New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-05-25

Cavinsm OF Calvin and OF Knox the Calvnism that
turned yrannes and that made Nations free lie not
accepted that who claim TO be descended from these
stern old soldiers do not thoir harness do not be-
HeVe In all the vigorous severity which IL Is alleged
marked their doctrine 1t may seem to be true. We
are called In different another and different form
OF warfare which must be carried with different
weapons and with different enemies. The verify Of the
Bible Is In dispute the federation of religious opinion
IL Is the old fight I'm its fundamental truths Is
there In fact q sovereign Godl Is there divine law
under which the universe Hest 10 this universe around
witness confirming the revelation which our Church
resist apprehend that the Calynlsm which believes
hese truths real and intense was that form Of
Cavinsm which made John Calvin and John Knox great
for their day OF leadership
PROPER REVERENCE FOR THE BIBLE.
DR.. Howard Crosby, Moderator Of the General AS
somlAy, discussed presbytenanism and Biblical
Scholarships" After referring to tho emphasis which
the Westminster Confession gives to the inspiration
and authority of the Bible, Crosby traced In the
history ot the Presbyterian Church its adherence to
me careful and minute study OF the Bible, as
the safeguard of true religion. He continued:
II Is this careful conservatism with regard to tho bible
that has preserved the Church from the contamination OF
human philosophy the hand and Of human impulsve
excitement on tho other. We have felt that 20 road was
SAFE that not clearly revealed In the Word OF God
and whenever departures from this path Of Bible truth
have occurred in ministry the Church has been prompt
to cut OF the offending member and has cheefuy borne
tho popular reproach Of and bgoy in conse
quence. Tho modern assaults upon the Word OF God
which began in Germany have been repealed by branch
OF Chrsrs Church perssenty and so successfully as
by tho Presbyterian The speedy action Of the General As
sembly IN Scotland when Robertson Smith endeavOred TO
bring his learned infdelity Presbyterian Church
showed how readily the Church spews out the German
poison that Satan would slyy administer Our Church
knows well that when tho Holy Word is tempered with
and inspiration reduced to defective ecstasy. with In
definite human elements the foundations OF Christianity
and poor needy man sent to his protean
Ma h,ttf
portant setback to paganism. II prophets mixed thelr
own thoughts with Gods II apostles used false argu-
ments and II Christ Himself had supersttlous regard for
the Scriptures from ignorance then cannot tell why
Plato is not good teacher Paul. and why Scheer'
machers wisdom is be preferred to Christs gno
rance This is the road down to tho abyss Of nndey
opened by Germany and carefully worked by the conccted
learning that courts German appreciation as the seal OF
nobility
The Presbyterian Church will have OF this. 1t
stands by the side Of It's Divine Redeemer and declares
that every jo and title" Of the Scriptures Is truth and
pronounces a upon him who would add unto take
away from the Sacred Book 1t declares the handling Of
the Book fablc tho OF higher criticism to be
trimmed according the pattern shown in the
inner is itself sacroge and 1t declares
that tho Holy Book has position a character and
history the first requisite Of him
would approach search IT, 1t teaches that the
maxim. by daring innovaors, that must treat
Bible as We any other book is false maxim to
begin with, as denying the prori claims to
and obedience which It and that the
belttng Of the supernatural which accompanies this
maxim is the very essence Of proud unbeef Such Is
position Presbyterian Church with regard to the
Bible the charter spiritual life and liberties Our
General Assemblies have gvon delverances often and
always tho key this vital question. and have
plainly shown that the Church considers this doctrine Of
nerrancy OF the Scriptures the very basis OF all Its
doctrines. without which could stand.
