The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-07-02

Snriht, ulc son oil uOu, Chflst, the center,
the foundation, the summation Of, the all
and in all OF Christian religion. lie
clearly attempts TO bring Christ into sub
lection to this all.embracing law Of cvolu-
ton when no says Christ was born like
other men, lived like other'mcn and died
like other men" But suppose he had
embraced his birth OF a virgin and his
resurrection and ascension after death,
how utterly fatal these two facts, clearly
stated in the Bible ny historic truths,
would have been 10 the basis theory OF
evolution--t0 wit, that natural law has
evolved the universe.
As key 10 the mode OF scriptural in
terprctaiion, made absolutely necessary,
final and authoritative, Mr.. Long says
that natural law is the regular and es-
tablished method OF the execution Of
Gods will and plan" That he means
That God has this and no other method Of
executing his will is not only philosoph-
ical necessity OF the doctrine OF evolution,
but seems TO DO Mr.. Longs idea. for he
ends his sermon with these words: ''The
theory OF evolution makes The universe n
perfect mechanism that requires no inter-
ference and no after thought from It's
constructor"
This last statement formunics what we
may call Christian evolution Is, Oar
winian evolution accepted with the adden-
DUN that back OF and behind all iorco
called God WIS 20 excrtcd upon the atoms
or chaos--as TO impress upon them a
potentially that has worked out his plan
and will, through all the ages that have
interviewed from atoms 10 man, and still
works on by force or influence that has
monopolized all processes OF creation
progress and development, in modes,
regular, necessary aud self potential
from the first and last grand primordial
act. which gave vitality 10 the atoms and
then retired aud rested nom labor forever.
Now let us briefly state a few facts, as
clearly stated In the Bible and claimed by
all Christian churches 10 be tho words Of
God, and necessary parts Of and accepted
truths In the Christian system, promising
that tho Holy Bible Is 10 the Christian
world nothing less than the universal
rule OF faith and practicc--the veriiable
authoritative word Of God.
!. Christians accept tho Bible as the
word OF God, spokenand delivered TO man
by inspired men. Evolution answers
The Bible, In scientific view, Is like any
Other book. II, like them, has come
along In the regular operation OF natural
law. In this u Is TO evolution no more
authoritative than tho Koran, or was tho
writings OF Voltairo. To accept Il M a
direct message from any source not en-
braccd in the universe oil nature would DO
absolutely unscientiic.
2. Tho Bible says God created man In
his own imsgc. Evolution says man is
dcsccnded from hairy quadruped fur
nishcd with iail--then FROM lowcr orders
down by consecutive grades through a line
OF ropiilcs, fishes, etc, 10 the laryle OF q
marine ascidian.
How hard II Is 10 reconcile these two
statements M being applied 10 to the same
being. To do 10 requires stmin Of scrip
tural language 20 unnatural, ns indeed 10
appear q peryertion, lncxcusablc and A.
diculous. OF this class IN that recent and
now celebrated defense Of Dr. Woodrow
before the courts Of the Presbyterian
church, Ia which he conicsscs his belief In
Darwinianism In his view Of the
descent OF man-and then processes ~
Christian his belief In every word OF the
Bible. lie accepts tho Biblo statement
that God created Adam out OF the
dnst OF the Garth, but calls this dust or
ganio dust, which. In this connection,
may he interpreted an animal OF
lower orler--a hairy quadruped Ms
Darwin has II, and then finding q case,
towit. the creation OF Eve out of Adams
rib, lac seems 20 abandon the development
theory and accepts this creation as the Inn
mediate act OF personal God. Such in
depreciation Of Holy Writ, 30 utterly nj
variance with philology. philosophy, the
ology and common sense, nra lainentably
examples OF desperate shifts
and devices TO reconcile religion with
science, aud will be laughed at by the sci.
eniinc world.
Now let us open the Bible and read and
interpret its declarations in the light of
the fundamentals Of evolution, which may
be stated In these words
!. Tho universe Ia tho outcome OF somo
force or power In matter, which, out Of the
atoms which antedaic the organized world.
the universe la all lis amplitudcs has been
evolved.
2 This force or potonialily In the atoms
has boon uniformly exertcd by processes
nptly called natural law.
3. Behind all this, aud antcdatlng even
the atoms, there may be a power aud
authority which may DO called God, but
beyond the atoms spreads out the un-
known aud unknowablc. Science sur.
renders this territory 10 theology, reason.
ing NIL else frori atoms In chaos TO the uni.
ycrsc In ia pandcrt full grown splcndors,
~ tho domain III force generally con.
sidcncd innate and scli-cxisicnt, that they
call evolution, or natural law.
Now let us read OF the establishment OF
Gods Kingdom ON earth, AMI the enforce
mcnt Of the will Of a personal God In his
Of tho world, az sci forth In
the Bible. fastening through the active
scenes Of Gods proyidencs NJ detailed In
the Bible. we have the creation of man,
tho fall Of man. the church Of God with
Its priests and prophets. and altars, aud
i.evitical law, down ta Christ. Within this
pcriod God intcrycncs all along the way
with acts unknown 10 evolution, aud In
CONFIRMATION of tho laws OF natun. The
pillar Of cloud by day aud Of fire by night
guiding the children Of Israel, the mama
from heaven furnished for their austenta.
ton, the rccoil Of the waters Of the sea smola
by Moses. opening way for the escape OF
the lsraolilcs; the sun standing still NJ
the command oi Joshua; tho birth Of
Christ by immaculate conccriion; the ri.
umph Of Christ over death, and his a-con-
sion up 10 heaven after tho third day; the
miracles Of Christ, raising lazarus and the
daughter OF the widow OF Main from death,
his walking on the waters of the sea.
These all and thousands more aro rcconlcd
~ facts In that book which every Chris
ian minister has accepted In his ordina-
ton vow as the word Of God and his rule
OF faith and practice. Yet, In all herein
referred 10 ~ Bible truths, not ono can 10
true II evolution, Christian or Dprwinian,
be- true, for they all involve contraycn.
lion mr. ausDonston of Tho lau. of nai,,..,