The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-12-01

When an important discovery Is
rnade In science, it liz Immediately
slD iected to the test of experience. Ills
Validity becomes removed from ques-
ton through universal use. " nat
ever conservatism hes.tates or opposes
is speedily disposed of by experiment
Talking at a distance, flying through
the air, wireless communication, see
ing through opaque substances, van
quish all doubt based on previous eS-
perlence. These discoveries are verb
ned in common use.
From time TO time discoveries are
announced in the field Of thought and
history. A new philosophy is pro-
claimed which sets ASIDE truths men
have considered automatic ancient
documents are compared and inVes'I-
gated, with the result that a historical
character Is declared noneXlstenI Inc
laws of the old Testament are dis
covered to be the work Of many hands
in successive generations, and not the
creation ii o.. i.lasier mind. lately
some scholars of high rank have tur-
nshed proof, to them 1nal and conclu-
siVe that Jesus never lived
Some of these discoveries are. like
the discoveries OF science, confirm
ed by their gradual and entire dis
placement Of previous theories. Rea-
soning since Kant can never be what
IL was before his original CRITICISM
appeared The history of Israel Is
made over by the work of the higher
critics, and their main conclusions
nave become a permanent part OF
belief about the Bible.
About some Of these discoveries,
however, the curious thing Is that
thcir proof remains in the minds of IA
few. Some OF them fail to dlspiace
she conclusions they upset. They re-
main in the pages which first pro-
claimed them and are permanently
shrlyed with the journals OF the spe-
cialsts Common thought is unaf-
gected by the philosophy which con-
Signs il 10 the rubbish heap. One
would never know that some ideas of
God, for instance, are no longer ten
able. The extreme pragmatism which
claims iufalhpility continues the Pc
cEiiar possession Of its discoveries,
After the higher than the higher
critics. whom We may call the flyer
critics, have said their say. and prov
cd that the historical Jesus was but
the survival Of myth, mere Great
ure OF former worship, made by oehef
rather than confirming belief, the in
tell.eent world goes on accepting his
tfe as a fact just rs though they
mad never spoken.
These discoNerers whose work Is
Thus left on their hands are not at
all disturbed by this kind OF failure.
They say il is due TO ignorance ana
obstinate blindness. and shows the
tenacity Of conventional opinions. But
conventional opinions, just as tena-
cious and allied ~ conservatism az
obstinate, do not in other fields suf
fer such neglect. They win their
way sometimes Very rapidly, in spite
Of human stupidity and inertia There
must be something else the matter,
It Is serious check TO thorough
by proved argument that II chane6
nothing whicn Il was bound to
change That within the memory If
men now living d philosophy whose
acceptance .gAs lhe test of the cn~
franchised mind and mark of real
progress has suisided INTO limo Dous
3esuetuse. that already The discovery
that Jesus never lived is AZ antique
az any yagary thst ,1.hbt be dag up
By curiosity seekers. that sn'i4" d.s-
coveries are like tho models In the
patent office of inventions that ney-r
worked, surely means something. Does
II not near thNt logical proof and
unanswerable demonstrations are de-
pendent on the further demonstra-
ticE of experience? II the proof that
Jesus never lived were as strong as
II claimed, It would not be long be-
sr0re Chrtsttan.ty would show the eff
keet of sEs dtsccvsry, Churches would