The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-02-18
THE HIGHER CRITICISM.
Dr.. Blanchard's Sermon at Congress
Square Church on Sunday.

DIR. Blanchard preached sermon yes
terday morning at Congress square
church, on "The great practical value
OF the higher criticism" A distinguished
man in England once said, "All sensible
men were of oneleligion y He probably
meant that if men would study and use
their common sense.they would inevitab-
ly come into closer agreement. Full
unity of opinion is still doubt far
ahead. But there can be far more upan-
unity than now exists. The sermon was
meant to be contribution towards
coming unity among men who believe
in God and Jesus Christ.
Higher criticism may be defind as the
attempt of educated men to find out
how the books of the Old and New Tes-
taments came into existence.
Il DR.. Blanchard here gave a sketch of
the rise of the critical school and of
their noble labors in all parts OF Chris
tendon today. These scholars are not
yet agreed on all points, but there is
growing unanimity on main points; in
deed there is already substantial agree
meht OH many points.
Some of these are that the Scriptures
are human compositions; that they no.
where claim to be written by God; that
their contents in many instances, are
made up from previous Documents: that
Moses did not write the books general
ly ascribed to him. that most of the
Psalms were written long after the time
of David; that the gospels are based en-
oral traditions; that the book of Reve-
Responding Christians.
DR.. Blanchard then proceeded to show
what beliefs and customs would be put
away when men shall see what the
Scriptures really are:
First, it will be believed that one day
in seven, as day of wor ship, was of
human institution and not divine. He
spoke of the custom of using Saturday
as day of worship by Jews, Seventh
Day Adventists and Baptists, and gave
an illustration from Westerly, RI. Con
venience will, therefore, some day make
Sunday the day Of worship for all Chris
tendon.
Second, it will be seen that public
schools can be made moral and religious
without sectarian teachings.
Episcopalians, Lutherans, Catholics,
wish to have their own schools because
they think the tenets of their faiths are
true; that public schools will draw away
the children from the true faith. But
when men shall accept the results Of the
higher criticism they will see that pub
lie schools will not imperil souls.
Third, it will be seen that men can
unite in great philanthropic work, when
it shall be believed that prophets and
Jesus judged men by deeds and not by
creeds.
Fourth. the multiplication of sects will
be followed by unificatlon, when men
learn, through the higher criticism, that
bases of separate churches have been laid
by men and not by Jesus.
Fifth, great. revivals can include all be-
levers in Goo and Christ, when men see
that the emphasis of Scriptures is on
conduct and not on belief. So shall come
union Of the good against the forces of
evil
DR.. Blanchard gave many illustrations
to. enforce each of his points, and plead
ed earnestly that the conclusions con
corning the Scriptures reached by the
great scholars of Germany, Holland,
Scotland, England and America should
be revered by the great body of the
Christian church.
A very large congregation was present.
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