Publication date
4/1/09
Volume
30
Number
7
The WatchTower
Views from the Watch Tower
The Watchtower Magazines
../literature/watchtower/1909/7/1909-7-1.html
 
 
VOL. 
XXX 
ALLEGHENY, 
P 
A., 
APRIL 
1, 
1909 
No.7 
in 
legitimate 
Bible 
study, 
which 
I 
hope 
may 
continue. 
notwith­ 
standing 
persistent 
efforts 
made 
in 
and 
outside 
of 
our 
theological 
and 
other 
institutions 
to 
frustrate 
each 
study 
by 
seekin~ 
to 
make 
the 
Word 
of 
God 
of 
no 
effect 
by 
the 
everchanging 
motiOns 
of 
a 
noisy 
class 
of 
men 
who 
take 
for 
their 
motto: 
'Quantum 
est 
quod 
scimus,' 
instead 
of 
the 
more 
lowly 
onc--the 
ma.rk 
of 
the 
truly 
learned, 
as 
he 
picks 
a 
pebble 
on 
the 
vast 
ocean 
of 
learn­ 
ing-'Quantum 
est 
quod 
nesimus.' 
It 
will 
be 
an 
evil 
day 
for 
our 
ministers, 
missionaries, 
and 
teachers, 
should 
God 
permit 
that 
what 
appears 
to 
be 
about 
the 
only 
sure 
standing 
ground 
left 
us 
in 
the 
world 
be 
shaken 
to 
its 
center; 
tha.t 
the 
state­ 
ment, 
'The 
Word 
of 
God, 
which 
liveth 
and 
abideth 
for 
ever,' 
is 
proclaimed 
as 
an 
hallucination, 
and 
that 
being 
born 
of 
'!ncor­ 
ruptible 
seed 
by 
the 
Word 
of 
God' 
is 
an 
old-fashioned 
delusion, 
to 
be 
rejected 
with 
as 
little 
compunction 
as 
if 
it 
were 
a 
heathen 
fable. 
If 
we 
pursue 
this 
process 
of 
disintegration 
so 
that 
the 
wonderful 
cohesive 
power 
of 
the 
Book 
shall 
cease. 
its 
author 
may 
weU 
write 
over 
this 
wreck, 
'They 
have 
sown 
the 
wind, 
thry 
shall 
reap 
the 
whirlwind.' 
HIS 
OWN 
CREED 
". 
. 
. 
. 
I 
have 
never 
been 
in 
the 
least 
shaken 
in 
the 
sim­ 
ple 
creed 
as 
to 
the 
Bible 
given 
to 
me 
as 
a 
child 
over 
sixty-five 
years 
ago. 
"( 
1) 
Nothing 
is 
more 
probable 
than 
that 
our 
Creator 
who 
is 
hereafter 
to 
be 
our 
Judge, 
should 
give 
to 
his 
creatures 
a 
rev­ 
elation 
of 
his 
will 
concerning 
them, 
and 
lay 
down 
rules 
and 
regulations 
for 
the 
conduct 
of 
their 
life, 
for 
obedience 
to 
whieh 
they 
shall 
one 
day 
be 
answerable 
to 
him. 
"(2) 
A 
book 
is 
found 
which 
purports 
to 
come 
from 
him, 
and 
which 
gives 
such 
a 
revelation. 
This 
Book, 
wherever 
found, 
and 
made 
the 
guide 
of 
life, 
has 
raised 
the 
individual 
and 
the 
people 
so 
using 
it 
to 
a 
position 
not 
reached 
by 
those 
ignorant 
of 
its 
contents 
or 
who 
refuse 
its 
guidance. 
"( 
3) 
The 
God 
who 
created 
the 
universe 
and 
all 
the 
won­ 
ders 
therein 
found 
and 
preserves 
them 
in 
their 
places, 
could 
undoubtedly 
give 
with 
accuracy 
such 
a 
revelation 
and 
could 
preserve 
it 
to 
nis 
people 
for 
the 
purpose 
intended 
without 
error. 
