The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-04-29
ASSAULT ON BIBLE
CAUSES SENSATION
London Church Dignitary Ad,
ministers Shock to His
CoreIigionists.
VIEW ON OLD
He D~evlares 1t is IAN incredible
PueriIe and Demoralizins Nara
tive, a Pack of Lies Too Gross
for federation.

III SpOSlols SohiOA CAAoOh oh1o
Of the dignitaries of Westminster ae-
hey and a preacher of Oxford and CAM
bridge universities, has raised a storm
of criticism by an article In the Con
temporary Review. in which he entered
into the future of the Bible. Ia this
article he impugns the Inspiration on
the New Testament, referring to tits
incredible, puerile or demoralizing nar-
ratives," which are regarded as being
"a pack of lies too gross for liberation"
Letters, interviews and resolutions by
church and lay organizations
Ing Canon Henson followed the OH
slaught. Sir Oliver Lodge, the scien-
fist, added fuel to the fire by an article
entitled Suggestions Toward the Re-
Interpretation OF the Christian Doc
trine."
The Church Is Stirred.
This agitation for revised Christian
lty. led by such men whose religious
principles even their critics do not dis
pute, threatens to stir the church in
an unprecedented degree. Canon Hem
son declares that inspiration" is now
not allowed to certify to that truth OF
any statement in the Bible which CAM
not be substantiated at the bar of Iea-
son and evidence" In the New Testir-
nlent he finds little to offend reason or
conscience; but whether much or little
it Will havesto go the way of the Old
Testament prodigies." He recommends
experimenting the reading of the Bible
In church with christian compositions
which have secured the approval OF
general Acceptance declaring that In,
discriminate reading of the Bible in
public is an extremely perilous pre-
ceeding. and the rigidity which re-
~stricts the modern English church to
Scriptures is as intrinsically
lndefensible as it is practically mis-
c~hievous."
The Bible Will Still Be Great.
Despite its misuse, however, Canon
Henson holds that the bible will CON
tlnue for all time to be the best man
ual of fundamental morality, and tn.
best corrective of ecclesiastical corrup-
ton besides being the most effectua
check on the materialistic tendencia.
of modern life"
In a striking analysis of the prese1s
social condition, Canon Henson attrib.
utes the spread of anarchy. the "ulces
that Is eating the vitals of society,"" II
the disappearance, over large areas O.
civilized life, of the religious bases cs
morality" Yet, he finds an excuse 70,
these 'non-moral 1nultitudes," wis
from the cradle to the grave have
faced the severe pressure Of competi.
ton, the squalor of poverty and th,.
miserable exigencies of unmeritet
want" n who inevitably compar
their condition with the ostentation q
unearned wealth. the p%rofusion of un.
checked luxury and the insolence q
unchastened power"
Sophistries of Anarchy Attract Many
The canon says that when 1t is re
membered that these s"cruel, shockin,
contrasts are no longer regarded witt.
the dull stare of fatalistic ignorance
but in the full light of those doctrines,
of equality which are the m
places of democratic politics." 1t is Mt
wonder that the minds of thousands
IRE predisposed toward the sophistrie,
of anarchy"
1T would be idle to deny he CON,
Guides, that the credit of the Scrip
lures is seriously shaken in the publh
mind, nor can 1t be reasonably doubtet
thai the tendencies of popular life, az
at present prevailing. are in the mai:
hostile to Christian tradition"
In another and similar article, Canol
Henson, dealing With Christ's resur
%rectioh, asks: is the faith of tp
church in he divine Christ living
present and active, really built on a,
empty tomb? For myself. / prefer u
believe that no such intimate vital con
nection exists between the truth O
Christianity and the traditional notion
of its historical origins"
Sir oliver Lodge Also Attacks.
Sir Oliver Lodge asks. Now that re
ligion is becoming so much 1norS real
WielHer the FORMAL statement OK SoZs
of the doctrines we have inhsFite.
from medieval, and still earlier times
cannot wisely and iloffensiyely b
And shocks many Of hi
co-religionists by declaring that he re
CARDS the doctrine of atonement Il
its concrete form as a survival fror
barbarous times" regulating the +
lief in an angry God appeased by
violent death OF Christ" and MAR
Ing that uma nature now is
to the conviction that we are
nature"