence within that marvel-
ous natural order.  But it is not
an order of stones and flowers
and trees alone.  It is an order
of human consciousness and
cinical sensitiveness.  It need
Jesus to crown all that we know
of the order, so instinct at its
core with moral values and
spiritual principles."
   In their comment the editorial
has this to say:
   "It must surprise, perhaps shock
some of our orthodox church
members to find one of our hon-
ored Methodist Episcopal min-
isters declaring against the literal
interpretation of The Bible,
Yet how right Dr. Evans is when
he characterizes miracles, Scrip-
tural infallibility, the Garden of
Eden, the virgin birth as none
essentials!  They are not word
quarreling over.  They are n***
religion.  A man may disbelieve
them all and be a Christian.  The
essentials, say Dr. Evans, a ***
God, Jesus Christ and the King-
dom of Heaven.  Christ sum-
marized in this moble rule of life.
Thouse shalt love the Lord the
God with all thy heart, with a 
thy soul and with all thy mind
and thy neighbor as thyself.
   "The church is conservative
ultra-conservative we may say.
It has striven, sometimes con-
sciously, sometimes unconscious-
ly, to hold back in what Dr.
Maurer calls a progressive uni-
verse.  Its ministers and adher-
cuts, sometimes, have apotheo-
sized ancient creeds and old
formalism, have confused the
mere sign with the great thing
signified.  This, as has been
spendly suggested at the impor-
tant conference of church leaders
has been in progress in our city,
explains in no small measure why
the church today has not so wide 
and strong an influence as it
should have, for it is our might-
iest organized force for good, our
most hopeful institution.  Men
are likely to stay away from
church when, attending, they are
asked to appear to believe things
which they do not believe.  The 
essentials of religion, which most
ment believe and which humanity
hungers for, are the things for
our pastors to emphasize."