The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-10-07
THE INSIDE OF THE CUP
Letter on the Book From Rev.
Thornton r. Turner.

Thornton r. Turner.
Editor of the Banner.--For Ben
nington the interest in "The Inside
of the Cup" is increased by the fact
that we may imagine that the "oid
DR.. Gilman" of blessed memory,
therein mentioned, is the late father
CT my predecessor in this parish. To
the excellent comments on this book
which have recently appeared in The
Banner, may ask space to add
few further suggestions? First,
AS to Imagination. What have
we here? A novel. Yet evidently
il is the authors intention that we
shall take its serious statements
seriously Very well; we accept the
ipyitation; we sit to his play; he
choose his Suggesting and his
characters. Nevet theless. there are
rules to the game. Does he observe
them?
1t is the charm of fiction that the
authors imagination may determine
the lines of his story, but it must
not determine the facts of real life.
Now here we are told, among other
things, that American theological
seminaries discourage investigation
aud stifie virile thinking; and fur
thermo:e that William James, Prof.
Royce. the Hibbect Journal, and the
higher critics are stunned by the
orthodox ministry. Deplorable
this, If true. If it may be allowed,
would say that, almost without ex-
ception, graduates OF the seminaries
whom count among my friends,
own such books,--as many as they
can afford to buy, and in any case,
read them. While this matter is not
vital, others are, and then the easy
and inconsequential habit of drawing
such facts" not from real life, but
from Imagination, brings serious
consequences.
The upshot of breaking the rules
of the game is to leave the reader
quite befuddled. In his mind is a
tumble OF facts of the story, facts of
life, and facts" that are not facts any
where at ALL Thus one is apt to re-
semble the gentleman who dined
late and too well. The remarkable
gyrations of his homeward course
were due TO his efforts to avoid
tangling his feet in the shadows OF
the electric light wires.
As 10 Scrapbaskets, word. Many
Of us have been perplexed at here
finding, in close dependence upon
Here is a series of announcements;
"a faith in the Virgin Birth, CD the
of SNUG Christians with
fatty degeneration of the soul,
delicious phraseO CD the Church's
vow, etc. What. ii is ask
ed, has the overwork of shop girls
and the watering of stock of trac-
ton company to do with the Nicene
creed? AS matte of fact are
there not corruptionists in the
S trait pews of Calyinism and in the
easy seats of Unitarian societies;
and tainted money in "broad-church'
aims basins. and in CLOSE commun-
ion plates?
The anomaly of all this is at once
explained, ii we recognize in Hold
loi's mental processes, the-turning
We. of the contents of Mr..
chulchill's scrapbasket. No dis
courtesy implied! We all have
Ecrapbaskets, hope. Who ever be-
comes "a man" puts away childish
things" There is no logic in the
of any ones rubbish
and sometimes valnables find their
way into serapbaskets!
As to Theology; it is large
theme. There is a popular opinion
that positive religious affirmation in
ticates narrowness, while denials
and negations indicate breadth. Az
Ter serious reflection, however, |
find myself unable to discover just
why "Katy did, is more narrow,
core unenlightened, or more churl-
ish than katy didn't Indeed 1t
happens that the worlds big think
ers and able workers have not been
nen of negption. They are inyariab-
~ pcsitive characters. Holder. like
lther men OF conviction, is dogmatic
Tor his standards,--and we like him
or it, mark that. He has ideas,
and he puts them forth uncom-
dogmatically; but they
may be true or they may not: and
hat is another question. will men
ion two of Holders statements aud
set over against them the Churchs
position, as ] have received and I'M
lerstand IT,
% Hoddes:-By the Virgin
Birth God resorts Ito material proof
n order to convince a doubling hui
nanity."
The Church.-The Incarnation was
in the person OF Jesus
'hrist who was conceived by the
Holy Cost, born of the Virgin Mary
faith in the Incarnation does not re-
Iuire faith in the Virgin Birth. Evil
ently the latter cannot be a mater
al proof for US. Our faith in the |
'irgin Birth rests upon a sort of
akin to that which makes |
lou certain of the love Of your /
neither. confident of the immortality |
Il the soul. But back of faith in 1
he Virgin Birth. is a basis reason !
bile and profoundly scholarly. San
lay, Ramsay and others are open /
o Mr.. Churchill and any Others who /
are to read them.
(2) HOdder:-The Church teach
$ that a God of love must retain |
he wrath which visited the sins of /
he fathers upon the children, which |
demanded sacrifice. jatonement,-an
'xact Precipitation for His anger |
Igainst mankind"
The Church:-The Atonement ac-
reconciliation after |
iin. God hath reconciled us to