, 1874-02-09
DR., McKAIG REPLIES.

"A Sermon in Answer to tic Accnstl.
ton of 1nfadclity.
Tie Rev. DR.. Melzaig, whoBo recent aormon
on MiraclcB, published in The TRIBUNE few
wool;s ago, attracted considerable attention and
many harsh comments, preached yesterday
evening in tho Ninth Church. and replied at
length to his aBBailan.s, taking as htB text,
q For the letter Mlleth, but the spirit giyoth
llfo."
Tic sermon ia us follows:
You aro aware thnt somo weeks ago Judge
Booth, Of this city, gayo lecture before tho
Philosophical Society, in which he sharply crit
iciHod tho theory OF verbal inspiration, and dcnlt
some hard hits at tho Bible. on tho assumption
Of that theory being true. sud to many OF my
frionls who seemed 1itt1o Hurried ct tho timo,
that tho integrity of tho Bible could rcccivo no
hurts from a,lth assaults for there was d moro
liberal and rutional theory Of inspiration, which
eliminated oil auch absurdities as the Judge
charged UPON It; l'ishop Golonno. with fse"t
tact, zeal, a,ld learning, had gathered quito q
huge heap Of such incongruous admixtNres and
tho Word of God bud suiforod no moro than il q
little clay Or lime had boon picked from the walls
OF Bome mighty cathedral. 4pch attacks nre al-
ways timely and salntary, NJ they quicken
thought, hoip to break up tho 1nonotony and
languor Of traditionary faith. mud cauBo nlen to
dig for tho golden vein, and not content tlem-
selves gathering float nud mica upon the sur
faco. Making tic validity ct tho Dlble 30 largely
to 1epond upon strange stories, unconth dreams,
bad science, aud other foreign ingredients, il one
cause why it Inns Lost 10 much OF its charm and
attraotiyaness to that class Of harl-headcd peo-
ple who will ask for tho reason mud authority Of
such things. In my lutte Sermon on Lots wife,
1 youturod briefly III the exortlium to hinta mode
of Interpretation that would extract some valua-
bio meaning from the chapter and yet exclude
the obuoxions portion which, II pressed too lit
orally, would involve us IN grave difficulty. This
gtatomont tho Interior, tho aelf-electcd Censor
Of orthodoxy in this city aud regions round
about, denounced aH ''one OF the boldest 6peci-
mens Of rationalsm wa hnvo ever seon, ,"'-head-
ing tho article in loaded typo, IA Presbyterian
Iniidel." Iconfess tlat it las ever boon yaim,
in expoundiug Christianity, to REACH as for as
was able, after foundation truths, ultimate prin-
ciples and to Heok to bring Its doctrines out into
tho whito light Of roason nnd experience. !
waut no dUctrno-though hoary with ngo, and
having u traM of authority aud tradition as long
as tho fabIed Chinese history-that cannot stand
tho most rigid analysis of phlloBophy, Bcionco,
and criticism. It is true TINT many Of tho doc
trincB of religion Hhudo of into depths OF mys-
tory too doep for human reason to fatholn,
which ouly faith can roach and realize; but
want no faith that does not stand upon reason Us
the clluroh-stcoplo standsupon q solid foundation
Of brick aud stone. II this il what tho sapient
editor Of tho Inferior calls rntionalisn1, then I
proudly p,oad guilty Of tho charge, and promise
no amendment. And, Us ho seems to hpvo seen
worry litto Of this sort Of thing in the church.
thcr, to Coleridge's aids to Reflection" !
aul not aware rhnt ever hold to Any boldor ra-
tionalism than ho will find there, aud this is
surely very good company to be tn. And, aftor
all, this Charge Of ratioualiBm, which 30 many
tinl It quito easy to make, ig ]ltst about tho
most puorilo and contemplate that cau be
| made. The fact is, tho Bible doos not tell liz
| what kind Of d construction We should givo it,
and, to Malo this out, VIC have 10 othor possible
AGENCY but our reason and experience. Butler,
Hpeaking OF the reason, sayA that Kit is, iu-
! decd, tho only faculty we havo whorewith tc
| Judge concerning apythlng,-oven revelation
That splcy little sheet tho alliance, recently
| reminded Iii Of the story OF Baron AluncAausen's
pointer. "On q voyage to tho East Indies thtt
wonderful dog, which the Baron took With him
surprised all On bonrd by pointing when the ahii
WAS $40 leagues from land. as le continued st
do this for Homo time tho Daron was copIdcn
that lia pct had Hcontod game, md wngorod {
hundred gunoas TINT ganlo would be found il
half Ill hour. Ip less than thirty minutes so1t
OF tho sailors harpooned Bhark, and, on cut
ting him open, there wero found in his stomach
| no loss thu six brace of partridgog'" llaEdl.
tho tay, who detect in every petty devihtiol
from established t.oolrino-ovory novel exposi
tion Of almitted truth. ovory attompt to broal
down purity walls, aud to maAo ChriBtiaua frll
t0tul2e 10 lar III toy Ga1l H!tAout htcI4ACp ~ VI
tai lruth-a etartllug heroBy. DR.. Chalmor
used to apoak uf certain busy prying, obtruaiy'
hunters after doctrilal alterations among tl.el
lrctl.ron, NJ mon " who had tiuo loso for SCENT
Tho incumbent who iliuminutos tho pulpit OF th
Fifth Presbyterian Church, and who il oyltieutl,
anxious to do something yaliant for orthodoxy
seemB to bo titus maryolouHiy endowed. IL
charges mo with toaching "that conparativ
mythology IL guide in the Interpretation, =; 9
Scriptures" thut uallol ''parts OF Hacrod liiA
tory tumble OF abs,rditioB;" TINT I donie
"tho personality of tho Holy Ghost; and ais
m " Objective reyeation." Now thorc is not
word OF truth iu Hinge ono Of tl!eso state
n,onts, and lcavo the iHslle right thoro to all
eautlid mind that carcH to tako tho trouble +
colla.o tho two sermpuH. ::lIut would romn
Tho gentleman tlat 1t ia III ylulation OF nll til
oo,lrtoeioH Of debate to charge upon MI opponon
our iuferonuos an lis faith, wAou tho aubjec
matter Of tho inforonce WIS not the QueHtio
under consideration. Tho only ,questio
that could legitimntely he raised was THU. Was
over allowable III cur readings OF the Bible
trout any part of 1t ~ pootical. alegorcal. 0
mytllcal2 That was tllo worry question Huggas
ted, mud tho only QUO TINT could bo fairly c!lrgc
upon mo, anl to lug In thoso nllo iBs ~ oAl
soryes to show to what pitlablo sliftH nn4 49,.