New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-11-06
PROFESSOR GREEN'S POSITION.
ARGUMENTS AGAINST TIE HIGHER pIBLI.

ARGUMENTS AGAINST THE HIGHER BIBLl-
CAL CRITICISM THAT PROVE TOO MUCH.
To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir. 7 impressed with the calmness. dis
passionateness. fairness and therefore force Of
your editorial this morning criticsing Professor
Green's article against the Higher Criticism
Charity that supreme Christian grace which
no higher criticism shall ever invadate or
'mutilste" forbids US 70 think evil" and
therefore man must DO adiudged conscientious
and honest unless he is proved n be otherwise.
But surely II strains ones charity 70 the
utmost 70 believe Il possible that trained
thinker Ike Professor Green does not himself
see the extreme weakness and worthlessness q
those three arguments which you select f7r
your remarks
Charity again forbids. but otherwise. just for
the reason that these arguments are SD weak.
one would think they were used not honestly.
but as by denasogue because they arc SO
precisely of the kind that appeal 20 settled
and sci, satisfied ignorance IN the common
ranks ~ life. Il IS just the demos the ln-
thinking masses-who can be- made o. think
truth IS not truth because IL has 70 be vari-
ousy approached. because IT'S ciearness is a.
tainef only by progressive stages toward IT,
which are. ~ course. the theories which mon
T lTF one dltr- another. lTfl tlH post N'iH'it-
hypothesis" becomes the demonstrated fact. T.
IS again tradition that appeals 20 the people
and to disturb which 'rrita-es and inconveni-
ences them tho most. And nothing more eXas-
perates the common mass ~ thinkers than 20
take from them some Pc story. Ike william
Tel and the apple or Weemss Washington
and the cherry tree Hence let the cry of
humiliation" 30 raised rs Professor Green
raises H. and the minimizing crowd VIII DO up
in arms az once and have I'D ears for rho clear
est demonstration ~ tho truth they d. not Ike
II is curious how Professor Green's three ar
gumonts could be turned against him as cham
pon ~ Professionalism Doubtless be viii nor
deny hat he is such champion. Yer. Z Do
condemns higher criticism because .'s work IS
not final" then Protestantisrn might have been
or be still. condemned T. flooded the world
with multitude ~ diverse theories ~ religion.
( for such IN fact we've the nutitllirous scots
that arose even before Luthers death and they
are still coming T. me higher criticism IS 20
be disoredited because the uniform testimony
! ~ Christianity in support q the traditional
/ viaw is more trustv orrhv." why then Protes-
/ tant!sm has nor shred o. cover its rale1ross
/ before the accusing mass - tradition rolled lp
ty fifteen centuries before Luther What was
/ Luther's single handed protest. though ir the
! name # conscience and common sense. agains'
the hoary traditions which hal fixed travesties
I q Christian truth and practice upon The de-
iuded minds and hearts = his contemporaries
Professor Green. RI Princeton. must have taken
his stand asains, Luther and Calvin ~ the
principle which De- believes 70 be correct IN as
sailing the higher criticism.
And II is The same with his third argument
What beautiful and comforting tales ~ saints.
what soul soothing rerNereiors rf the true