The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-02-07
JESUS NEVERL|vED,
Says PROF. DREWs.
stirs Germany Deeply by Publicly
Attacking Basis OF Chris
tan Religion.
DRAMATIC SCENE AT MEETING
Woman supplicates Heaven to
Strike Down Herctic-Theolo-
DRAMATIC SCENE AT MEETING

Berlin February 6.--Berlin has been
| made the scene of one of the most re-
markable theological discussions since
| the days OF Martin Luther 1t was
| provoked by Prof. Arthur Drews, OF
| Karlsruhe, who caused public scnsa-
| ton by plastering the billboards OF the
| town with posters propounding the
| startling question, "Did Jesus Christ
| ever live?"
! On Monday night hc addressed u
| huge concourse of people at the Zoo
| ory, and the following night he ap-
| peared in the same forum In order,
| Luther like, to defend his theses
against all Corners.
A score of tho most eminent theolo-
| gians of tho country responded to the
| invitation The debate was carried on
| with fervor and passion before an audi
/. ence of over 1000 persons, who were
| held spellbound until o'clock the
| next morning. The last hour was en-
| ployed by Drews In final retort TO
| his critics.
His onslaughts on the most cher
| ished tenets of Christian doctrine were
| so graphic and ruthless that many wo-
| mon In tho audience were overcome
| with emotion and had to be carried
from the hall, shrieking hysterically.
An intensely dramatic scene was pre-
scented by one woman, who stood on
chair and held her arms outstretchcd
in the attitude of s,lpplication to
heaven to send down retrtbution upon
the head of the Karlsruhe hereto.
Professor Drews appeared In Berlin
under the auspices Of the League OF
Monists. whose position. as their name
denotes. is akin to those who express
their creed in the formula. There is
no God but God: for hear, o Israel, the
Lord thy God is the one God"
Drews laid down his theories after
the classic manner Of old-time univer-
sity disputations. The gist of his posi-
ton was in large measure like tho
mythical theory OF David Strauss,
which created a sensation fifty years
ago. Strauss held that there was verify
a historic Christ, but that vast mass
of miracle and supernatural wonders
had been woven like wreaths around
tho head of Jesus. Drews goes FUR
Their He alleges that there never was
such a person as Jesus of Nazareth.
Baron Won soden. who Is professor
of theology at the University of Ber-
lin and pastor OF the Jerusalem Church
in Berlin. led the theological on
slaught on Drews. He maintalned
that even if it We're firmly proved
that no Sucn persoH do 1850
existed. that would hardly in1ure the
heart and core of the Christian re-
ligion. Professor Soden declared that
it was beyond doubt that neither
heather, Jewish. nor Christian writers
of the apostolic age had ever once
questioned the reality OF the historic
person OF Jesus.
1t was impossible that their message
could have been reconstructed around
q myth of redeeming and dying Son
of God.
Other speakers attempted to ridicuie
Drews out of court by quoting semi
satirlcal works which had been writ
ten, bearing such titles as Historic
Doubts About Napoleon" about Mar
tin Luther and about Frederick the
Great.
The discussions have aroused ire
mendous interest throughout GermanS.
The newspapers have published eA-
haustive accounts of them, and they
have provided the talk OF the town.
despite the fact that the court season
is at it's zenith and the public mlne Is
occupied with social ga1ety.