Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-05-16
New Historical
Reading Of the
Religion of Old
Christianity and Sin in the
Light of Modern Research
in the World.

When julius Muller wrote his
classical monograph upon the doc
trine of sin, he elected without hest
tation to follow what he called a
speculative method. His choice was
natural, for he wrote under the in
fuence of the great idealist systems
Of German philosophy.
''At the present day a different
choice is no less plainly incumbent
upon us. We live in an age of re-
search. Philosophy is weaker than
of old, but the science of history
grows stronger and stronger. Even
so great a theoiosian as Alprecht
Ritschl failed to adjust himself as
adequately to the new historical
reading of the religion of IsreaL or
rather, perhaps, wnen Ritschl wrote,
results were not SO clearly defined as
they now are,
IF a Christian theologian of today
Is to kept in touch with all the Blbli-
cal material regarding sin, he must
make it plain to himself and to his
readers that we start comparatively
low down. The conceptions of sin
which the earlier portions of the Old
Testament literature reveal might
very nearly % CdllSO pIS-elhlCdls MI
until the great prophets of the Old
Testament do ethical standards pre-
dominate. Not until we study the
teaching of Christ and of the New
Testament do we find such standards
supreme"
This is the first paragraph of the
latest volumn in the studies in
theology series-"Christiani and
Sin,,"' by Robert Macintosh, D. d.
We quote 1t as the most direct and
graphic way of suggesting at once
the clear thinking and writing that
characterize it's two hundred and
seventeen pages. The author has
assembled to lofty view point from
which he can look over the whole
field of inquiry without that obstruc-
ton of vision so often due to the OBJ
stacles of past misconception, pre-
JUDGES, and doctrines. The work is
independent and complete.
1t is actually divided into two parts
the first, in twelve chapters, being
Historical" and the second, In six
chapters. being Constructive" But
1t may be still further divided in the
exposition of its contents. The first
four chapters, Pro- Prophetic Ideas OF
Sin in Israel, Hamartiology in the
Great Prophets and Under Their In
1uence, In the Priestly Code and the
Later Old Testament Books, In
Judaism-deal with the Old Testa-
ment; the next fourth John the
Baptist, In the Life and Words of
Christ, In the Distinctive Teaching
of st. Paul. In the New Testament
Generally--with the New Testament.
And Chapters 9 to 10 with post
biblical history.
Another distinction might be drawn
after Chapter 8. for everything pre-
ceding that belongs to the world of
ancient thought, but in. everything
following it 1.-THE atmosphere Is mod
ern." The chapter headings of the
second part of the book-"Construc
tive''-are these: Sin and the Moral
Consciousness, Sin as Universal, Diff
of Sin, The Forgiveness
of Sins, The Conquest of Sin, The
Ultimate Penalty of Sin. An excel
lent photography. general index and
index of texts are also included. This
Is the sixteenth volume In this little
series of hand books, intended for
the use of ministers. theological stu
dents and general readers.