The Portland daily press., 1896-10-03
Mr.. Shepherds Letter.

Mr.. Shepherds Letter.
TO the Editor of the Press:
In Thursday's issue of your excellent
paper, the paper read before the Glorious
Club by the Rev. E. S. Stackpole on the
Higher Criticism, appears. Allow me
first of all to congratulate you on the en-
terprise manifested by the PRESS In
giving SO good and so full an abstract of
Dr.. Stackpole's paper. 1t leads me to
the superstition that when reply is
made to that paper. (for reply will be
made either before the Glorious club or
somewhere else) you will be az generous
to shat reply as you have been to the e.
say.
The thing wish to call attention to
now is the paragraph which closes the
noJioe; to the fact that. vigorous opposi-
ton was manifested to the paper. "The
paper was discussed by the ministers
present, and with few exceptions practi-
cal unanimity with the essayist was dis
covered.''
just who the discoverer was 10 not
mentioned Any man looking over th 6
Glorious Club before the essay was read
would have been perfectly sure of the
verdict OF the majority. That majority
was made up of Unitarians, Universe
lists and Congregationalists, some of whom
seem lowering near the line of hetero-
doxy. Beside these, two Baptists, a few
Methodists and two Episcopalians were
present. There may have been others,
whose ecclesiastical ytatus have not
mentioned.
The public is not to be surprised then
to learn that the advocates of liberal
Christianity" approved of the essay, be-
cause as matter of fact it was q special
plea for that sort of Christianity. I
went to the meeting OF the Club expect
disappointed. But expected to be like
the Queen of Sheba when she visited
Solomon. I supposed that the half
had not been told of The Higher Criti-
cism. AS a matter of fact not a new
idea was advanced in the essay. This
was disappointment.
Using a medical term. the essayist i'm
pressed me as a man troubled with a
mild attack of Colenso with intermit-
tent symptnms of Briggs and other mod
ern advocates of the Higher Criticism.
do not believe it ia very dangerous
disease or incurnble, except in the case
of very young and immature theologi-
ans. As the essayisb is a Doctor OF d.
vinity, let us hope he may later on care
himself. There was one thing that
pleased me much. 1t was the frank state
ment by the essayist that no did not like
the term Higher Criticism. 1t was very
good of him. To say the least 1t Is not
a modest term. It also implies that the
superlative degree of criticism il yet to
be reached. The essayist was just plain,
humble critic or Investigator. II he had
not manifested at times that cocksure-
ness of statement SO common to a GER
tain kind of critics of the Bible some OF
US wonld have taken more stock in his
assertion that he was not "higher crit
10" But let US hope that all this will
wear off in time.
Before went to the club must oon-
fess that ] made every preparation to
fumlgate myself when l came home. l
have the materials yet on hand to use
for a more dangerous occasion. paid
my dues to the treasurer, as an honest
man should, and feel assured that the
Glorious Club has magnificent future
before it. We will endeavor, Mr.. Editor,
to keep you posted in the future, II for
nothing more than to let the good people
of Portland know that there are usually
two sides to every question.
JOS. BATTELL SHEPH ERD.