"( 
4) 
No 
other 
book 
has 
ever 
been 
found 
purporting 
to 
bl' 
the 
Word 
of 
God, 
and 
which 
could 
answer 
the 
purposes 
above 
set 
forth. 
"(5) 
When 
'the 
Word 
was 
made 
flesh 
and 
dwelt 
among 
us 
..•. 
the 
only 
begotten 
of 
the 
Father, 
full 
of 
grace 
and 
truth,' 
there 
was 
a 
well 
authenticated 
volume 
in 
existence 
to 
which 
<the 
Light 
of 
the 
world' 
continually 
referred, 
saying: 
<Search 
the 
Scriptures'; 
<The 
Scriptures 
mUilt 
be 
fulfilled:; 
<The 
Scripture 
cannot 
be 
broken.' 
He 
ever 
referred 
to 
thiS 
volume 
as 
the 
Word 
of 
God, 
as 
the 
infallible 
rule, 
test, 
and 
touchstone. 
He 
thus 
endorsed 
in 
the 
most 
unmistakable 
man­ 
ner 
all 
the 
Scriptures 
as 
the 
infallible 
Word 
of 
God. 
THE 
OPDJIOH 
OF 
JOHN 
WESLEY 
"I 
thankfully 
acknowledge 
the 
immense 
debt 
I 
am 
un~er 
to 
this 
simple 
presentation 
concerning 
our 
Bible, 
from 
which 
standpoint 
I 
have 
never 
been 
in 
the 
slightest 
degree 
moved 
by 
the 
ever-changing 
and 
never-to-be-relied-upon 
attacks 
of 
those 
who, 
not 
looking 
or 
asking 
for 
spiritual 
discernment, 
merely 
kiss 
the 
Book 
that 
they 
may 
en~eavor 
to 
persuad.e 
.peo­ 
pIe 
that 
their 
hostile 
attacks 
are 
made 
In 
the 
reverent 
spmt 
of 
investigation. 
"Amidst 
the 
perpetual 
attacks 
made 
by 
the 
clergymen 
of 
our 
various 
churches, 
and 
especially 
by 
those 
in 
our 
theolog­ 
ical 
colleges, 
upon 
the 
Bible, 
it 
is 
refreshing 
to 
turn 
to 
the 
writin~s 
of 
a 
well-known 
clergyman 
of 
the 
church 
of 
England 
-the 
Reverend 
John 
Wesley, 
whose 
use 
of 
the 
Bible 
wrought 
80 
marvelous 
a 
change 
in 
England 
at 
a 
period 
when 
it 
was 
nearly 
drifting 
to 
a 
revolution 
which 
might 
have 
paralleled 
that 
in 
France 
of 
the 
eighteenth 
century. 
He 
says 
in 
the 
third 
volume 
of 
his 
writings, 
page 
504: 
" 
'It 
would 
be 
excusable 
if 
these 
menders 
of 
the 
Bible 
would 
offer 
their 
hypothesis 
modestly. 
But 
one 
cannot 
excuse 
them 
when 
they 
not 
only 
obtrude 
their 
novel 
scheme 
with 
the 
utmost 
confidence, 
but 
even 
ridicule 
that 
scriptural 
one 
whieh 
always 
was, 
and 
is 
noW, 
held 
by 
men 
of 
the 
greatest 
learning 
and 
piety 
in 
the 
world. 
Hereby 
they 
promote 
the 
cause 
of 
infidelity 
more 
effectually 
than 
either 
Hume 
or 
Voltaire.' 
QUESTIONS 
TO 
BE 
ANSWERED 
. 
• 
. 
You 
have 
present£:d 
a 
strong 
appeal 
to 
me 
in 
your 
letter. 
Will 
you 
premit 
me 
to 
urge 
upon 
you 
the 
two 
following 
requests 
1 
The 
first 
is, 
Will 
you 
use 
your 
best 
endeavors, 
as 
chancellor 
of 
Victoria 
College, 
to 
place 
Toronto 
University 
and 
University 
College 
in 
their 
true 
position 
under 
the 
incorporat­ 
ing 
acts, 
by 
preventing 
in 
either 
of 
them, 
through 
a 
'back 
door,' 
or 
by 
any 
other 
mode 
of 
entrance. 
teaching 
and 
examinations 
in 
VIEWS 
FROM 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
COMBA.TING 
HIGHER 
CRITICISM 
IN 
CANADA 
A 
theological 
storm 
has 
been 
raised 
in 
Canada 
along 
the 
lmes 
of 
"Higher 
Criticism." 
