p. 5 | Scientific Paganism by Editor

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Nov 5, 1903

Scientific Paganism

By Editor

THE place of religious instruction in education is being discussed in many periodicals just now, and some of the daily papers are giving much space to letters upon this subject, accompanying them with editorials of various shades of opinion. A letter from a Catholic priest, published in the New York Sun, in which the writer opposes the division of the public money in the interest of the Catholic school system, has called out many other letters upon the same subject.

In an editorial dealing with the public school question and the position of those who oppose the teaching of religion in the schools, as urged by the Catholic Church, the Sun says:—

The only opponents of its view of duty who are consistent are the men who deny that Christianity is of supernatural origin and authority.

These people are pantheists. They may profess to admire Christianity, but actually for them it has no other foundation than pure superstition. They may talk about God, but it is not a personal God. It is force; it is Kosmos. If they were as honest with themselves as are Catholics, and as brave, they would say flatly that they are atheists, at least in a Christian sense, and that for them Christianity has no more authority than have the mythologies of paganism; that both are entitled to consideration only on the intrinsic and comparative merits of their moral philosophies.

Mr. Huxley coined the term agnostic in a spirit not creditable to him, for by it he sought to distinguish himself in the English Philistine mind from unfashionable infidelity, though he knew very well that the two terms mean substantially the same thing, express the same state of mind toward religion and supernaturalism. He was afraid to appear in his true colors, and resorted to a disguise of terminology easily penetrated by an educated mind. Of course, Don't Know is the very antithesis of faith in things unknown and unknowable, unseen and unseeable.

While we may not agree with the Sun in its position upon the matter of teaching religion in the schools, unless it has reference to those schools which are supported by private funds, and are not under State control, we do think that it has correctly set forth the real attitude of many scientists toward genuine Christianity. These men have evolved their own conception of God from their scientific investigations, instead of accepting the revelation which God has made of himself in the Bible, and this scientific idea of (to them) unknown power they designate as God, but it is not the personal God who is the author of Christianity. They are in reality little, if any, nearer the right conception of the true and living God than were the pagans who deified every different manifestation of power, and who therefore had “gods many, and lords many.” But the tendency of the modern advocates of Christianity to lean upon the opinions and influence of the world's great men instead of depending upon the power of the simple truth to make its own way in the hearts of the people, has finally led them to put science falsely so called above the Bible, and to give more weight to the interpretation of Christianity by atheistic scientists than to the revelation of Christianity by its Author. And the baleful influence of the higher criticism, as it has permeated and poisoned very

much of the teaching of the Scripture, has prepared the way for all this. The higher critics are the miners and sappers for the scientific infidels who deceive the unwary by using the vocabulary of Christianity with which to inculcate their pagan notions. The time has now come when we must call things by their right names, and must remove the mask under which scientific infidelity is masquerading as the new light of the world, the messenger of an improved Christianity.

Satan has prepared his snare for these last days. The time has come when he is working “with all deceivableness of unrighteousness.” His final effort will be “to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.” Just now we should buy the eye-salve with which to anoint our eyes that we may see. With the clear light which is now shining, we ought not to be ignorant of Satan's devices. The principles of the third angel's message are the divine provision for detecting and exposing the most subtle forms of “doctrines of devils.” Hold to the message. Study the message. Teach the message.