PROTESTANTISM NOT NEGATIVE

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21456, 24 April 1935, Page 18

PROTESTANTISM NOT NEGATIVE

BIBLE TEACHING AND THE CHURCHES MR J. K. ARCHER'S ADDRESS "The word 'protestant' is a misleading one, and sometimes not understood," said the Deputy-Mayor, Mr J. K. Archer, in his welcome to the delegates to the conference of the Protestant Alliance Friendly Society yesterday. . ~ . "The root of the word suggests that the protestant faith exists only _to protest against what the Roman Catholic Church preaches and practises." continued Mr Archer. "This would not iustify its existence: it is not negative but positive, and stands for replacement' rather than displacement. As Protestants we reject certain forms ot worship, but we must recognise the constructive side of our religion, which does not merely contradict error, but preaches the truth. "The Catholic Church, as mentioned in (he creed, means something bigger than the Roman Catholic Church, it embraces believers in Christianity of all places, ages,' and name. It can claim Xavier and Luther, Wesley and Spurgeon. Christendom was once united, and we can hope for a reunion in the future. "As for priesthood, the Protestant docs not believe in a professional priesthood but in a priesthood of all believers. It is the right of every Christian to approach the _ Holy oi Holies himself. We believe in an unlimited number of priests. We believe, too in the doctrine of the real presence of Christ at all times. 'Lo! I am with you always, even unto the end of the world,' are the words of Christ. "Then there is our belief concerning ' Marv, the mother of Jesus. The Roman Catholics may often seem to put Mary where Jesus should be, but need we swing to the other extreme. I am told that I am the only Protestant preachei who has spoken of the reverence due to Mary in a sermon. Yet she was the most wonderful woman of the . Bible, and, indeed, of all history. We should reverence tier as such, and as the one woman ot her time fit to be 1 (he mother of Jesus. Why, for instance should we reverence the mother of Gladstone, and not the mother of Jesus. "You have the Bible here at youi conference, and you believe: in it. Is not this book the guide of life? And Christ's teaching that we should love God and our neighbour is the condensation of all that the Bible says. Let us then take the old book and accept it, not theoretically, but practi- . cally To do so would mean the solution of all our problems, both national and economic. It would mean that, we could gather together, not as memDers of different sects but as fellow-Chns-tians members of the communion of saints throughout the world."