This 
was 
started 
by 
Rev. 
George 
.Tackson's 
address 
before 
the 
Y. 
M. 
C. 
A. 
of 
Toronto, 
on 
Feb­ 
ruary 
16th. 
The 
meeting 
was 
opened 
by 
the 
singing 
of 
"Cor­ 
onation" 
and 
prayer, 
and 
then 
the 
reverend 
gentleman, 
greeted 
with 
applause, 
began 
an 
attack 
upon 
the 
Scriptures, 
entitled, 
"The 
Early 
Narratives 
of 
Genesis," 
saying:- 
"'The 
Early 
Narratives 
of 
Genesis' 
include 
in 
this 
inter­ 
pretation, 
in 
this 
use 
of 
the 
phrase, 
the 
first 
eleven 
chapters 
of 
the 
Book 
of 
Gpnesis. 
Perhaps 
I 
may 
say 
that 
this 
is 
really 
one 
of 
the 
course 
of 
monthly 
Sunday 
afternoon 
lectures 
which 
I 
have 
bepn 
g-ivin~ 
to 
men 
in 
the 
Sherbourne 
Street 
church; 
and, 
inasmuch 
as 
this 
is 
only 
one 
of 
the 
course, 
it 
is 
so 
far 
in­ 
complete. 
It 
is 
a 
kind 
of 
an 
illustration 
of 
the 
general 
atti­ 
tude 
of 
mind 
toward 
the 
Old 
Testament, 
which, 
in 
the 
course 
of 
this 
address, 
I 
have 
been 
trying 
to 
explain 
to 
my 
people." 
Rev. 
Jackson's 
people, 
"my 
people," 
are 
Methodists 
and 
the 
evidence 
is 
that 
they 
are 
following 
Rev. 
Jackson 
into 
in­ 
fidelity 
as 
his 
sheep 
and 
are 
not 
giving 
attention 
to 
the 
voice 
of 
the 
true 
Shepherd; 
possibly 
because 
they 
have 
not 
heard 
his 
word 
sufficiently 
to 
know 
his 
voice 
and 
to 
realize 
that 
they 
should 
be 
his 
people, 
his 
sheep, 
if 
they 
would 
be 
properly 
guided 
to 
his 
heavenly 
fold. 
From 
the 
stenographic 
report 
of 
Rev. 
Jackson's 
presenta­ 
tion 
he 
holds 
that 
the 
Bible 
is 
not 
of 
divine 
inspiration; 
that 
its 
statements 
are 
not 
worthy 
of 
all 
acccptation, 
and 
that 
they 
are 
not 
sufficient 
"that 
the 
man 
of 
God 
should 
be 
thoroughly 
furnished 
to 
every 
good 
word 
and 
work." 
-2 
Tim. 
3: 
17. 
Something 
of 
It 
storm 
was 
raised 
amongst 
the 
theologians 
of 
Toronto, 
but 
apparently 
not 
over 
the 
truth 
or 
falsity 
of 
Rev. 
Jackson's 
presentation, 
but 
rather 
over 
the 
fact 
that 
Rev. 
Dr. 
Carman, 
also 
a 
Methodist, 
who 
took 
the 
opposite 
position 
fa­ 
vored 
by 
the 
Biblp, 
understood 
Rev. 
Jackson 
to 
charge 
him 
with 
taking 
his 
stand 
for 
the 
Bible. 
not 
honestly 
but 
through 
cow­ 
ardice. 
When 
Rev. 
Jackson 
withdrew 
all 
imputation 
of 
cow­ 
ardice 
the 
disturbance 
subsided. 
The 
newspapers 
noted 
the 
fact 
that 
many 
ministers 
endorsed 
Rev. 
George 
Jackson's 
posi­ 
tion. 
