New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-26
LONDON NOTES.
Higher Criticism at Westminster-
The Welsh ReuiUal.
London. December "a

master without marked taste for dialects.
and with a practical talent for administrators,
which enabled him to reorganize the finances ~
the abbey and to carry out many practical
measures for its preservation His successes
the present Dean. owed his appointment 10 IN.
King. who greatly impressed with his SKIN
and learning in adapting the ancient coronation
ritual to modern requirements; but he has al
ready INDICATED royal favor by giving proof,
Of his scholarship and conservative spirit His
lectures at the Abbey on the Bible and modern
criticism are attracting much attention and ara
placing him IN line with OF the famous
predecessors who have made the Deans Yard
an arena OF theological controversy. Unlks
Dean auckland. he lacks scientific ardor for
geology and natural theology; and while he has
the love OF letters which distinguished Dean
French. and the courtly manners OF Dean Stan
ley, whose views on polity and dogma wers
frankly latitudinarian. he is a closer thinker on
ecclesiastical questions than either and ex-
presses his opinions with caution. moderation
and serenity of mind The Deans first lecturs
was occupied with lucid explanations OF the
meaning of inspiration and of the various stages
and processes by which the books of the Old ana
New Testament came to be regarded as inspired
writings; and. while timorous churchmen may
have been surprised that they were not allowed
to go through life in thoughtless spirit of
childlike trust in the conventional ideas OF the
Bible. he discussed his subject so temporarily
that he could not be condemned disturber
OF religious peace. His second lecture has been
devoted to the methods and results OF modern
critical study of the Old Testament; and. whls
he has thrown a strong sidelight on the inspl-
ration of the Bible as whole his manner has
been reverent and his argument so reasona-
BILE that he is not assailed German ration
alist, who Is undermining the foundations OF
faith Unlike Canon Henson. the enfant terri
BILE Of the Anglican Commission he has not pro-
tested against having so much unexpurgatsd
Bible read In the church services or suggested
that 1t should be used only In a restricted way
and eked out by lives OK the saints or standard
religious writings OF the highest quality. He
has discussed seriously and dsvoutly the prob
lens raised within the covers Of the canonicai
Scriptures ard shown that inspiration becomes
not less real. but UNNECESSARILY mora wonderful
when the truth Is clearly discussed that the nat
uraI law OF the earliest human literature was
not suspended. and that ancient Hebrew legends
and national tales were converted into vehicles
OF eternal truth when they were retained with
their original Oriental drapery and combined
and preserved for the spiritual use Of mankind
The Dean OF Westminster has defended with
great dignity the critical study OF the Bible as
II Is now conducted at Oxford and Cambridge
He contends that the motive for that study Is
not dislike of miracles, nor any aggressive pur-
pose OF bringing On conflict between science
and the Bible. nor faint hearted tendency to
make concessions to modern discoveries. when
the results OF scientific research are VIGOROUSLY
uncertain and the theories and confident asssr-
lions OF one generation are abandoned and re-
pudiated by the next one. He admits that uni
formity OF nature Is a fundamental principle OF
science, and that It raises difficulties respecting
miracles: and while he contends that the re-
quIrement OF general regularity cannot be
pressed SO far as to exclude the possibility OK
the supernatural Intervention OF Supreme Win.
he asserts that there Is vast differences be-
tween the historical evidence for miracles In
| the Old and IN the New Testament The point
| on which he lays stress Is that whatever may be
| the feeling about miracles and the comparative
values OF contemporaneous evidence and OF tes-
| timony collected hundreds OF years after the
| events natural science In reality has little 70
| do with Biblical criticism. II thus Is concerned
| with literary and historical investigation OF the
| literature OF the Hebrew race. and II must Dc
/ fearlessly conducted with all the instruments or
| scientific research and with the moral certainty
! that the deeper the probing the closer would 30
! the approach to eternal truth. The Dean
| avowed that he had no lurking incredEHty Is
| to the possibility OF miracles. which made him
| eager to prove them unfounded; but he Old
| want to know what the Bible had to teach him
| of the method OF its growth and OF the meaning
| of Its inspiration; and he could not refuse to
learn from other sources, such as the monu-
ments and tables OF brick from Babylon. with
their stories OF the worlds childhood the crea-
ton of the universe and the relations OF man 70
the spiritual forces governing his lifs- Biblical
| criticism converted Hebrew literature into
thoroughly human medium by which chosen
and inspired people were educated to be the
moral instructors OF the world. The Dean. N
| taking up the Bible on its literary and human
side displays the same spirit OF reverence which
has characterized the commentaries OF great az
positors ike Dean Afford: and when he con-
cIudes his lectures inspiration IS found 70
| mean not less but vastly more to him than It
| does to old fashioned. close interpreters Canon
Henson is more aggressive when he mounts ths
| pulpit of ST. Margarets and drags poor Daniel
into the critics den: but he Is less effective than
the Dean Of Westminster in justifying the higher
criticism.
| A few weeks ago Mr.. Lloyd Georges orsanizeo
| campaign OF passive resistance was the on'
dominating Issue in Wales: and now it has
| ceased to interest the people. most fervent
| and remarkable religious revival has taken tns
place of politics and 1t Is sweeping like great
wave across the mining district: and enthusiasts
| like Mr. Stead are wondering whether 1t may
| mot spread over the whole land as the waters
| cover the face OF the mighty deep" HOW "
| when or where ii started nobody seems to know'
| but the miners of South Wales are now Win
| one accord crowding into the chapeis every
/ night and praying and singing hour after hous.
| A young miner named Evan Roberts is the CHEZ
| revivalist and he Is Welsh miner with s. m
pathe,ic voice. but with no marked talent as
Il h. 10 rlfna