The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-02-19
New Evangelist and Another New
Greed.
REV DAWSON or LONDON
Noted Congregational Preacher, Au'
thor, Lecturer and Evangelist VIII
Visit the U. s. With New Ideas
and a New Greed.

Rev. w. J. Dawson OF London. au'
thor, preacher. lecturer and evangelist
who comes to this country at the In
vitation Of the national council OF Con
gregational churches to conduct SER
les OF revival services planned to EN-
brace leading cities from the Atlantic
to the Pacific. brings new ideas into
the American field. He paid New York
and Boston visit unofiicially last fall
without II Is said, the slightest thought
of engaging himself for the task he
has now undertaken. His methods
created stir in metropolitan congre.
gational circles. and through Rev, n,
ID. Hills, d. D.. chairman of the ma
tional council. the, Congregational
church as a denomination has succeed
ed In securing the services OF Or. Daw-
son, who resigns his pastorship of a
church in London to come TO the Unit.
ed Safes.
LII bAW1uh ANRkNr[AhC Wbtat - W.
coming known In Protestant circles In
some sections OF the east as "the new
evangelism" His methods are new
but simple Refusing to attempt to
refute the higher critics or even to ar
que on inspiration Of the Bible, he
would erect upon the foundation put
down by the scholars ani constructive
critics better understanding Of tho
scriptures and the nature OF MAJ.
Knowing that preaching which is 10
reach the mass Of the people. no mat
ter OF what class. cannot in itself con
stitute a battle with the higher
critics" he answers their doubts by
the reply that nothing they have ad-
yanced concerning inaccuracies, IN
consistencies or contradictions In the
Bible concerns the welfare OF the soul
of man either here or hereafter. Still
maintaining that successful Christian
ity depends largely upon culture. hs
denies that 1t Is necessary to master
the Bible in history, literature. econ
omics and ethics to get the highest
good out OF the Christiaa religion. Hs
win not meidle with abstruse points
which he is not Intellectually developed
to grapple with. yet he believes 'he|
meanest mind may garner from the
scripture as much az the greatest. al
though the better the understanding
Of the book the simpler Is the life and
the less difficult sincere imitation OF
Jesus.
There may have been two Isaiahs or
there may have been twenty" says pr,
Dawson to the critics: what has thit
to do with me, SO long as / have the
profound spiritual message contained
in the book which bears the name Of
Isaiah? am indifferent as to whether
Bacon or Shakespeare wrote Hamlet
go long as | have Hamlet; and who
would insist that certain critical
view Of the authorship OF Hamlet Is
imperative before one could be allowed
to expound the teachings of the drama :?
I hold to the old evangelical message
although for me the shbboleth of ut
terance may differ, find myself at
home in Salvation Army meeting
because / find there the vital knowl-
edge Of Gods dealings with the soul,
and the expression Of a religious ex-
perience which is as old as the cross
Ny mind concentrates Itself more and
more on positive truth, and my effort
as a minister Of Christ, on the eff
cheney of the accomplished purpose.
am much more concerned to save one
harlot from shame, one drunkard from
his folly, one prodigal son from his de.
Element of the far country, than To-
discuss those speculations about truth
which after all interest but few and
are not helpful even to them"
DR.. Dawson's view is that Of very
large percent of Christians, Protest
ant and Catholic. The view of the aver
age communicate is that the proof Of
the pudding lies in the eating The
beneficial effect upon the world, 80 far
as we know 1t, of Jesus Of Nazareth is
almost universally acknowledged; !;
philosophers, historians and savants
who do not accept his divinity praise
MS ethical system