Some 
of 
them, 
however, 
thought 
the 
controversy 
of 
little 
moment 
and 
that 
religion 
Rhould 
be 
viewed 
from 
the 
practical 
and 
not 
the 
theoretical 
standpoint, 
and 
afterward 
called 
it 
a 
"theological 
tempest 
in 
a 
teapot." 
What 
cared 
this 
reverend 
gentleman 
whether 
Genesis 
be 
true 
or 
a 
lie-a 
Revelation 
from 
God 
or 
a 
work 
of 
monkey-men 
1 
He 
took 
the 
view 
that 
all 
thinking 
men 
were 
in 
the 
same 
boat 
in 
taking 
the 
biblical 
story 
of 
the 
creation 
of 
the 
world 
. 
. 
. 
. 
not 
as 
correct 
history. 
In 
other 
words, 
they 
had 
so 
little 
faith 
in 
the 
inspiration 
of 
the 
Scriptures 
as 
to 
be 
unwilling 
to 
contend 
for 
the 
same 
and 
be­ 
lieved 
that 
their 
theologies 
would 
stand, 
even 
if 
the 
Scriptures 
Rhould 
fall. 
Alas! 
we 
believe 
this 
to 
be 
only 
too 
true: 
that 
the 
majority 
of 
theological 
views 
contain 
so 
little 
of 
the 
Bible 
that 
its 
elimination 
would 
affect 
them 
but 
little. 
On 
the 
contrary, 
were 
they 
to 
lose 
the 
teachings 
of 
Plato 
and 
Aristotle 
respect­ 
ing 
human 
immortality 
they 
would 
be 
sadly 
ben-ft 
indeed. 
A 
LAYMAN 
TO 
THE 
RESCUE 
In 
the 
midst 
of 
the 
commotion 
the 
Hon. 
S. 
H. 
Blake 
stepped 
forward 
to 
champion 
the 
Bible 
as 
a 
divine 
revelation 
"worthy 
of 
all 
acceptance 
and 
able 
to 
make 
us 
wise 
unto 
salvation." 
He 
has 
been 
instigating 
the 
matter 
and 
finds 
the 
colleges 
of 
Canada 
thoroughly 
given 
over 
to 
Higher 
Critical 
Views 
and 
teachings 
(the 
same 
being 
true 
of 
the 
United 
States 
and 
everywhere). 
The 
Hon. 
Blakr, 
supposing 
these 
colleges 
to 
be 
blameworthy 
for 
the 
general 
alienation 
of 
ministers 
from 
the 
Bible 
as 
the 
Word 
of 
God. 
has 
bpen 
inquiring 
into 
the 
legality 
of 
their 
teaching 
theology 
at 
all 
and 
serms 
to 
find, 
to 
his 
own 
satisfaction 
at 
last. 
that 
they 
lUlYe 
no 
such 
authority; 
that 
the 
teaching 
of 
theology 
is 
by 
Canadian 
law 
restricted 
to 
another 
class 
of 
col­ 
leges, 
not 
Universities. 
Alas! 
how 
rude 
will 
be 
the 
awakening 
of 
the 
Hon. 
Blake 
when 
he 
discovers 
that 
the 
theological 
col­ 
leges 
and 
seminaries 
are 
teaching 
precisely 
the 
same 
Higher 
Critical 
Infidelity-that 
all 
the 
preachers 
of 
all 
the 
denomi­ 
nations 
are 
being 
ruined 
as 
respects 
faith 
in 
the 
Bible 
as 
the 
Word 
of 
God! 
However, 
we 
Ineatly 
admire 
Hon. 
Blake's 
stand 
for 
the 
Bible 
as 
the 
Word 
of 
God 
and 
subjoin 
some 
of 
his 
argu­ 
ments 
which 
he 
has 
preRE'ntrd 
in 
pamphlet 
form 
under 
the 
cap­ 
tion, 
"The 
teaching 
of 
Religious 
Knowledge 
in 
University 
Col­ 
legeR 
Ultra 
Vires": 
". 
. 
. 
. 
