CRITICISM by Bryn Mawr

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Mar 30, 1904

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 30, No. 13.

“CRITICISM.”

By Bryn Mawr

BY BRYN MAWR.

It is claimed by the aristocracy of infidelity,—that is “Higher Criticism,”—that man has developed by “scientific methods”—man’s wisdom—an “entirely new psychology and philosophy.” In other words, man has put off all restraints of faith in God’s Word, disrobed himself of the garments of humility and obedience, so fittingly becoming the attitude of the creature towards the Creator, and assumed the prerogatives of Omnipotence, as did that first critic of God’s ways (see Isa. 14:13-14, John 8:42-47). Science indeed! The same characterized by Paul as “science falsely so-called”! 1 Tim. 6:20.

Man’s body has not kept pace with his conceit, else that self-acquired immortality would have landed him in the netherlands long ago. And that assumption is—judged by word and action—that God has somewhere back in the misty ages, undertaken a mighty task, so great indeed that failure is about to overtake Him. So the twentieth century wise (?) men force their services upon Him, ostensibly to “save man;” but really they are repeating the ritual of the first century school; “He saved others; Himself He can not save.” Matt. 27:42.

But they would be good enough even to save the Lord, and give us a Scripture worthy the heights of “doctrine and institution” attained by them in tearing down that established by Moses and the prophets, and endorsed unqualifiedly by Him by whom were “all things created.” John 5:45-47; Eph. 3:9. But if the record of “Moses and the prophets” be not true, then there is no Christ; and if there be no Christ, there is no salvation. So these rebellious Nimrods say, “Go to, let us make us a name.” And they have; it is Babylon.

“Higher Criticism”—that is, the modern form—began with doubting the Scripture testimony of “Moses and the prophets” and apostles, regarding miracles, “age of man,” and a universal deluge,—in fact, all the basic principles of Judaic truths, so plainly manifest through the “more sure word of prophecy” that the “wayfaring man, though a fool, need not err therein.” If not repudiated altogether, they have left the remainder so emasculated by groundless criticism as to be powerless or ineffective.

With all their “scientific accuracy,” and “thorough comprehensiveness” of modern education, and the blasphemous assertion that “Biblical criticism has made it certain that you can not build Christianity on the Holy Scriptures alone,” still what pigmies they are beside a Moses, an Isaiah, a Daniel, or a Paul!

A modern re-incarnation of pagan idolatry is “Higher Criticism.” Paul, speaking by the Spirit, says: The Scriptures “are able to make thee [you and me] wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus”—the very essence of Christianity—enough Scripture to justify or condemn the whole human race. 2 Tim. 3:15. “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” Knowledge of what or whom?—God, surely. How may we gain knowledge of Him?—Through the Scriptures. Alone?—No; through His handiwork as well. How shall we know His handiwork?—Through His law. Where do we learn His law?—In His Word, the Scriptures. For only by the law do we learn who is the Creator. And “God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom.” Dan. 1:7.

So there is nothing attainable by man or man-made methods (science) that can equal the wisdom, knowledge, and power to be acquired through God’s Word, and he who repudiates

that, knocks the foundation of the universe from under his own feet.

God is no “respecter of persons,” and He will give good gifts to all “according to their several ability.”

Then what a woful account lies at the door of those “mighty ones” of earth, who in effect say: “Everything that God began to do is wrong. We, by our superior attainments, must make it right. But this stupendous failure of a mighty God, is so far-reaching that we can not rectify it all in a short lifetime, so we will re-incarnate till, as the ‘ceaseless’ generations roll on and on, ‘our theories’ will evoke the ‘perfect man’.” Exactly what the devil said to the first family: “Ye shall be as gods.”

And thus the “critics” are giving this message to the world to-day, leading millions of earth’s inhabitants away from “Christianity,” away from the Gospel, away from Christ; in whom alone is there salvation. They have “digged the pit” into which they shall fall when their “refuge of lies” is swept away. Isa. 28:17; Ps. 119:85. The inspiration of the Scriptures, their historic integrity, the miracles, their chronology, their prophecies, all in turn have been assailed, and out of every assault emerges the Word, clearer, brighter, stronger, as the day hastens that will behold the fulfilment of its last prophecies, that are now crowding one upon another in full confirmation of that Word.