The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-07-16
R[lIGDES CRITICAL TINE.
PAPEn NJ PRO1. cIAs. CuTsGDEn
uAII OF UNION SEMINARY.
=. n>es Net Believe There Can Ne
: Pesnenent Decline IN RELIGION
-rrese.s E1~etuatiena. He seys,
A. Mere Txansatessal Condition..

O men in the pulpit fail to realise
~ that the world has prugressedf
0lN ought not the pulpit TO meet the
new conditional II = freely stat
~ cd in some quarters that the de-
cline In church attendance u noS
\ decline in religion. but that Y a9uMcs
. growing impatience or eccies'as.ss.. 800
With tn tendency 10 controversy ana tecn-
meal discussion. and that many peop.s
Who are becoming lax IN church assond-
ance are developing religious ute apsxS
frOm the church. some have gone 20 far
a 70 say that there II more religion OUT
side Of the church than there n IN IL villa
out entering into the merits OF these crt-'
cisms am very Glad to express my own
serious conviction upon wnak - SseaV
momentous question.
FIrst OF all. believe that there can Be
no permanent decline In religion. Tnese
NAV be superficial fluctuations certain pe-
RODS may exhibit more religious ACTIVITY
and favor than other periods. but reh8son
a a permanent factor In human expert
ence cannot undergo destructive decanes
because religious ideas and experiences
stand in natural and necessary relation 70
the souls Of men. II religion were an artf-
f1clal neceseary Of life the enactment or
human law or an expression OF local and
proyincial custom II might decline ana
pass away. az have dinppearsd countless
other customs and enactments whose
sources have been the arbitrary voiisions
OF men.
CAureh Lake . steaAsAiD.
The church (using the word In its broad
est sense) seems to me like mighty
steamship struggling toward . coast
through 3 tempestuous sea and agalnR
contrary winds. The outlines OF that coa>s
are but dimiy Visible. No man can aneo-
lutely identify II or describe It. Neverthe-
less, the mighty steamship. having within
herself great dynamic force which pro-
pels her onward. ID drawing nearer and
nearer 10 the coast and shall ultimately
be able TO observe vleariy the land toward
which her sourse Is tending.
The present transition. in all parts OK
the church II one which involves several
vital matters. shall try to speak briefly
of some of these.
/. SchoIarship-The critical movement in
biblical scholarship IL scarcely compre-
looked upon with suspicion ~ An attempt
to assail the divine authority Of the holy
scriptures. BY the minority % reverent
critics 1t in regarded ~ an attempt to es-
tablish yet more securely tho credentials
OF divine authority. Little by little thia.
true and real end OF critical scholarship
Is being comprehended. Ultimately II Will
|
universal reaction toward the Bible as an
authoritative revelation which determires
life and conduct. which exnlhate God In ;Hia.
eternal perfection and In His self-revelArs
tion In Christ as the Rsdaeue1 oesthe worsfs
and which discloseS the ministry of the
Holy Ghost a. the We Of tie church Ard
tion.
A rransitery tonsitisp.
.. L.
many individual cases ministers have
measurably lost their hold on certain ela-
ments in the community. particularly on
men OF practical affairs, engaged in the
sharp realism Of competitive conflicts. To
such men the amount q Importance given
to sectarian technicalities seems excessive
and to very large number OF the same
clasa Of men aacerdotai claims appear un-
real and antiQuated. while to very many
men Of affairs ministers AZ class seem TO
be not altogether IN touch with practical
interests In life. ! do not attempt to con-
ceai or to evade this condition Of things
But. an In the case Of scholarship also
state in this connection that the condition
Ia transitional and not fnaL It Ii fully
realised by the most advanced leaders Of
ministerial education, and well-deAned the
ories are being operated to that end. that
the ministry may under twentieth century
conditions recover whatever ground II may
have lost and maintain Its vital connection
with human affairs. To this end certain
things must be taken into account and
they arc being taken into account
(a) The great advance In lay develop
ment The laymen Of the church are ~ a
class advancing In religious efficiency moro
rapidly than the ministry and IN many
single Instances iaymen have accepted q
comprehensiveneas or view In matters OF
Christian progress which has been shown
by q much smaller number OF ministers.
This high standard Of lay development
must be recognised by the ministers and
| 1t must be regarded AZ an Incentive TO tho
minister to seek higher average Of prac-
| teal preparation and wider vision Of the
ordinary questions and Affairs Of life.
New Metheas NJ EAucatien.
(hl The education OF students for the
| ministry. At this point deep and thorough
reform IL being undertaken. The old and
harmful system OF emphasizing the bene-
| fetal element Of ministerial education IL
| being opposed and overthrown with deter
| m.nation. n Is no longer regarded possible
| TO co1d,e and pamper theological students,
| making their way 10 their profession an
| easier way than that which must hA trod-
| den by students OF Law and students OF
| medicine In the most advanced divinity
| schools today the old scholarship method
| In breaking up and new methods. CORE
\ spending to the graded ''bursaries" OF
| some OF the great European universities.
| are being introduced, whereby the self
1 respect OF students Ii preserved and Their
| manly independence is fosfered In addi-
ton TO this. the necessity OF training men
4 few - I'D "a. -