Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1924-02-06
CORRESPONDENCE.
The Doctrinal Controversy.
Mt. Desert, Feb. 1, 1924.


Mt. Desert, Feb. /, 1874.
To The Ellsworth American:
A controversy is going on in GER
tain city churches which engages
the attention of most all people in
terested in church affairs. The
principal point of controversy is
whether the bible is to be accepted
as authority in religion. The con-
troversy is confined to Protestant
churches.
The parties engaged in the con-
troversy are called modernists and
fundamentalists. Whoever origi-
mated these terms, l think that they
are quite satisfactory to the parties
engaged in the controversy. But it
is not easy to state just what mod
ernists or fundamentalists believe
without misrepresenting someone.
For example, Charming Can emf
nent Unitarian writer) clearly ex-
presses his belief in miracles, and he
is just as clear in stating his belief
in the bodily resurrection of Jesus.
But | do not remember any place in
his writings where he either affirms
or denies his belief in the bodily
resurrection of men. He often Sc
lects passages from Pauis writings
as texts for discourses, and he fire.
quently quotes Paul in a way that
seems to indicate that he accepts his
writings as authority. / am not
certain as to whether he would ac-
cept Raul's doctrine of the bodily
resurrection of all men as set forth
in 1st Corinthians, l 5th chapter
The point l make here is that
modernists differ among themselves.
The attitude of some would be much
like that of Charming, but others
would admit very little authority
from the scriptures Also, there is
great variety of opinions among
fundamentalists. Very few believe
in a literal Interpretation of all of
the scriptures. Many believe that
the books of Job and Jonah should
not be accepted as history, and
there is much difference of opinion
about the details of inspiration.
Among fundamentalists there is
much difference of opinion about the
doctrine of evolution. Some think
that there is much evidence that it
is true. Others say that there seems
to be something of chain of evil
dence, but that the most important
link in the chain is "the missing
link" Others, quite as intelligent
and just as well educated, believe 1t
is simply fantastic theory.
But, practically, the most impor-
tant question about it is this: What
will be the effect of this controversy
on the religious belief of the mass of
people in the Protestant churches?
Probably very little. Some mod
ernists are predicting that most of
~ 1srkr
Catholics. Others think that the
modernist movement will have much
influence on the belief of the church
people of all Protestant denomina-
tions. But it seems to me that such
modernists overlook the enormous
power of conservatism.
OF course ministers of the evan
gelical churches will keep we'll in
formed about the controversy, but
how few will change their belief.
And the laymen of these churches
are generally even more conservative
than the ministers. They have an
attitude toward the bible and gen.
eral understanding as to what they
believe that it teaches. They have
accepted that teaching as authority.
and are not likely to change. The
effect of the controversy will be to
move them to re-examine the evil
dence on which their faith rests, and
the result will be to confirm them in
the old belief rather than to convert
them to something new.
But they do not consider it new.
There have always been prominent
men who criticized the bible-such
men as Gibbon, Hume, Voltaire, and
others but with how little success!
Such eminent men as George Wash
ington, Benjamin Franklin, John
Adams, and many others, were ia
miliar with these criticisms, but they
never wavered in the faith, for in
their writings they clearly state their
belief that the bible is a supernatural
revelation and should be accepted as