New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-11
REMODEL THE CREEpS.
so SAYS DIR. MACARTHUR.
Better Scholars Noe than When
Thea Were Wrtten, He Declares.

That re IS heartily in favor OF the restating
and remodeIling Of some OF the church doc
-rines and creeds inherited from medieval and
SIN earlier times. and that he would rather
have his right hand cut of than repeat -
Athsnssilss's Greed. was the declaration made
~ the Rev DR.. Robert S. Macarthur. pastor OF
the Calvary Baptist Church. 10 q Tribune re-
,,orter last night in discussing yesterdays cable
reports Of Canon Henson's paper IN The Lon
con Contemporary Review regarding the nut
ure OF the Bible.
.'Creeds and doctrines" said DR.. Macarthur
ARE made by men and represent various inter-
pretations of truth.
I'VE have better Greek scholars, better ne
brew scholars. better historians and Swans
than existed in the days when these cTeeds were
formulated and / heartily indorse Sir ohVer
Lodges suggestion that some Of the doctrines
we have inherited from medieval and earlier
times can wisely and inoffensvely be modlhed.
In his article Canon Henson, who is one OF the
chief dignitarians Of Westminster Abbey and a
select. preacher Of both oxford and Cambridge
universities. irnpugns the inspiration OK the Ola
Testament. arousing such hurricane OF crit
cism from church and lay bodies alike as
threatens to stir the Church Of England TO an
unprecedented degree.
REASON MUST TEST IT.
canon Henson declares that inspiration Is
not now allowed to certify 10 the truth OF any
statement in the Bible which cannot be sub
Htantiated at ;he bar Of reason and evidence
remarked the reporter.
To that statement said Dr.. Macarthur. 4
% not believe the most conservative churchman
will take exception. 1 call myself conserva-
live radical OF a radical conservative. but Go
not hold to the old because Of fits antiquity or
the new because II is modern. reverence truth
as the queen OF all Truth is God. and God IS
Truth The story Of Jonah and the whale, @. o:
Balaam's ass, for instance. must not be &C
cepted too literally.
canon Henson declares" 1t was observed.
that indiscrininate reading Of the Bioie IL
public is an extremely perious proceeding anu
that the rlgidty which restricts the noueili
77npl,sb church 10 canonical Scriptures is as
INDISPENSABLE as il is practically mischeVous.
At first sight" said DR.. Macarthur mag
,7sntlv that appears TO be the utterahce OF d
man who does not ponder his words. but sEea As
ofhand Who or what 90 the adjectlVes ana
adverbs qualify? Perilous and mischleNous 10
the faith does he mean? Possibly, however
Canon Henson is referring 10 the creedal beleF-
or. Lacking further details ! should incline to
suspend judgment this passage.
The canon admits that despite its alleged
misuse. the Bible continues for all time 10 be
the best manual Of fundamental morality, the
best corrective OF ecclesiastical corruption ana
the most efectual check on the materialisuc
tendencies Of modern life.
There" was DR.. MacArthur's exclamation.
.rhe admits what practically every churchnan
does and 7 forgive him, for that statement all
that he has said before BY his admission, the
Bible is the best book in literature.
canon Henson attributes the spread Of an
erchv TO the disappearance over large areas OF
civilized life Of the religious basis of morality
He finds an excuse, however. for the non
moral rnultitudes' who face the squalor Of pow
erty and the miserable eXigencies of unmerited
want
IF he means the President or King killing
order OF anarchy" said DR.. Macarthur, i dir
agree with him entirely. If he means spirit
of laulessness. this no doubt exists. but moth
snp l.lSe the lavlessness Of ten. much less twen-
~. years ago.
"A certain form Of lawlessness is perhaps
peculiar 10 new country. As for want IN
America 3 vvorkingman can to-day make from
S. 10 Sc a dav and there is less want in Scot
land. ENGLAND and the English coal districts
than twelve or twenty-four years ago. OF
course. there must always be want somewhere
HOSTILE TO CHRISTIAN TRADITION.
canon Henson SAYS that the credit Of the
Scriptures is seriously shaken in the public
mind. and the tendencies Of popular life as at
present prevailing are in the main hostile to
Christian tradition"
There again" vas Or. MacArthur's comment
Il 3oin issue with the writer. I have had thirty
four years experience. Ihave travelled around
the world and ! say that to-day there is moth
ing to approach the unbelief that obtained when
] was student.
Herbert Spencer and Darwin and Huxley
have no such adherents as they had then. The
adherence 10 Ingereon later has now waned.
The tenets seem largely 10 have died with the
.enets' opponents. There is no one living to-
day who is Iagersol's successor"
IN another similar article. Canon Henson.
dealing with Christ's resurrection, asks whether
the faith Of the Church in the divine Christ.
living. present and active, is really built an
empty tomb For himself. Canon Henson pre-
fers TO believe that no intimate vital connection
exists between the truth Of Christianity and
the traditional notions Of the historical origin"
That" Or. Macarthur said. depends on the
believers Individuality ] consider Canon Hen
sons substitute is far less acceptable than the
belief he declines. Personally. / believe the
foundation stone OF the Christian faith lies in
the faith the apostles had in the truth OF
ChrisI's resurrection from the tomb"
''Sir Oliver Lodge in his Suggestions Toward
the Reinterpretacion II the Christian Doctrine %
declares that he regards the doctrine Of atone
1nent in its concrete form as a survival Of bar
baroUs times. repu6iating the belief Of an angry
God appeased ~ the violent death of Christ.
and maintaining that human nature IS now
rising 10 the conviction that We are part Of
nature and so part Il Cod
The doctrine OF atonement,' said DIT. Mac
Arthur depends on its Interpretation. BY
some Of its interpret atoms. il undoubtedly is a
survival Of barharous times. An angry God ap-
peased by the violent death Of Christ certainly
IS q miserable Interpretation. | believe. how
ever. that the Ticarious suffering Of God
through Goo iu Christ is the true interpreta-