Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1902-12-16
Importance of Theology


The foilo~ing contribution for publ
cation i written il defense OF the gospel,
AID to correct erroneous doctriaes which,
are being promulgated:
Tne imp Drtanee Of ti,eJle,y to the g,s-
pei minister for deiu:te and just views
of doctrine, cannot be over-estimated .
Theology is the science Tor knowleds se)
OF God, AMI OF tie relations between
Col aai the universe. This knowledge,
then, L, to the preacher what knowl-
edge of law is to the lawyer. kno Sledge
of medicine is to the physician, knowl-
edge of government to the tatesman, a
knowledge OF politics to the pollution, a
knowledge of agriculture to the farmer.
As in all these callings q knowledge of
the subject becomes the basis upon which
all the operations of the one called are
founded, so, especially in the case OF the
preacher, knowledge of God and of the
relation between God and the universe
becomes absolutely necessary for definite
and just views of doctrine. The source
Of the preachers knowledge is in God
himself, as revealed in nature and in the
scripture. A summary and explanation
of the content of Gods self-revelations
then, is evidently of great importance.
Now, since the truth with regard to
God is all important, theology meets the
deepest want of mans nature, and is a
rational necessity. So soon as the mind
becomes reflective the tendency is to
harmonize and unity, its knowledge Sp-
pears. Consequently, if al the systems
of theology in existence toiay were de-
stroyed. new systems would arise to-
morrow. So, then, We see that those
who most bitterly decry theology show
conclusiyely that they have made the
ology for themselves, and, of course, it is
sufficiently weak and untrastwortliy. As
the material for theology, then, is the
knowledge which God h1nself gives
through nature and the scripture. the e
can be no conflict in the revelation. 1.-The
heavens declare the glory of God and the
armament sheweth his handiwork. !"
"God hath in these last days spoken to
us by His Son." Christ, "who, being in
the form of God, thought it not robbery
to be equal with God" s'The word was
made flesh and dselt among u.s." For
in Him dwel!eth all the fu1lness OF the
God-head bodily There are three that
bear record in heaven, the Father, the
Word, and Holy Ghost, and these three are
ene," Gin the beginning ... the Word
was with God, and was God" Then the
Word was made flesh in the person Of
Jesus Christ-"was God"
Now, if Christ is God, and Christianity
is the religion taught by Christ, then
Christianity is the religion taught Tor re-
vealed) by God. How utterly absurd it
is, then, fo- any one to claim that there
is, or can be, a conflict between Theology
and Christianity. Or to say that Theot-
ogy is standing in the way of Christian
ity, over powering it, and smothering it
out. 1t is almost as foolish as saying
that there is conflict between God and
Christ. The absurdity and unreason-
ableness of such statement is evidently
manifest to any one with the intelligence
of an ordinary school boy or girl who has
learned the use of the common school
dictionary.
1t is the province OF the gospel minister
to replace obscure and erroneous concep-
tions among his hearers by those which
are correct and vivid. To impress not
error but truth upon the minds and con-
sciences of his people. Nothing more
nulli6es his efforts to do this |
than confusion and Inconsistency in his |
statements and doctrines. The best safe |
guard against these is diligent study of |
he doctrines of the faith in their reia-
ions to each other, and especially to the |
central theme of theology, the person
and work of Jesus Christ.
With the earnest prayer that these
words will be read and reflected upon in
The same spirit in which they are written,
md that they will be the means of at
east helping to correct errors in belief
md bring truth to light, and stimulate
Search OF the Scriptures am,
Yours for Christ,
WILL RIsLEY.