248
May 1930
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By F lo ren ce Nye Whilwell •>—o—<—— —
The W ord of God Abideth
“I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the W ord o f God abideth in you, and }ie have overcom e the w icked one .”—1 John 2:14.
B ill . You’re wrong! For once in your exact and perfectly pigeon-holed existence you’ve made a misstate ment. Origen, one of the Church fathers, entered the philosophic field with the purest motives, thinking to but tress his own and others’ faith. And I ’ve always felt that in his teaching he mixed human speculation too much with divine revelation. The two do not go together. The lat ter does not need the former. How absurd for man to add his egregious “Upon mature reflection it seems to me,” to a “Thus saith the Lord!” The atmosphere of faith is like the pure ether above our heated, troubled air. P rof . S. I understand you. But of course do not agree. B il l . Why do you not agree ? P rof . S. Y ou know why! I cannot accept the infal libility of the Bible. B ill . Why not ? P rof . S. My reason will not allow it. B il l . Just what parts of it does your reason reject? P rof . S. (clearing his throat loudly). Well—ah—I cannot say, offhand. Perhaps the Genesis myths— B ill ( looking at him very directly ). How long is it since you’ve opened a Bible ? Honestly now! P rof . S. ( laughing uneasily ). Go into the law, Bill! With that acumen of yours, and that accusing eye, you’d make a fine prosecuting attorney. B il l . N o , thanks! My career is already decided on. I ’m a joyous, self-elected bondservant to the Lord Jesus Christ. My Master has bored my ear through with His awl, because I ’ve plainly said, “I love my Master—I will not go out free.” I ’m bound for the darkest spot in Abyssinia. It won’t be long now. I ’m “prepared” enough. Did you ever hear about “the snare of preparation” ? I think it was Count Leo Tolstoy who said it. It’s been awfully overworked by some of the middle-aged to keep young people “preparing” so that they do not realize their first fine fervor in actual accomplishment. Of course his remark did not have to do with missionary fervor. And equally of course I do believe in sufficient training. . . . But how about my question? You have not answered it. P rof . S. Let me off, Bill. B ill . N o , I want an answer. P rof . S. I don’t know when I last read the Bible. B ill . Here’s Bible criticism, and how! Well, you’re better than some of ’em! You’re honest. I only marvel that you do not refer to Jonah and the whale, Noah and the Flood, Joshua’s long day, the theory of evolution and the Virgin Birth. P rof . S. W ell! And if I did! B il l . I f you did? I f you came to me with heart and soul longing after God—as every created human being should long after Him—and expressed your grief ,that vour faith in Him had been disturbed, and your peace
(This dialogue takes place in a guest room o f a hotel in the Pacific Southwest. The windows open on one o f the public squares o f this great, growing metropolis. Bill, who is called “the Brilliant ” by the men and girls o f the Thin R ed Line, has come to discuss an o ffer that has been made him by a certain university in the East. H e is near ing the end o f his college course. The young professor with whom he talks is an old friend. At no time in this recorded conversation is anger or ill-humor shown by either young man.) ILL. No! I cannot do that! ¡|rl> P rofessor S ayre . Why not? at B il l . Because I can never lend myself to teaching something I do not believe. And iSB “Behaviorism” makes me really tired. I am i perfectly certain that I am not an evolved ani mal automatically reacting to whatever comes along—as helplessly as a mollusc! P rof . S. Bill! Ever since we studied together in Germany and Vienna I have been certain that you were the one for this philosophical work. It will bring into play all of your mentality. I think I am in a position to know ;—although sociology is my subject. Prexy told me I could interview you as well as any Doctor of Philosophy on the faculty. They know your work too. They read that paper that appeared in The Portico. They feel sure of your ability. B il l . Yes! That’s quite all right! They would have thought the athletic coach the proper representative to send to,me, if they had really known me! But I thought I had made it clear that the Bible, and its teaching—and the prospect of teaching it —occupy me fully. P rof ! S. Y e s ! I know your—your belief in the Bible! But this philosophical work need not lead to Bible criti cism. In fact, it is modern thought and has nothing what ever to do with the Bible. B il l . N o . Its connection with the Bible would only be set up through my going into it. P rof . S. Explain this. I do not understand you. B il l . For this reason. The Bible and all that it stands for, is closer—is more to me than anything else. It is me, for I ’ve taken it into my system by faith. I ’ve eaten it, if you follow me, and it has permeated my whole being. I ’m a new man—a different creature because of this, and it does and will activate all that I do, by God’s grace. P rof . S. But, my dear fellow, this may be true and yet this faith can be kept separate from the realm of philosophic speculation.
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