Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-10-18
PROBE RELIGIOUS BELIEFS
OF ALL BAPTIST FACULTIES
IN GEORGIA, INDEX URGES
Baptist Periodical Publishes
Statement of Religious Be-
IiefS Made by Dr.. Fox,
Former Mercer Professor


Radical variance in the religious
beliefs of DIR. Henry Fox, professor
of biology at Mercer university, from
those held by Baptists, was respoh-
sible for his resignation from the
faculty at the request OH the poaro
of trustees and the administration
committee of the Georgia Baptlst
convention, according to documents
published in this weeks issue OF the
Christian Index the official organ
of Georgia BaptistS. The tact thaI
DR.. Fox taught the theory OF eVolu-
ton from 81 hypothetical viewpoint
did not influence the action OF the
trustees or the administration COM
mittee, it is indicated.
DR.. Fox has several his connec-
ton with Mercer as the result of the
situation, which was conVassed by
the convention administration COM
mittee at a session in Atlanta Few
DAVIS ago, at which DR.. Rufus w.
Weaver. president of Mercer, pre-
scented a communication asking for
advice, and DR.. Fox presented a state
ment of his religious beliefs.
The conclusions Of the committee,
together with DR.. Fox's statement,
are published in the Christian In
dex, which comments editorially on
the situation, expressing the belief
that the Georgia Baptist convention
should, at its meeting this yall, name
a, committee to investigate the SIT
uation in all Baptist institutions in
Georgia as the religious beliefs of
faculty members and officials.
DIR. Fox's Beliefs Shown
DR.. Foxs religious beliefs were
outlined in response to question
| naire submitted to him by the Mer-
| Ger trustees, and according to the
text published by the Index, are as
| follows:
81. Do I believe in God? If a cate
| gorical reply must be given, would
| have to answer yes and no. All de-
ponds upon the conceptions associat-
| ed with the term. Disregarding the
| cruder conceptions, there appear to
| be in modern thought two concep-
! lions of the nature Of God which, in
my opinion, are quite distinct ana
| which represent each the culmlna-
| ton to an entirely different Inc of
religious thought. One of these con-
| ceptions. which we may term the
| spiritual conception, is expressed IN
| the view which Identifies God in the
spirit Of love- The other, which we
may speak Of as the metaphysical or
| theological conception, is one which
| Identifies God as the ultimate origi'
mating or regulative agency of the
UNIVERSE metaphysical first cause
| or universal intelligence.
| considering the first of these con-
ceptions, if the term God is apple
| able to the spirit Of love in the hui
man heart, it is clear that in so far
| as love in some form is experienced
to that extent is God experienced.
The spirit of love in the heart ex-
presses itself in love and devotion to
noble ideals, to truth justice,
righteousness and all those finer
! qualities of human nature which one
| of the apostles charaCterizes as of
good report If I am loyal to these
| ideals, I, to that extent believe in and
| am loyal to the God which is within
me. Jesus teaches that God is spir-
! it and also love, and in so far as
| ones life is a manifestation of an in
| dwelling spirit of love and truth, to
| that degree may he be said to believe
| in the God who is revealed in the
life and teaching of the Master.
ITO my mind the test of mans
belief in God is not in what he
claims to believe, but in the daily
conduct Of his life. II it is found
that his life conforms to noble ideals
! it is clear that he believes in God
even If he processes to be non
| believer. Voltaire, Tom Paine and
| Huxley had, in my opinion, more
| real faith in God than did probably
the majority of their more pietistic
| contemporaries.