The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-10-11
Methodist Ecumenicai Council.

WAsHINGToN, Oct. 10.-The fourth days
session of the Methodist Ecumenical coun-
Gil was presided over by Rev. DR.. Arthur,
of England. The committee on business
reported number of resolutions and me
MORALS which were held for consideration
at later day. The regular programme of
the day was then taken up, the subject for
discussion being 1.-THE Church and Scien-
tine Thought" The first essay was one
prepared by Percy w. Bunting, editor of
/ the Contemporary RGUielC, entitled "Influ-
ence of Modern Scientific Progress on Re-
igious Thought" In Mr.. Bunting's alb
sence the paper was read by j. Is. Slack of,
London,
The paper in part said that the modern
mine has so stepped itself in incense as to
blunt, to no small extent, its spiritual fac
ultles. Agnosticism appears to rest upon
the idea that nothing is to be believed
which does not rest on an experiment
and induction. The question is not one of
science, but of philosophy. Treating of
the spiritual history of nan, Bunting says
the evolutionary theory of religion is in
strict accordance with very much that we
are accustomed 20 believe. 1t gives bound
less scope to faith and hope.
Rev. DR.. Terry, of Evanston, ILL.,, spoke
on the attitude OF the church toward va
rious phases of unbelief
Rev. w. T. Davidson, of England, tutor
in Biblical literature and exegesis in a
college there, followed in an address on the
subject of the bible and Modern Criti-
cism."
Rev. DR.. Dewart, of Toronto, held that
the great problem confronting the church
was the necessity Of reconciling the results
of criticism and Christian doctrines
Rev. Frank Ballard, Of England, said the
small time allotted for the discussion of
this great subject was an Indication of dis
respect.
DR., Buckley, of New York. paid a
/ tribute to Bunting's paper, which showed
religion was now and ever would be not a
matter of education, deduction or observa-
/ ton, but Of faith and heart.
DR.. Buckley Of New York, paid tribute
/ to Buntlng's paper, which showed, he said
that religion was not and never would be
matter of induction and observation. but
OF faith and heart. Science could give no
| help as to the fundamental question of re
| llgion. Christianity was as false as the wild
/ est superstition unless the birth of Christ
was result of divine operation upon woman
without the agency of man. Hear hear
/ Ntne-tenths of what high critics had
/ brought around has been the subject of
study by Bible students for twenty-five
years. The trouble lay in the arrogance of
/ the critics. The trial of DR.. Brigg result
I tn6
arrogant and domineering manner in
which he sought to force those ideas down
everybody's throat.
Chairman Arthur said he had never heard
in Methodist assembly discussion which
caused him such deep feeling as he had
this morning. He had heard words used
/ that evidently the users had not settled in
their heads what they meant What was
evolutions! The unrolling of thing from
itself.
Bishop Keener, of Methodist Episcopal
church south, deprecated all apologize
views of creation He came out of specu-
lstion into the region of facts.
Bishop Fowler. of San Francisco. said
unless the Methodists could defend their
ground they must surrender. Therefore he
welcomed criticisms.
The council then adjourned in order to
allow the delegates to embark on an eX-
cursion to the tomb of Washington. at
Mount Vernon.
Rev. James Crabtree, Of England
thought it desirable to establish the great
est friendship between religion and sci
ence. In any divorce betweenthem it is
religion that will suffer. Religious unbe-
lief and the unsettlement of the times are
due TO the attitude of some theologians
toward the new light of scientific Christian
faith, and its records must not shrink from
the most searching criticisms, il that criti-
cism is made by a seeking heart.