THE DISSOLUTION OF RELIGIOUS FAITH
By Editor
Faith in Science or Faith in the Bible, Which Shall It Be? — A Prediction from the Book
THE survey of the world happenings by the New York Independent is excellent, and its comments are often fearless and direct. But flies sometimes get into the ointment. Under the title of "Forty-Five Years at the Editorial Desk," an announcement is made that the senior editor of the Independent, Dr. Ward, will shortly give a series of articles on "What I Believe, and Why." We find that this series of articles "will have a bearing on the breaking down, or at least the weakening, of the familiar argument from design." It is said that "the aim of the articles will be to present the results of recent scientific investigation and historical research in such plain language that the layman may understand their bearing upon religious belief." "DESIGN" AND EVOLUTIONARY SKEPTICISM
Any argument which tends to break down or weaken the argument of "design" is but following the great trend of evolutionary skepticism, and is founded upon false premises, and bolstered up by false arguments. We can only look upon such discussions with suspicion. And the fact that they will come from a Christian minister, one ripe in experience and supposed to be sound in the faith, will only give strength and force to their influence. Any attempt to mold Christian belief after the pattern of recent scientific investigation and historical research is but to turn away from the word of God as the infallibly inspired Book. In the announcement of these articles from the pen of Dr. Ward, we are reminded that there is "an extraordinary fluidity of faith in these days," "materialistic attacks upon" the faith, and that there is at present a "happy search after the essential and the true, irrespective of authority." The fact that faith is "fluid," and the fact that men turn away from "authority" to follow "the essential and the true," are but two forms of the same thing, and that is a disregard of inspiration as an infallible rule of faith. Thus higher criticism, we see, has invaded the editorial rooms of the Independent, and a man who has done much in literary fields is about to give, in this concrete form, an account of his modified faith. It will be interesting as a sign of the times, and a warning to all those who believe implicitly in the authority of the old Book. THE TIME WILL COME WHEN THEY RUN AFTER FABLES
Paul told Timothy that he should "preach the Word," for the time was coming when men would not endure sound doctrine, but