The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-05-17
HARD THEOLOGICAL NUTS
REV. DR. BEHBENDs PROPOUNDS 4
 FEW TO DIVINITY SENIORS.

His Sermon to the Graduating Clnss- Advises the Young Divines Not to Get Above the Higher Criticism Train-Backs His Advice With Strong Reasons-A Large Audience Present.
 Some hard knocks were given higher criticism last evening by Rev. A. J.. F. Behrends, who preached the Bacca- laureate sermon to the divinity school in the Center church.
 The body of the church was filled, the center aisle being reserved for the divinity students.
 On the platform with Rev. Dr. Beh- rends were President Dwight and Prof. Brastow and Prof. Fisher.
 Rev. Dr. Behrends Is the pastor of the Central Congregational church or Brooklyn and is one of the ablest ex- ponents of the conservative school Of modern theoolgy. He is of Scot tish descent and man of great force of character and scholarly ability. He was perhaps the ablest opponent Of the views presented by Rev. Lyman Ap- bolt, the past year, which have been so widely criticized.
 His sermon last evening was more calculated to impress the theological senior versed in all the twists and turns ap hut tha aPn lay mind found it pretty difficult sail ing. Dr. Behrends said at the outset that he proposed to speak plainly and truthfully and if any harm was done it should be attributed to Prof. Fisher, who had invited him to speak. He said in part:
 Theology should be reasonable, Christian and founded on reverance for the Scripture These I shall not under take to defend, for to me they are automatic truths. There are signs that the air is clearing in theology and that the old faith so long and so fierce ly assailed is at last entering upon new era of power. I will consider two questions in modern theology around which all other questions center, the criticism of the Bible and the place of St. Paul as an interpreter of the Bible. T take an interest in the Bible not as a higher critic, but as one for whom criticism has a tremendous value. No sentiment is worth preserving which science condemns, and there can be no permanent divorce between the head and the heart"
 Tn quotations from Hardnack, the great est living scholar and historian of the New Testament period, in which he denies the validiy of the position reached by the Tubinger school of high CT critics and asserts that criticism after all must follow after tradition at least so far as tradition Is not proved to be untrue.
 When such a man as Hardnack, " said the speaker finds it necessary to retrace his steps. it is high time for others to call halt. It Is the Gettys- burg of the higher criticism: the Ap- pomattox to come later.
 "If the Bible speaks the truth I am satisfied; if it speaks myths and senti- ments merely will give it up There
 
 my common sense, so that piety car float, common sense will sink
 "A second significant fact is that Hardnack controverts the evolutionary method which the Hegleion school ap. piled in history as though it was a syl- 1ogism, with thesis, antithesis and syn. thesis following each other at regular stated intervals. It is time for the Hegelion school to come down out o1 the clouds.
 Tt remains to be seen what the high. CT criticism will say of Hardnack He Is the one man whom they cannot ig- nore. He knows his ground
 Quoting still further from Hardnack Dr. Behrends showed how that scholar had located the conversion of Paul ir the year of Christ's death insead O. several years later, as the higher crit ics had estimated. Continuing he said 'This gives Paul greater power and au thority as a preacher of the gospel o1 Christ. The Pauline theology is tht only sword with which to conquer skep ticism at home and organism abroad Discard St. PauPs gospel and nothing can save you.
 ''The future lies with him who starts out with Paul's gospel and the Chris tianfty of Paul against all corners. Sc say, in conclusion, that the time has far from come when we shall give III Paul and Moses at the demand of the higher criticism.
 Young men, step aboard the trair on which Moses is at the lookout ant Paul is the conductor. Roadmastel Hardnack has inspected the wheels O the higher criticism train and found them cracked and unsafe. Don't ge onto it. If you have already got aboard the train get down. The train is doom ed to a breakdown"
 LITTLE MISS BARRELS PARTY.