The Washington herald., 1910-08-21

moral age. We may not be so strict IN
the observances Of religion as we were
In ancient times. but I believe our faith
IS as strong as ever and our daily prac-
tees. It seems TO me. are much better"
you must have witnessed a good many
changes in the methods Of preaching" I
said, "as well as in teaching?"
Love Knowledge of Bible.
Yes, changes in methods and sub
stance. The early Scotch prejudice
against written sermons was so great
that no Presbyterian parson dared 10
carry a manuscript into his pulpit Then
came a period OF writing and everything
parson said was first put on paper
Now we are going back TO the old way
and preaching again has the visible ap-
pearance. at least, Of extemporaneous-
ness When I learned 10 preach IL was
the rule for ministers 70 explain the
Scriptures-they would take a text and
stick to it and interpret such characters
as Moses and the prophets. Nowadays
text merely serves as a topic and when
once read often disappears from the dis
course that follows. AS result, the
people are losing their knowledge OF the
Bible A student, here at the UNIVERSE
", the son OF a clergyman. was required
10 write 500 words on the divorce laws of
the Jews. as found in Moses and Jose
phus. He came to me and said:
Chancellor. have looked through
my Bible twice and can't find the book
Of Josephus'
Young man. replied. go home and
tell your father that your Bible education
has been shamefully neglected.
Il was studying in Berlin and Tubingen
when the higher criticism, as It is called.
began to make Roadway in German uni
versities," Chancellor MaoCracken con-
tinued. THE Westminster Confession Of
Faith. written go years ago, mostly by
Presbyterians, stated that the Word OF
God. which is contained in the Scriptures
OF the Old and New Testaments. is the
only infallible rule whereby we may
gorify and enjoy HIM The theologians
Of tho church afterward departed from
that great doctrine, taking the ground
that everything in the Bible was inspired,
and therefore, the two Testaments. from
cover to cover. were dlvinely accurate
In every particular Nothing was 20 be
qualified There was to be no departure
from the interpretations Of the thec-
logians, who declared that each word in
the Bible was from on high and too
sacred for any human explanation be-
yond their own.
Changes I'm Theology.
Il preached in the narrow days Of such
theoIogians The higher critics. as I I'M
derstand their beliefs ana purposes, ae-
cept the Westminster declaration that
the Word OK God. which is contained in
the Old and New Testaments. Is the only
lnfallible rule and so forth The fathers
Of the confession went no further than
to say. which is contained In the mean
while. the higher critics are reverently
searching for the Word named so care
fully by the pious men and scholars OF
Westminster. have seen other changes.
but there Is no good in mentioning them"
The MacCracken family" I said,
owned a very large tract Of land in
Ohio?"
MY grandfather had a farm OF about
200 acres near the city OF Cincinnati.
Judge Jacob Burnet, afterward a United
States Senator. came to him one day and
said: Your land is next to my own. I
have other good land just 20 the north,
in Butler County I will trade as much
OF it as you think Is right for the farm
you are living on MY father. his bro
Their. and a brother-in-law walked 10 But
LEI County. carrying axes on their