The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-01-19
Tho Defenders Of tho Bible.

loyalty 6COOQ Dy inc Berlin compact.
| Tho Defenders Of tho Bible.
Two series Of sermons in defence Of the
old-fashioned orthodox doctrine Of the alb
solute infallibiity Of the Bible were begun
in two Of our churches on Sunday. the one
Lutheran and the other Dutch Reformed.
or Reformed. as the denomination Is now
styled officially.
1t Is noticeable that these churches are
outside OF the lines OF Presbyterianism dis
tinctlvely. though their standards Of belief
as to the inspiration Of the Scriptures are
the same. So far as the subject has been
| discussed by Presbyterian preachers spe-
| officially. the most important and ap-
parently the most popular utterances
have been on the other side only.
The Sunday evening lecturers ut the Park
| Avenue Presbyterian Church have been DR..
BRIGGS and theologians who are In sympa-
| thy with his teachings that the Bible con-
tains many errors which it would be mere
superstition to refuse to acknowledge
Besides DR.. JOHN HALL the most noted
OF the Presbyterian pastors In town are DR..
| PARKHURsr and DR.. VAN DYKE. both Of
whom are apologists for DR.. BRIGGS and his
| views. DR.. PARKHURsT has gone to as
| great extremes in opposing the orthodox
| doctrine of the Scriptures as any other
theologian who has taken part in the con-
troversy now going on in Professionalism. He
has been even audacious In his declarations
as to the Bible. saying. for instance. that
he would not read to his congregation some
| Of the Psalms because OF their devilish
malignity. He has also ridiculed the theol-
| ogy Of Princeton: and from the first his pull
| pit has been distinguished for its rad
| ical opposition to the ground taken
by the Reformed and Lutheran preachers
| OF last Sunday In defence Of the old
| faith In the Bible. DIR. VAN DYKE has
not been 80 outspoken. but undoubtedly he
| must be classed with the followers OF DR..
BRIGGS though In the past his church has
been very citadel Of Calvinism and the
most conservative Presbyterian orthodoxy.
| The old-fashioned Westminster Confess
sion doctrine as to tho absolute perfection
OF tho Bible has, therefore, had no conspic-
uous champions in the Presbyterian pull
pits OF New York at this time when the
teaching has been assailed 30 boldly by en-
emies within the household OF tho
faith. The anxiety Of Presbyterian au-
dicnces has seemed to be to hear the
side OF the opposition and not to
listen to the defence. Accordingly the
Rev. DR.. BURRELL OF the Reformed Church
| at Twenty-ninth street and tho Fifth ave.
| nue.. and the Rev. DR.. REMENsNYDER OF St.
James's Lutheran Church. have felt that 1t
Is the duty Of those who believe In the infal-
| libility OF the Bible, to come forward and
| proclaim their convictions, so that the pub
| lie may not receive the impression that they
have no reasonable and defcnsible case to
present against the new theology.
The position taken by both OF them Is very
simple. The new form OF expression Is that
1.-The Bible contains tho Word OF GoD." that
Is. along with errors. historical. scientific. or
superstitious.' The belief of these preach
ers Is the belief OF the old theology. that
"the Bible Is the Word OF GOD" q very
different statement. OF course. "GoD." said
| DR.. BURRELL. empowered the holy writer's
| to write. and stood over them rs they wrote"
| They were merely the amanuenses OF the
| Almighty. and they set down not their own
| limited knowledge. but the illimitable knowl-
edge OF Cmniscience. Either the Bible is
! all true because 1t Is tho Word OF COP. or it
is not Divine. except In tho sense that
tho truth in any book has Divine
quality. II the Scriptures arc merely the
selected writings OF the Hebrews. as DR.. LY-
MAN ABBOTT says. II as human productions
thcy are liable to human errors. who. asks
DR.. BuRRELL. Is to determine when they
are true and when false II they are not
the perfect and absolute authority. as
orthodox Professionalism describes them.
where Is there any such authority: and II
there is none. how can religion have any
dogmatic basis. or be other than mere
speculation as to matters that are beyond
human knowledge
DIR. REMENsNYDER opposes to the BRIGGS
view the positive belief OF Protestant
orthodoxy that 1.-The Bible Is inspired and
infallible In the fullest sense. not only In
thought. but word: not only on points OF
doctrine. but In its historical and scientific
statements as we'll: not only In part.
but wholly and throughout It has the
exclusive claim to inspiration. 80 that
all other books are the work OF men," Ten
or fifteen years ago. any other statement
with reference to the Bible would have
shocked the great body OF Prcsbyterians as
impious; but now preacher who makes
1t seems singular. Even those who
have come out against the views OF
the now critics have usually guarded
their words so as to avoid the ex-
preston OF belief In verbal and literal In
splrstop - II was held almost universally