natural consequence OF such position with regard
10 the written Word OF Cod Church has produced
Biblical scholars OF thorough research and lasting fame
The very with which they have explored the
Scriptures has given insight which the irreverent
spirit possess They have been led into the
recesses OF truth, when unsancned learning was left
standing portal and they have brought out the
spiritual thought the cheer and comfort OF the heart
by consistent confidence In the verbal inspiration Of the
Bible that verbal inspiration which distinguished semi
nary professor lately declared to be dogma that had
been destroyed IT, however, thaS learned professor
means that the Church does not believe In tho mechanical
theory inspiration all will agree with him. but II he
means that Church does not believe In the DIVINE SUI
nentendence OF every word OF the Old and Now Tcsta
ents so that the writings preserved from all
error he is grossly mistaken and he VIII ma tha'
the Presbyterian Church has faltered In It's firm be-
lief in the verbal inspiration Of the Holy Scriptures There
Is no middle ground between this complete and verbal In
splra,lon and doubtful Scripture, a rose Of wax
Dr. Crosby then showed how this devotion to the
Bible as Gods Word and not mans, had made the BID
heal relationship OF the Presbyterian Church con
sncuous for rs tboroughness and recalled the names
81 many scholars prominent IN tho past and Of Others
conaiiv' monument to-day Before he closed no had
another word for the seltstylcd Higher Critics. say
ing:
Higher citIclsm ought to be very modest 1t is crt
isn from very vague data 1t is criticism not OF tho
text but OF the mind and purpose tme and circumstances
methods and authority Of tho sacred writer's III suon
criticism subjective is ever tempted 70 take .no %
and the Imagination 70 create the facts lh'eni'n "u
take the place sound Judgment by reason OF
Ignorance OF the that produced the result IN
such Geld theorists spring up like mushrooms. anu an
stead Of modesty proposing theory 'hey aosn""o WV,
coptemptuous sneers s conservative scholars as sn
ramuses The Higher Criticism which at the very oes'
"a hut surmislng (sometimcs doubtless win convincing
nrobablity is conducted as II 1t were an eAae Gnu
the dlcta Of its apostles 10 DC ac'op''u 90 w
truth of the multiplication table, .,
The Presbyterian Church has representative so
ship which rejects this and declares the Doe u
rest on a foundation that cannot be shskeh oy ins,
suggestions and learned guesses fre'oy ersn ono, .
ship cannot read solemn declarations In Exodus NAV
Cod gave Moses tho law comprised In that BOOK ana III
Leviacus at Snai-decsrations repeaod over anu oso
aqain-and then say that this law, caueo 'ne pFiee
In of the sceptics, was not given ny uUu
Moses, but a compilation OF h'or uaee' f'
ran scholarship cannot read the book OF DEUTERONOMY
wherein Moses speaks all the way through In 'h' ta
Jordanic regions, and then say thaI MOSES h"N n's
do with that book Presbyterian scholarship cannot pro-
claim the Bible fraud aud that Its solemn STATEMENTS
are lies, that the whole Jewish Church was deceived anu
that our Lord and His apostles were eQualy aupeu' ~
OF which must be tbs case II we are 10 acsop' 'n'
ngs OF the Higher Criticism as IL pre'"i' ~"' -
many and as 1t 10 echoed by the Teuolatric osclpl "
nasnd and ,meric, Presbyterian scholarship reason
ably and deyoutly stands by the Lord Himself ana taxes
His evidence as nnal counting the Saviour Oh 'ne
World ehor a dupe g deceiver' and from TINS ho.s
position is abundantly able 20 meet ana o'srs ai ""
plausible darts Of the adversary 1t uses ts reason M
It's Learning not to magnify apparent discrepancies put
to trace out superb hnrmones and by tho very h''Og
OF criticism In the past establishes this 70 % 'no on
way for scholarship to act 1t mas naa eHOus "
Ell
objections TO warrant IL as the only reasonable thhg ID
expect the ignominious overthrow Of every scepcai
stronghold CO.
This Biblical scholarship Of the Presoy'ea" 80
demands as a first requisite in Bible sIuly' a. we A
seem the reyerenta spirit toward the Book OF God IL
cannot It will not permit aunty air in the t,eansns
of the sacred page. nngs from 1t sueh mesnoI r,
vulgar profane. It's position by the sue y, w =. -