Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-19
At GREENvILLE, S. C.
Southern General Assembly is in Ses-
sion.
sion.
COMMITTEE ON PUBLICATION
Report Submitted Yesterday on Pro-
motion of church's Interests In
Southern States.

the Presbyterian Church In the United
states In this city yesterday Rev. ]. T.
fiunket preached upon the text What is
TRUTH the question asked of Christ by
PLATE. Mr.. Plunket said in part:
Inc attitude OF our age toward the Bible
Is vital question What are the signs OF
the times? What are men saying about the
Book? As We interpret the spirit Of our
age. what conclusions do we reach? Ours
Is an age of unrest. Higher criticism. new
theology. new psychology, German philos-
ophy French speculation, scientific inyes-
figation are terms we are all familiar with.
The meaning of 1t is that rationalism is
rampant, and that our age on It's spiritual
side is an age Of doubt This doubling
spirit Is keenly intellectual. nobly artistic,
sptendldiy humane It is not so much
athetstic as 1t Is infidel. Modern Thought.
whether expressed in terms of science or
general literature, or even In much that
claims that name Of religious, supports
this Indictment. No part OF Gods universe
ID counted too sacred to be invaded It
lays Its doubling hand upon everything.
yea, even upon the scriptures, and with a
traitorous kiss would betray this written
WORD OF God into the hands of avowed en-
emies. come not here with the proud
boast OF expert in matters of biblical crit
icfsm.
i confess that in my limited study in
H.,
Edwin Bissle speaks for me, touching the
whole subject. He says: We have seen
one scheme of the origin and structure of
Genesis and its companion books give place
In quick succession to another, until 1t
would seem the very limit Of possible COM
binations had been reached and we are
left in confusion amid the wrangling of the
schools believe that in spite Of my ten
der and Jealous regard for my mothers
Bible. I would not impose an unreasonable
restriction upon the reverent and scholarly
investigation Of its every claim. know
that criticism is not necessarily destructive.
lea, more. / recognize that criticism is
legitimate and necessary. fully and grate-
fully acknowledge the debt we owe to the
critical experts Of ancient and later times
that give US the holy scriptures in their
present canon. But there are critics, and
there are critics. Beloved, believe not
every spirit, but try the spirits whether
they are of God; because many false proph-
cts are gone out into the world I confess
1 am troubled at the spirit of that class of
critics which comprehensively we call the
destructive school-that school which chal-
lenges the gem OF plenary inspiration set
in the crown of scripture which avows that
the Pentateuch, as we have 1t, is simply a
five-fold imposition. neatly written COM
posite of mingled eleverness and fraud.
That school which leaves nothing Of
patriarchal history, except some floating
myths; nothing of Mosaic history except
some scattered debris borne down ward on
the heaving waters of a beclouded tide;
of the Old Testament properly speaking,
practically nothing. A criticism which re-
adjusts the whole idea of the ancient sac
rifice different plane, and proposes for
1t a totally different aim. A criticism
which, denying the one utting consumma-
ton Of the national life and religion of Is
rael to be Jesus, the Christ, of the seed of
David, whose day Abraham saw and was
glad. and declares the intention of the
cal catastrophe which overlook the Jewish
state seventy years after our era began. I
say the spirit of such criticism as this fills
me with sadness and alarm.
Truth of Scripture.
What is the effect of such criticism upon
the trustworthines of scripture. There can
be but one answer. Its credibility is gone.
Trustworthiness cannot for one minute
be associated in a sane mind with myths,
legend, falsihed history, deliberate forgery,
partisan purposes. If these conclusions Of
the critics are true, then, instead of build
ing on the impregnable rock of Holy Scrip
ture.' we are building upon the mists of
mere myths and the fancies and falsehoods
Of fiction and forgery.
What is its effect upon Inspiration A
writing may be thoroughly trustworthy, al
though not inspired; but how can 1t be in;
spired II 1t is not trustworthy? What Is /
inspiration? The apostle replies, All scrip
ture is given by inspiration of God The
Greek work here employed for inspiration
means literally. God breathed' What is
meant by that? Not human reason, which
Is a generic gift; not genius, which 10 an
Unborn gift. and may be used for good or
evil; not spiritual illumination, for that Is
the privilege of all believers. The word
inspiration is used in connection with holy
scripture as describing spiritual influence.
exercised by the Holy Spirit, moving GER
tain persons to infallibly communicate d.
vine truth But, If the critics be true, then
tho claim Of plenary inspiration for the BIZ
BILE is destroyed. 1t Is true that God re-
bod tuoi
reveal himself through fiction. which makes
every effort to lead US to believe that 1t 10
a plain recital of fact. If disoord drives
away the spirit OF peace, surely the milk
white dove of purity and truth will refuse
to dwell where the aim is full of the inn
aginations OF mans heart, falsehoods, for
geries and frauds.
what is the effect of this criticism upon
scriptures of the Old Testament He had
learned them memoriter at his mothers
knee and in the Rabbinical schools. His
memory was saturated with them. Chrtsts
was emphatic, without hesitation. excep-
ton or reservation There Is no escape
from the Issue. II this modern criticism
er and deceiver. II Christ taught Gods
truth, then this criticism Is false For my
self / had rather stand for Christ against
the critics, than with the critics against
Christ.
Eject or CT1ucaGm.
.sBut what is the effect Of this criticism
upon the word? II the confusion of the'de-
structive critics be true. the Bible IL true
only In part. It Is an admixture of error;
It is not God-breathed; it Is not the best
book; It is worthless as an infallible rule Of
faith and practice. What. Of necessity then,
is the effect of this criticism upon the
preacher? How can his confidence remain
unshaken? Preachers should be. of all men.
men OF deepest conviction. 1t Is q notable
fact that the great ment of our day who
have been honored of God in leading multi
tudes into His kingdom have held most
firmly by the views OF the Bible which have
been handed down to US. There Ii a posi-
tiyeness and an JUNCTION about their preach
ing which we should earnestly covet as
among the best gifts.
what is the effect OF such criticism
upon the people? It Is agreed that our age
is becoming more and moro materialistic.
Reports of the special manifestation Of the
Spirits work come from but few of our
churches The spiritual experience Of those
Joining our cornmunions II generally super
fciaL The number OF candidates for the
gospel ministry In inadequate; and IL there
not q manifest lowering OF reverence on the
part of the people for the Bible and Its
ekfv.ga9 the nnnlY.c ax,av-x,-