The Portland daily press., 1896-10-14

huu IL oho pRcUcHorh W AOu kuoW uA
they should or knowing will not speak
out, such progressive hearers will simply
60 elsewhere, or II the old theories Of alb
solute inerrancy of the Bible are dog
matically reasserted, they will be forced
to ths other extreme. Wis infidelity. One
of the preachers at the club well objected
to what he SO happily called the
Economic administration of truth" 1t
has been the policy OF some to give to
the people just so much of religious truth
as they were thought able to use profit
ably, and to conceal the rest. To be sure
it Is of no use to give solid food to babes
or to cast pearls before swine, but this
does not justify us in Withholding truth
that can be intelligently received. Tell
the people plainly all the truth that they
can grasp and educate them to grasp
more The results Of the critical study Of
the Bible are not so profound nor danger
Gus, but that the average layman may
comprehend them, and with great in
tslleotual and spiritual profit. Danger
turks amidst the unknown. Truth never
should be imprisoned In the darkness. 1t
was once thought that it was dangerous.
yea, harmful. to let the common people
have the Bible itself to read. Is it
possible that any Protestant preachers
are now giving sanction to the principle
contained i'll that prohi bitionp
1t is said that the higher critics are bad
men, "doing the work of Satan. (" Tut.
tut, brethrenl let US be charitable and
love one another. The statement Is en-
tirely erroneous, II applied to any of the
Biblical students of the present century.
They are devout and earnest souls, who
love the Bible and are digRi ng In it as
for hidden treasure. Their aim is not to
destroy the Bible but to rescue 1t from
superstitious notions concerning it. Are
men like Dlllman, Weiss, Smith, San
scores of similar elect spirits, Bible
hatersf No, of course not. Then it fol-
lows that they must be ingorant msn in
thus. "doing the work of Satanl' leave
the reader to judge as to who are the
more pious and learned.
Permit me to quote sentence from my
| little book on Prophecy OF Speaking
for Cod" lately published: Gas a record
of Gods progressive revelation of Him
self and of His will concerning us, the
Bible is for us par excellence the word
of Co.," 1t ls the record of a revelation
made first In the souls of men. It's truths
are still revealed to the pure in heart and
are new every morning and fresh every
evening. They are now and always have
been revealed to and through fallible
men, aud their utterance has been and
ever must be attended by human limita-
lions. The dogma of inerranoy is what
we combat, not the Bible itself. Discard
that and current infidelity is disarmed of
its chief weapons. Cling still to it, and
against the theologians. Christ corrected
the ethics of Moses. No one can doubt
that who reads the sermon on the mount.
The ceremonial and civil law of the He
brew people has tdeoayed and vanished
away. Critical history and science
have led to better, more helpful inter-
pretation OF much that WAS once thought
matters of fnct and miracle. Is any one
going to surrender his religion because
of thisp Or in order to retain it must we
still teach that Moses WAS right and in
spired of God in asserting the law of re-
taliRtiOn or the lsraeltes in Strengthening
the women and children of Jericho and
predatory Psalmsp Would not Jesus
Himself sag to them and to US, "Ye
know not what spirit ye are Of"
The fullest rexelasioa of God and of
man is In Jesus Christ. MI that does
not agree with his spirit and teaching
we must discard. He is our standard of
authority. Let US all love and initiate
Him. We will freely and fearlessly prove
all things and hold fast that which is
good. In our discussions 1t isof the utmost
Importance that we keep the Master il
our midst. Any departure from His tone
and spirit will do vastly more harm than
Higher Criticism.
II is very difficult, perhaps impossible,
in so limited space as can be allowed
me In daily newspaper to express my
self SO az not to be misunderstood. /
; hope have not exceeded due limits, and
! / must leave it to the great Interpreter to
guide the lovingly studious into further
truth.
Yours sincerely,
EVERETT s. STACKPOLE. i
Auburn, Me-, October 13, 1896.