The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-12-22
Principal Cairns on Progress in
Theology.

during the whole of the past Summer,
and which concluded with the sessions of
the Presbyterian Council at Philadelphia.
Taking up his duties in Edinburgh, after
this considerable absence, the occasion
was signalised by the opening of the new
Theological Hall of the United Presby-
terrain Church, in the presence of an un-
usually large number of interested per-
sons. After appropriate references to the
occasion, and to the hberality Of the late
Thomas Biggart, DR.. Cairns said he had
chosen for the occasion topic which was
at present very much discussed in the
American Church, as we'll as among
themselves-namely, the question wheth-
er there be progress in theology or not.
We find the following summary of his
remarks in The Scotsman of November
9th:
He would endeavor to show, first, in
what sense progress in theology was not
to be looked for; secondly, in what sense
it was possible, and by what means, if
possible, it was to be striven after and
realised. Under the first head he argued
that progress in theology was not possible
through any new revelation, by disre-
garding the authority of protested and
admitted revelation, or in connection
with wide and radical changes upon the
materials or the Interpretation of reve-
lation. Looking at the history of sacred
criticism they might, he said, confidently
predict, from the long and various career
of discussion, ending substantially over
the whole field in the retention of the
same Bible, that radical changes in the
Bible were not to be looked for; and the
same thing might be said of the length
ened and arduous explorations of various
readings as to any essential change upon
the text; so that the substance of revela-
ton might thus be looked upon as attest
ed by the verdict of ages This did not
supersede constant and fresh inquiry here,
for the great Protestant principle of pri-
vate judgment required all who had op-
portunity, and especially students and
ministers, to examine anew for them
selves the evidence on which the several
books of Scripture were received as di-
vine, to weigh ancient doubts and diff
culties, or any that might from time to time
be suggested, with candor and fairness
and only upon personal conviction to
make profession that they rested on re-
suits that had been generally accepted
The individual must here do his part
and the Church must do hers, maintain
ing her testimony to the Word of God,
and where divergences arose, as they
might, the individual RETAINING from &C
cepting position to which agreement
with the general voice of the Church
was condition, or honorably relinquish-
ing it, or the Church in exceptional cir
cumstances-and it was evident that on
such matter it could only be to a limit
ed extent-bearing with doubts and diff
culties that were frankly professed and
Judged to be matters of torbearance But
when all was done, and when the inter
est of free inquiry on the one hand, and
of fixed association on the other, had been
provided for, it was evident that no radi-
cal modification of the canon or of the
text Of Scripture was to be reasonably
expected and the same Word of God was
to go down from generation to generation.
Not only the nature of revelation and the
actual testimony of Scripture to its own
stability but the voice of history pre-
Guided the idea of a progress which over
turned the past, and as advance elsewhere
incorporated and developed all that had
lain in the growth of time so in this high
est region must the law prominently APP
ply.
Under the second head it seemed to
him that theology might look for progress
in the future as in the past, and that on
its three great sides as theoretical, as ex-
perimental, and as applied. 1t was not
difficult to show how theology on its
theoretical side admitted of indefinite in
crease. 1t was a mere truism to say that
the knowledge Of the individual admitted
of indefinite extension, even when limited
to the past. The Church historian of the
future had a grand and ever-rising pro-
gramme still before him. In the progress
sive tendencies of theology on its intellec-
tual or theoretical side, It's homiletic and
other practical branches might we'll be
expected to share, for while they were
truly practical, they rested on theory, on
meditation, on tested history and expert.
ence. Why should the theory of preach
ing not ever gain, not in the way of a
weak, affected departure from the great
Bible themes of sin and salvation as re-
prehensible, but by a just view of the re-
lation Of preaching to faith, deeper
study of the laws which governed per-
suasion, and a closer familiarity with