The sun., 1880-11-21

not unmlngle0 Win cOmIOrthOle Bel1-cOm-
placency. Their turn has now come. In Scotch
Sermons tLondon Macmillan 4 Co.. the ra-
tionalzing party in the Church OF Scotland
have demonstrated. among other things. that
whatever advantages Presbyterian establish
mont may have over an Episcopal establishment
that Of being heresy-prooi is not OF the number.
Tho name OF the editor OF these sermons. al
though 1t does not appear on the title page Ia
IN open secret Let II be set down to the credit
Of the Rev. WILLIAM KNIGHT Professor
OF Moral Philosophy in tho University OF st.
Andrews. that he hoists his colors boldly and
gives his readers fair warning at the very out
start OF what they have to expect he dedicates
his volume to Dean Stanley the Broad Church
man who shut the doors OF Westminster Abbey
in the face OF the right reverend fathers OF the
Pan-AnRlican Synod and threw them wide
open to Max Muller. In his preface Prot.
Knight explains that these sermons are given
10 the public as specimens OF style OF teaching
which increasingly prevails among the clergy
OF the Scotch Church. They are. he says. the
work OF men whose hopo for the future lies.
mot In alterations OF ecclesiastical orgariza-
ton. but in a profounder apprehension OF the
essential ideas Of Christianity. and especially
In the growth within the Church OF such q
method OF presenting them as shall show
that they are equally adapted to tho
needs OF humanity and In harmony with
tho results OF critical and scientific research" !"
some OF the sermons 1t appears. were written.
DR. rewritten. for this book, but the others stand
on the page exactly as they were preached from
Presbyterian pulpits to Presbyterian parishion-
srs. All the contributing preachers are minis
lers In good standing OF the established church
Of Scotland. and the names OF two or three Of
Them are known to all wall-read Presbyterians
the world over. Besides Prof. Knight, the list
includes the Very Rev. John Card. d. D.. Prin-
cipal OF the University OF Glasgow: the Rev.
John Cunningham. d. D., of Grief; the Rev. ].
d. Ferguson. b. D.. OF Strathblane the Rev.
William Macintosh d. D., OF Buchanan: the
Rev. William Leckie M'Farlan OF Lenzie; the
Rev. Allan Menzies. b. D.. OF Abernyte the Rev.
James Nicoll OF Mutroes; the Rev. Thomas
Rain, NJ. A.. OF Hutton the Rev. Adam Semple.
B. d. of Huntly; the Rev. John Stevenson Of
Glamis. the Rev. Patrick Stevenson OF Invera-
rity. and the Rev. Robert Herbert Story. D. D..
OF Rosneath.
Since these preachers are Scotchmen. 1t Is
hardly necessary to say that they have put
upon their sermons the imprint OF their
own individuality. Some go further than
the others. and are more outspoken; but all
20 far. and all speak out in a way to be
understood. They have in common an impa-
Hence. bordering on angry contempt, OF occlesi-
nstical machinery and theological formulas.
They have also in common a sincere attach
ment to the Christian religion, as they under
stand 1t. and the tone in which they speak Of
The Teacher from whom the Christian religion
lakes its name is invariably a tone Of reverence
and loving loyalty. Yet many a simple minded
Presbyterian layman brought up on the Shorter
Catechism. a stranger to modern speculation
and criticism. believing what his Rodly father
and mother believed before him. will rise from
this book OF Presbyterian sermons with the cry
Of Mary Magdalene in his heart II not on his
lips: They have taken away my Lord. and
know not where they have laid him."
II there Is anything that from the days Of
John Knox to these present days has been tho
characteristic mark Of Presbyterian orth odoxy
surely 1t is the unqualified acceptance Of the
Scriptures OF tho Old and New Tsstaments as
The inspired word OF God. tho supreme and per-
feet rule OF faith and conduct. Let US hear
what these clergymen OF the Church OF Scotland
have to say about the Bible. Enlightened
Christians of the present day." says the Rev.
Mr.. MeFarlan. " feel that In this manner they
Rre entitled to deal with the Scriptures they
claim the right to judge each OF their uttsrances
In the light OF their own Christian conscious
ness. and to deny Divine authority to any Of
which. as mon illuminated by the spirit
OF Christ they have set up for their
own guidance. They deny all Divine
authority. I may add. to those portions
OF Scripture which treat OF matters which be-
long more properly to science and history than
TO religion" The Rev. Mr.. Ferguson holds
like language. - We may. indeed. shut our
eyes," he says. to the fact that the progress
OF history Ia a revelation Of God. and refuse to
acknowledge either its right or its power to
modify the New Testament revelation. II we
worship an infallible book and conceive OF
revelation as the publication. once for all. OF
definite scheme OF dogma. we shall naturally
cling to the past and forget that there 10 any
thing divine In the world OF to-day" Miracles
according to tho same preacher. belong to the
poesy Of relp.on man can disbelieve them
and still be very good Christian. The chief
interest the Church now has in the signs AID
wonders recorded in the Gospels is a scientific
one. lying in the direction Of the philosophy
OF religion, in the field OF historical speculation"
With the infallibe Bible naturally go by the
board the doctrines which the Westminster
divines-and st. Augustine and Calvin before
them-found In 1t. Speaking for all the re-
liRious teachers Of his school, the Rev. Mr..
M'Farlan. in his sermon on Tho Things
WHICH SunnOt Do Snbken.' declares tnat they
reject the dogmas Of the descent OF man from
The Adam OF tho Book OF Genesis; the fall OF
Adam by eating the forbidden fruit; the i'm
putation OF Adams guilt to all his posterity; t;
the consequent death Of all men In sin the re-
No., 49,. " " "A '''0'0n 'o' vody Of
,,0,, socordins to sraoe' the QUICKER
-. ,,,o alact of A new life; the eternal pun
ss ssmsnt Y and perdon Of those who remain nsra
anrosenerate. These doRmas. he says Ha''
ceased to dominate the Christian intelect-to
press like an incubus on the minds and spirits
,f men. To the enlightened modern preacher
,t the broad school the whole Of the Dutch
covenant theology the theology Of tho Synod O
Dort with It's solemn bargainings between
God and Adam. and between God th'
Father and God the Son. appears =" a fashion
Ls quaint and artificial as the Dutch landscap
gardening which along with it came into yogu
In the British Islands" They refuse to thin
plthe Divine Being as the oDiJer deus, or Work