Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1894-03-08
PRESIDENT HARPER AND HIS CRITICS
A DEFENSE.

/ nave UOL Iedu Tue IbpOIlSQ l6ctuIeS
of Prof. w. R. Harper; have only seen
bis subjects. and have learned from
these that his lectures are confined to
the book of Genesis. Neither have
read the criticisms that have been made;
L have only felt the vibrations in the air,
and have caught the words ''skepti-
cism, " ''infidelity," "heresy," and when
these are hurled thick and fast, know
that there is congestion of the vehe-
ment forces somewhere in the theologi-
cal atmosphere. Ii might be said, to
venture a defense upon so slight a
knowledge of the whole matter is to
draw the sword and strike wildly in
Egyptian darkness. But not 20; have
gained some knowledge of this general
subject of Genesis from private study.
l have spent good many hours as a
pupil in Dr. Harper's class room. aud
feel well assured of his Christian faith.
Venture therefore to remark that these
! spirited, denunciatory and almost abusive
| criticisms which have been made by the
Chicago papers, repeated by many other
papers. and found their last echoes in
the multitudes of local papers, are due
to two causes: First, ignorance; sec
ond, wrong inference. First, ignor-
ance of the reasons upon which the
/ commissions IN those laotrrar ora hacoJ
and second a wrong inference in regard
to the religious beliefs of the lecturer
l do not say how much newspaper en-
terprise, a quality for which the Ameri-
can press is especially noted, there may
be in it, it mus be admitted that the
press of this country has some of the
instincts of the ogre. Making a sensa-
ton is only one step precedent to max
ing money, and making money is the
chief end of Columbian Nothing
is too sacred to be invaded, there is no
feeling that may not be wounded and
stroyed. no individual rights that may
not be violated, if by this means the
sales of daily newspaper are to be
increased. do not know how far this
merceHarv spirit may have operated in
these criticisms. The newspaper staff
cannot wholly escape its influence, but
it may be conceded here that they did
not yield to it dnduly, that their criti-
cisms were sincere, and rot written
from the standpoint of sales.
To say that these criticisms are due
to ignorance of the reasons upon which
the conclusions of the lectures are based,
is no disparagement of mans intelli-
| gence unless forsooth it be that of the
editor or reporter of metropolitan
newspaper who posts omniscience of
himself. The field of knowledge is too
broad to-day for any one man to have
even slight acquaintance with all its
branches. There are many departments
in a great university, and a professor
set over each that he may devote his
entire time to that subdivision of knowl.
edge. Each may have fair acquaint-
| ance with his owr subject, but know
very little of the subject of another.
This is period of specialists, and it is
presumption for man to undertake to
teach specialist in his own depart
ment. Pres. Harper is specialist on
the subjects of which he speaks in the
book of Genesis The reporter is pre-
sumably not specialist in this field.
He may see the conclusions at which the
/ lecturer arrives, and may also know
/ that they are at variance with current
and traditional opinion. 1t may be
said also that he sees the reasons upon
| which these conclusions are based, be-
cause they are stated in the lectures.
Now it may be fairly presumed that the
| busy reporter is much more concerned
about conclusions than he is about pro-
eeSses, anG because these are new and
mayhap little startling, they engage
/ HIS ahtCuIIOu W luC tAGiQcAOn VA tbCtA
reasons. Then it is still further true
that the full force of reasons cannot
always be grasped Immediately; time is
required for them to complete their inn
| preston. The mind is often compelled
10 60 to them again and again and
reflect upon them long and deeply
before it feels their full force and sur
renders to them. This is peculiarly
true when the conclusions are extraor-
binary and seem to threaten long-estsb-
lished beliefs or to touch our religious
faith. Pres Harper cannot state his
reasons in language that will convey
their force to others as he feels it, He
has lived among these reasons for a
number of years. and by repeated con-
sideration they have revealed to him