Bisbee daily review., 1919-11-16
THE SUFFIcIENCY OF CHRISTIANITY.
Colorado Springs eazette)


 | In recent lecture to students of the Divinity Schools of Chicago Uni versity on Some Principles Under | lying Religious Education" the Rev. Clyde w. Votaw included the follow ing statements:
 Christianity must be modernized and mas>e to fit the twentieth centu- ry. The Bible is by no means an all sufficient text book of either morals or religion. It presents the experiences, standards and customs of an age of anciauts, the age of mummies. This can not be accepted by modern civilization.
 We live in a modern world. Why set up the standards of an ancient and partially civilized people and say, let these precepts guide you? They are not. applicable. They never have fitted the modern world com fortably and never will"
 We readily agree with the Pro lessor that the standards of Chris tianity do not comfortably fit" the modern world. or at any rate large section of it. but we find it hard to follow his reasoning in this con- nection. We would like to be shown why Christianity must be modern ized to fit the twentieth century, rather than the twentieth century brought up to the standards of Christianity. Surely MT. Votaw's study of the Bible has not been so shallow as to render him unable to distinguish between the principles and ideals of Christianity and the serves merely to present and illus trate them.
 Presuming that he does make this distinction, on what ground does the Professor feel justified in stating that the Bible is an insufficient textbook of either morals or religion; that its standards cannot be accept ed by a modern civilization? What fault has he to find with any one of the Levitical laws; what evil would be increased or created, what high ideals lowered if the people of the twentieth century should keep those laws? Wherein do the Ten i Commandments fail to meet the moral questions of this day and age, and for what reason should they be relegated to "the age of mummies," :" an era of partially civilized peo- ple?" We cannot think of one of these Commandments" which our marvellous modern civilizations has rendered obsolete and unfitting.
 Take even the national and in dividual history which the Bible con tains. 'the experiences, standards and customs" of the time which it records. Do they not fulfil a use- ful purpose; do they not show the inevitable result of sin. the ultimate triumph of righteousness? Are not | the fundamental truths which the Bible narratives serve to illustrate, as vital and significant today as in any former civilization? Surely the standards of truth, righteousness and morality do not change with fashions and customs, even though the aspira' ton to attain to them may fluctu- ate.
 Again. turn to the New Testament in which. the teachings and ex ample of Christ develop into frui tion the germ of lofty principles and high ideals contained in the laws and precepts of the Old. Could the moral and religious standards of the
 New Testament be changed for the
 better? Or which of them would il
 be for the improvement of twentieth century life to eliminate? Christ set an example of love-to God. oui
 neighbor, our enemy-of mercy l justice, charity, generosity, foregive . ness, submission to law. obedience to those in authority a due apprecia . ton of tfre value of human life. Hi'