The San Francisco call., 1906-03-25

Tributes PAID TO THE PRE-ENI.
NENCE OF CHRIST by the learned men
OF the world who are incredulous of his
divinity are among the most marvellous
cur1osities Of literature. So loyal and al
most universal is this homage given to
him from hearts who admire him merely
as human being. but do not adore him
as God. that If It were true that these
dOubters are correct in their infdelity,
but yet that God. cOmpassionating the
yearning Of the race for q Master and a
1 Savior who would be at once human and
divine, were willing TO defy and set at
his right hand one only Of the sons Of
woman and TO leave the choice of the
new-made God TO the love election Of the
civilized peoples Of the glObe-then even
IN this suppositive case of the supernat-
uralistic doctrine of Christian origins be-
ing swept away as myths of bygone ig-
norance, we might still rest assured that
at the name Of Jesus every knee would
bow and every tongue confess that Christ
was the chosen Lord to the glory Of God
the Father.
Tribute promising the possibility of a
consummation equal TO that may be gath
cred from even such Gospel denying
book as the new one critically treating or
Christian Origins" and written by Otto
Pfelderer, D. D.. professor in the UniYer-
sity Of Berlin. a noted German philoso-
pher, who is reckoned one of the great
est Of living theolOgians. Extracts might
be culled from this volume and labeled "a
confession Of faith in Christ's unrivaled
human supremacy" supremacy that
seems even as portrayed by the hand OF
skepticism TO at least border on the mi
raculous; and yet so intended TO be dead
ly Is the works destructive criticism that
10 those who are fully persuaded In their
orthodox faith many Of the pages WILL
no doubt, have a taint Of infldelity that
smells 10 heaven. II will probably be
more pleasing TO Christians if in telling
about the new book report some OF the
tributes to Christs superlative greatness;
but first. I must stick to my text ana
teu what this exponent Of the higher
criticism has to say about his views Oh
Christian Origins''-the historic base in
the far distant past on which this stupen-
dous present day fact we call the Cnrls-
tian religion has been built.
Il might be softened some by ctrcum-
locution, but briefly put, at least SO lar
as the supernatural element goes, Cnras-
tian origins are mostly myth. Sucn
conclusion is the result OF forty years
earnest study given to the subject by
. this German theologian. He traces
AWhst he considers our Christian myths
Of two thousand years ago back fartner
10 origins from myths about buooha,
and to the mysteries of Isis, Eleusis ano
Mithra. To the critical judgment OF
this Investigator the legend Of the birth
OF Buddha from a virgin is the same
class Of myth as he deems the gospei
story of the annunciation, Hail Mary
Blessed art thou among women, for the
power OF the Most High shall over
shadow thee Therefore, that holy
thing that shall be born Of thee shall
be called the son OF Cod
To his view the Christian eucharist
ewes its origin 70 the Mithra religion
which had come from Persia and min
gled with the cults worshiping the sun
god IN Hither-Asia He tells US that
the Mithra sacraments also included a
sacred meal, at which the sanctifed
bread and cup OF water, or even wine
served as mystic symbols of the dis
tribution Of the divine life to the NTH
ia believers. To the same origin he
traces the ceremony of baptism. $50
striking is the connection of these
ideas with Paul's teaching of Christian
baptism as a community Of death and
resurrection with Christ that the
thought OF historical relation between
the two cannot be evaded" These
1hree are leading samples of Christian
origins"
In regard to the origin Of Christian
ity as a world religion, the opinion is
Lnat lhlS was que 10 St- RauIS eloquent
prOmulgations, and Paul's advocacy
originated from q conversion by vision,
and that vision was some sort Of hallu-
cination. P6eiderer does not believe
there was any objective reality to the
image Of Christ which Paul saw, and
a. for the words he thought were
spoken 10 him they were the prompt
ings OF his own conscience.
AS for the scripture sources, the au-
thor considers Marks Gospel as the
closest approach 70 being historical,
but even that is dominated by apollo
getic motives and Pauline views of
faith which spoil its accuracy. To the
author OF the gospel attributed to Luke
high praise is given for his literary art.
but the German theologian believes in