Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-10-09
LECTURER MURRAY.
The Eloquent sx-Preaeher Attacks
Modern TheOlogy-His Appear
ance, Gestures and Mode Of
Speech.
Disseeting the DOgmas He
Preached tor Twelve Years 90
Orthodox Congregations.


slueraOle audience that, lmpelled by
the chance of seeing him again, had
come together through a violent
storm. His close trimmed hair was
halt brown and half gray, but there
was broad high crescent OF brown
above each of his big and frank eyes
and the nustache Of soldier hid Ms
mouth. Therewas not hint of cler,
zeal habits in anything about him III
wore well fitted black Prince Albert
coat, buttoned close up to black silk
bow that encircled high standinQ
collar. In the street he would have
been taken for a business man who's,
life was spent indoors, though not al
desk. He thrust his right hand
into the front OF his coat at his chest
on those who awaited his words.
Il propose" said he, with youl
permission, to discuss before you the
question how to reconcile progressive
and scientific thought With Christ
iaDity. | crave your kind attention
as man who has pondered long upon
his subject"
This was Mr.. W. II. Il. Murray, Nc
longer having the title Of reverend
affixed to his name on the posters Of
circulars OF the lecture bureau thai
has engaged him to appear 100 time
in public. He had SO appeared. Al
least to Northern hearers, in more
than four years, though during that
interval the we'll informed have kept
In knowledge Of him as an inventor,
Spectator, author and farmer. Last
night he began yet another career. and
with lecture that had not pressed far
before II startled those who heard him
only few years ago at the head OF
tne largest congregation OF orthodox
Protestant Christians in Boston.
When he moved his mouth to speak
double chin showed itself under his
round, genial face. His voice. sill
powerful and sympathetic, and with
the familiar shade of nasal sound
10 1t, was trihe husky. per.
hapi from a cold. His gestures
were few, easy aud apparently
unconscious. His favorite one was
the gradual opening and separation OF
MS palms, as If to hold attention dur.
ing long sentence. At other times
he moved one hand in that way with.
out the other, and at other times pro,
duced the same effect with the index
hnger Of his right hand. All but one
q these movements were made under
the top OF the reading stand. That
one was when, in moment of great
earnestness, he raped his left palm
WIN his right index finger quickly and
splteiully But if speaking Likeness.
oil him was taken it would show hin
erect, at ease, and with his right hanC
thrust 10 his coat front. His manner
was that OF a man speaking to friends
In drawing room, and his Language
comported with bis manner.
Mr.. Murray said that the theoloriauI
say that the books Of the Old Tesla
ment were written by men inspired Il
write the truth, and that what they
wrote was not only history, but
blessed AID divine revelation OF Cod
nature. The position of progressiy,
thought in and out Of the church 4
one of denial Of these dogmas.
The question who was right suc
who wrong knocked at my study doc
and | knew | must decide it. | knew
that the decision meant too much fol
me to come to it hastily. That wal
i've years ago. | had served lively,
years in 1--WE separate notedly orthodox
churches. Ny views caused no dis.
turbance in them.
When be retired from a leading or.
thodox church in the Congregational
faith It was not on that account. He
went through the startling experience
that be had been taught that wrong
was right and fable was fact RI
found that the Jewish writer's were a
a comparatively mordern race of men
that men existed 100000 years before
Abraham and were civilized, and haC
developed arts and sciences to degree
we have not begun to equal. The No.
sale account Of the race was only the
expiring flash Of aprimmval illumina.
ton almost literally swallowed up by
the deepening gloom OF ages. The
old MSS we're lost thousands of years
ago, and SO utterly lost that the Ian.
guage they we're written 10 had become
a dead tongue when Genesis, Exodus
Leviticus, Numbers aud Deuteronomy
were gathered together and put forth
How, then, can this be the basis Of
Christian theology
Let me mention what | had To he.
lieve: That it was only 5000 since the
creation Of the world; that | find false,
that man was created from the dust Of
the earth and woman from a rib Of
his; that | find no better and no worse
than q dozen myths thousands Of years
older than Moses; that men lived 5OO
or 1900 years before they died. This
is totally unsupported byevidence.
That 1000 years ago the world was in
undated and all we're DESTROYED save
one family. This is absolutely beyond
belief. That $500 years ago, at the
bidding OF mortal man, add not a VERY
good man atthat, the great sun in tho
heavens stood still. This no sane
man could credit But why continue
the enumeration Of such absurd won
ders2 ti4N Ilf
He repudisted belief in inspiration
II was not an idea new to Christian
theology. 1t was not recognized Ia
the early Christian church. Il wa,
borrowed from the superstitions of the
aneients. The Bible is not, accordinl
TO modern progressive thought, to be
taken as iniallible. 1t is to be scruti,
nized as other books are. Modern
thought condemns the theory Of inspi.
ration as pernicious. The speaker
said be would like to argne on thai
platform with any theologian that Tho
theory was worked up in after time
and never taught by jesus and hi,
disciples, or by his disciples to their
converts. 1t has no basis in Scriptu.
raj fact % stand upon, but stands out
as the boldest and most gigantic fraud
that could have been perpetrated
against the peace OF the church and
the growth Of the human soul. IL Is
made up Of the bigotry Of Popes and
priests, aud ofthe decisions Of church
councils called in the interests oI
wicked pride and wicked wishes, and
packed Tor partisan purposes as thor.
oughly as your political cauouses are
ever packed 10 your worst wards TO.
day"
Here is a part of q paragraph in the
lecture: tf
Calvin, a hard, bloodless man, clear
and cruel; a man Of ambitious logic. Of
egotism enough to try to square the
circle Of the Deity, and vain enough 10
think, dying, that he had done il; SO
pulled up that he thought he alone
saw the Truth plainly. Such was
Calvin, who for 300 years has usurped
the place Of Jesus in our pulpits' 30
that his system has been meFs enforced
in New England than the maxims Of
jesus"
Here is part Of the speakers poro,
ration;
"What, then, have We leh2 Left