The Washington herald., 1907-08-19
Divinity of Christ.

Editor The Washington Herald:
VIII you allow me TO call attention 10
some statements, contained in the Sun
day Sermon in The Herald for August
II, concerning Mr.. r. J. Campbell and
his book, THE New Theology" which
are incorrect in substance and misleading
in form. Mr.. Campbell. says the author
Of the sermon, denies the divinity Of
Christ, the virgin BIRTH and the resur-
rection."
Mr.. Campbell does not deny the divinity
OF Christ. He expressly asserts it, and
the divinity of man with it. He does deny
that Jesus was God, the deity of Christ
q very different matter. he believes that
Jesus was seen by His disciples after
His burial II this is not believing in
the resurrection, what is?
lie denies the virgin birth 0n which he
finds himself in excellent company be
cause. as he shows, the evidence is con-
Trajectory and defective, and because the
belief tends to put a barrier between
Jesus and the race" and operates as
a hindrance to spiritual religion and
living faith in Jesus"
Mr.. Campbell is saad 10 deny the in
spiration and infallibiHty Of the Bible -
lie denies its lnfallibnity, for the reason,
among others. that Jesus denied it. As
70 its inspiration, he speaks Of the
word of God as declared In the Bible
and revealed in human hearts" Neither
does he reject the idea Of Divine pun
ishment' He denies that divine punish
ment exists in the sense of "a sentence
imposed by some authority from without,
and containing within itself some element
OF vengeance for wTOug-dOiug" But he
declares that the soul, when IL sees the
real meaning of its sin, and turns from
IL, must suffer in its efforts 10 throw
off the burden OF wrong tendencies and
habits. is not such suffering as much
divine punishment as the fires Of the
inferno, and far more worthy OF a God
OF mercy and justice? For II ends with
/ the reformation OF the sinner and not
with his everlasting loss.
The writer Of the sermon IS aggrieved
because Mr.. Campbell "arrogates 10 him
self the task Of correcting the people in
their beliefs And what. pray is a Chris
tian minister 10 do If he finds a wrong
belief prevalent but 20 try TO correct it?
I That was the effort Of the Hebrew pro-
I st-'-'- a iiit was hAAr ttNh tL Alie 7 GAIilEE
OF Christianity Himself Is man fit
/ for the Christian ministry who Is afraid
or ashamed % lead others To the light
as he has found IL? The writer speaks
sneeringly of ministers for whom the
doctrines Of Jesus Christ are not good
enough. But the very question at issue
I is whether the accepted theological doc
trines are really the doctrines of Jesus
/ Christ"
And just a word as TO the whole tone
OF the sermon. The writer's idea, briefly
stated. is that the layman should not
meddie in such matters. That he should
accept the ipse diXit of the church or the
clergy, and think no more about IL. Set
| ting aside the difficulty OF which church.
or which set Of clergy he is to foilow-for
/ their name Is legion and their differences
many-would not such a statement carry
! It's own reputation in any other line of
thought or action. from the teacher in
! the lecture room. or from the business
man laying his plans before his partners2
And II absurd there why not here2 Such
a line OF argument might have done with
I the Indian medicine man in his tent. II
would hardly appeal 10 intelligent Iaymen
I who know themselves the intellectual
equals Of their minister-and, in some
! cases. his superior.
GEO. NJ CHURCHILL
Us Elfh street southeast.
Washington. D. c