North Park union., 1902-02-07
The Walden Metho-
dist Episcopal Church
Mr.. Editor

UNION OF Jan. 24th. you state In an odt-
torial what understand TO be your dis
belief In tho Inspiration Of the holy
Scriptures, and also In the miracles Of
tho Bible.
You assume that tho church In Wal
deu does not succeed, and the reAson IL
because il believes aud teaches tho reali.
ty Of both miracles and tho Inspiration
Of the Scriptures. Ia support Of your
position you cite ono Professor @. w.
Pearson, Of the Northwestern Univcr-
sity, who has lately announced his dis
belief in miracles. You assume that he
is representative OF the Methodist
Episcopal church, and also assume that
our church AT Walden is behind the
times because It does not agree with
foolish Mr.. Pearson. Yom also assume
that churches would draw and hold
tho multitudcs il they would only re-
pudiate miracles and tho Inspiration Of
the Scriptures.
In regard to all this, l beg leave to
say
fst-All the orthodox churches OF
chrislendom believe and teach Miracles
and Inspiration.
2nd.-'rhe scholarship Of tho world Is
by an overwhelming majority christian.
and supports Miracles aud Inspiration
3rd.-Prof. Pearson is not repre-
sentative of what christians, or even
Methodists believe. He is representa-
tive OF what they do not believe.
You did wrong to hold him up rs
u representative of christians or Mc,ho.
dists. suppose you did not know hc
was called 10 account for his foolish
statements the same day his article ap-
pcared. Or. NJ Afcc, Our minister In
Evanston, was one man who rebukcd
him. yet your paper iii l mistake not)
held that NJ Afee agreed with him. He
was called down by many Of ou- Bish-
ops and scores Of our ministers.
Pearson will no doubt withdraw from
the church, as hs should do. or he will
revise himself, or be turned out for sud
denly turning into an iniidcl. Churches
do not compel people TO believe as they
do. They do not compel people to believe
anything. They do say what those who
choose to belong to them shall believe.
What tho church in Walden needs. is
for its citizens t. love God and keep
His commandments. II you make the
town paper M engine 10 destroy bnliol
in tho Supernatural In Christianity il
will bo hard for the church In Walden
to succeed.
II ministers and people Of intelligence
and responsibility, in your community,
are to bo held up to ridioulc. because
they believe In Miracles and the lnspir.
alton Of the Scriptures, 1t will be very
hard for the church in Walden to sue.
coed. Do you know any community
made better by disbclicving tho super
natural veritics OF our holy Gospel!
Was there ever company OF persons
disbelicving in Miracles and tho In.
spiration OF the Scriptures. who ever
sent one martyr to the stake for the
cause Of righteousnesss Did any such
a crowd ever send in 800 TO help Wal.
den keep up church, We hnve sent
IN many hundreds Of dollars into Wal
den to help your people keep Q church
alive, and to administer the Sacraments,
and to assist in giving tho dead chris
tian burial, and to have regular Min
ister always in tho community. In
spite Of our failures, VIC have done the
best we could.
We do not want anything for our
comfort. We spend our thousands and
wear out our Ministers, in order TO les.
sen human suffering and sin, to give
comfort to the sick and dying, snd to
constantly remind forgetful humans Of
the Saviour, Of His love for us, and His
sacrifice, and of the home he has gone
to prepare for those who will serve him.
I am panied, and little dishcartoned
that you opened the paper against our
best endeavors. and those OF tho chris
tian people of North Park.
Very Respectfully Yours.
WM. u. PHIS Err, Presiding Elder.
I'VE hardly think it necessary for
Elder Phifer 10 take up the thsologi-
cal cudgel on . matter, that We nev-
or expected would reach the contro-
vorsial stage. But inasmuch - our
motive In tha first place was simply
to call attention to the fact that the
church at Walden did not grow, In
proportion to the effort made and
money expended In it, behalf, VIC
will reply to our good Elder next
week, explaining our position further.
Every line OF our former article
was written before We saw the So
called "infidel' remarks OF Prof O. w.
Pearson and hence VIC did not take
him as agnide. We have the pro-
foundsst respect for the Elder, VII o
we know Is much beloved IN Walden;
also for brother Spenc Q who 10 con.
sciencious worker and co-laborer with
him. We will not put straw In
their way Of winning souls from per-
dition, but technical sectsrianism In
Walden is not so important as sofne
other forms OF church work. That
may be one causs OF Its slow growth
W. .,nufd scehav 80 Jn- y,,,slJ ,,v