The evening world., 1911-01-10

fences part OF
the human religion of Or. CHRISTIAN +.
Reisn,r OF Grace Methodist Episcopal
Church. Not that DR.. Reisner mas
time Just now for lengthy discussions
OF theological tcchnicalities. II -
the week o. his great"Warm-up-the-
Heart revival meetings. INC ne Is
harvesting souls. But yesterday Bishop
William La wrence of Massachusetts set
all Boston agos by stating that the
Biblical account OF Adam n Eve Is
but a beautiful ~allegory. Last evening
Dr.. Reisner spared enough time from
his duties to comment upon the Bishops
remark.
81 shall have to interpret the story o.
Adam and Eve TO a grown person just
as l would to a child Bishop Law
renee announced. Il take down my
Bible and read the little one the story
OF Adam and Eve and | say to the
child: 1 am trying TO tell you in
childish language how God made man.
I would not attempt to explain to the
child the Darvinian theory. but l would
read that beautiful aliegory. To-day
you must earn it all In childs
language"
Makes No DiNerence.
Shall / tell you how 1t seems to me?".
asked DR.. Reisner. II do not believe
that whether Adam and Eve ever ex-
listed is a vital question. Many great
theological scholars doubtless believe
with Bishop Lawrence that they did
not. Years ago when 1 was at college
l went into technicalities more thor
ough,v. Now. do l believe In Adam
, and Eve. or not? what can It
matter? The thing that does matter
IA that ] shall take to heart the great
truths the story teaches. The eating
OF the apple typiiied sin. Whether
Adam and Eve actually did eat an
apple can scarcely be a matter OF mo-
ment. | need only know sin entered
;he world ana Is still here. 1t is with
the sin OF to-day that | have my bust
ness. Tic old Adam in man keeps
me too busy to have time TO discuss
whether or no Old Adam was ever
born"
"And II sin had not entered the
worIda"
1--WE would all Lave been MIN
MES" DR.. Reisn or. W
must have our temptations 20
mako real men sna women OF US.
You remember that story recently
OF a woman VINO had always kept hei
child away from all contact with any
other human being for fear he would
learn OF s.n? What would such a child
have been had he grown to manhood
that way? Notning-a weak braiHct
nothing. Mono matter whether ST.
came into the world with Adam ant
Eve or not, Il Is best that there 81
some temptations for us. We may
pray not to be led into them. but 70,
sisting them moulds our Characters"
Lessons OF tnc Story.
"As to the lessons taught by the story
OF Adam and Eve. they are tie vita
part.
"The story teaches nonoyamy.
II also teaches hat temptation
10 like a serpent. 1t shows us that
one taste of sin leads to another.
And one most vital truth the
story teaches 81 that sin Inevitably
leafs to shame. Having sinned,
every normally constituted person
must feel game at his or her
downfall.
w. snould TAX to heart the grea
truths OF the bible. Ard we need no
ask how We may know whether the,
are great truths or not. They hay,
been proven, We have each or US loun,
tAat the things told rs In the Bio,
are true. The Bible tells us II we III
and steal. misery ami shame will com,
to Us. We have found this to be true
II also tells us II We are upright an,
honest We will be happy. And we hav,
found this equally true. Primitive, I
you like, all of 1t, but also fundl
mental.
Al far as the literalness of Adam
and Eve goes. there is this TO be said
TIVE Bible was written Ions years ago
Almost within our own remembrance
people never thought to question 1t
~l!teralness or its miracles. Il wa
written for a race in It's infancy.
we think OF the Bible that way. man