Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-27

1t would, indeed. be easy to construct
plausible argument for each contention.
On the one hand 1t could be urged that the
free exercise of the human reason in the
study of Scripture produced unbelief and
on the other that skepticism appeared as a
reaction from the too large demands made
upon faith There would be measure of
truth in each of these statements.
NaturaIistic Modes of Thought.
$50 much we may rightly say against the
charge that Professionalism legitimates re-
ligious unbelief. And yet we must, think,
confess that when naturalistic modes OF
thought are prevalent and honored and in
f1uental: when second causes so hold mems
attention that the first cause is easily re-
moved far from them on the field of their
contemplation. there is peculiar danger
that we, especially. of the reformed
churches. shall be powerfully tempted to let
the spirit of the time control or strongly
influence us in our study of the Bible UNI
til we look askance at or minimize the mi
racuous in its history, and construe by the
laws of natural evolution those great
events which. as narrated in Holy Scrip
ture, We had before interpreted as God s
miraculous and gracious Interruptions of
the awful tragedy of a sinful and fallen
race.
Il do not presume to say that con-
scious naturalistc habit of mind is the
source of what we have agreed to call the
new Bible criticism (of which we now hear
Tended within the reformed churches. We
are bound to accept and to defend the sin
cerlty of our own brethren in their dis
avoWelS of misrepresentation and in
their assurances that, in accepting as as
certained truth the reconstruction of the
history of Israel made necessary by their
studies of the literary phenomena of the
Old Testament, they still receive the Bible
as the nfaliible rule of faith and practice,
and are endeavoring, in full faith of the
supernatural, to open the Scriptures to the
people.
Nevertheless. We all know that the new
criticism proposes 3revoIution in our inter
probation of the Old Testament history, and
is beginning to propose a like revolution in
our Interpretation of the New Testament
history. In view of the fact that the Bible
is not only supreme in our church, but oc-
cupleS an exclusive supremacy. and in view
of that intellectual habit of religion, pecu-
liar to US. on which l have already dwelt,
1t is not too much to say that this proposal
has produced in the reformed churches a
serious crisis of belief. of which we are
bound to take some notice in councils like
TINS IN which we are gathered.
What 1t Involves.
You will agree with me that this his
torical attitude of our churches toward the
Bible involves, at the least the statements
that the Bible is one; that it is true; that
it is inspired, and that it is self-evidencing
However we may define them, the Bibles
unity, truth inspiration and self-evidencing
quality cannot be given up by US as Re
formed churches without complete revolu-
ton. To set them aside would be for us, at
least, to set aside the Bible; for there would
be no meaning to our acceptance of the
Bible, if we did not hold it as, in some
sense, unity; or If We did not hold it. as
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