The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-03-26
. BY ". p. kIrkwood.

FREE.THINklNG DOGMATlST At
TACkS THE BIRLE.-The purpose. of
George H. Warmers The Jewish Spectre
is evidently to show that the book known
as the Bible is not Of divine origin--is
not inspired, but is only purely human
document, or series Of documents, of no
very great value to the world. Indeed
the author asserts that the civilized
world could be happier and better If the
Bible We're to disappear, not by slow neg
leat, which entails doubt and. sadness,
but by some swift process. l have no
doubt. Page 49, Beyond this the author
has farther goal. He asks, page 1858,
How soon can the world rid itself of not
only theocracy but eccesiasticism?
How much longer can the ecclesian, by
whatever name, by bell or book make a
penal colony Of the next world; or, what
is much worse make It material para
disc for those who have, sacrificed most
lin this life? 1888 The human soul
swinging along in the infinite meadows of
space. will at length get free; and 1
sometimes dream that it might begin
now to consider this life as part of its
heritage, free here from ecclesiastical
bonds.'' wv <-- ",
So much for the purpose Of the work.
In spirit, it is intensely bitter. tho aim
ing to be polite. In this last it does not
not always succeed: e.g., the theologian
who enacts laws, proclaims dogmas and
imagines that he holds up the sky. The
bitter Is sugar-coated with professions of
profound regard to the suffering laity
who finally see that they must deal for
themselves with the problems of their
earthly pilgrimage if they are ever to
emerge from the frightful conditions of
inequality, want and premature death,
tolerated by the selfish alliances of
priest and king What frightful storms
of suffering are falling on the laity OF
the United States by reason of the un-
holy alliances of priest and king!
Mr.. Warner seems utterly unable tc
apprehend the meaning and spirit of the
Bible, and also the meaning, spirit ano
Influence of the church on the world. but
my space will not permit further notice
of this side of the case.
| Finally, Mr.. Warner writes with dog
matte cocksureness that is altogether
amusing, when one reflects on his abhcr
renee of dogmatism on the part Of 9th
ers. 1t is the same whether in the fielt
| Of history, of criticism, Of science o.
philosophy. He goes thru all with al
assumed superiority that reminds one o
the Joveborn hero of the HAD Sarpe.
don. One asks: On what meat hail
this our Cesar fed. that he hath grown 81
create" Hear him yet once: Had tn
of his warfare with science known wha
was his real realm or sphere. etc" Now
| has the theologian, for fifteen hundred
years, fought science? Take one cas-
alone-astronomy. AS the church grew
and men became theologians, they sough
to understand the Bible thruout. The
knew the science of their times-the as
tronony Of Hipparchus, Of Ptolemy. o
the Arabians. 1t was voluminous. It wa
apparently established by perfect apo
deixis. They accepted it and read
into Bible. Then, when the new astron
Ionny arose, under the lead of Copernicus
of course they, along with others. wer
surprised and withstood the new unit
the proofs were clear. But is that reall
4 q fault? Were they not safeguarding
mankind until the truth should be known
They made mistakes Yes, who does not
Have scientists never erred-never bee
dogmatic, narrow? Is even Mr.. Warne
/ immune on sthat~score? 1t is hardly like
~ that his book will be of the class. Gale
"epoch- making, but it is interesting a
l showing how man may be CROWN
narrow while he even thinks he is grow
ing broad. w. r. K.
Doubleday Page & Co.. New York.