The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-07
region 20 the disaster 10 not likely to
affect Texas's primacy this year a. tho king
OF the cotton-produclng States.
Some Religious Inquirers Answered.

different correspondents concerning relig-
ious matters discussed by THE Sun. and 10
Is convenient TO answer them together.
A correspondent at Baltimore asks:
First. You say that AT Asbury Park there 10 70
begin nstt month summer school for the Biblical
instruction Of primary and junior workers after
the old orthodox method Of interpretation What
IL the old orthodox method'1
Secondly You say they will not meet 20 criticise.
but to bow down before 10 dho Bible), - divine in
ita authorship, 40 revelation and Inspiration. which
Il Ia inexpressby sinful TO subject TO the test OF
mere human ocience. What Ia mere human SCI.
encsi"
The old orthodox method OF Interpreting
the Bible proceeded on the theory that the
Scriptures are OF Divine inspiration and
therefore beyond human criticism. Tho
Westminster Confession speaks Of "the
entire perfection thereof" OF "infallihle
truth" That was the invariable orthodox
attitude toward the Bible, and 1t governed
the Interpretation OF tho Scriptures in
church, Sunday school and household up
to the time when the new scientific method
OF treatment was introduced. The Bible
was regarded as absolutely the Word Of
GoD, Book wholly by itself, apart from oil
human literature and alone. Divine in its
authority. That was the belief inculoated
in all children brought up in pious ortho-
dox families generation ago.
Mere human science is the natural knowl-
edge obtainable and demonstrate by man,
in contradstinction to supernatural knowl-
edge possible only to GoD, and therefore
communicable only by Him.
This inquiry comes from Charleston, in
South Carolina:
is it any oversight that you are silent on certain
phases OF Roman Catholicism, though giving con.
siderable space to its propagsndist hteraturef In
your yesterdays Sunday issue these headlines
alongside Rome and hnericanism' strike met
Rev. DR.. zAHM Submits to Rome; Author Of
Evolution and Dogma withdraws Book from
Circulation. evolution s wrong The Sun should
help the Church in its unsparing condemnation. II
1t is right reasonably true what hes 10 to say for
the position OF the holy Catholic Churohr'
No, 1t is no oversight. THE SUN has no
reason to speak on the subject for we
never undertake to controvert Of them
selves the doctrines professed and pro-
claimed by any Church. Our only criticism
has been OF Churches which proclaim doc
trines and tcnets that In practice they deny
or violate We have undertaken to do no
more than hold both believers and skeptics
to the honest and logical conclusions Of
their premises and make them fair in their
dealing with themselves and others. What
ever may be the difference OF opinion as to
the belief and doctrines OF the Roman Cath
Ole Church as to evolution or any other
question, 1t cannot be denied that it at
least stands by them in most uncompro-
missing way. That Is all there is to the
matter Tho articles to which our CORE
spondent refers were simply news and pub
lishcd as such only.
A Salvation Army correspondent at New
York asks us these questions:
have Just read the article in your issue OF to-day
entitled Bishop PoTTrR and Dogma and am in.
clined to AJAX two questions;
II. Are the original records of the doinss Of
Julius C!ssAR in any one Of his snpaigns in s1-
istence IL so. where arc they to be foundt
- If they not in existence, 10 tho history
now read concerning his campaign in Gaul dogma
purely'' g. H. HopoEs, IL. b"
JULIUS CESAR was a mere human being,
and the record Of his doings contains moth
ing impossible OF performance by merely
human skill and energy. The record Of
JESUS CHRIST relates to parsonage de-
| scribed as supernatural in His power and
as doing miracles and passing through ex-
periences impossible for more man. The
difference between the natural evidence in
| the two cases Is therefore radical. Our cor
| respondent can believe in JUn1us CEsARs
authenticity as historical character and
the authenticity Of the record OF his life or
reject them, as he thinks best, without
violating any obligation which can be
called religious; but he cannot believe
1
the Gospels without believing in Him
as q Divine character. That record is
! incredible otherwise; no testimony which
attributes Divine power to man Is cred
iblc, for such power is impossible to man.
| Hence the believer must start out by
accepting CHRIST as the Son OF COP, and for
that belief he has no support except dogma.
Except for dogma the New Testament rec
ord Is worthless, for ii contradicts and vio-
lates natural laws. First Of all, there must
be faith in the dogma Of the Divine inspira-
ton OF the authors OF the record. giving to
them absolute credibilty as q religious
obligation. They must be authenticated
by dogma In order to relieve the record
from the incredibility which otherwise
would attach to it necessarily.
|
is credible on its face, for it Is wholly oon-
sstent with purely natural possibilities
and with performances OF which men at
this time are manifestly capable. His
Commentaries on the Gallo war and on
the civil war were distinctly original in the
| sense that they were written by himself
| No such written record was left by JESUS
and mono OF the original records Of HE
career and His doings as made by othor
men are discoverabe. The Gospels were
made up half century and more after His
death from tradition or from documents
now lost.
Tho points made by our correspondent
are captious merely.
The Chicago and tho Transvaal.
Rear Admiral HoWISON's flaushin tht