"Modern Churchmen."

A correspondence has been going on in the letters to the editor, in the cbief Glasgow morning newspaper. The closing letter of the series, which is by a clergyman of the Scottish Episcopal Church, is a reply to a minister of the Church of Scotland. In it the writer says.Does Mr. H not know that the Bible covers over 1,000 years in its

writings; and in its earlier pages is largely a collection of myths and legends? It records the views of a motley company of writers, ag far removed from one another as a Bedoula dervish from an Oxford don. Parts of it belong to the Bronze age. No wonder Dean Inge said at the Modern Churchmen's Conference that it records many incidents tbat nauseate sensitive minds. Those kindergarten stories of God talking to Moses or Adam (with a veil on His face as my critic suggests), of suns standing still, of floating axe-heads, and speaking donkeys belong to a different universe from that in which thinking men and women are living to-day."

The editor of the newspaper heads the letter "Modern Churchmen." Such facts that the LORD God spoke to Adam in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3.) or that He spoke to Moses, on many, many occasions (in particular it is alleged that Moses heard the Voice (R.V.) speaking unto him in the Tent of Meeting from the Mercy Seat, Numbers 7.89) are dismissed as kindergarten stories without one shred of truth in them whatever. Blind infidelity could not put the case of utter disbelief in the Holy Scriptures clearer than the words of this religious infidel. He should have thought long and well of the possible effect his words would have on the minds of young people. Clergymen may enter the arena and engage in polemical battles on scriptural points, but they should remember how their words may affect the mind of youth and what shall be the harvest that their sowing will yield.

Higher criticism was imported into this country from the universities of Germany, and think of where Germany is to-day, what has been her story in the last few decades? Metaphorically the Bible was torn to ribbons by German professors. Its contents are only to be believed in so far as one cares to believe them as containing a divine message, or not at all. Then comes Hitler and on the German conscience weakened by Higher Criticism as to belief in the Bible and Christianity, he begins to ingraft the paganism of ancient German gods. Who can fail to see and to identify the sinister figure working in the shadows of these events? This figure is none other than the old Serpent, the Devil.

Modern Churchmen, as they call themselves, should consider whither they are seeking to hurl the British people, with their comparisons of Moses (this Bedouin dervish, forsooth!) and John the apostle (the Oxford don, I suppose). Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in his words and works, the Spiritfilled Stephen tells us (Acts 7.21), whereas John was but a fisherman of Galilee. But why the difference between the writings of the educated Moses and the miterate John (as men would account him)?

The answer is and must ever be that they were not the authors of what they wrote. Peter tells us that "no prophecy ever came by the will of men; but men spake from God, being moved by the Holy Spirit', (2 Peter 1.21. Peter's words are in agreement with Paul's, who said, "All (or every) scripture is given by inspiration of God" (2 Timothy 3.16). Peter and Paul themselves wrote by inspiration, and, we ask, what word characterizes this effusion of this Episcopal clergyman? One word and one word only describes it, and that word is BLASPHEMY!

Can we be sure that the early chapters of Genesis with other portions are truth and not fiction, fact and not fancy? There is One to whom we can turn, who called Himself the Truth (John 14.6). He not only spoke the truth, but He is the Truth. What did He say of the Bible as it then was during His earthly life-from Genesis to Malachi? He said, to God His Father, "Thy word is truth" (John 17.17). This was prior to Calvary, and after His resurrection His message was still the same as during Ilis earthly ministry. He said, "All things must needs be fulfilled, which are written in the law of Moses, and the prophets, and the psalms. concerning Me" (Luke 24.43). What constitutes the law of Moses? The answer is, the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy.

Did the Lord believe in the story of the creation of man? He did! He asked the Pharisees, "Have ye not read that He which made them from the beginning made them male and female?" (Matthew 19.4). Where could they read of this act of God? In Genesis chapter 1.27. In the same chapter of Matthew (verse 5), He quotes from Genesis 2.24 as to what the result of the marriage of man and woman should be, "For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and the twain shall become one flesh."

He referred in John 8.44 to the Devil's work in Genesis 3. in the deception of Adam and Eve. He also referred to Abel the righteous in Matthew 23.85. If these are but kindergarten stories, then Jesus Christ whom we most assuredly believe to be the Son of God and God the Son, committed that which cannot be regarded lightly in encouraging belief in events in the early chapters of Genesis as being the truth of God, whereas, according to this clergyman, such things are but fiction.

But were there ever such things as speaking donkeys? There was an ass, and that ass was Balaam's, that spake with a man's voice, and also saw the angel of the LORD, and in consequence saved Balaam's life (Numbers 22.). But was this believed by the apostles and the early Christians? Peter said, speaking of Balaam, that "he was rebuked for his own transgression: a dumb ass spake with a man's voice and stayed the madness of the prophet" (2 Peter 2.16). Whom are we to believe, this clergyman or the apostle Peter? The answer is obvious. J.M.

unknown | Dec 1950
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