The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-10-30


hand there should be a standard Of
judgment, as pure and as bright as
the truth itself. But what is the
truth that shall constitute the stan
dard according to which the conscience
shall divide and impel?
THE moral reason alone can answer
that question. The reason must decide
among the standards that offer, and
according to it's deliverance the will
must choose the truth. But, says some
one, do we not find the standard of
judgment set forth in the Scriptures?
This question brings us to our second
point: The reason is the eXpounder
of the Scripture and the judge of theo-
logical doctrine. Because of the dis
regard of the reason the mistakes
which have been made in the interpo-
lations of the Scriptures are number
less. Almost every errorist in moral
practice has appealed to Scripture to
substantiate his position. The slave
holder, the drunkard and the fornica-
tor have all claimed to discover in the
sacred writings the excuse and war
rant for their evil practices. Theo-
logians also have found in the Scrip
lures the ground for every conceiva-
BILE heresy. Universal salvation, the
denial of the divinity of Jesus, condi-
tional immortality and many other
IclSc uOClIlDGS are buPPOI ny al
unreasonable use of the Bible.
For his denials of the existence of
matter and the reality of sin and pain
and of the resurrection of Jesus, the
Christian Scientist appeals to the Holy
Scriptures, thereby affording to the
world in respect to the use of his rea-
son, the most notable example of abb
sent treatment. The ridiculous Science
and Health" of Mrs. Eddy, the i'm
NO % AHr,sr I'd fl,n
Koran of the Mohammedans, all make
the same claim Of divine origin with
the Bible. Without the reason the
Scriptures are useless and worse than
useless. In truth we accept the Bible
at all not primarily because 1t claims
to be Of divine origin. We accept the
Bible primarily on the ground of the
reasonableness of its claim to be the
Word of God.
Through reason, affections, and the
will, the truth is apprehended. Reason
is at least as important as the others.
Every theological fool being chided for
his folly stTaightway closes his eye
and, searching the Bible, declares with
confidence, Il see plainly the Scrip
lures support my position" What is
the clearest book in the world to a
sheep? What is the Bible to an I'M
reasonable man? The reason is the
COlloGl NdlOl VI ICl16tOuO GADEll
Granting fully the great truth that
there can be no highest experience Of
God except upon condition of the sane
tifying influence of the Holy Spirit,
yet there must be In connection with
the work of God an operation of the
human reason if there is to be any
profoundness of Christian experience.
The ignorant man, saved in the Saliva
ton Army, gives his Christian exper-
iaTaCA 10 aaf IN, dc hk,F
are tender and beautiful, II love Je-
sus." But if he is to grow out of his
spiritual childhood into his spiritual
manhood and his love for Jesus is to
broaden and to strengthen into that
powerful sentiment which will make
him largely useful to the world and
his life an honor to God than he must
learn to employ his reason in search
ing out the profound and wonderful
principles which lie beneath the ex-
preston Of love of God in Christ and
behind the teaching and life of the
matchless Son of Man himself The
reason is necessary to the efficient
practice of religion.
1.-The Christian is called upon to de-
eide difficult and delicate questions of
polity. For he who is to be the teach
err and evangelist of the Gospel what
degree of tact, of diplomacy and of
obey the injunction BE as wise as SER
pents and as harmless as dove.'
Without wisdom the most fervid zeal
is helpless. The force of a really good
address may be completely nullified by
lack of tact in choice of text and con-
text
1.-The reason is the closest ally of
faith. There is much in our religion
that confessedly must be accepted by
faith and excluded from the domain of
mere reason. The reason cannot solve
the mystery of the Trinity nor of the
personality of Jesus. Yet an accept
ance of the very doctrines of faith
would be impossible except for the as
sistance of reason. Faith is helpless
without reason as surely as reason is
helpless without faith"
The essay closed with considera-
ton of the relation between reason
and spirituality His conclusion was,
differentiation and reason go hand
in hand in the spiritual world"
The essay was the subject of brief
discussion.
Rev. w. W. Everts, D. D., of Bos-
ton, wished that the essayist had
drawn the distinction between the use
of reason and subsection to philosophy.
He thought it absurd for each gener-
alton to be under the influence of the
best philosopher of the time. Rev.
It Richard Peede of Everett, praised
the paper highly
President Nathan f. Wood Of New
ton Theological Institution, was
asked to speak. He said in part: :
THE essayist used the. term moral
reason" There is no such term. But