Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1913-02-07
MlDDLEBURY GRADUATE IN
SCOTLAND.
DISTINGUISHED Career of Rev. Kerr
G. Anderson, z. D., of the
Class of 1871.
Continued from last week.

origin OF Christianity IS to be sought
not in the influence of a person, but in
the reality of the ideas he is supposed
to have emboded?"
Exactly. Notin the historical person,
because the great ideas were in eX-
istence among the ancients. To put it
in the words of Augustine, Christianity
existed among the ancients. Thus the
great ideas of incarnation and atonemert
were in existence before the beginning
of the Christian era. My argument is
that there never existed a Christianity
which professed to base itself upon the
teaching of man until modern times.
The ideas are too great and vast and
stupendous to be historically realized in
single personality. The only way in
which these great truths could be given
to the world was through the process of
symbol and parable.
81 think | understand. The question
whether Jesus was historical or not does
not greatly affect the issue as to the
validity of these truths?'
81 am follower THE Apostle Paul, "
answered DR.. Anderson, positively,
"and take my stand on his conception
of The Christ Within. 1T pleased God
to reveal his Son in me-. Paul did not go
up and down the cities of the Mediter-
ranean proclaiming that great teacher
had come into the world a few years
earlier and quoting from his teaching.
Paul never quotes single precept or
parable and never records a deed. His
emphasis is upon the spiritual process
which the life and death of Jesus SYM
bolized. The atonement, for instance,
is an eternal process. | would rather
say it is timeless fact. The only way
in which it could be taught to the world
is through symbolism. Thus you have
the crucifxion. am disposed to think
that it is not historical. think it more
probable that the betrayal, trial, and
crucifixion are the successive scenes of
mystery play. Symbolism and para
BILE are the means by which the truth is
taught.
"But do you not think we surrender
something of the simplicity which ap-
peas to the ordinary man by substitut-
ing this Interpretation for the presenta-
ton of the purely human Jesus?"
"On the contrary, think that Liberal
Chritianity confuses the minds of the
people. Take, forinstance, the question
of the authority of Jesus. Which Jesus
is meant? The Jesus of the first cen
5 fury or the Christ who lives, as Paul
taught, in the soul? If the former, then
I the source of our knowledge of him is
= the four gospels, and the Higher
f Criticism has left US very little of those.
2 The phrase the authority of Jesus
t can have power only if it be left vague
2 and uncertain in its meaning, and this
r is confusing and the foe of clear think
S ing. If it be the Christ who dwell in
t the soul whose authority we must &C
t cept, all is clear. The authority then is
the authority of the God within, the
authority of the highest we know"
f am conscious as | write that have
s not succeeded in giving DR.. Anderson
f point of view very clearly. 1t is not,
f however, difficult to understand why he
2 has won and held his place in the reli
S gious life of our time. His emphasi:
S upon the continuity of the spiritua
. realities which we associate with the
e name of Jesus is almost prophetic in it:
r intensity and sincerity. We have not, h,
It says, to turn back to the first century
e for the revelation of God. The divine il
f in humanity working itself out. More anC
d more, he told me, he is emphasizing thu
spiritual in his preaching. THAT is thu
all-important thing. | would not destro.
a symbolism or ritual, but would seek tt
e redeem it from superstitious uses" HI
IS accepted my suggestion that he was
n spiritual conservative, emphasizing tn
10 qualifying word To conserve ever,
r evidence of the spiritual in every ag
is and to make those evidences the wit
It nesses of spiritual truth to this gene
N ration seemed to me. as we talked, tn
is single aim that DR.. Anderson has il
e view. Much that he said have not re
IN corded, but parted from him with pro
|? found respect for the sincerity and purit
IS of his aim. In some respects his view
e run counter to Liberal Christianity
!, but, as he said, his positive affirmation
IS differ only in definition from those wit
n which the readers of The Christia
5. Commonwealth are familiar.
Insurance Companies Invest i
m Health.
Y, About SO, 200, 900 was spent last yea