The times., 1899-05-19
Christianity in the Light of Reason

III is outrageous.
AS most people will remember, the
Presbyterian Church objected to Dr. Briggs
some years ago on the ground that his
teachings were too full of the higher crit
icism" TO be Scriptural 1t was alleged
that he turned the light of this higher
criticism which is in plain terms the
light of reason, too freely upon the Bible,
and that he was not therefore safe guide
for the young men educated in the Presby-
terian Theological Seminary in which he
taught. To the layman this chain of rea-
soning might, in connection with the his
tory of the Protestant Church, seem rather
devious and queer. The cornerstone of the
Protestant Church is the liberty OF each
individual to read and interpret the Scrip
lures for himself, instead of having them
interpreted for him. The child is taught
in its catechism to search the Scriptures
for proper guidance in the duties of life.
Therefore, young ministers cannot do
otherwise than exhort -the members of
their congregations to read the Bible as
earnestly and carefully as possible, since it
is the only source of authority in religious
matters. II is to be presumed that they
will read it with their brains, not merely
with their eyes; in other words, that they
Will use their brains TO determine what the
various chapters mean, and what bearing
they have upon human life. But it will not
be safe for the young minister to do this.
He must search the Scriptures, not in the
light of his own reason, but somebody
eIse's. 1t will not do for DIR. Briggs to use
his reason, either. The teacher is denied
the liberty which is imposed upon the
pupil.
DR.. Briggs finally decided to join the
Protestant Episcopal Church and become
a mission priest. devoting the remainder
OF his life to doing good TO those in need.
There was strong opposition TO his ordi-
nation, and it was so feared that some one
might make scene in the church that po
licemen were stationed outside the doors
to keep order. The head of the opposition
thinks that in the ordination of men like
DR.. Briggs the Church itself is in danger.
His argument is that a man who reads mis-
Bible in the light OF the higher criticism
(that is, his reason), and gives the results
OF his investigations to the world, is a
with those of the Established Church. This
Church is the only source of wisdom, as its
Interpretation of the Bible is the only cor
rect one, and its Judgment is infallibie in
regard to the men who are called by the
spirit to minister to other men. Yet this
infallible Judgment has frequently gone
astray, and men have been let into the
Church whose only motives were those of
f-aggrandizement and desire of social
position or of money. DR.. De Costa does
not explain how he knows this. when the
final authority, the Church itself, has been
deceived. nor does he specify the impos-
tors, but he ends with the statement that
if authority is destroyed there can be no
Christianity, and intimates that by admit
ting reason, authority will be destroyed.
DR.. Briggs was ordained, but the occur
renee, when considered In all its aspects,
moves the layman TO serious reflection. 1t
seems odd that one churchman should be
accusing brother of coneeit and selfish
ness, and even perjury. and another should
retaliate by accusing the first of lament
able ignorance and of malignant and
INSCRIPTIONS perversions" OF the truth.
When the layman reads his Bible in the
light of plain common sense, whether or
not that be the higher criticism, he finds
this statement OF the Apostle John:
We know that we have passed from death unto
life, because We love the brethren.
IL may be that the language of DR.. De
Costa and Bishop Potter is that of love,
but it sounds remarkably like the Ian
guage of excited politicians. According to
James, when blessing and cursing proceed
out of the same mouth, these things
ought not so to be- When in one breath
a clergyman blesses his congregation and
in the next accuses his fellow-clergymen
of perjury, he seems unconscious OF this.
We have Paul declaring that striyings
about the law, and foolish questions, and
contentious are ''unprofitable and va.n,'
and the same authority explicitly advises
that all things should be done without
murmurings and disputings," that the
crooked and perverse outer world may
hear.
Whole chapters of the Bible are devoted
to the duty. the imperative duty, Of being
humble, and gentle and kind, and toler-
ant, and living peaceably and lovingly with
one another; and there is not one single
word forbidding man to go and do good
81. he aaIc
1t is not >said anywhere that 1t is neces-
sary for one to believe the story of Jonah
and the whale before he can talk to his
fellow-man on the beauty of a Christlike
life-and live one himself. 1t is, however,
not only intimated, but emphatically stat
ed. that the things especially to be avoid
ed by Christian people are squabbling
among themselves, unkind feeling. and evil
speaking. The Bible does not teach that
if man does not believe that a woman
was made out of a rib of a man he can
not love God; but II does teach with great
emphasis. that If he does not love his
fellow man he cannot love God. And yet
for generation after generation the lay
man has been inoculated, carefully and
ssstehialicaiIS' Win the Hoiioh ehat pe-
lief in miracles is the important thing. and
decent life the secondary thing; that
II is q helnous sin to use his reason. and
comparatively harmless offence TO back
bite his neighbor. browbeat his wife and
children, and abuse everyone who does
not believe as he does. This is a perver-
sion of plain facts.
II is not at all an exaggeration to say
that the most fruitful cause of the weak
ness OF the Christian church in all ages has