Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-07
Religious Questions
DISCUSSED BY
Dr.. S. Pdrkes Cddmdn.

quent device of nations to ascribe to the
Almighty wars with which He had no
more to do than with the Armenian
massacreS.
The omnipotence of God is not a
modern conception. Consult Psalms,
ii. viii, xiv and xix: Isaiah, TX, and Job
xXxvii. The Scriptures furnish you
abundant proof of the Hebrews early
belief in His limitless power. What we
all need to realize is that the Old Tesla
ment conception of God was progress
sive transformation which dealt with
the range of His reign and also the at
tributes of His character.
AS have previously observed in this
column, the Jehovah Of primitive Israel
was a tribal deity. But the Jehovah of
her later prophets was a universal SOW
ereign. In the formative stages Of this
conception He is sometimes depicted as
vindictive being, subject to human
passions. In the inspired utterances Of
the prophets and psalmiSts He is funda-
mentally and changelessly righteous and
holy. Read these spiritual magistrates
and not the Book of Judges or of Kings
for an awe-inspiring and heartening
portrayal Of God.
@. If all men are sons of God by ma
ture, why should we worry about CONVEX
sion? 1 have not heard this question
answered, though I have asked some
preachers about 1t. They either deny
that all men are sons of God or say
nothing. What have you to say?
A. There is no better teaching on the
relation of men to God than that con-
tanned in the parable of the prodigal
son. With that as our guide, corrob:.
Grated as it is by other utterances OF
Jesus and by the prophets OF Israel, we
may accept the doctrine OF Gods uni
versal Fatherhood.
But potential children are one type
and those who have realized their po-
tentialities in character distinctly
another and a superior type: Hence
the scriptural assurance that GOD is the
Father of all men, especially Of them
that believe.
Mans relationship to God is there
fore twofold, inert and unidentified, and
vital and blessed. What could one
think of a son who excluded benev-
client parent from his life and thought?
Here, as / see it, is the dividing line,
created by spiritual realities which can
not be ignored. Yet the fact that Gods
paternity is changeless is charged with
the worlds betterment Would that all
His offspring took advantage of His
long suffering and loving kindness.
The organic witness and mission Of
| the church is to heal the breach, due
either to willful disobedience or ignor-
ance, which separates from Him any
who should be in the one family called
| by His name. Dark will be the day
when Christian hearts disregard or fail
to heed the demand of Christ for His
the call Of God that they shall return
to Him and find rest for their souls.
@: Why does the Genesis story of the
fall of man place the blame on Eve?
Isn't this a bit Of prejudice, instead
| Of a divine revelation? And wasn't
Adam something of a coward to defend
himself at the expense of his wife?
A. You may be interested to know
! that the Babylonian account of Eve
widely differs from that of Genesis. Ac-
cording to that contemporary story she
| is the vicareSs of mans higher life
leading him to purer ways; whereas
| the poet of Genesis conceives her as
the temptress who brings woe and
degradation upon him.
I have always felt there was some
thing very incongruous in Ewes COW
! citing a mere apple and being cheated
| by a snake If there is anything q
woman instinctively shuns it is that
particular reptile.
| However woman emerged from pre-
existent life, she had in her the latent
strength which could endure ages Of
subsection, the vitality which could feed
the vulture death from the first unit
now, the exhaustless excellence which
after millenniums of crime, struggle anc
disaster, could bring forth the Messiah
To quote Charlotte Bronte: Vast was
the heart whence gushed the life OF
men and nations, and glorious the brow
on which rested the consort crown o.
| creation"
agree with you as to her suprem.
acy, attested by ageless experiences, anc
also that Adams does not cut very
heroic figure in his groveling defense
THE woman tempted me and / die
eat" 1t should be remembered, how.
ever, that thought the ancient Hebrews
were too conscious of certain sex de-
sires which clashed with the nobler ele.
ments of being to place woman on thu
same spiritual plane with man, the,
nevertheless established and maintained
domestic purity and home life which
preserved their racial integrity.
Their ambassadors of God, legisla,
tors, poets and prophets had mothers
who were largely responsible for thesC
glorious sons, who as pioneers of the
Infinite headed mans march In tina
direction
=