The morning news., 1899-04-24
NO DANGER TO CHRISTIANITY.
EVOLUTION AND HIGHER CRITI-
CIsM NOT FOES To RELIGION.

the Grandeur and Greatness of
God and the other Presents the
Scriptures in Their True Light.
Rev. c. H. Strong Holds That
Christianity Is Entirely COmPati-
BILE with the Advancing Thought
of the AEe-SOme ReadJustment of
Ideas Is All That Is Necessary.
rs Christianity Compatible With the
Advancing Thought of the Timer" was the
question discussed by Rev. C. II. Strong
at 81. Johns Church last night.
Rev. Mr.. strong's conclusion, after dis
cussing the progress of evolution and the
results of the higher criticism, was that
in the full light of the truths revealed by
both of these agencies, Christianity is stili
not only living truth. but is stronger
and more capable of administering to the
needs of man than ever before, as well as
being just as essential 10 his well being as
at any time in the past.
Mr.. Strongs text was from st. Jude:
Keep yourselves in the love OF God, look
ing for the mercy OF our Lord Jesus Chris,
unto eternal life"
St Jude was the only one of the apos-
ties, Mr.. Strong said. who appeared TO be
anything of pessimist His brief epis-
tie seems TO show a state of affairs in
which the church was at low ebb and
to indicate a feeling Of despair at the
abuses which had crept in and the condi-
tions which confronted the church. but
after reciting these things he exhorts them
in the words of the text and encourages
the followers of Christ with similar exhor-
tatiOn.
a somewhat simillr state of affairs ex-
lists in the preselt Day Mi. Strong said.
With the rapid advance of modern thought
and the new light which has been thrown
upon the collection of books known as the
Bible and upon Biblical history some have
begun to fear that Christianity is no long
er capable of meeting the moral and spir-
itual conditions of advanced civiliza ton or
of maintaining its hold upon men in the
face of recent discoveries apparently af-
Getting its reliability. There is an undereur-
rent of feeling that Christianity is not alto
gether compatible with the spirit of the
times, that belief in the Bible has been
destroyed by the revelations of the doc
trine of evolution and the new light which
has been thrown upon the scriptures, by
the higher criticism and that there is a ten
dency to new ideas of higher type i'm
ported from the Oriental religions.
4 am convinced" said Mr.. Strong. that
no man and no church will ever be able
20 stop the advancing thinking of men.
III 1t were possible to stop it, l do not
know that it would be advisable to do so.
! am firmly convinced that the world
and every portion of it IS In the
hands OF God. and that all great
movements are in some manner
under his direction"
In speaking of the propriety OF investi-
eating the soundness of the truths Of
Scripture. Mr.. Strong said: IF we were
IN lighthouse on our coast and one of
the severe cyclones, which have become so
common of recent years. were approaching
and this light house was our only refuge,
would 1t not be natural for us to know If
its foundations were solid and unshakable
There Is no advantage whatever in be-
ieving In delusion or a falsehood There
Is every reason why we should examine
INTO the foundations of our belief and If
there be any necessity for readjustment
that the readjustment should be made OF
this thing l am sure that the faith which
l have in the Lord Jesus Christ rests upon
no sandy foundation. 1t does not rest upon
any belief In the truth of miracles or in
the fulhlment of the prophecies but that
II is the gospel of loving God. and that
il is such is demonstrated by its fruits"
Some simple questions had arisen 70 con
front the church, Mr. Strong said One of
these is rs the religion of Jesus Christ
consistent with the material science of our
times?' The great discovery of the doc
trine of evolution, so far from overthrow
ing a belief in God was new revelation
of the greatness of God. MIR. Strong said.
1t gives a new conception of the world in
which we live. IL shsws that the world
came into existence under a definite and
determined purpose. and that it was not
a mere arbitrary creation. Instead of be-
lieving that the world was created in six
days, we now have grander conception
of the work of God. We have simply had
to change our conception of the creation.
THE ancient book of Genesis Mr..
Strong Said, was written In poetry, just
as we have The Psalms to-day II gives
the Hebrew poets conception of the crea-
ton The main point is this. that il shows
that one nation had formed a conception
of one good and just God while other
nations were given 10 the worship of
idols"
Evolution, Mr.. Strong said, has shown
that mans residence on earth. instead OF
being about 5000 years. as taught by the
old chronology, Is more likely nearer six
~ times 5000 years. IL shows the devel-
opment OF man from a lower state while
OF the same time the Hebrew poets idea
OF the divine origin OF man is borne out
in our natures. Every man possesses IN
himself a dual nature one from the ami
NAL and one from God. From one we
derive our noble impulses and from the
other the lusts OF the flesh. Evolution,
said Mr. Strong. simply furnishes
grander, nObler conception Of the work OF
God.
Mr. stnong then gave his attention 10
the higher criticisms Of the Bible. which
Is causing much discussion in theological
circles. The result OF the higher criu-
cism, he said, has been TO change mems
conception Of the inspiration OF the Bible
In the old Hebrew manuscript OF Genesis
the scholars have discovered that the name
Of God Is written differently ia different
portions OF the work IN one part it Is
Alohe in another Jehovah. II has been
shown that there were Two original manu-
scripts and that the book is later than
the time Of Moses, because IL contains
things which DID not occur until after
the Mosaic era. Mr. strong mentioned
this simply as sample Of the higher crit-
fetQn