The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-10-16
FHE HIGHER CRITICISM.
Row. Schoppe's Paper on the Atti-
tude Of the Preacher
Toward II
He Il q Physioian Who Must
Feel tho Pulse OF Els
Generation.

...#-#-f@l SVAASA 3a# .. .at. ..".
4 Discourse which Attracted Much At
tsntlea NJ ths state Conference Of
Congregational Churches.
The following paper, ssad BY ". g.
Bchoppe al the state conference Of Con-
RrsQationai churches al Missonia. was
epsatsd for his evening discourse last
hight, the subject being: "The Attitude
She Preacher Toward the Higher
CRITICISM" Tho preacher 10 a physician.
He must feel the pulse Of his generation.
While In a sense life 10 q unit through the
lgss and we are living over again the lives
Il ancient people. yet every sge adds it,
bonsributlon to the worlds history. We
rave had IN age Of superstition. whom the
public mind seemed insane; nm age OF the
bloay. whom II ran TO doRmatics; an age OF
kaith. when m%ultitudes turned to God; a.
hee OF science. when mems minds bscame
machines to grind out phJsical laws.
Dut Of this so.eati6s ago has
tome the principle Of d~evslopmsnt
With intelligent candor, tho fact seems es-
kablishel. Tbs only question in debate 10
khe extcnt to which II can explain phsno-
mona. II has been applied to literature by
rains-to history by Buckle. This scion
iHc principle. applied to tho Bible story
Plus tho ,esdy credu:ity and enthusiastic
assumptions of some adherent, forms what
. called the higher criticism" The
preacher will clearly SEQ above the horizon
he dawn streaks OF the coming social age.
RI tactical tnstitutionalism IL already be-
kinning, concentration in great establish
hsnts for economy and efficiency ia eve y
whore outside tho tarIy and divided Pro.
Esstant chu ch. In the twentieth century
I will have learned the worlds les
on in economics and ! over. The preacher
will be a practical factor in the production
X that social adjustment. the dream OF
poets. the vision Of prophets. For tho
resent a mighty strain Is LAID on his In
kelleot. Ho cannot close his eyes while
bthels are seeing. His frown will not roll
Jack the tendencies of an age. Too often
n the past his spirit has been liks Canute
ashing the rising tide. tie has placed
himself, with scripture texts. athwart the
hs mind should bs Alert. his sympathy
nth modtr m ;eseat Oh quick, his power 10
luiust, where plain facts demand ready.
bis capacity TO hold in studious reserve i'm
ortant things il serious question
ure. Lack OF these things make
GO when the lawyeT. doctor or states
man, by richer experience and bloade:
knowleupe renders his best service to the
public.
He is confronted by questions that affect
he very substance Of what he is called to
$500 m. .~l1l, ,.~ok1ovV vornk la lifko1
rom petty criticism TO tho plane OF lofty
rinoiples. What 10 the biblical theory Of
history? What are the disclepencies be-
ween th.m? What clear fact and what un-
warranted assumption has the modern
heory-for no & eat research hos ever been
ound. how may the preachers doctrine be
djusted 10 them As IL has been TO the
opernican and other theo les. at Fl ct, on
|%crirture grounds. denied. The higher
Frlticism is indefinite, while tho critics
disagree. Only n general statement can
"A hunter OF wandering Hebrew tribes
tamo flom tho desert and found q settle
nent in Canaan. Like other races they
lad their national god. Jehovah. lie was
o them no more than CheMosh to Moab.
They assessed trauitionr, %variously &C
tounted for, OF their origin and the manner
IL which he became their national god.
Their religious faith and observhnces were
kery much like that of other nations. They
borrowed from the Canannites sacred
,laccs. journeys to tombs. honors paid TO
ocal heroes derarted. Custom grew to
aw. legend WAS made into history, ana a.
he time of our first authentic reco i they
IRE prscticing religious rites that grew in
perfectly natural way aud are similas 10
other people. The biblical books that
elnte the history up TO the
Eighth century b. C.: are u%nrelin-
Die. having been written in their
resent form many centuries aftor the
events, exhibiting q OBJECTION Of later
Geas into asst time. The story Of Genesis
Q made W. of TWO discordant parts. one rs.
ng the name OF Jehovah, the other Flo
.elm. Moses might have CONF osed the
leculoeue in a simpler form. Sl"de say
The song Of Deborah IL p obabiv authentic.
he thee cilcordant codes Of tho Penta'
eucb, the covenant, the Deuteronomy anu
IA p,iestly codes were this p oduct OF later
Zines. written after the p o. bets, nenriy 4
thousand years after tho time Of Moses.
Tie pro. hets lifted up a splendid ideal.
which was afterwards incorporated inso the
vas attached to give 1t solemn sanction.
Tho first known writings were
hose of Amos and Hores. Afterwards
Micah. Isaiah, the last half Of which was
written by an unknown prophet, and Jere-
miah. Here. for the first time. We stand
III ALL AistoAAO kiouhAs AAoko ~ Ao
'ropbecy pointing to Jesus. He was q
product of his race and time. There va.
M original story perhaps by Mark and a
few discourses written out by Matthew.
luke was urawn from them. john il re-
ected as much later product. The first
three took their present form not far from
he dawn of the second century. All that
c.aims to be fulfillMent Of prophesy ia
Lmown aside. Tho bone0oient stories OF
Chris,'s miracles. though woven %inaepara-
hbly mid His noblest teaching. md the
,tory of HIS Iesu rection from tho stomb
,re legends that grew around the story be-
ore it took Its present form. Tho only
rm hiatoric ground 10 In the four unQuss-
kioned Of istles of st. Paul Romans, GalR-
ions. LIST and I'd Corinthians, All else IL
uncertain.
The 81, ernntutal never occurred In his
DRY. There has been q steady evolution
from crude to higher forms. Snch. in
outline. understand to be- tho ''hiRhe-
crisicism." What IL the biblical theory?
II brief, "the people of Israel. from the
ims Of Abraham. stood in IL peculiar rela.
ion to God and received from him special
ntimations Of his will and character and
we're by him peculiarly guided and
directed In thei' growth into a nation.
They we;e delivered by his power from the
bondage Of Egypt and led into tho desert,
where the covenant made with Abraham,
was renewed. Upon the covenant was
reared the law. oidainin0 holiness. fencing
round the daily life with prescriptions aud
cducnting their spiritual life 30 that they
might be An ideni kingdom. Whom they