The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1910-03-26
"A DANIEL COME TO JUDGMENT"

Last Sunday the Rev. Elmer l. Goshen, in his
sermon the Higher Criticism of the Old Testa-
ment," confounds infallibility with inspiration.
But let that pass. After assuring his audience
that the Bible lis not literally verbally infalble
but is inspired in its teachings of great truths, !"
however he continues, Its legends and myths do
not affect Its value a religious authority" He
classes among these legends the history of JONAH
the household gods mentioned in the 30th chap. of
Genesis, and, we assume, many others not included
in the newspaper synopsis of his discourse. He
then declares the Bible to be a "true history" and
holds it to be the leading book among religious
works" That is to say the Bible is inspired in
places not inspirtd in other Places is, again.
simply history and then purely religious book.
Well, to quote from Artemus Ward, 'for those
who like that sort of thing, it's just the sort of
a thing they like"
Now, we have a few questions to ask of Dr. Go
shen, and of the men and women who support him.
We should like to have from him positive state
ment showing clearly:
What books of the Bible, in addition to
Jonah, does he think should be eliminated as not
being the inspired word of Code
2-What chapters in the other books of the
Bible he considers should be treated in the same
manner as the XXI. Genesis?
3.-What portions of the books are merely
myths, what merely allegories?
4.If the story of the creation be legend, how
would DR.. Goshen replace it,
5.-Was there any Garden of Eden, any Adam
and Eve, any fall from Grace or from the friend
ship of God
6.-Was and is there any Satan, was there
any origina, sin vas there any punishment for it?
WAS mere ~ promise of a Redeemer?
6.-Was there any deluge any Abraham2
By what ms is any member of Dr. Go
shen's congrega tion, or DR.. Goshen himself, to
know what portions Cf any of the Bible are to be
taken the absolute Word of God and to be re-
eeived such and acted pom at the peril of the
reader; and when does the apparent Word of God
pass into scientific subjects, unreliable history
poetical effusions, into myths, legends alegories
etc, which withdrawn from the region of in
spiration and merely human utterances to be
dealt with the reader every preacher pleases?
We entertain the malicious suspicion that DR..
Goshen opportunist who caters to the eccentric
appetities of an unbeeving people and that lie is
infinitely more jealous to popularize himself than
to Bpiritualize his people To suppose that the
Holy Spirit given on the Day of Pentacost should
have permitted his church wander in darkness
until Swiss DOCTOR $50 years ago, set the higher
critics the path of wisdom, is, beyond all ques-
ton, to suppose absurdity This spirit of crit
cism of the Word of God has enthroned itself in the
pulpits of many of our Salt Lake churches and
without any of modesty, or, indeed, any very
deep of honesty, arrogates to itself all the
wisdom of the ages.
The ministers themselves have sowed the wind
and they are now reaping the whirlwind, in empty
pews and unbelieving people The conflict of
the sects helped to create, first of ALL atitudin-
arian pulpit and their inevitable competition tend
ed to destroy ALL nearly all faith in the supernat-
ural and the spiritual
When honest worshipers begin to realize-as
'the man the street" has for some time per-
ceived-that the inevitable outcome of the sermon
zing of DR.. Goshen, and preachers like him. is a
denial of the Divinity of Christ they will hesitate
before contributing their money to the support of
an imposter. No doubt many in DR.. Goshens con-
gregation think that his criticism of and filings at
the Bible original with him and that he is open
ing new path to salvation. Sheyne, Driver Camp
bell and Jackson, all ministers, have exploited the
territory, and Driver, when he uttered the God
dishonoring statement that Christ "was the dupe
Of current Jewish notions" was applauded by his
hearers. There is no need to mince matters. the |