The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1908-01-10
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A SERMON EssN&A
81 TAE REV NESwsT
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Theme: The Bible.

Hamburg avenue and Weirheld street.
on the above theme, the Rev. Ira
Wemmell Henderson, pastor. took as
his text ls40:S The Word of our
God shall stand forever" He said:
This has been an age OF criticism
OF the Scriptures. There has never
been time i'm the history of Chris
tianity when the Bible was more
searchingly examined and the truth
fulness of its facts as presented more
questioned than in the days through
which we have passed and are pass
ing. The written truth of the divine
revelation has been put TO severe
tests. Its foundations have been an
alyzed It's superstructure has been
sounded. Its conclusions have been
negatived and its very fabric has
seemingly been destroyed. Some OF
MS have feared that its permanence
has been threatened. its influence cur
tailed its contents in some measure
sXpunged. Criticism has been stren-
nous in its handling of the Bible
Far more strenuous than some Of us
have thought advisable. Far more
strenuous than many OF us have
thought justifiable, necessary or wise.
Under the combined influence OF a
Y ,
a more comprehensive geography. the
tests OF the validity and value of the
Scriptures have been changed and the
content OF the Word of God has been
differently considered than custom
arily. II has shocked many a soul.
this process. 1t has brought many a
layman and many a minister 10 the
tide of the ocean of doubt and dis
-rust and of spiritual uncertainty.
But il has been done. Whether we
J have liked il or no the light has bcen
turned on II has incidentally been
5urned on much that was the foolish
less of immature scholarship mas
iuerading under the guise of wisdom.
The criticism of the Scriptures has
. created widespread distrust OF the
lghOle Book OF God. II has upset
EheOlOgy. II has removed many of
he old foundations for our belief
, in the inspiration OF the Word and
of the divinity of Jesus Christ. Sadly
IN many quarters il has undermined
''aith. But that has been rather be-
cause men have lacked the power to
differentiate and because they have
mistaken facts for human statement
and Interpretation of the same, than
because the Scriptures have been
scientifically studied and the light of
The spirit honestly ana helpfully
turned on
Actually here has been little cause
for alarm. Because We test the water
is 10 guarantee that il is contain
mated Because we put acid 10 our
silver is no surety that it is only
plated. Because We take the invi-
tation of the Almighty and try Him
and His Word is no reason why we
should fear that either or both are
frauds. Because We study the Word
carefully invites no presumption that
it will not he able fully 10 meet all
our questions and successfully TO
elucidate all our DegpleXities and to
Justify itself The Bible is not :
book for dummies II is the mechan-
ically preserved Word of a living God
who through the long ages has spoken
10 living men and who yet speaks. II
is for men OF intelligence who are
alive And il invites the inquiry of
live and intelligent men.
There is and has been no cause
for alarm. For theology and religion
are not the same thing. A very re-
ligious man may have a very atrocious
theology. And while il is always
best TO express our religious kDowl-
edge and experiences in the best theo-
logical formUlae that we NAV he able
10 devise. it il always possible hui
manity being what il is, that We may
not be able to express in words the
exacr consciousness OF our minds and
souls. mans theology will change,
if he he live and intelligent man.
with the maturing auG magnifying
Of his religious experiences. And IL
our theology is ineffective to relate
our spiritual aud moral experiences,
If our creeds do not correctly reveal
our thoughts. there is no reason in
the world why we should not do as
our fathers before us have done aud
change our creeds, our formulated
theologiCs. CTecds are necessary as
an expression Of areligious consc Ous-
ness. 1t were folly TO scoff them.
But they should be plastic. They
should grow with our growth and e.
pand with our expansion.
And so II investigation OF the
Scripture has relaid the ground for
our belief in the inspiration OF the
Word OF God we should not b fear
ful. For il has made the foundation
hui more ineligible and truthful TO
the minds Of m"n OF to-day. u has
not destroyed the fact OF inspiration.
IL has simply changed our major
ground OF belief therein. The Word
is as inspired as IL ever was. No theo-
logical statement, however learned or
carefully wogded. can alter the fact
II the examination OF the Scripture
has rcstated the grounds for our be-
lief in the divinity Of Christ. ii has
been simply 10 intensity our intcllec-
tual acceptance Of the fact OF His
divinoress. For lie who was the full
ness OF grace and truth depends not
on any theological formula for dem
onstration or justification. For He
was divine ere men began 10 prove
Him so.
We ought TO be thankful that the
test has come For out OF the fire
has emerged stronger faith IN the
inspired Word Of God. a clearer COM
preheHsion Of the reasons for our
faith. Ard 81 were worth while 10
20 through FIRE and through food TO
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