The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1912-02-24
THE PUBLIC FORUM
fconunued Fron PAGE -


perfect accord with the mystery: i
there Be- no break in the rhythm be-
tween the sayings Of the teacher and
the alleged revelation of the angel
who foretold his birth. then this unity
Of mystery becomes itself an argument
which oompels certain conclusions.
again. let it Be emphasized oMNIP-
oTENCE COVERS THE WHOLE
GROUND or DIFFICULTY As TO
THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH a CON
CEPTIoN AS Is CLAIMED on BE
HALF or JESUS CHRIST.
Note another fact: Jesus was al
ways willing TO be identified as the
Son OF Mary. YET He NEVER
SPEAKS or ANY OTHER FATHER
But GOD.
In recent years there has arisen an
extremely radical school Of historical
criticism. 10 which reference has been
made in former papers By the writer
This school, il its attacks. Is not con-
dned To the article Of the Virgin birth.
In referring 10 this matter Professor
Orr OF the Free Church University Of
Glasgow. says. 1T affects the whole
supernatural estimate OF Christ-His
life, His claims. His Sinlessness. His
miracles. His resurrection from the
dead But the Virgin birth is assailed
with special yehemence. because il is
supposed that the evidence OF this
miracle is more easily got rid OF than
the evidence for public facts. such as
the resurrection. The result is that
in very many quarters the Virgin birth
Of Christ is openly treated as fable.
Belief in It is secuted as unworthy Of
the twentieth century intelligence.
In other words, the methods OF the
oldest opponents OF Christianity are
revived. and 1t is likened to the Greek
and Roman stories, coarse and vile, Of
heroes who had gods for their fathers.
All true Christians believe most en-
phatically in the fact that the Eternal
Son of God entered into our nature for
the purpose of mans salvation. On
the other hand. those who repudIate. or
deny this article Of faith, either hold
lowered view Of Christ's Person, or
deny the efficacy of His work on the
Cross, and rtject His supernatural
claims altogether These are the
kind as Professor Bruce once said,
Who in their denial 81 the Virgin
birth are apt to deny the Virgin life. .
Further, everything depends on right
views as regards the Virgin birth of
Christ. Who that reflects on the sub
iect carefully can fail to see that II
Christ was Virgin born-if He was
truly conceived, as the creed says, by
the Holy Ghost. born of the Virgin
Mary'-there must of necessity enter
a supernatural element into His per-
son: while. If Christ was sinless. much
more. If He was the very Word Of God
incarnate, there must have been a
miracle-the most stupendous miracle
in the universe-.-in His origin. II
Christ was. as John and Paul affirm,
and as His church has ever believed.
the Son of God made flesh, the second
Adam, the new redeeming head of the
race. a miracle was to be expected in
His earthly origin: without a miracle
such Person could never have been
LET MY READERS PONDER OVER
THIS STATEMENT.
Furthermore, the Virgin birth has
an historical setting There runs as
It we're, a golden thread OF prophecy,
an through the Old Testament Scrip
lures. indicating preparation. cumula-
tive in character. ever increasing. until
in Isaiah the climax is reached, and
the idea Of the Messiah gathers to it.
self the attributes OF Divine King,
and the great Emmanuel prophecy, ex-
tending from Isaiah f'lA TO " teom-
pare with Isaiah 81 S. i0l, comes like
flash Of celestial light from the un.
seen Holy, and we hear the wonderful
words. "THE LORD HIMSELF WILL
GIVE YOU A SIGN, (this said to the
unbelieving King Ahaz) A VIRGIN
SHALL CONCEIVE. AND BEAR A
SON, AND SHALL CALL HIS NAME
IMMANUEL,D (literally in the He,
brew, GOD WITH USJ Now note,
this is none other than the child Of
wonder extolled in chapter 9:67; For
unto us A CHILD is BORN. unto rs
a SON is GIVEN: and the government
shall be upon HIS SHOULDER; and
HIS NAME SHALL BE CALLED
WONDERFUL, COUNSELLOR, THE
MIGHTY GOD. THE EVERLASTING
FATHER, GATHER OF ETERNITY,
THE PRINCE OF PEACE. OF the in
crease OF His government and peace
there shall be NO END, upon the