The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-05-13
ALL PROPHETS
MAY BE WRONG
Rev. Frank Fay Eddy Says
They Should Never Be Taken
at Their Word.
WHAT DO THEY REPRESENT
RELATION TO LIFE.
WHAT DO THEY REPRESENT

That the religious situation is con-
fused by plethora of prophets. that
perhaps Isaiah and Ezekiel did not
know altogether what they were talk
ing about and that any prophet who is
right is probably so accidentally, was
the substance of a sermon ON "Acci-
dental PROPHETS" ct the First Unitar
ian church yesterday morning by the
pastor. Rev. Frank Fay Eddy.
1t is never wise TO take a prophet at
his word" said the pastor IF he
could see straight he would not be
prophet. Thus, correctly to place Isaiah
and Ezekiel or jeremiah, we must not
believe they knew altogether what they
were talking about. Rather, we must
discern clearly what they represented"
Mr.. Eddy then referred to the various
churches, saying that each faith had its
pFophesies. To determine which one of
these is right, however, is the task that
confronts the world, ne said.
Mr. Eddy took his text from Isaiah
xl:31. But they that wait upon the
Lord shall renew their strength: they
shall mount up with wings as eagles;
they shall run and not be weary; they
shall walk and not faint"
Words Ring True.
He said in part: so spake the great
est of Hebrew prophets There is a
vein of lofty poesy in this great pro-
phet of the exile which makes his
words perennially inspiring. In a
spiritual sense they ring true. though
ages intervene. But the return of Is
rael To Jerusalem realized meagerly
the sublime vision of the prophet. The
rebuilt Jerusalem was thoroughly
priest-ridden and existed in cowed sub
lection TO greater natioral powers. A
great prophet he was, not because his
predictions were literally filfulled, but
because he was q great soul and spoke
the language of the spirit
Now we have prophecy in our time
weather prophecy. This is the pro-
phecy of science 1t is based on a sys-
tematic study of evidence. From a
strictly modern standpoint of view we
may study individuals who represent
tendencies and facts in the life of to-
day as having prophetic significance.
They are not necessarily those who
pose as prophets. They may be purely
accidental prophets.
Advice as to Prophecies.
TT is never wise to take a prophet at
his word. If he could see straight he
would not be q prophet Thus TO cor
miah, we must not believe that they
knew altogether what they We're talk
ing about. Rather we must discern
clearly what they represented.
Prophets May Be Accidents.
ANY age might thus be studied. Ac-
cidental prophets there are sure to be.
We might see more clearly the repre-
sentative figures in the past. but our
interest lies more interbiended in the
present. Let then the present be our
study. Above the ciamor and din of
many sounds and voices certain spokes-
men make themselves heard. They may
be forgotten tomorrow. They are only
significant because they are represen-
tatiVe. Certain tendencies and influ-
ences, embodied in ideas, cast in the
form of ideals. beset us and make every
responsive soul a conscript to their
service. We can only realize the deeper
meaning of the life of today by tracing
out its relationships to the life of to-
morrow.
1.-The life of this present era is of
seething compleXity as 1t appears to
most of us who are engrossed in its
turmoil Yet there are accidental pro-
phets enough and TO spare, and proph-
etc facts innumerable to challenge our
judgment.
Some of the Prophets.
The religious situation is perhaps
most confused by plethora of proph-
cts. We hear Mary Baker Eddy and
her cohorts proclaiming Christian
Science as the eonquering event of a
purified and rediscovered Christianity
On the other hand Mark Twain pre-
dicted its mighty growth because it is
a delusion and a snare, because Ii has
had a shrewd and unscrupulous lead