For years we have observed that we have four classes of what are called
religious teachers in the ministerial and evangelistic field.
One is propagating doctrinal error; a second division teaches a half truth; a third declares the whole counsel of God; while a fourth veers between the last two, according to times, seasons, places and personages.
The individual whom we now refer to proclaims the whole truth at a holiness camp meeting, but is evidently so affected by a certain atmosphere of an annual conference, or formal fashionable city church, that he acts, expresses himself, and preaches like another man.
So this brother is known in two different ways. Two distinct classes of people claim a perfect knowledge of the party, when the truth is they are acquainted with only one-half of him. He is Brother Whole on the camp ground, but is Doctor Half at conference and that aforesaid dead city church.
The case reminds us of a story related by Gov. Taylor of Tennessee.
He said quite an ordinary man had filed an application for the position of teacher before the County School Board. One of the examiners having a suspicion of the candidates lack of a great deal of general information, asked him whether he taught that the world was round or flat.
The applicants reply was: "That is according to the place where I teach. If my patrons desire it, I teach the Round System; if they prefer the other, I teach the Flat System."
We certainly did a lot of smiling when we read this. And then the smiling gave way to a good deal of thinking. And the more we thought the less we felt like being amused. We well know that our pedagogue aspirant has a large body of imitators in the pulpit and on the platform today.
They teach two systems according to the church or congregation they confront. They boldly proclaim the eradication of the carnal mind, the death of the old man at a full salvation camp ground, but growth in grace and enduement for service is the mild, conservative utterance at the Conference service, or in the protracted meeting at High Steeple Church.
The Round System for the holiness camp, the Flat system, and it is indeed Flat, for ecclesiastical bodies that do not care for heart purity through consecration, faith in the Blood, and a patient waiting and dying out at the altar before the great congregation.
Such men are trimmers; man-pleasers; and moral cowards. Like the Tennessee school teacher, they suit their patrons. We have heard men in the pulpit preach sermons lauding the heroism of Peter, the independence
and fearlessness of Paul, the indifference of the disciples to the threatenings and persecutions of men; and yet go down with a crash at the very points they admired and commended in the apostles.
Such men quote approvingly and commendatorily from the Gospels and the Book of Acts, but would never do so again if the Saviour and the fire-baptized disciples and the great Apostle to the Gentiles did what they
and the readers and praisers of these wonderful lives are doing continually.
After the Baptism with the Holy Ghost the disciples taught the Round System at all times and places, and in face of every changing condition and circumstance. If we would be Gods true ambassadors, Christs faithful
followers, we must do the same. We must declare the whole counsel of God. We must obey God rather than men. If we please men we are not the servants of Christ. — Living Illustrations by B. Carradine
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