The Monitor-register., 1897-02-12

Rev. Lyman Alb bott, D. D., the sue
cessor of Henry Ward Beeoher In the
pulpit of Plymouth Church, Brooklyn,
has created quite a stir in religious and
Theological circles, by course of Sunday
evening sermons on the Bible, the drift
of which, whether intended or not, has
been an attack on the supernatural ele-
msnt in the Holy Scriptures. His action
in thus practically ridiouling the mirac-
uIous in the Old Testament Scriptures
notably the story of Jonah, is condemned
by the surrounding Congregational
ministers, and their course will be ap
proved, for if the Bible is to be taken
from man and it's supernatural authorit y
destroyed, what hope is left for him.as to
the future. A minister of the gospel,
who occupies the position of public
teacher, is the last one to sell k to under
mine faith in the inspired word OF God.
The New York Sun, in editorially COM
menting on the action of Dr.. Abbott, and
the numerous letters received discussing
bis attitude, gets at the pith of the matter
10 this manner: "If there is not super
natural authori ty for Christianity it
becomes simply system of moral philos-
ophy, regarding whose soundness disa-
greement is jusEble and inevitable. If it
is not believed in as coming from God by
supernatural revelation but is treated as
simply human in its origin, it will be
criticised on its merits alone, as the Jews,
for instance, criticise it, and as it was
criticised by the Romans. The Romans
opposed the Christian system and tried to
destroy it as essentially .inimical to the
State and the established social order.
They viewed the Christians and dealt
with them as we now regard and treat
Anarchists. If, then, the supernatural
origin and character of Jesus are denied,
His teachings will be examined in light
radically different from that in which
their discussion has proceeded hitherto.
They will cease to be the foundation of
a religion imposing an obligation of belief
become debatable propositions made by
human teacher of philosophy, and there
fore properly and necessarily examinable
to determine their intrinsic value. This
would make a complete revolution in tue
spirit of Christendom. Christianity as a
religious system would be wholly SUBJ
verted. Instead of religion deriving it's
authorithy from a supernatural source,
we should have only religious philoso
ply limited by the inability Of the human
intellect 10 go beyond this world of sense
and fact. Jesus would be relegated to
the plane of Buddha and Mohammed,
and the Biblical stories of supernatural
occurrences would take their place along
with the tales of Greek and Roman.
Assyrain and Egyptian mythology.
Nothing would be left for man except
the guidance of human reason alone. The
Foundation upon which the Church and
Christian theology are built, would be
swept away absolutely. 1t is this des-
truction In which DIR. Abbott and his
defenders are now engaged. If the
Biblical story of Jonah and whale is to
be regarded as purely parable, an alle-
CORY, whose actual occurrence was i'm
possible and therefore unbelievable,
Christianity must decend from its exal-
cation as religion of Divine authority,
and drop to the level of system Of
religious philosophy or speculation, OF
human authorship. If the story of Jonah
is merely allegorical, fable, every other
Biblical tale, from the creation of Adam
and Eve up to the supernatural birth and
resurrection of Jesus, is likewise allegori-
cal, for they conflict equally with the
possibilities under merely natural law.
In other words, the arguments of
DIR. Abbott end his defenders shatter the
whole fabric Of religion built by faith,
and put the Scriptural reports of super
natural occurrences in the same cate
eaory With the t. ,e. fmy thoiogy."