As 
the 
minds 
of 
an 
inc'reaRed 
nnmber 
of 
young 
men 
and 
women 
are 
turning 
to 
the 
mission 
field, 
there 
will 
no 
doubt 
be 
more 
students 
from 
year 
to 
year 
ready 
to 
take 
advan­ 
tage 
of 
the 
opinions 
or 
instruction 
referred 
to. 
The 
theological 
collpg-e'5 
may 
for 
this 
reaRon 
look 
forward 
to 
many 
additional 
studrnts. 
"I 
belif'vc 
that 
this 
is 
thE' 
caUBe 
of 
the 
increased 
interest 
(99-100) 
[4362] 
Vou. XXX ALLEGHENY, PA., APRIL 1, 1909 No. 7 VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER COMBATING HIGHER CRITICISM IN CANADA A theological storm has been raised in Canada along the lines of “Higher Criticism.” This was started by Rev. George Jackson’s address before the Y. M. C. A. of Toronto, on FebTuary 16th. The meeting was opened by the singing of “Coronation” and prayer, and then the reverend gentleman, greeted with applause, began an attack upon the Scriptures, entitled, “The Early Narratives of Genesis,” saying :-— “‘The Early Narratives of Genesis’ include in this interpretation, in this use of the phrase, the first eleven chapters of the Book of Genesis. Perhaps I may say that this is really one of the course of monthly Sunday afternoon lectures which I have been giving to men in the Sherbourne Street church; and, inasmuch as this is only one of the course, it is so far incomplete. It is a kind of an illustration of the general attitude of mind toward the Old Testament, which, in the course of this address, I have been trying to explain to my people.” Rev, Jackson’s people, “my people,” are Methodists and the evidence is that they are following Rev. Jackson into infidelity as his sheep and are not giving attention to the voice of the true Shepherd; possibly because they have not heard hig word sufficiently to know his voice and to realize that they should be his people, his sheep, if they would be properly guided to his heavenly fold. From the stenographic report of Rev. Jackson’s presentation he holds that the Bible is not of divine inspiration; that its statements are not worthy of all acceptation, and that they are not sufficient “that the man of God should he thoroughly furnished to every good word and work.”—-2 Tim. 3:17. Something of a storm was raised amongst the theologians of Toronto, but apparently not over the truth or falsity of Rev. Jackson’s presentation, but rather over the fact that Rev. Dr. Carman, also a Methodist, who took the opposite position favored by the Bible, understood Rev. Jackson to charge him with taking his stand for the Bible, not honestly but through cowardice. When Rev. Jackson withdrew all imputation of cowardice the disturbance subsided. The newspapers noted the fact that many ministers endorsed Rev. George Jackson’s position. Some of them, however, thought the controversy of little moment and that religion should be viewed from the practical and not the theoretical standpoint, and afterward called it a “theological tempest in a teapot.” What cared this reverend gentleman whether Genesis be true or a lie—a Revelation from God or a work of monkey-men? He took the view that all thinking men were in the same boat in taking the biblical story of the creation of the world .... not as correct history. In other words, they had so little faith in the inspiration of the Scriptures as to be unwilling to contend for the same and believed that their theologies would stand, even if the Scriptures should fall. Alas! we believe this to be only too true: that the majority of theological views contain so little of the Bible that its elimination would affect them but little. On the contrary, were they to lose the teachings of Plato and Aristotle respecting human immortality they would be sadly bereft indeed. A LAYMAN TO THE RESCUE In the midst of the commotion the Hon. 8. H. Blake stepped forward to champion the Bible as a divine revelation “worthy of all acceptance and able to make us wise unto salvation.” He has been instigating the matter and finds the colleges of Canada thoroughly given over to Higher Critical Views and teachings (the same being true of the United States and everywhere). The Hon. Blake, supposing these colleges to be blameworthy for the general alienation of ministers from the Bible as the Word of God, has been inquiring into the legality of their teaching theology at all and seems to find, to his own satisfaction at last, that they have no such authority; that the teaching of theology is by Canadian law restricted to another class of colleges, not Universities. Alas! how rude will be the awakening of the Hon. Blake when he discovers that the theological colleges and seminaries are teaching precisely the same Higher Critical Infidelity—that all the preachers of all the denominations are being ruined as respects faith in the Bible as the Word of God! However, we greatly admire Hon. Blake’s stand for the Bible as the Word of God and subjoin some of his arguments which he has presented in pamphlet form under the caption, “The teaching of Religious Knowledge in University Colleges Ultra Vires”: