The record-union., 1896-06-14
says: He asked, What Is truth? and
went out without waiting for an an
SWer'"

says: He asked, What Is truth? and
went out without waiting for an an
swer.'"
Suppose it were true" SAYS the
"Congregationalst" of Boston, that the
results of the higher criticism repre-
sented only passing phase of thought
and that all the conclusions which have
given such offense are to be corrected
by a new generation of scholars work
Ing gradually back to the old position.
Are we in the meantime to assure a
whole generation of young men that
God is inlpotent for their salvation
and direction if in the Bible there is
and miSta AXE OF any sort what
ever. either upon natural or physical
science, or upon history or anything
whatever? That would be to make in
hdels by wholesale in our colleges and
to put the study of the Bible into the
hands of unbelieving scholars. We dare
not so limit the Holy Scripture in our
| thought or creed. Good angels must
laugh and grieve at such lack of faith
III Gods care for his own work Truth
Is mighty and will prevail, and He
who inspired the prophets can still
apply the prophecies to mans need The
citadel of faith is not here, it is in the
personal relation to Christ through the
lndWelling of the living Spirit. He is
most concerned in the perfection or i'm
perfection of the Bible, and may be
trusted to vindicate the wisdom of His
ways with man in His own fashion
And to say that He who has used i'm
perfect men as His instruments from
the beginning cannot use the Book un-
less II is wholly free from error is to
reduce the whole argument to an alb
surdity"
There can be no objection. of
course" says the New York observer"
oPres.), Ito the idea of returning 10 ori-
gins if these be the real rudiments of an
intelligent faith and not the imaginery
creations of those who want to make
over again after their own later designs
thls world which the Almighty had al
ready made so we'll. But the spirit that
inspires much of this specious decry-
ing OF established faiths and forms in
the interest of a new theology or
Christianless Christian Science or
what not is essentially revolutionary
and destructive. There are ALWAYS
those about who have constitutionalIv
the temper of the destroyer. If there
be government, such are against IT..
II there be regulation they are opposed
TO 1t; II anything be custom 1t is wrong.
If aught be dogma, it must be rallied at;
II any matter be settled, it must be un-
settled. Such destructionists are like
the boys In the bowling alley. The fun
comes in when the tenpins are knocked
down. There is no fun obtaina BILE when
the pins remain standing up In their
proVokingly steady files, and certainly
no fun, when, once knocked over. they
have to be picked out Of the sawdust
and set in position again. Destruction
is entertaining, and has zest, but con-
struction, rehabilitation, comes hard.
And yet, it is far easier to pull down
than it is to build up again, after the
ruin has once been accomplished: and
accordingly, he Is the greater fool who,
when provided already with a firm and
adequate basis for faith and practice
goes about seeking to induce a condi-
tlon of spiritual anarchy, and there
after to lay again. on more novel and
shaky lines, the foundation
Some of the most energetic and
Woodworking pastors in the Mathodis)
church say" remarks the New York
independent" that the limitations
OF the itinerancy are such that, in the
great centers of population, they can
not take a commanding position and
gain the Influence and the leadership
which are necessary to the highest sue
cess. The inexOrabla law of the time
limit takes them out of their pastorates
just when they have begun to lay foun-
dSt1ons for permanent prosperity. Those
who are most in demand go from city
to city like bright particular stars.
without the possibility of acquiring a
permanent habitation or becoming
leading citizens in any of the great
cities. 1t is not so in other denoanina-
tions, and there seems to be no good
reason why it should be so in Method
ISM Sush notifications of the itiner-
ancy as are necessary could be made
without destroying the SYSTEM but the
General Conference refuses to make
them There is danger that this con-
servatism will cripple the church in the
great cities. Nobody can doubt that it
has been the cause of great losses hith-
erto, and these losses will increase as
time goes on, and it appears that there
is little hope of a remedy