St. Paul daily globe., 1885-04-14
A DIVERSITY OF OPINION.

67s Erciti1lg Debate Provoked bD q Paper
Read at the Pastors Meeting.
Rev. S. V. S. Fisher read paper on The
Use and Abuse of the Old Testament, at
the pastors meeting yesterday. The pur-
port of the essay was to show that the Old
Testament is abused when used as text
book OF morality. The paper said: 1.-THE
Old Testament couutenanced polygamy and
the Mosaic law allowed slavery. ChriSt's law
is the only correct marriage law and his were
the teachings of freedom. The vices which
shock the higher moral sense of the people
of TO-DAY were common then, and thus, IN
nearly all respects, there appear defects
which make any attempts 10 use the Old
Testament as a moral guide an insult to
Christ All the Old Testament writings
stand or fall by comparison with the words OF
Christ The careless use OF Old Testament
characters is often dangerous 1t
is an abuse to read the Old Tesla
ment indiscriminately. Much of a
historical nature cannot be read before a
promiscuous audience. We condemn GER
tain passages in Shakespeare as
UNFIT TO Be READ IN PUBLIC,
but there are passages in the Old Testament
equally unfit a Minneapolis clergyman
told me that his wife was reading the Scrip
lures to her children by course, and that it
was amusing to notice the skips she makes
of the passages referred to. Judicious selec-
tions may be made from this old Hebrew
literature, but care should be exercised. "
In conclusion the essayist SAID: The Oh
Testament is the naturally-produced htera-
ture Of Hebrew life. The abuse is to place
its utterances and morality on a level with
the New Testament.
HOT DEBATE.
The paper provoked animated debate and
aroused the opposition of many of the pas
tors One thought that if Mr.. Fishers
theory was correct, the teaching that the
Bible is a work Of inspiration is incorrect
Dr. Thomas stated that his views upon
the subject were directly opposite those ad-
vanced by DR.. Fisher He said his spirit
revolted from such a view, but DR.. Morgan
felt free to confess that he did not feel
shocked in the least. He thought that there
were facts to be faced. While it was possible
that the paper was extreme, it was also pos
sible that pastors are apt to be extreme the
other way. He stated that the apostle had
not said that all Scripture is given by God,
but all that is given by God is inspired. The
speaker would hate a God who would inspire
the questionable actions found recorded in
the Old Testament. While he did not agree
with Mr.. Fisher he believed that we are in
an age when we have got to face facts. The
best minds are graphing with these problems
and we should be prepared to meet them.
Rev. Bowie wanted to know which part OF
the Scripture is inspired, if any. How was
he to know! Should he accept that which
happened to please him and reject that
which he thought Objectionable as unin-
spircd. DR.. Pittner alleged that the paper
was full of assertions but quite barren Of ar
gument If the Old Testament was soon to
be done away with, what would the world
know of Christ: He thought that if one leaf
be torn outa gaping wound would be left.
DIR. SAMPLE WAS SURPRISED
at the paper and felt very much grieved. He
should be unwilling that the
sentiments should go out to the
world as expressing the views of the
Pastors association. He believed that the
Old Testament lad been written by holy
men, and as they were moved by the Holy
Spirit, and he would not cast a single shadow
upon the verify of the Old Testament. He
acknowledged that there are many things in
the Scriptures of which he did not approve,
but
IT Is HISTORY,
and God does not approve of them. The
doctor argued that the Objectionable parts re-
ferrcd to by Mr. Fisher were the very parts
which should be read. Rev Mr.. Hobbs
stated that when God and Christ were d.
vorced from the Old Testament the very
foundation of religion had been shaken. He
believed the Almighty helped all to believe in
and to stand up 10 both the Old and the New
Testament. DR.. Campbell was distressed.
He said he had expected orthodoxy, but he
was
LAID OUT FLAT.
He did not think Mr.. Fisher had acted
courteously in presenting such paper, and
he reioiced to see that his brethren of the
Methodist church rcpudiatc the sentiments
advanced.
Mr. Fisher spoke briefly in defense of his
views as exWea sed in the paper. He said he
had determiuefto accept as truth whatsoever
appeared to him TO be truth.