The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-05-11
The Evangelical Standpoint in Amer
can Periodical Literature

One OF the religious papers asks with earnest
ness If there is any monthly literary magazine
IN New York that is conducted from the Evan
gelical standpoint.
The two popular and widely read magazines
-HGrperS and Scrtbners are certainly entitled
to that distinction. Either of them would con.
slider 1T an offence to have the contrary asserted
They are both owned, controlled and published
by men of high standing in Evangel cal church
es. The Harpers leading members of the
Methodist communion the proprietors and edi
tors of ScrlbnerS are prominent men in the
Presbyterian. And we are not aware that
these powerful contributors to the literary tastes
and wants of the people are in any sense amena-
BILE to the charge of being unmindful of their re-
sponsibilities.
These magazines are not religious periodicals
They are not set for the defence of any specific
types of Christianity, nor even of Christianity
itself Yet the public would justly regard it as
a departure. from the platform on which they
are founded, were tEey to lend their aid, IN the
least degree, to error In faith and practice. o.
course, they do not ignore religious movements
of the day. These are large part of th,
worlds progress. Not to be well informed III
regard to them, is to be behind the age Blu,
we do not look to these periodicals to take
position that may IN any sense be considered
partisan or sectarian.
AS at present administered we regard them
as friends of the truth, religious truth; and 20
are on the right side: they take correct views
OF current topics. and the enemies of the Chris
tan religion find no aid comfort in their bril-
liant pages-N. Y. Observer
The question referred to in the begin
ming of the foregoing extract was asked
in the Central Presbyterian a short time
ago by one of our correspondents, in con-
nection with an article in this journal
criticising the tone of Sc116ner's Maga-
zla'e and of other periodicals in this coun-
try and England
We learn now from the Ne,O York o.
serUer that Sc,Tbner's Magazine " is GER
tainly entitled to the distinction" of an
evangelical magazine" "It would re-
gard it as an offence, says the Observer,
to have the contrary asserted" We
are told that it is owned by Presbyte-
rians, and that the public would Justly
regard it as a departure from the platform
on which it is founded were it to lend its
aid, in the least degree, to error in faith
or practice.
We regard these as very remarkable
statements on the part Of the ". Y. Oh
serOer. Does the editor of that paper
read Sc7Sbmer'S Magazine, and declare
that it does not lend its aid "in the least
degree" to error in faith or practice?
We published extracts from an edi-
torial article in Scribme7. for September,
1879, entitled Write it Yourself" which
was an attack on the inspiration of the
Scriptures, and in which large proper
ton Of the clergy Of the country were
stigmatised as towards who dare not ex-
press their opinions We have space for
only brief extract at present. Here it
is:
Augustus Blauvel and John Miller have been
thrown overheard, and it hasn't hurt them, and
if Moses Smith has got far enough along to CON-
plain of his bondage, and to wish that portion
of his creed could be rewritten, then he is lust
the man TO re.write it, and to take what comes
of it. The number Of clerical towards who sym
pathise with the Reverend Moses Smiths views,
and who dare not write their own creed and
stand by it, in the face Of the bigoted conserva-
tism Of their keepers is shamefully large, and,
for the sake Of truth asd progress we need some
more victims.
ITO go back to the Rev. Moses Smith for
moment we should judge that in religion par.
4. ticularly one Of the most damaging sins of the
day lies in the continued assent to dogmas that
are really dead in the best Christian belief
We believe that there is nothing more common
among educated Christian men than the convic-
ton that the old opinions concerning the in
SEPARATION Of the Scriptures are unsouud and in