The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-11-20
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ascertain she views Of the Bible held by
the overwhelming majority OF German
Christian scholars; ascertain the views OF
Professor Drummond, Rev. John Watson.
author Of Beside the Bonnie Brier Bush;'
Professors Driver, Cheyne and G.. A.
Smith, Archdeacon Farrar, Rev. X. Il.
Horton and multitudes Of other English
men; ascertain the views of President
Harper Of Chicago university, Professor
Brown of New York city, DIR. Parkhurst,
DR.. GLADDEN., Rev. Frank G%unsaulas and
thousands Of other American Christians,
he would find that nearly all the wind was
taken out of his sails. Why does he over
look the large, progressive wing OF the
Christian church and attack the rear of
the army, which Is fast coming up, OF
pitch upon religious nations hat are near
ly deadS He conspicuously fails In this.
"He fails In being destructive, while not
being constructive. Criticism Is perfectly
fair. But criticism that ends In criticism
Is false to the great interests at stake. Mr..
Ingcrsoll il not talking on trivial subjects.
When he touches religion, he Is touching
what makes up a large part OF the lives Of
multitudcs. The great Russian, Tolstoi,
clearly sees that religion embraces the
truths that men live by. Carlyle well put
II when he said that all the bakers and
clothiers and confcctioners could not sat
isfy a bootblack, for a length OF time, be-
cause OF tho divinity that is in him. IL
Mr.. Ingcrsoll were really in earnest to
help his generation, he woul not attempt
10 tear down the best part Of our earthly
house-that part hat has the outlook to-
ward heaven, with its sunshine and starry
realms-and 60 of whistling, with his
hands in his pockets. He Is simply n great
doubter, and n mocking one at that. Sore
Is where he fails. Men cannot lean on
doubts. The soul becomes lean and the
heart faint. III Mr.. Ingcrsoll could show
a better way. could turn sinful men 10
ways OF righteousness, could comfort the
countless mourners. could bring JOY to
sad hearts and laughter TO crying eyes,
could construct some better method OF
picking men out Of the cutters, could
bring moro flowers TO the sickroom, more
softness to the dying felon; could move
men to give themselves more TO carry
messages Of hope TO bonighted races and
construct homes for tho orphans and blind
and deaf and dumb and aged, his message
Of doubt would receive q more patient
hearing. Let the great preacher of works
as against faith show bis works. Believ-
ers, Jew and Christian, stand ready 10
prove their faith by their works. II you
are To cross a river and u boat be offered
that has made the trip manifold times
with safety, and some one tells you hat 10
is poorly made, that 1t needs repair, that
its maker Is unknown and its captain Is
overrnted, what will you do? II there is
some hope OF q new n better boat being
constructed, it might DO we'll TO wait
awhile. But II our doubling friend pre-
sents no plan for the new boat and there
Is no prospect of its being built, you will
take tho boat at hand, especially If, like
the Cunard line, 1t never lost a passenger.
Mr.. Ingersoll fails I'm Offering nothing in
place Of what he destroys.
He is not fair 10 the Bible and the
great Christian doctrines of faith and re-
demption. / can put my hand on men
who arc purer mon, better husbands,
truer citizens because they read the Bible.
Such men are a multitude. / can put my
finger on nations whose best life has re-
ceivod It's inspiration from the Bible.
After Mr.. Ingorsoll has finished with his
criticism of the Bible he hasn't touched
tho very citadel of the Bibles powers. Its
chief power Is inspirational, and this pow
or doesn't depend upon the results of crit
icism. May l give a chapter OF my own
hearts experience For several years /
wal troubled with the chronological, his
torical md scientific mistakes Of the Bible.
/ felt that the Bible must go If these
things wero SO. But / read on. / read
the mntchlcss aspirations OF tho psalmist
after holiness. caught somewhat Of the
vision of Isaiah of the kingdom Of right
~eousness. l began TO feel In my Owl life
al. ,.s.ht,. ,.a. - fosth not ,raI,lft-
but obedience TO tho conscience voice of
the spirit within as the power of salvation
from sin-and when / touched the edge of
the great master spirit, Jesus of Nazareth,
and he helped mo 80 understand the depths
OF divine love and the power of sacrifice,
Their the results of criticism affected mo no
more than the warts and wrinkles affect
the life current in % man. Mr.. Lincoln,
whom Mr.. Ingcrsoll honors with culogistic
words, we are told, had q large wart in
his right check.
''If Mr.. Ingcrsoll should draw "a picture
of hat wart, though 1t wcro a true sketch,
and call 1t Mr.. Lincoln, it would be unfair.
He would ignore the majestic life of tho
great commoner. Mr.. lngersoll himself
would call IL n most impious caricaturc.
i fear he hos done the same thing with
tho Bible aud with Jesus, the central fig
ure of Bible history. 1 do not find fault
with his criticisms Of the Bible. Many of
them l accept. Ho has drawn a picture Of
the warts and wrinkles of the Biblc'and
passed them of for the Bible itself. He
has overlooked the unparalleled struggle
Of Israel after righteousness, overlooked
the matohless portrayal of tho human
heart In its sins and frivolities, overlooked
tho aspirations after holiness and the deep
strivings to solve the problems Of sorrow
and death, overlooked Tie great lifo of
Jesus, who, Goethe, the poet; Renan, the
critic; Napoleon, tho man of war, said was
unapproachable IN glcry.
"Mr. Ingersoll is not fair to tho Bible
and Jesus. lie Is a ploador. He has
case in court. He makes a caricatuTo OF
religious history by becoming a wart and
wrinkle painter.
"Much more l might say, and in all
kindness. He is defective I'm spiritual VI
sion. He offers no remedy for sin. He
places no emphasis on personal response
bility Ha refuses to call "A wicked man In