The Van Buren press., 1897-08-21
A Plea for Charity.

AAhi tH@ "asA4-E UsN
There is no particular objection to
Mr.. Moody standing by Jonah and
the whale as long and as faithfully as
he pleases. 1t is his undoubted right
TO stand there as determinedly as the
boy stood on the burning deck. - He
has clear right, legally and morally,
not only to hold. but to proclaim his
mistaken and unswerved belief that
there are no fgurative expressions in
the Bible, but that every word in all
the books of the Old and New Testa
ments is literally true. But while ex-
ercising this right it seems to us that it
would be possible for Mr. Moody to
also exercise something of charity and
tolerance toward his Christian brethren
who do not quite agree with him ON the
Jonah and whale question. In his ad
dress at Northfeld, the other day, Mr..
Moody said: Il want every college
man here to know that believe in the
story of Jonah and the whale Report
ers put it down that will never let a
man come on this platform to speak if
he doesn't believe that the whale
swallowed Jonah.
There are a great many Christian
ministers, including men of profound
learning and eminent piety, who do not
"believe that the whale swallow wed
Jonah. = They regard the narrative as
delightful specimen of Oriental folk
lore. Among these is the Rev. Dr.
Lymann Abbott, of Plymouth church,
Brooklyn, a preacher and writer who
has the confidence of millions of
Christian people. The Lewiston
Journal. referring to the Northfield
incident, pertinently suggests that when
Brother Moody forbids such good man
as Brother Abbott from getting ON to
the platform, he simply narrows plat
form which ought to be broadened.
And the journal adds that, whether
Moody is right or whether Abbott is
right, both of them certainly are good
men doing good work. and that good
work is much hindered by making
exegesis test of piety.
These two great preachers agree in
all the tenets of what is called the
orthodox faith. Thus agreeing, why
should either object to the other as
co worker in the saving of souls7 Is
that work so far advanced that the
great evangelist of Northfeld can
afford to bar out not only Lyman
Abbott, but all of the clergymen who
do not agree with him in this matter
Would it not be far better for the cause
in which Mr.. Moody is enlisted if he
were to welcome as coadjutors the
clergymen against whom he draws the
liner
The world moves, and its motion in
some respects is very rapid. Acts
which the clergy and laity of hundred
years ago deemed innocent are now
branded as crimes. If we go back to
the Old Testament times and try the
holy men of that period by our
standards. we have to condemn many
of the best of them. Mr. Moody isl
compelled, by his platform, to believe
that Lot, for example, was
righteous man. Compared with
his neighbors he certainly deserves
that designation. But, if any man of
our time were to do just as Lot did in
his own domestic affairs, and if the
police found him out he would get
long term in penitentiary he would
be execrated, not only by good people,
but by all, except the most degraded of
the criminal classes,
Instead of disputing over things that
are not essential. instead of dividing
Christian preachers over passages in the
Old Testament, it seems to us it would
be wiser to preach the great funda
mental doctrines laid down by Christ
and His disciples. There are differ
ences enough amoug Christians with
out fomenting discord among those who
have hitherto worked in harmony. The
enemies of Christianity find more amuse-
ment than edification in this Jonah con
tention. Bro. Moody would do well to
remember how great thing is charity
"And now abide three things-faith,
hope, and charity. and the greatest of
these is charity. When the people
look toward Northfeld let them not be
compelled to recall Hood $ fearful
line
ALIAS for the rarity of Christian charity"