Calvinism - pagina 87

—— CALVINISM AND RELIGION. becomes more

religious just in proportion

that

cultus

as

has the courage to despise

it

energy

the

evolve

to

83

itself

external show, and

all

from symbolism,

much

to clothe itself in beauty of a

order

in

higher order,

the

inward^ spiritual beauty of the worshipping soul. Sensual church services tend to soothe and flatter man religiously, spiritual service of Calvinism

aims

at

the pure worship of God, and at adoration of

Him

in

spirit

and only the purely

church

in truth.

Calvinistic

instituted

also

— The

same tendency

leads our

indispensable element of every

that

discipline,

genuine

was

and

church the

in

Church

activity. first

place,

discipline

not to prevent

scandals, nor even primilarily to prune the wild branches,

but

rather to preserve the sanctity of the Covenant of

God,

and ever to impress upon the outside world the

solemn

fact that

Finally

we have

Diaconate

the

restored to

its

God

too pure to look upon

is

evil.

the service of Church philanthropy, in

which

alone

Calvin

primordial honour.

and

understood,

Neither

Rome

nor

the Greek Church, neither the Lutheran nor the Epis-

copal Church, caught the real meaning of the Diaconate.

Calvinism alone has restored the Diaconate to

its

place

of honour, as an indispensable and constitutive element of ecclesiastical principle

give

alms,

hearts

not

must

But, in this Diaconate, also, the lofty

prevail that

but only the

of the people

oicr

servants,

we commit stewards it

life.

to

to

it

may

name

of

not glorify those

who

Him who moves

the

The Deacons

are

liberality.

That which

but servants of Christ.

them we simply give back

of what

is

must be distributed

His property to His poor,

;

and

— our

to Christ, as in

His

name

brothers and

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