The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1902-02-22

notoriety" by assailing cherished beliefs.
"In Professor Pearson's statement II
Gays, 1--WE find only rehash Of the old
arguments against the miraculous;
nothing which has not been answered
again and again" The Boston Pilot Ro-
man Catholic says that the whole Incl.
dent is legitimate result Of "the funda-
mental principle Of Professionalism, pri-
vate Interpretation" IL continues:
"If there is no iniallible church, no
divinely inspired Scriptures, what war
rant for immortality, what profit in
moral code and seli.denying life, in
creed and public worship and missions
TO the heather? Whose looks thought
fully on the life Of our time hss ample
evidence that, outside Of the Catholic
church, these questions are asked
oftener every day, and that they are
steadily getting their logical answer"
Unity Chicago, undenominational
frankly accepts Professor Pearpons g con-
clusons, aud observes that his friends
"iave known him long time az a man
who has been doing his own thinking"
IL says further:
'lf Professor Pearson s to be read
out Of the church, let the church be
equal TO its obligation and its oppor-
tunity and keep on its works Of expurga.
tion until the Sunday school teaching,
the deaconate, and the pulpit, saying
nothing Of the pews Of Methodism, 2,
cleansed from this virus Of rationalism,
the leaven Of reason. n the Methodist
church is not ready 10 enter into this
wholesale expulsion Of heresy, let il 80
modify it's statutes and its discipline
that man may be good Methodist
and at the same time an honest thinker,
a cultured gentleman who religiously is
at home with the best thinkers and
some Of the nObest men and women of
his generation. II Methodism does not
find way Of teconcling John Wesley
and Ralph Waldo Emerson and its
thought OF revelation to the law Of evo.
luton, then SO much the worse for
Methodism, for Emerson, evolution and
the Bible are 10 remain joint and har
monious factors in the religious life Of
the future"
In the daily press, wide comment is
aroused bv Professor Pearson's alleged
detection from Methodist doctrine. The
Washington Post takes the view that"as
professor Of English literature it WAS
not incumbent upon him to meddle
with theology" and that "as an en-
ploye Of a Methodist board he had no
right TO attack or declare his disbelief in |
anything which the Methodists uphold
40 part oi their faith" The Phladel-
phia Press thinks that "while this tur-
mol il going on and theological brcks
aud stones are flying back and forth pro.
miscuously, there is danger that the Ser
mon on the Mount will be- forgotten
The Springfield Republican finds Pro.
iessor Pearson's position reasonable" |
one, on the whole, and declares:
Every age, every generation, indeed, |
witnesses its new departures, and the
views Of those who lead are always re
garded as destructive and are destruc-
tive. The sole question la DO they de.
etroy the truth, or only the old garments
and letters in which the truth was dress
ed and hampered2 The religion OF Jesus
Ia not that which has become known as
Christianity in its multitudinous and
forms il is simple, direct, and
eternal It is expressed in the two branch
es Of the essential principle Of the uni
verse-the principle Of love, which sci
ence itself ia now come to recognize-love
TO God in all that il, and love 10 man.
For we are all children Of God and broth.
era OF Jesus"