True Progress
What, then, is this progress objected to? Briefly, it is this: it is that which begins with a melodian in the Sunday school and progresses toward a grand organ in the church; which begins with relaxation of discipline and progresses toward no discipline at all; which begin with belittling the eldership and progresses toward pastorship as a substitute; which begins by declaring the unbaptized in the kingdom and progresses towards the reception of them into the church; which begins by scouting the demand for soundness in the faith, and progresses to all manner of unsound teachings; which in short, begins at the same point of departure with the sects, an aims to progress up to them all, and finally, beyond then all in unauthorized teaching and practice — This and this only is the progress condemned. True progress is still backward — backward toward the apostles, toward the doctrine, the terms of pardon, the worship and the discipline which they instituted. Push your progress in this direction if you wish to have a hard fight for every inch of ground you gain. If you would sail smoothly on the current, let your progress be in whatever direction the popular current flows."