eo. As the minds of an increased number of young men and women are turning to the mission field, there will no doubt be more students from year to year ready to take advantage of the opinions or instruction referred to. The theological colleges may for this reason look forward to many additional students. “T believe that this is the cause of the increased interest (99-100) in legitimate Bible study, which I hope may continue. notwithstanding persistent efforts made in and outside of our theological and other institutions to frustrate each study by seeking to make the Word of God of no effect by the everchanging motions of a noisy class of men who take for their motto: ‘Quantum est quod scimus,’ instead of the more lowly one—the mark of the truly learned, as he picks a pebble on the vast ocean of learning—Quantum est quod nesimus.’ It will be an evil day for our ministers, missionaries, and teachers, should God permit that what appears to be about the only sure standing ground left us in the world be shaken to its center; that the statement, ‘The Word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever,’ is proclaimed as an hallucination, and that being born of ‘Incorruptible seed by the Word of God’ is an old-fashioned delusion, to be rejected with as little compunction as if it were a heathen fable. If we pursue this process of disintegration so that the wonderful cohesive power of the Book shall cease, its author may well write over this wreck, ‘They have sown the wind, they shall reap the whirlwind.’ HIS OWN CREED woe I have never been in the least shaken in the simple creed as to the Bible given to me as a child over sixty-five years ago. “(1) Nothing is more probable than that our Creator who is hereafter to be our Judge, should give to his creatures a revelation of his will concerning them, and lay down rules and regulations for the conduct of their life, for obedience to which they shall one day be answerable to him. (2) A book ig found which purports to come from him, and which gives such a revelation. This Book, wherever found, and made the guide of life, has raised the individual and the people so using it to a position not reached by those ignorant of its contents or who refuse its guidance. “(3) The God who created the universe and all the wonders therein found and preserves them in their places, could undoubtedly give with accuracy such a revelation and could preserve it to his people for the purpose intended without error. “(4) No other book has ever been found purporting to be the Word of God, and which could answer the purposes above set forth. “(5) When ‘the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us .... the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth, there was a well authenticated volume in existence to which ‘the Light of the world’ continually referred, saying: ‘Search the Scriptures’; ‘The Scriptures must be fulfilled’; ‘The Scripture cannot be broken.’ He ever referred to this volume as the Word of God, as the infallible rule, teat, and touchstone. He thus endorsed in the most unmistakable manner all the Scriptures as the infallible Word of God. THE OPINION OF JOHN WESLEY “T thankfully acknowledge the immense debt I am under to this simple presentation concerning our Bible, from which standpoint I have never been in the slightest degree moved by the ever-changing and never-to-be-relied-upon attacks of those who, not looking or asking for spiritual discernment, merely kiss the Book that they may endeavor to persuade people that their hostile attacks are made in the reverent spirit of investigation. “Amidst the perpetual attacks made by the clergymen of our various churches, and especially by those in our theological colleges, upon the Bible, it is refreshing to turn to the writings of a well-known clergyman of the church of England —the Reverend John Wesley, whose use of the Bible wrought so marvelous a change in England at a period when it was nearly drifting to a revolution which might have paralleled that in France of the eighteenth century. He says in the third volume of his writings, page 504: “Tt would be excusable if these menders of the Bible would offer their hypothesis modestly. But one cannot excuse them when they not only obtrude their novel scheme with the utmost confidence, but even ridicule that scriptural one which always was, and is now, held by men of the greatest learning and piety in the world. Hereby they promote the cause of infidelity more effectually than either Hume or Voltaire.’ QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED . . .» You have presented a strong appeal to me in your letter. Will you premit me to urge upon you the two following requests? The first is, Will you use your best endeavors, as chancellor of Victoria College, to place Toronto University and University College in their true position under the incorporating acts, by preventing in either of them, through a ‘back door,’ or by any other mode of entrance, teaching and examinations in “ [4362]

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