December 1930
B u s i n e s s
T h e
K i n g ’ s
553
Heresy Never Becomes Orthodoxy HE oft-repeated saying that “ the heresy of to day is the orthodoxy of tomorrow” is pleasing to the heretics; but, unfortunately for them, it is not true. A falsehood never becomes truth; wrong is never right. If there is no such thing as truth that is absolute, final, and fixed, then divine revelation is ruled out and human reason is left to its unaided speculations and dreams. Instead of mov ing onward to become established or commonly accepted dogmas, the heretical philosophies of men always travel in circles. The heresies of Celsus in the second century are, in the twentieth century, not truths but the same heresies, even though the modernist clothes them in some what different language. What the liberal calls “ the mod ern mind” is no different from the skeptical attitude of unbelievers in former centuries. N o ; heresy is heresy always, and orthodoxy ever remains orthodoxy. Phil osophy and science shift their ground frequently, but the firm foundations of Christianity stand unchanged. Bishop Candler, in the EssentiaMst, contradicts the idea that heresy becomes orthodoxy in the following language: This favorite dogma o f heretical men proceeds on the erroneous idea that revealed truth is of a changeful na ture like mutable systems of science and the fickle specu lations of philosophy. But about the truths of a divine revelation there is a certain finality that in the nature of the case cannot belong to any o f the conclusions o f un aided human reason . . . All church history contradicts the cant which declares that “the heresy of today is the orthodoxy of tomorrow” . . . In all the forms of heresy there is nothing to give it permanent acceptance by. de- vout men of well-balanced minds. Our present day ration alists, sometimes miscalled “modernists,” are in this state o f “unstable equilibrium.” They agree not among them selves, and often one o f them reverses all his teachings within the brief space o f ten years. ■ o—■ Riotous Spending or Hilarious Giving—Which? M AN Y explanations of the prevailing “ hard times” are offered, and as many remedies suggested. To some, the conditions present purely a business problem. Others declare that it is a world-wide difficulty, due to the terrible destruction of property in the World War. Others again, locate the trouble in Wall Street and would reform or curb the gamblers on the Board of Trade. The overturning of the present social order is the remedy offered by not a few radicals. Call in the psychologists, some say, and launch a propaganda which will create “ good times,” by making the people think we have them. A concrete proposal was made by the Motion Picture Theater Owners of America at their recent annual con vention in Philadelphia. They criticized bankers who “are responsible for the thrifty habits of the people.” They seemed to sense the fact that patronage of the mov ies is thought to be inconsistent with habits of thrift and they were stirred to forceful language to justify support
of their business. The president of their association went on to say: Even now they ask us to spend wisely. That is fool ish. What this country needs is extravagant spending. We never had prosperity until the people had learned to spend extravagantly and bought things they didn’t need. Without attempting to discuss such a philosophy of life from a financial or sociological viewpoint, it must be said most emphatically that the Christian must have none of it. He may not be a miser, it is true, for those who hoard their wealth are fools in God’s sight. But with equal severity, the Word of God brands as adulterers, that is, as unfaithful to their marriage vows to God, those who take His gifts and “ spend” them in their pleasures. The word used by James (4 :3 ) and translated “ spend” is also used in the story of the prodigal who “ spent all.” He consumed or dissipated all his substance, using it in catering to his own desires and not for the benefit and glory of his father. The Corinthian Christians are better ari
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