Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1908-01-16

IVA W~u.NDER10N ~
Theme: The Bible.
Brooklyn, N. Y.-Preaching at the
Irving Square Presbyterian Church,
Hamburg avenue and VERIFIED street,
On the above theme, the Rev. Ira
Wemmell Henderson, pastor, took as
his text Is.40:8: "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 in the history of Chris
tianity when the Bible was more
searchingly examined and the truth
fulness OF it's 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. It's foundations have been an
alyZed. It's superstructure has been
sounded. It's conclusions have been
negatived and it's very fabric has
seemingly been destroyed. Some of
us have feared that it's pe-manence
has been threatened, its influence cur
tailed, it's contents in some measure
| expunged. Criticism has been stren-
| uous-ln its handling of the Bible.
Far more strenuous than some Of us
I have thought advisable. Far more
strenuous than many of us have
thought justiflable, necessary Or wise.
| Under the combined influence of a
new science, larger view of history,
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
dlnerently considered than custom
arlly. 1t has shocked many soul,
this process. It has brought many
iayman and many a minister to the
olde OF the ocean of doubt and dis
| trust and of spiritual uncertainty.
But It mas been done. Whether we
nave liked it or no the light has bee.
turned on. It has incidentally been
turned on much that was the foolish
ness of immature scholarship mas
Querading under the guise of wisdom.
The criticism of the Scriptures has
created widespread distrust Of the
whole Book of God. It has upset
theology. It has removed many Of
the old foundations for our belief
IN the Inspiration of the Word and
OF the divinity of Jesus Christ. Sadly
IN many quarters it has undermined
falth. But that has been rather be-
cause men have lacked the power to
dlfferentiate 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 and helpfully
turned on.
actually there has been little cause
TOT alarm. Because we test the water
IS no guarantee that IL is contain
mated. Because we put acid to our
silver, is no surety that it is only
plated. Because we take the inyi-
tatlon OF the Almighty and try Him
ana 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
IL Will not be able fully to meet all
our questions and successfully to
elucidate all our perplexities and to
Justify ITSELF, The Bible Is not :
book for dummies. It Is the mechan-
really preserved Word of living God
who through the long ages has spoken
to living men and who yet speaks. It
Is for men of intelligence who are
alive. Aud It invites the inquiry OF
live end intelligent men.
There is and has been no cause
Tor alarm. For theology and religion |
are not the same thing. A very re-
ug1ous man may have very atrocious !
theology. And while it is always |
best to express our religious knowl-
edge and experiences in the best theo-
logical formulae that we may be able
to devise. it is always possible, hui
manity being what it is, that we may |
not be able to express in words the |
exact consciousness of our minds and |
souls. A mans theology will change. |
Il he be a live and intelligent man. !
with the maturing and magnifying |
OF his religious experiences. And IL |
our theology is ineffective to relate
our spiritual and moral experiences.
It 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 and |
change our creeds, our formulated |
theologies. Creeds are necessary as |
an expression of areligious conscious.
Ness. It were folly to soon them. !
But they should be plastic. They |
should grow with our growth and ex-
pand with our expansion. I
And so If Investigation Of the |
Scripture has reIaid the ground for |
our belief in the inspiration Of the
Word OF God we should not be fear
full. For 1t has made the foundation
but more ineligible and truthful to
the minds OF men OF to-day. It has
not destroyed the fact Of inspiration.
It has simply changed our major
ground OF belief thArain The Word