THE HIGHER CRITICISM GAINING GROUND.
By L. A. P.
THE opinion has been variously expressed, and the hope entertained, that the so-called Higher Criticism would run its course and drop out of sight, leaving unharmed the good old regard in which the Bible was formerly held. But this is certainly not destined so to be. The spirit of the movement is gaining ground rapidly, notwithstanding its advocates have not been united in their conclusions, and periodically establish and renounce this and that supposed fact or basis in their scheme of Bible study. The studies and investigations classed as "Higher Criticism" are far from any claim or pretense to subversion of faith in the Bible as the revealed Word of God. On the contrary, they claim to shed great light on the sacred page. And here is where the mischief enters. No one can afford to disregard true light; but the old-fashioned (as the world now goes) student of the Word can not recognize that as true light which in any manner alters the simple and direct Biblical statement of history or doctrine. And the characteristic workings of the "Higher Criticism" have led to conclusions ranging from questionings of dates and writers and style of language to absolute rejection of almost all historical record as being what it claims to be, and to disparagement of practical doctrine,—in short, to virtual casting away of the Holy Scriptures as the Word of God, in the extreme positions taken by some critics. These evil results, in their varying degrees, are not confined to any one section or to a few men. They are universal, and "Higher Criticism" is only another name, and a modern excuse, for the spirit of doubt and questioning and infidelity that has always been present in the world since sin and opposition to divine things entered, and which has found a special field of operation since the giving of the printed Scriptures to the world, and now in this later age of discoveries, and research, and intense activity, and new doctrines and old, is moving with new life, and is even clothed with a garb of sanctity. And where it is not avowedly opposition and criticism, it is a spirit demanding and eagerly accepting something new, novel, or startling. Thus, in some of its many degrees, it stands in the pulpit and molds the lives of its audience; it occupies the editorial chair of the religious press, and scatters broadcast the germs and bacilli of infidelity and atheism. Already it forms a part of popular education in some of the leading gymnasia of Germany. These words are not an attack upon any one. But they are intended to call serious attention to what we believe is one great cause of lack of true godliness to-day, and departure from piety. There is need of a warning, and we must sound the cry. In a recent issue, the Congregationalist makes note of the growth of Higher Criticism, but views it, we are sorry to say, with evident satisfaction. It characterizes the favorable attitude of the religious press and others as the "growth of tolerance." We quote a portion of its remarks on the subject:— From a somewhat wide reading of the religious press we are impressed with the increasing friendliness of attitude toward Christian scholarship. Diatribes against the methods and conclusions of the4higher critics are much rarer than they were ten years ago. Even papers which represent the most conservative branches of the church seem to be parting company with the spirit of heresy hunting, and are disposed to allow present discussions to work themselves out naturally, and to remand critical questions to the study and the class-room, where they properly belong. We can regard this growth of tolerance, and the changing attitude of those who once protested against methods which open the way for the evils we have mentioned, only as evidence of a departure from the simplicity and power of the Gospel,—a yielding to the spirit of the world. Already—as it has been all along—the heat of discussion finds its chiefest place in the study and class-room, but unfortunately the results do not find their resting-place there. There is a cry from many who view with deep and pious alarm the growth of indifference to spiritual matters that is possessing the churches, and the true remedy is indicated invariably to be a return to the old ways, the faith once committed to the saints. But can we hope for anything better?—Yes, for individual, earnest seeking and turning to the Word in its simplicity; for the majority and the world in general, No. There may be movements hailed popularly as revivals, and there will ever be loud professions of godliness. But the tide is outward towards a sea where mingle streams of error and delusion. It is the time of peril spoken of by the apostle, "when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned unto fables." 2 Tim. 4: 3, 4. It is the day of scoffers—the last days—when men are "willingly ignorant" of the Biblical record of creation, of the destruction of the world by a flood, of its second destruction by fire, and of the literal coming of the Lord in the clouds of heaven. 2 Peter 3. There is no promise of a general bettering of conditions in this present age. But there is light, and a sure and safe path in the good old faith of our fathers, found in the enduring but much criticized Bible. There is a heavenly light shining on the old page, and whoso reads may understand, and find peace, and joy, and eternal salvation, and a knowledge surpassing that of worldly savants, if he will.