The record-union., 1893-01-05
IN RELIGIONS REALM.
Expressions From the Various Re-
ligiOuS Newspapers
The Religious Thought of the Day as
Expressed in the Sectarian Press
Some Matters of Interest to Both
Ministers and Laymen.

The Interior (Pres.) OF Chicago has this
to say concerning the case of Professor
Smith: "His conclusion is that the his
toric portions of the Scriptures contain
errors which cannot be accounted for by
supposing errors of Transmission. This
conclusion is contrary to the accepted
view of invitation, and hence it cannot
be lndorsed by the church. Now the
least that can be demanded as a conces-
sion from the Professor and his class of
scholars is that this is an unsettled Ques-
ton. The theory is in the raw. The
doctrine has not been wrought out, so
that one holding it can inerrantly identify
the alleged human from the admittedly
divine, in Scripture. Is it not reasonable
for the church to say to him that he must
not teach a theory which in its present
form leans to nothing but uncertainty
and confusion in the faith? Has he not
run before his tidings were ready? Has
he not broken down before he was ready
to rebuild? 1t is undoubtedly true that
Inc question Is one of fact, which lies
within the field of scientific research, and
II II thus be found to be true, the church
VIII be forced to reconstruct her theory
OF Inspiration. Heresy trials will have
not have the slightest effect upon the ul-
inmate determnation of the question
and they ought not to have. But the
church is confident that when the matter
has been thoroughly sifted, the accepted
theories OF spiration-they are various,
though in substantial agreement-will
be more fully established. But mean
time she will not permit the old form of
1alth to be unsettled by her Gospel
preachers in addressing the people. 1t is
confusing and distressing TO simple faith,
which, after all, is the only essential faith.
1t seems to us that our scholarly brethren
who are pursuing these Investigations
must admit that the church is right in
this determination"
Professor Smith has been sentenced
to suspension from ministerial functions
until such time as the Presbytery shall
be satisfied that he has abjured his her
esy," says the WeYtey7t Christian AdUO-
cate (Meth.) of Cincinnati. He has ap-
pealed to the Synod. Thus the curtain
rises on the second act. Whatever the
final result, the conviction by less than 4
fourth of the Presbytery calls attention
to the capital defects of the Presbyterian
plan of trial. The theory is that OF pure
democracy-all the presbyters and elders
IN the jurisdiction being supposed to be
present, and to have an unimpeachable
right 10 participate. Challenges are not
recognized. No matter how preudiced
and outSpoken he may have been, each
member of the Presbytery has the right
TO sat. Those who participate must COW
enant to be present at each session of the
trial. Such a trial as DR.. Smiths cannot
be concluded much under a month. This
means that busy pastors and busy elders,
at the busiest season Of the year. must
Ignore their parochial and secular duties
Tor a stretch Of three or four weeks. This
means loss to the elders and paralysis to
the congregations. The result is that the
majority absent themselves, and leave
the trial in the hands of a minority, which,
IN the nature of the case, will be com
posed largely of partisans."
''When a heresy trial is spoken of it
creates some such impression i'll the pop
ular mind as does the history of the per-
secutions OF the Inqusition in the Middle
Ages" says the New ork IHdepeRdeitt.
There are many who, in their sympa-
thy with that which is freShet and newest
1eel attracted to the cause of those who
make issue against what is presented to
their prejudice as old, dogmatic and ira
ditional. We believe that the interest of
sound, pure Christianity would be bet
ter served if the ends aimed at in trials
Tor heresy could be reached i'll some other
way. We say, as we have already said,
that we do not see how they can always
be avoided; but perhaps something can
be done in the way Of cultivating a public
sentiment which Will recognize it as the
duty OF those who have come consciously
to disagree with the doctrines or polity
of the church to whose ministry they be-
long, to leave that church and ally them
selves with denomination where they
can labor in harmony. There is such a
wide choice in this respect there are so
many denominations with different
creeds and forms OF church government,
that no one need be without a harmoni-
Gus environment. Each church has its
own rules 1or admission into the minis
try. All the candidates xpect to comply
with them. They do not apply where
they are not confident that they are in
harmony with the doctrine and polity OF
the church whose ministry they seek to
enter. Those who have already been ad-
mitted have surely an equal opportunity
of knowing whether they have come to
differ with the church on important doe
trines. If they have they ought at once to
change their ecclesiastical relations and
not wait to be driven out"
The New York Evangelist (Pres.) re-
marks that ''if our higher critics had
been content to put their theories mod
estly, in the form of hypothesis or con-
lecture, as suggestions tnat might relieve
some difficulties of Scripture, they would
have given less otfense TO those who have
not yet arrived at such a degree OF knowI-
edge. This is the weak point OF Pro-
fessOr Briggs. He cannot conceal the
COHttIHpl lOI Ills duF6TSdIl0Ss 1nlS
wounds in their tenderest point, for the
more conscious a man is Of his own ig-
nOrance the more Senltlve he is to any
allusion 10 it. And thus many who stand
on their dignity are driven into an atti-
tude of open, and, in many cases, OF bitter
hostility. This is one of the misfortunes
of controversy which show how great
divisions may grow out OF the lack of a
more gentle and gracious way of present
ing the truth. But even If Professor
Briggs had now and then shown little
want of consideration for those who never
showed any consideration for him, that
may be a fault, but 1t is certainly not a
crime, nor a heresy to be visited with
judicial process. Nor has it anything to
DO with the question that is now before
our church, which is infinitely higher
than any petty consideration of tact or
want OF tact. That question is, not one
OF honeyed words and mutual compli-
ments, but of hberty-whether Professor
Briggs is free. and whether we are free
(tor if he is condemned we are all IN the
same condemnation to read the Word OF
God for ourselves, and drink in its glori-
Gus light without having others as igno-
rant as we thrust their dark lanterns be-
fore our eyes"
''Is not the desire to save himself labor
the bottom board OF the minister's bar
rel?'" asks the New York Examiner
(Bapt). The man of fertile mind, OF
progressive ideas, who is continually
studying and observing and growing, can
as little preach his old sermons as a grow
ing boy can wear his last year 5 jacket.
The thing is impossible to him. He may
remake 1t so as to tit his later thoughts
and the changed conditions of his con-
gregation, but he usually finds it a harder
task than to make new sermon. His
trouble is not to find something TO preach
ba1f