New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-06-09
THE DISCUSSION ON THE REsURRECTION.


Before The Tribune printed the letters OF Mt.
Archibald Hopkins on the bodily resurrection Vi
J,sus there was room for IN honest difference
If oninlon as 10 the wisdom or raising SUCH
question in a secular journal But now that they
have aDnclrcl aud have been answered from 80
many different points Of view. II IS evident 'ii''
the discussion was both timely ami use'ui Like
80 many other traditional dogmas OF the 'hurch'
the bodily resurrection Of jesus Is being chai
lnnrcL today by the critical and nplilrlhS spirit
~ IN. ace We know what the Christian raul
uous say about IT, hut that IL not enough. III Is
essential also 10 know what the honest thinkers
aud investigators today outside The 'hur'h
think Of II. ana what answer the leaders III 'Ie
church arc willing 10 make to those VINO d'hy H.
un These two aspects Of the cas-" the us'"Ns''"
f., rh. T,lhune has thrown a much needed light
I, renulr.d some courage on the part Of Mr. Hop
Linz =, ov,,y his disbelief In dogma 40 firmly
lmhcddrI In the consciousness of average 'hrlS
fan pcoplc: hut II Is only Just 10 him l." say t'''
H. has stated his views with comnrndapl' non.
cs'y, mcidlty AMI courtesy In ms respect S''
ting mn example that not all oi MS "ppoh'n''
! have followed.
In tho Light ~ what has been said on Inc
subject n may be proper to Indicate pr''"'
| what seems 20 have been settled by me d's'u'
sion. The question AZ issue Is s'nipl" one u
| tho resurrection Of Jesus "A historical fact' Ih"'
f. the question: and there are two. ana only '"o'
,..vs I'm which n may De answered. We may ac'
...,t as divluoly true and therefore conclusive.
| n. declaration Of the Bible or the Church or
| h,,h or we may put II 10 the test OF critical
t,v..,ica,iou applylng 10 II such rules of evil
] al
, any o,hcr ike marvellous story. These are
,b. two attitudes with which may approach
/ ,h. question: and II Is evident that they are
mutually exclusive of each other. The man VINO
accents m, doctrine on the authority Of The Bip!e
or the Church IS stopped from any crIlcai IN
v.silaatlion II H. first, because. according to his
view. he needs 10 seek no further. ana scc"hh'
because any admission on his part that the ques-
| ton il open is dishonorlng 70 the divine author
itv he acknowledges 1t l. equally plain, on the
other hand. iha: the man who can only Dehe'e
as q historical fact what can BE- proved such 10
MI, reason cannot accept the ipse diNt OF any
man or body ~ men without parting with his
honesty aud his reason. 80 long rs MS reason
| lmu.l, him 10 demand evidence AMI evidence
only. hc IS under an obligation To disregard mere
tradition. as sacred and binding as the mini OF
man can conceive.
| Here. Il seems to us. lies the whole point 1T
issue in the discussion II indicates the parting
Of the ways for those who hold ana those VINO
reject tho bodily resurrection OF Jesus. Chris-
tiaiis who accept the dogma because they believe
that God revealed 1t in the Bible occupy posi-
tion that IL entirely tenabc, and IN 4 certain
sense inprcgnabc. For nothing can overthrow
| ihcn, except the poS.ylatc Of the INSURGENCY OF
, revelation and the need Of evidence: and that
postulate they are bound by their principles To
deny. As matter of fact, however, most Chris
| fans today do not remain on this safe vantage
! ground The replies 10 Mr. Hopkins show that
! While still insisting that the doctrine OF Chrsts
| rcsurreciion is 10 be accepted Oh faith, they
nevertheless wander Off into the uncertain field
| q, evidences: and then when they are met by Il
! demand for evidence which in the nature OF the
case they cannot furnish, they retreat in con
fusion 70 the domain OF faith. 1t Is strange that
| ,hcv do not see where their true strength lies.
| Tho bodily resurrection Of Jesus is so contrary
| IN tho laws Of Nature as we know them that, II
| II is TO be decided by evidence AZ all, the evil
dcncc which can be adduccd for 1t must be re
| clr,lcd AS insufficient. This was the weak spot
! in most Of the replies to Mr.. Hopkins. In only
| ono of them was there a frank recognition OF the
impossbllty of proving the doctrine by conclu-
| syc evidence and the necessity therefore, or
resting 1t entirely on the authority of the dynely
commissioned Mother Church. As we have said,
that is "A position that cannot be asslcd. God
| has spoken; the case Is closed. no matter what
| the facts seem to show. by taking that stand
| the Church may not he able In the future, rs she
| has In the past. TO silence the questioning spirit
| Of man 1u, it Is the only consistent attitude
for her to take until she abandons the theory
| that all questions OF historic fact In her Creed
| must be accepted Oh the authority OF a divine
revelation whether they are supported by evil
| dcncc or not.
| HENhY MARTYR SCIDDER.