Evening star., 1929-12-14

Of GodP
A The theory breaks on the fact
that Jesus is nowhere represented III
the synoptic Gospels as specifically
calling Himself the Son of God. He
does indeed speak of God as His Father,
but He told other men that God was
their Father also. Jesus called Him
self the Son of Man. His closest OBJ
servers called him the Son of God.
There are one or two exceptions to this
in the Fourth Gospel, which is later
Interpretation of Jesus rather than d
simple historical record, such as the
first three Gospels are.
This fact is significant Men did not
believe in the Divinity of Christ SIM
ply because He claimed it. On the
contrary. they heard His teaching, saw
what he did. marked what manner OF
man He was, noted what happened
when He was accepted, and then them-
selves entered into totally new lite
and experience because of their faith
in Him. From these revolutioniZing
changes they made the greatest ana
most momentous deduction drawn by
the mind of man-that God was in
Christ, reconciling the world unto Him
self"
That deduction is either true or false.
If it is false, Christ still has to be
reality whom we cannot escape. If 1t
is true, as believe it to be, He is mucn
more than simply great philosopher, ''
and nothing less than God manifest
in the flesh"
@. Will you kindly discuss briefly
the points of similarity and difference
between mysticism and Christianlty'
and also why YOU prefer the latter?
fri iT1tOlli0nl1t Wlnp-
ly read, who believe in the former,
and contend that, since they do not
actually know there is a Supreme
Being, there can be only the reality
of their own personalities. They say
that, since no God came to their aid
or comfort in time of trouble, there,
therefore, can be no such God, or he
would have answered their prayers AND
fulfilled the promise, ASK and ye shall
receive"
I am quite troubled by the problems
they raise.
A. Do these friends really under
stand either mysticism or Christianity!
If you outline their attitude correctly
it seems to be species of theoSophl-
cal cultism that begins and ends no
where, and chiefly consists OF an auto
hypnosis which makes man the center
of the cosmic scheme.
I recommend to them and you A.
S. Eddington's mastery volume "The
Nature of the Physical World" spe-
cially its last chapter on Science and
Mysticism" He shows how baseless
the assumptions are on which they
rest their case.
Surely God is not to be conceived
as a referee existing for mans par
ticular convenience. Nowhere in the
Scriptures are we taught to believe
that prayer is answered regardless OF
the personal equation. ASK and ye
shall receive" is an encouraging prom
Use, but it is conditioned by the con-
text which you omit. Permit me to
quote it: IF ye abide in me and my
works abide in you" Then, continues
the Master in effect, your supplica-
cations shall be answered.
Even at that the Divine Father Is
not bound to fulfill the Grant wishes
of His children. His answers apply to
what they need, not what they crave
1t is unreasonable to ignore the con-
ditions of successful prayer and yet
demand a favorable experience.
Mysticism is a word of many mean
ings. It's Christian form is well de-
fined as "the life which is hid with
Christ in God" The Christian mystic
dwells in that life. He is absorbed in
it's plenitude and purposes, and en-
joys the profound harmony it bestows
through his unbroken fellowship with
his Lord
This type of mysticism is found in
the Fourth Gospel and the Epistle to
the Hebrew. Read these two great
religious documents for guidance and
for the solution of your difficulties.
Church." by Evelyn Underhill, and
New Studies in Mystical Religion" by
Rufus M. Jones.
Q. In the international Bible" each
chapter is interpreted at its head in
a few short, italicized sentences.
often find it difficult TO reconcile the
interpretations with the text that fol-
lows:
For example, Chapter II of the Song
of Solomon, which looks to me like a
beautiful, but somewhat extravagant
love poem, is interpreted as follows:
l. Mutual love of Christ and His
Church. 8. Her hope, 10. and calling
IA. ChristS care of her. 16. Her pro-
feSsion, faith and hope.
I am unable to find anything in the
text to justify this Interpretation, but
hesitate to condemn it before learn
ing the tranSlator's reason for draw
ing such a meaning from the text.
Will you enlighten me?
A. This Interpretation of the Song of
Songs belongs to the allegorical school
of exposition which dates from Alex
andrian days and is still popular in
some homiletical circles. It begins by
assuming that the Old Testament writ
ingS refer directly to Jesus as the Christ
and goes on to make little or no dis
tinction between history and poetry.
The ruling principle of sound exegesis
that the original meaning of any pas
sage must first be ascertained is lost in
maze of forced analogies and imagi-
nary types which frequently have no re-
lation whatever to what is written.
The Song of Songs clearly celebrates
the fidelity of two young lovers ex-
pressed in the characteristic style OF
Oriental rhapsody. This fact once ac-
cepted it is quite permissible to use the
glowing imagerieS of the poem in pulpit
discourse for proper purposes. st. Ber-
nard so used it in his memorable SER
mons on this lyric, although he did not
recognize its original motif.
The devotional use of certain biblical
books has wrought considerable con-
fusion, however, among those who take
them literally. They Spiritualize every
thlng without regard to its historical
setting or the specific viewpoints of the
authors.
IL is mere as elsewhere that the mod
ern learning so wrongfully condemned
has rendered religion a timely Service.
II helps us to understand what the
writers of Holy Scripture meant and
how to read their compositions for
moral and spiritual edification without
thrustlng into them ideas which are en-
tlrely alien to their scope and purpose
O. What is your Interpretation of
st. Pauls meaning in I Corinthians,
Xiii1-2?
A. The passage is as follows: Though
speak with the tongues of men and
OF angels and have not charity, I am
become as sounding brass or a tinkling
cymbal. And though I have the gift of