p. 176 | How Evidence Is Made

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Mar 18, 1886

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 12, No. 11.

How Evidence Is Made.

A WRITER in the Christian Union having stated that "from the days of Augustine to the present time the leaders of thought in the church have regarded the first chapter of Genesis as a poem," the Watchman requested the names of some of these "leaders of thought." In response, the Christian Union gave the names of Hugh Miller, Dr. Tayler Lewis, Dr. Pusey, T. J. Conant, Dr. Winchell, Lenormant, and George Smith! To this the Watchman responds as follows, pricking the bubble that had been blown so large:—

"These are THE leaders of thought in the church since Augustine! We have obtained the information which we sought, and which we expected to get. The pompous phrase sinks into an anti-climax. We mean no disrespect to the memory of Hugh Miller, or of Tayler Lewis, to Dr. Conant, or to Dr. Winchell, when we decline to exalt them to the thrones to which the Christian Union seems to nominate them. I have a certain opinion. This may be an important fact to me, and to those, whether few or many, to whom my opinion is valuable. But I wish to make the opinion more impressive. So I put it thus: 'All intelligent men,' or 'all scholars who are abreast of the world's thought, agree in this,' or, 'it is the consensus of recent criticism,' or, 'in this view all theologians of repute concur.' And so my opinion becomes a mighty 'wind of doctrine.'"

The Watchman well says that such exaggeration is much too common. It is a very convenient way of manufacturing evidence. But such evidence may very appropriately be termed "wind of doctrine." Unfortunately, however, such a wind is strong enough to carry away a large number of people. People read that "all theologians agree on this," or that "the highest Christian thought" tends in a certain direction, or that "the latest developments of science" teach so and so, and forthwith they become converts to the mooted question; for it would never do to be ignorant of so well established a fact! This will continue to be the case so long as men prefer to follow the lead of what they imagine to be the majority instead of reading the Bible for themselves and using the intelligence which God has given them. No point of truth can ever be settled by a majority vote.

"If custom, gray with ages grown, Had fewer blind men to adore it; If talent shone for truth alone, The world would be the better for it."