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Show ! THE OPPOSING TORCES ! OE PROTESTANTISM Organization of American Biblical League to Counteract the Influence of the j "Higher Critics." ' j I ' (Written for The Interniountain Catholic.) A ,'''11 Jia been issued through the press of the j fMui.ir.v by Protestant evangelists for the organiza- ; of. an "American Biblical league.' Its object, 1 jumire and extent arc made known by its name. It is I Anif-ri.-an. localise it will extend throughout the I Minn country. It is biblical because they believe j 1) l;iiIe to be the word of God;and it is a league I 1m';ui-o all will unite in solid phalanx against "the liiplifr criticism.' which has been making great I inroads in the- ranks of-evangelical churches. I The motive and aim of the proposed league are I l;uilii!ilc and worthy of all the zeal that the pro- jii "! of; the organization can' put into their I wv.,-k. Being a Christian nation. Ave should not j !v alistied Ayith tho mere name, IniT be Cliristian J I in reality. To be Christian means to be Christ like,. . i. , ! adopt-Christ as our model and follow in his 3 j',,,,Kteps. . f The higher critics are, for the most part, Prot- r-;,-mt divines who question not only the authoritative authori-tative teaching uf the Bible, but deny its inspiration. inspira-tion. The influence of those critics in sowing tare vitli the wheat is now manifest. Agnosticism has been capping the religious belief of the Amer- . ;!!). . The promoters of the league realize all this. : 'Ihey know. too. that all Protestant sects arc rent .jisunder by two formidable parties, who are moving mov-ing in opposite directions one towards infidelity :md Ihc other towards the retention of Protestant principles. The former are indifferent, believe vdiat 'suits' their "taste, willnot ho tied down to any t yon and make tlieir church and membership, like fuiy ordinary club, a place of tocial gathering, whore refining influence is used. They protest utaiiist all dogmatic religion and want only a re-lit:!. re-lit:!. 1 1 that will excite their feeling or arouse the affect ion of their emotional nature. Their minister, minis-ter, who i-lands on the same. plane, must be careful in what ho preaches and must give no offense. lie mi;-! lie free and easy and make no appeal To the " intellectual power? of the soul. Of goodness. sanc- tity. 'charity, mercy, in the abstract. he may dis- ).,. eloquently, hut of the necessity of having i!n.t virtues concreted in the individual members a.s tliey were in Christ in order to gain blissful im-jn im-jn vtiility. ho neither preaches nor believes himself. I his !ijia-e-af-religious ldief-is-a-sub!lc form , ; c( intide.'ity whi-h has undermined- all practical ; Christianity. Theo constitute the greater num--hr ..f jur-oiis still professing to be Christians, iijrainst such these promoters of the league pretext. ; , I!ut why protest against these? Are they not still Protestants? They maintain that the Reformer- were justified in separating from the Catholic church, and arc still as vigorous- in protesting i rgaiust her as the league promoters. It. is simply :i jiietioii of one minister or congregation against." : umber minister or .congregation. All - have learned their belief from the Bible. They started out e,i.il by taking the Bible. which they regarded a- (iud's word, i. e., the only authoritative revcla-li' revcla-li' ii f the divine will, and as interpreted by the private judgment of each to be their guide. The 1 atnie promoters then have no just cause for complaint com-plaint against the higher critics, whose invest iga-"i"ii iga-"i"ii and research have led thom'to a'denial of any j e.xt.rna. authoritative r;ligion. Thi- same lifhculty presented itself at the time ' of ihc Tractarian inovenient " in England. John IT- nry Xewman wanted 1o make the Anglican ! :;ri-h an external, authoritative creed.' His brother. broth-er. Francis, who Avas a keen logician, told him that " attain his ieal anl be consistent Avith'himself Ir .-Im.uM become a CaJholic: This the.other was '' irepared to' do at the" time, for he was con-; con-; v::i.-ed ihat the pope avhs anti-Christ arid that the lc I' lnierj wore justified in severing their connec-; connec-; with the Catholic church. Both pressed Prot- 5 e-'ant irinciplcs to their last analysis, and we j Lm. w 1 no reult. The (dder brother reluctantly ai'.!iid..nod the Anglican church and went to Ic'tii". whilst the younger brother joined the ranks j ": ;h- infidels of England. A in ihe American Bible league sav iheir rea- j c' !! for terming iheir organization ""Bible,' is '"bc-I '"bc-I il,pV ItelicAC the Bible to be the Avord of ' r' Why do they ln-licvc it to lo the inspired ' ' 1 of (rod? Are not ihc "higher critics"' intel- ' '-tially equal to the nienibers of the league ? They . ' 1 mad'', as ihey faini.'a thorough research and . : 'liTific investigation of the Old and Xoav Tcs- 1 ni-, and their conclusion is that the Bible is i tiir- word of God: it is not an external, author- . 'ivo revelation of God's Avill. : In coming to this conclusion, they maintain, and ! 1 -i-te ntly. too, that they are still good Protest-; Protest-; .'-. and follow the distinctive principles of the I II' f-irmation. They refuse to be ruled out of the ' 'i i itian church. But the members of the league j :' under the impression that they alone have the 1 Vne Christian doctrine and arc invested with am-; am-; t l' anihority 1o define' and tell what is and what i- ti 't the inspired Avord. They assume evangelical ( In -i.-tianity 1o be true, and when 'the "higher cri-;' cri-;' i -' not only contradict this, but deny the very 'foundation upon which their faith rests, they then j conclude that higher criticism must cease, because t :?s e.,vieluions aro fale. i Bui it may be asked: By what right do the ment is -rs of the American Bible league erect their pri-ii pri-ii judgment into a criterion of truth and false- ". and say "the higher critics'' (their brethren in the ministry) are wrong? Or pronounce an in-rail,o in-rail,o diction, namclv, the Bible is ' the inspired I v-ord of God? The "higher critics,"- faithful to I 'In- luhiciples of the Reformation, naturally refuse 1" recjrnize their authority or right' to pronounce jr.danient. ' ' luit guaranty can the members of the league civf ihat liiey are not deceiA-ed or that they are.in-lial.lc are.in-lial.lc of deceiving the whole American people v'li' sire not embraced in the broad expanse of their loving hearts ? The higher critics will say "you pa-""fi'lofj pa-""fi'lofj private judgment from the time of the Be-1 Be-1 'i-inaiion, but you never meant it, for now your ( 1 niand is ihat we submit out judgment to yours." v Can they prove the Bible to be the inspired' Wvl? This will -be the subject of a future article. |