The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-04-30
(By DIR. Samuel +. Halfyard of Wcs-
lnv Cnllnrel

cred yesterday afternoon to an apprc-
ciate audience by President Harris
Franklin Rail- of the Stiff School of
Theology. Denver. The lecture was
an Instructive and inspiring message
and made a deep impression OH the
audience. In philosophic insight. pow.
or of Interpretation. e%learness of
thought. ready uttcrancc. and direct
appeal DIR. Rail stands among those
of the first rank. He is also 81 pro-
grcssive thinker and is in closest SYM
pathy with modern constructive schol-
arship.
In this connection it may not be out
of place to say that President Rails
scholastic training has been as thor
having completed his studies in this
country he Went to Germany where
he spent tx" years in study and re-
search at tho famous Universities of
Berlin and Halle taking his doctors
degree at the latter institution. He
is well verscd in literature. philoso-
ply. theology, biblical history and lit
"%raturr and possesses a peculiar skill
in creating and combining his mate
rial, He REQ has a profound
knowledge no only of the present.
day Theological and philosophical ten
dcncics of this country but also those
of English and German thought.
God in His World"
n thcmc of the lecture was God
in his world" which came under the
larger subject "a Working Faith"
The lecturer said in part: What
ar" the elements of a working faith >
How may faith he defined: TO this
question. however, Il reply might be
made to the effect that this is a day
OF criticism. u day of practical and
material problems rather than a day
Of faith. And it must he conceded
that the age through which we have
lust passed has been n in which
the practical and the matcrialistic
is seen from the fact that the past
half century has been one of marvel
lous scientific advancement. The
boundaries of knowledge have been
pushed out far beyond the limits of
any. previous time. In all scientific
fields facts have been massed and new
insight has been gained. On biology.
geology. astronomy. as we'll as in the
other realms Of science rapid strides
have been made. Tho age has also
been n of marvellous DEVELOPMENT
OF power. Men have amassed wealth
and piled up fortunes as never before.
Dur standard in this respect has
gone beyond anything that the world
mas ever seen. Systems of produc-
tive power have been evolved far be-
Nond the dream of our fathers. The
jcism. All things have been tested
by tn" reason. Ethical and religious
systems have had to submit to the
questioning OF the intellect and tn.
test OF thought. But notwithstanding
tho marvellous progress that tho world
has made in many Ways final ques-
lions are as far from being answered
- fnfnts nc nt.1~ <,,
light upon the ultimate questions that
center around man. destiny. and God.
Multiplying of power and accumula-
ton of resources have not answered
put have rather increased the mys
terry Of the end and nearing of life.
Criticism has failed to bring relief to
the deep questions OF tho soul of man
These problems of life cannot be
solved by scientific investigation. de.
vclopment az material W nor by
negative criticism for they are mora
questions and must have a moral so.
luton: The Very breath of our exist.
cnce is positive and constructive anG
mas its roots in a moral and spiritual
world. And h present age has come
To realize that all final questions con.
corning human destiny can be an.
sWcrcd only as the spiritual nature O.
the universe is recognized. Indeed
the science and critical attitude of tho
past age were a. sign and proof tina
faith In the higher things arc needed
During the past quarter of IA ccntur,
We have been preparing for the nov
age OF faith. This is soon from thu
TACT that the idealistic philosophy %
such a thinker as Erickcn which /;
wears age made no apprcciable i'm
preston on the thought of men is re.
sardcd today as containing the onl,
nope and salvation of the race.
Problem Crntcrs About God.
around the person Of God. There
arises the question of the relation o.
God to the world. True faith is no
content with a far away heaven in tn.
such things but seeks to know how
God is related to this work-a-da,
world. Does God as a king of love
and power rule in the world? Is Coo
in the universe and in human like
controlling and guiding it to mora
ends?
Many have on the ground of the
PHYSICAL evil of the world denied tho
presence Of a good and loving God
1t has been held that nature with it,
brutal law n it's unfriendly attitude
to ma has shut out ever the posi-.
billty of a moral God. Others have
asserted that since evolution has
shown how the world has come about
there is no longer n use for God
Experience reveals the i]nteraction OF
forces which seem to account for Tho
origin and maintenance OF all thing.
and consequently A supreme mind is
a useless by hypothesis.
II must, however, be kept in minC
that evolution deals with method ano
not with cansal efficiency. 1t mere.
y brings facts in order and describes
the course of events
1t shows the way in which things
have come about and is silent con
corning the nature of the cause tina,
has been at work. After science has
traced the manne in which the world
has unfolded and the way in which
higher forms Of life have evolved
from the lower forms. there still re.
mains II question, What is the nature
of the power hat has produced the
universe and what is the end In view
In other words. science has to do with
has to do with the why. This, how.
ever. many scientists have overlooked
and have included in the results OF
scientific investigation a theory of
metaphysical causal. And because sci.
ence and philosophy have been mixed
confusion has arisen.
How Faith Fits In.
But how does faith tit in with the
new scientific conceptions OF the
world? At first when it was shown
that we live in a dynamic and not in
a statu universe. faith seemed to be
badly shaken. When the scientist
pointed out that the world has gradu-
ally evolved from the star-dust and Is
not the result Of a single creative act
of God, the theologians were up In
arms. The evolutionistic conception
of physical nature seemed to push
L Cod Ola& Of Tho x.onld AGA-..~~~