The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-03-05
.HIGH|ER| CRITICISM
n. NOT MATERIAL
FACTOR !
Rev. Beadles Discusses the
Much Mooted Question
t Yesterday.

Last evening at the, First Methodist
church, Rev. ]. M. Beadles, the pastor,
took for his theme the subject of
higher criticism and handled it in a
conservative and scholarly manner.
His text was, What Must l Believe
to Be Saved..' Mr.. Beadles said in
part:
If belief sustains necessary rela-
ton to ones eternal destiny, then what
one believes is of infinite concern.
we live in a world of conflicting
forces. The fierciest battles that have
ever been Fought have been BRAIN
battles. Intellectual contests in which
men thrust their antagonists through
with the bristling bayonets of the
brain have been the epoch making con-
tests Of the centuries.
The UNNECESSARILY more than word
wars that have been waged on the
fields of faith between those age-old
belligerents-conservatism and liber-
alisnl-have not been wars of devas-,
tation, but wars which have infinitely
enriched the race.
The power that swung planets into
space keeps each whirling world in
It's appointed path by the fine balanc-
ing of the centripetal and centrifugal
forces. Each force seems to be striv-
ing for the mastery. So is it in the
world of thought. Liberalism is the
centrifugal force tending to force us
from the center of accepted thought,
while conservatism is the centripetal
force tending to make us seek the CEN
ter. Thus opposition, becomes the
paradox of progress. But for con-
servatism liberalism would be de-
structive. But for liberalism con-
servatism with it's love of stability
would arrest the progress of human
thought
The Bible is now the battle-ground
OF these opposing forces. The Bible is
at last under the scrutinizing eye If
science. The historical method has
invaded the sacred volume. Critical
scholarship paused fol. awhile before
the portals Of it's sacred pages and
then entered.
"As a result of the application of the
scientific method to the study of the
scriptures two schools of critics have
arisen-the so-called destructive and
the constructive school, Has the
church aught to fear in the present
crisis? No! Truth has naught to fear
from any foe. The ultimate triumph
of truth is the one sure thing in the
universe. Well may we turn at this
time to the wise counsel of Gamalial
of old. namely: 'Ye men of Israel,
take heed to yourselves what We in
tend to do, as touching these men.
For before these days rose up Theudas,
|, boasting himself to be somebody; to
whom a number of men, about four
hundred, Joined themselves; who was
slain; and all, as many as obeyed him,
were scattered and brought to naught.
After this man rose up Judas of Galilee
in the days of the taxing, and drew
away much people after him; he also
persisted: and all, even SO many as
obeyed him, were disturbed, and now
say unto you, refrain from these
men, and let them alone; for if this
counsel of this work be of men, it will
come to naught; but if it be of God,
We cannot overthrow it; lest haply we
be found even to fight against God.
Higher criticism concerns itself
about a divine book. We are concern
ed chiefly about divine being. Inf
mite difference! 1t is not what we be-
lieve that saves. Paul said: 4 know
whom 1 have believed 1t is not the
creed but the Christ that saves. You
may believe the Bible from lid to I'D
and yet be lost. The devils believed
and trembled.| On the contrary you
may deny the mosaic authorship IF
the penitatench-the record of Jonah
and the whale, the floating axe and all
these traditional miracles-and yet be
saved by taking Christ into your life.
What must believe to be saved?
This question is forever settled. Be
lieve on the Lord Jesus Christ and
thou shalt be saved This is the one
necessary 'soul-saving belief recorded
in the Word of God. He that hath the
Son hath life and he that hath not the
Son hath not life. This is the heart
and soul of all Scripture"