Evening star., 1923-05-30
EDITORIAL DIGEST

He would suppress scientific teaching
within the domain of his church by.
the ukase of authority. He has no
confidence i'll truth. He trusts i'm.
plicitly in the force of law Bryan
ism means the apotheosis Of govern
ment and the destruction of the in
dividual morally and materially
Yet the Bryan fight and the various
characterized by the Jersey City
Journal as courageous as we'll as
timely in taking definite. clear-cut
stand in an hour when some adNo-
Gates of expediency in the religious
field are yielding to the temptation TO
dodge"
Because the assembly held there
shall be no reiuterpretation of relig-
ious doctrine the New York Pos;
insists religion, in this view. comes
mathematical formulae. If Christ had
taken the view of the Jewish creed
that literalists of all ages have taken
of the Christian creed there would
have been no Christian creed. This
is fatal course. IF truth cannot
grow inside the church ii will Climb
over the wall. 4 stagaant theology
does not make for a healthy religious
llfe. That there is something to this
argument is agreed TO by the Colum-
bus State Journal. which also asserts
the conservatives i'll any field of hu-
man endeavor serve as a brake, and
brakes are highly essential to safe
progress as We travel the intellectual
roads. But in the end the progressive
always wins, for progress is the Law
of life. The conservative of today is
the liberal of yesterday. the ortho-
doxy of this generation the hetero-
doxy of the last" To which the
Sioux City Journal adds 1.-THE closed
mind is one opinionated, and II
never has been popular in America.
In sharp contrast is the open mind.
one not only willing to receive other
impressions. other views and Other
representations, as well as other
facts, but eager to have them for the
sake of their deepening, broadening
influence"
So far as the Raer resolution was
concerned, the Louisville Post holds
1T affords a guide for Presbyterian
institutions, and the guide is ono that
can be adopted in the public school
and the public university. Certainly
there Is no excuse for an effort BY
educators to use modern science 10
establish a materialistic philosophy
of life. In an effort to clear up
opinion concerning just what the ac-
tion Of the assembly meant the
Pittsburgh Chronicle Telegraph points
out defeat of Mr. Bryan's proposal
to prevent the teaching of the evolu
tion theory in Presbyterian colleges
has been hailed as a victory for the
progressives, while the success or thu
movement to censure the New York
Presbytery in the FosdicES matter is
regarded as a triumph for Mr.. Bryan
and his fellow fundamentalists Eut
the fact is two entirely different
questions pressed for answer. In botH
matters the general assembly seems
to have acted with entire con-
sistency."
| Dealing with an entirely different
matter, the Rochester Times-Union
warmly applauds the assembly action
| on the temperance question, holding
"it has set a fine example to all citi-
Zens in asking all members ot the
Presbyterian organization 10 sign a
total abstinence pledge. The Preshy-
terians have done we'll Let others
| follow In the meantime enforce thaa
| law and make II easier for all to re-'
frain from drinking by removing go
lIar-as possible the-emptation."