| Show UNITARIAN ASKS SUPPORT fOR MODERNIST Salt Lake Pastor Urges That Controversy Not Be Dropped j The Tho present religious controversy between b hveen the the- modernists the nd antho fundamentalists which has been bon fo fomenting to- to In Eastern church circles for the past three months was introduced in In- into a Salt Lake pulpit yesterday when Re Frank Lee Hunt pastor of the Unitarian church declared that at the fundamentalist fundamentalist fundamentalist funda funda- mentalist doctrine was a menace to liberal thought Ought and a challenge to Unitarian faith Taking the steadfast position of tl the e modernist R Rev v. v Hunt came out openly openly in the pulpit and in his first of a series of lectures said We must strengthen our position we e e must encourage the courageous modernist who has disclosed himself himself him him- self sel to be steadfast we must throw the weight of moral support into his side of the ca case e. e Discussing the issues of the present present pres pres- ent eat conflict In the tho churches h of America Rev Hunt declared that It It- was mainly a a battle of words concerning a large divergence Int in t thought ought since the Council Council- in A. A X D. D This spirit of understanding understanding understanding under under- standing which has div diverged diverged- since that time he ho said has involved the points about which the present controversy is centered and which Include a disagreement on th the Bible Dible as the sole rule of faith and Use tise creation by the evolutionary process the virgin Irgin birth of Christ miracles physical res resurrection tion an anthe nd the second c ming of Christ BATTLES DOGMATIST The religious c controversy of toay today to- to day ay is one for freed freedom m of thought ai anc and 4 one that has been present throughout the tho centuries he continued continued con con- It It is a battle between tho dogmatist and the Irreconcilable w Jo would maintain the old belie be- be If lie The last concerted move on the the part of the fundamentalist churches to combat the modernists Was tyas in the ho latter part of the nIneteenth nineteenth nineteenth nine nIne- century when they united to combat the advance of science and the authenticity of Darwin's Origin of the Sp Species cies The theologians theologians theologians theo theo- then as now were called upon to defend tho Bibles Bible's account of the creation The scientists northe nor northe the liberal churchmen did not win out in the encounter but accepted a p truce without a victor victory In this controversy which has been precipitated precipitated precipitated pre pre- by the recent conclusions of scientific rese research ch neither the fundamentalist nor the modernist can hope liepe for victory Such battles are not determined decisively derisively but victory will come com surely and gradually gradually grad grad- for the disciples of liberal thought and science MODERNISTS OUTNUMBERED The fundamentalists are stronger stronger strong strong- strong strong- er than the modernists In numbers having about 75 per cent aligned on their side Stressing the Bible as Infallible and using it as the big gun they are depending upon it to sweep the field Proof texts of the Bible are used freely and care care- lessly Sometimes these texts which are held infallible explode and are returned to the hands of oft t the tho e enemy enemy The modernist is smaller than the fundamentalist In numbers but is no whit less mighty Composed of the Unitarian ministers the liberal liberal lib lib- lib lib- eral Jews and the Friends the lib liberal liberal lib lib- eral thinkers are arc putting up a astro strong g united front without dividing dividing divid divid- ing and at the same time are carrying car car- tying on the offense These men al along ng with the liberals in the Episcopal Episcopal Episcopal Epis Epis- copal church have been the citadels citadels citadels cita cita- dels of the liberal position In concluding his sermon Rev ev Hunt said We must reco recognize nize that the fundamentalists fun fun- have rendered service service service ser ser- vice regardless of their temper and method But in spite of th this we must be tolerant though militantly militant militant- 1 ly Iy active and should not allow the controversy to abate but to be re renewed renewed re- re soon until the not cause of the I liberal t thinkers is t triumphant u |
