The Shallowness of Modern Theology
By Editor
WE have many illustrations of the fickleness of the human mind, even when dignified with what the world calls great learning. But the New York Independent gives an instance of how the learned representatives of humanity may be swayed and worked up to enthusiasm by an empty sentiment. It says: “Dr. Minton came very near being moderator of the last General Assembly, and very likely would have been, but for Dr. Spinning’s eloquent advocacy of Dr. Sheldon Jackson. His conception of the apostle Paul’s wanting to meet Dr. Jackson as soon as he could in heaven, and being delighted to find that he was no bigger than himself, carried the assembly by storm, and left Dr. Minton no chance.” And such is the shallowness of much that passes for theology and learning in these last days. We would naturally suppose that one of Dr. Jackson’s ability would hardly thank his friend for such an empty expression of his fitness for the honorable position in question, but it “carried the assembly by storm.” When the highest representatives of one of the greatest of Protestant denominations can be “carried by storm” with such unscriptural nonsense, it is no wonder that the Lord declares through his prophet, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” Hosea 4:6. SCOTT P. HERSHEY, Doctor of Philosophy, of Boston, states that fifty years ago in this country “criminals were as one to a population of 3,500. Now the ratio has increased to one to every 786½ of our population.” That is, there are more than four times as many criminals in proportion to the population, as there were fifty years ago.