The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1883-01-05
A SENSATIONAL SERMON.
The Bible Declared to be a Collection of
Beautiful Segends.
And Catechism one of the Greatest of Chris
tan MOnstrOsities.

And Catechism one of the Greatest of Chris
tan MOnstrosities.
Special Correspondence of the EVENING LIGHT.
NEW YORK, January 1.-Mr. Beecheri is no
longer the only orthodox pastor i'm this vicinity
who prefers to construe the bible for himself
The following abstracts from a sermon by Rev.
II. Herber Newton, of All Souls church pro
estant EpiscopaD, will make the hair of many
an orthodox Christian stand on end whether
right or wrong Mr. Newton may confidently
expect to speedily become the most indus
triOuSly abused man in the church. 1T IS u
wrong use of the Bible" said the preacher ITO
90 toit as an authority i'm any sphere except
that of religion and theology. The Bible was
such questions as how the world came
into being, how it was to be ultimately
destroyed and many other problems OF tins
nature. In those days the people were seeking
answers to questions of this kind and the Bible
gave the answers III some of the nnest pieces OF
poetry on records The story of the Creation
and the beautiful legend of the Garden OF Eden,
however were but variations of the same sto-
ries which had been told before, but they were
related in u grander style than ever. AS the
human race has advanced and human knOwl-
edge has increased, mankind has learned tliat
these
were written to satisfy the lOngings of a thirst
ing curiosity which could not be thoroughly
satisfied Ill ol Ut tue tine
when they were written. TO pretend TO use the
bible in these days as an answer to the quesc
lions regarding creation and the progress OF
the human race is wrong; The growing Snowl-
real revelation of God, and the bible
IN the Olden times was but the per
torrance, of that great revelation
something of himself, and, after centuries OF
study, the dawn OF knowledge is just breaking
in upon us. Had il pleased the 0mnipotent
Just beginning to acquire 5000 years ago, to re-
veal to us the whole truth, He would have
robbed us of the discipline of mind which is the
result of, our constant study OF ourselves and
our discoveries in She realm of science. How
could il be possible" Mr.. Newton asked, that
II book could have been written 1000 years ago
which would help men then in their search after
truth in regard to the creation and which would
continue level to the
PROGRESS OF THIS AGE?
such a book if written, would have been in
comprehensive To those to whom 1t was ad-
dressed. Turning to the story OF the Creation
we lind substantially story tnat was thought
out by the nOblest minds centuries before
Moses was born. When we analyze the tradi-
ton phiOsophicaliy, we find it to be profound;
us poetry we find it to he altogether lovely.
When my children ask for Al philosophical view
Of the worlds creation" said the preacher, 81
turn to these old stories and recount them,
these traditions embracing Il crude theology
which was all sufficient for the age in which
y
we should make no attempt to reconcile Genesis
with the theory of the origin OF species. Let us
discard at once all ideas of this kind. III Moses
was mistaken i'm his history of the Creation, his
mistakes were the mistakes of his age. The
grand truths which Moses penned have not
died. In the beginning God created the Hca-
vens and the Earth is u truth which can never
die. 1t is wrong use of the bible to construct
from it biblical system of religion and theOlo-
gy, and insist that unless this system is adopted
as the guide of life man cannot be saved. One
Of the greatest mOnstTOsitieS of the Christian
world is the Christian catechisn which is put in
the hands of Sunday school scholars. In this
catechism proof texts are founI which have
been
TORN FROM THE LIVING TRUTH
of which they have formed II part in the scrip
lures, and placed in II theological cabinet.
All are jumbled together in one Mosaic mass,
without regard to their connection with the
text from which they were taken The
unknown poet who wrote the tifty-trst psalm,
said: In sin did my mother conceive In
the catechism these words are used as proof
text 10 show that man Is totally depraNed. In
Ecclesiastics it is said that, II II tree fall 10
the north south there il shall lie, and this is
used in theology to give the idea that after
death there is no recovery. The author of
these words had no knowledge of the life 10
come but now the most atrOciOuS doctrine
which Christianity has given To the world is
based on his words, which are used as proof
| text on the criticism, and are construed as nc
sane man would cOnStrue them. lOu cannot
construct one system of theology out Of the
| bible unless you take Christ himself rs yOuI
example. He is "a whole system of theology
| himself. The image of the father restored in
| humanity / want no more and am content
with the authority of Jesus Christ on which Il
base my theology