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T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
February, 1933
THE TREND OF MODERNISM
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U n l i t e c h a r g e r
e n o m i n a h o n s
B y STANLEY H. BAILES Los Angeles, Cafif.
I know o f no better way to express my personal opin ion o f the trend of modernism as we see it today than to answer four comprehensive questions: (1 ) What is the trend o f modernism in the larger denominations? (2 ) How is this trend expressed? (3 ) Why is this trend with us? (4 ) Whither will it lead ? ■W hat I s the T rend ? The trend of modernism has been gradual, furtive, first raising its head above the ground, then lifting its shoulders, •until today it stalks boldly throughout the earth. There were days in all o f our larger denominations— and I am thinking o f the three most prominent at this time, Methodist, Baptist, and Presbyterian—when modernism was virtually an unknown quantity. All of these denomina tions were born in prayer and o f the Holy Ghost. Their schools, colleges, and missionary enterprises were the nat ural expressions of an evangelistic fervor which could not be restrained. As denominations, they were founded upon and grounded in the Word of God, and they looked with horror upon such writers as Voltaire, Tom Paine, Inger- soll; even Charles Darwin was definitely beyond the pale. It was perhaps twenty-five years ago that modernism made its first definite gain. These were the days before the World War, when great religious leaders would jour ney to the Continent and come back tainted with what was then called “ higher criticism,” most o f which originated in Germany. Their pulpit statements began to shock the evan-
he vastne S s of the topic can be realized only by one who engages in the task o f summarizing the accumulation of happenings within the church dur ing the past quarter century. It presents, first of all, the opportunity to rightly define the terms “ modernist” and “ fun damentalist.” Perhaps our greatest need today in this whole distressing contro versy is that we shall rightly define these terms. Ecclesiastic leaders, and this includes all ministers, are divided into three classes. Most of them do not like to be labelled, but the label must be affixed for the purpose o f analysis. First, there is the fundamentalist, usually called by his brethren “ narrow, hair-splitting, pessimistic.” He con tends for the faith once and for all delivered to the saints, and he stands firmly upon the old foundation o f the Scrip tures, on which his church has been built. Second, there is, at the other extreme, the so-called modernist, who consciously or unconsciously feels that the old gospel will not fully satisfy a modern age, and who seeks to dilute it with the sweet water o f scholasticism or worldliness. In some cases, he finds his new theories at direct variance with the Word of God and the established doctrines o f his church, yet he substitutes the new for the old to the great sorrow o f devout hearts. Before mentioning the third class, I pause to state that all references to modernism throughout this paper are applied especially, to the ministry and to those who definitely affect the Christian thinking o f today. I have sometimes said privately that I believe modernism is almost entirely in the hands of the leaders o f the church, and that ninety per cent o f the members within our churches have no sympathy with the new belief, but hunger for the Bread of Life. The third, class, for want of a better word, we must call the pacifist. These are they who long for peace at any price. They support either extreme— although more fre quently the modern extreme, rather than seem to be out of the ordinary. Several years ago, when the modernist-fundamentalist battle was at its height, men who could not understand these terms said many things which caused breaches that are not yet healed. At the General Assembly of that year, I heard a prom inent minister define these three classes as follows: “ Out of my study window, I can see Michigan Boulevard. It has three classes o f trafic. On one side o f the street, on the sidewalk, going slowly in one direction, I see men walking. On the other side of the street, coming in the opposite di rection, I see men walking; but the real speed and the real activity is in between, where men are really getting some place.” By this he would infer that those of the pacifist group, or the middle-roaders, are the only ones achieving anything. Personally, I believe his figure is not applicable, and that the actual facts prove the statement incorrect. S t a n l e y H. B a il e s
VERMONT AVENUE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF WH ICH MR. BAILES IS PASTOR. gelical church, but were accepted by some who were not grounded in the Word of God. Twenty years ago, the opinion was expressed that God would punish Germany for the weakening process she had begun through her Christless philosophy within the church throughout the world. There was a saying at that time that “ what Germany thought yesterday, America and .Scotland think today, and England will think tomorrow.” It is an
*Address delivered before the Presbyterian League o f Faith.
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