FROM

THE

MILLENNIAL HARBINGER:

FOURTH SERIES.

VOL. VII.]	BETHANY, VA. MAY, 1857.	[NO. V.

      "Beware, lest any man spoil you, through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ."--Paul to the Colossians.

      In order to appreciate the results and comprehend the present actual position of the Reformation, it is important that its nature and objects be kept steadily in view. It can be regarded as an abortive effort only by those who are ignorant of its influence upon religious society; or, who so far mistake its character as to suppose it to be a mere system of proselytism, or the establishment of a new party upon certain peculiar religious ideas. Under these erroneous views, it is supposed to have been already fully developed, and to have already accomplished its ultimate purposes wherever its peculiar principles have been adopted. That these have, indeed, been realized in regard to many thoughtful and intelligent persons, we are happily assured; but when we contemplate the results of this movement in reference to the great mass of those who have been brought within its sphere, it is evident that much yet remains to be accomplished before we shall have a "restoration of pure, primitive, apostolical Christianity, in letter and spirit; in principle and practice."

      In our endeavor to ascertain the cause of this evident lack of spiritual progress, we have been led, after seeking it in vain in the principles adopted, to admit its existence in the mode of carrying out and applying these principles. It is our present business to point out the nature of the error which we conceive to have been committed, in order that all who are really interested in the success of this reformatory effort may apply the appropriate remedy.

      To come directly to the point, then, I would state that, in my judgment, the error consists in the introduction of theories and speculations in direct violation of the very fundamental principles of this Reformation; in other words, that it is to be found in the commingling together of human opinions with the Divine teachings and thus adulterating faith with human philosophy. It is this, I conceive, which has proved a barrier to spiritual progress, and to a considerable extent diverted the attention of the brethren from the proper and legitimate objects of this religious movement. I am aware that this is a grave charge to bring against any who, by their profession, have abandoned all religious speculations; but the time seems to have fully arrived for its examination, and it will not be difficult, as it appears to me, to direct the mind of the reader to abundant sources of evidence, that it [255] has a just foundation. In any event, I would desire, in the candid expression of my thoughts on the subject, a patient hearing and an impartial judgment.

      With a religious community, like ours, so deeply impressed with the insinuating and seductive nature of human philosophy, and its power of neutralizing the efficacy of Divine truth, it will be quite unnecessary to dwell upon, I do not say the possibility, but the probability of its introduction into the teachings of the Reformation, or of its being, when introduced, a cause entirely sufficient to account for the alleged want of progress. It is well known that human philosophy has been the great hindrance of the gospel in every age since the days of the apostles. It has been fully realized in this struggle for the restoration of the simple gospel how difficult it is to disentangle Divine truth from the speculations with which it has been blended, and, I trust, our brethren at least, are not unaware how easy it is to slide again insensibly into religious theories, and in seeking to escape one entanglement to become involved in another. How soon, in the beginning, was the doctrine of the apostles contaminated by vain philosophy! How soon did the Lutheran reformation find its progress arrested by systems of opinions! It surely behooves those who now labor to restore the original simplicity of Christianity often to scrutinize their proceedings and take such accurate celestial observations as will enable them to determine their whereabouts in the midst of the restless ocean of human mutability. It is not by comparing ourselves with other religious bodies, ever shifting objects upon the moving tide, that we can ascertain our true position, but by recurring to those fixed principles by which we profess to be guided.

      It is ever to be remembered that the probability of delusion in respect to the matter before us is greatly enhanced by the insidiousness, stealthiness, and especially the latency of speculation. It is not for a moment supposed that any one adopts deliberately and purposely a religious speculation as such; or that any one is aware of the fact when he has substituted a philosophical dogma for a religious truth. On the contrary, men are wholly unconscious of their error in this respect, and the chief difficulty is to convince them of the fact. The sectary who accepts the speculative theological tenets presented in his Confession of Faith, takes them not as such, but as revealed Bible truths, deceived by the fallacy of references, and taking it for granted that the "proof texts" to which he is directed, do fully sustain each proposition, while, perhaps, if these be examined in their contextual relations, it will be apparent, that not one of them has any bearing upon it whatever. Nor is the error less fatal when the proposition is partly accordant with the Scripture. This, indeed, is its [256] ordinary form, for it is not usual for theological systems, to place themselves in direct opposition to the terms of Scripture, as to offer themselves as substitutes for the Word of God. On the contrary, they profess to give the true meaning of that Word, and find under, this pretence, the best and most ready credence. Nor are those who ostensibly take the Bible alone as their guide in religion, by any means exempt from the danger of thus perverting truth, since it is quite possible for them to approach and interpret the Scripture under the influence of a philosophical theory which is none the less authoritative and dominant, that it is not presented in formal propositions, nor embodied in a creed, but adopted and cherished in the mind. Thus, as local attractions may insensibly affect the compass of the mariner and cause it to give to him an erroneous indication, which he accepts, as truer so a subtle philosophy may imperceptibly pervert the sense of Scripture, and each party will he led to steer a different course, though professedly bound for the same port. Each one confides alike in the truthfulness of the guide, and each is equally ignorant of the influences by which the needle is made to swerve from its true position. It need not, then, be thought either strange or improbable that we should find, even in the ranks of the present Reformation, some who are misled by theory, and who are unconsciously the victims of a philosophy which is as adverse to the truth, and as great a hindrance to spiritual progress as is any system of speculation in vogue among the religious parties of the day.

      When, indeed, we contemplate the circumstances which have attended the present reformatory movement throughout its entire course, we should feel disposed rather to think it strange, if human Philosophy had not blended itself with the truths which have been developed. For it is to be remembered that these have been presented and disseminated in the midst of a perpetual conflict, and that controversy is the most fruitful parent of opinionism. Nay, the very arguments which are advanced in support of truth, will often be mistaken for theories of its nature and for philosophical explanations of its power or mode of action. There is nothing more common in debate than to adduce considerations which might be used to explain the facts alleged, if these were once admitted, but which are, at the time, employed merely for their logical bearing upon the point at issue. And there is good reason to believe that various propositions of this nature, introduced into the discussions of the present Reformation, merely as arguments, have been thoughtlessly adopted as the basis of religious theories as "part and parcel," in effect, at least, if not in fact, of divine revelation itself. In this way, we think it will appear, that [257] the efforts of some of the most able advocates of the cause have been misunderstood and perverted.

      We have thus suffered some of the greatest evils of controversy, while this religious movement was designed to put an end to controversy. It was designed as an overture for peace and Christian union. It proposed to abandon all philosophical questions and "debates of words," and to confine the attention of the religious community to the topics and teachings of the Bible. But, I would ask, have all the disputants in our ranks adhered to the discussion of these topics! Have they confined themselves to the fundamental principles of this Reformation! In treating of these, even, have they been content to rely upon a "Thus saith the Lord!" Have they not rather, amidst the heats of controversy, been led to seek for help from various unauthorized sources, and, leaving the argument from testimony, have they not had recourse to arguments drawn from the constitution of man; from the attributes of God, and from the nature of things! Have they not insensibly thus framed for others, if not for themselves, a complete system of philosophy, based on certain views of human nature, and of the Divine nature! In endeavoring to prove, have they not been induced to enter upon a philosophical accounting for facts and results,, altogether unwarranted both by our own premises and by the Word of God! And has there not thus been established in the minds of many, a scheme of philosophy that arrests all progress in true knowledge and completely frustrates the accomplishment of the purposes of the present Reformation!

      These are now, with us, the very matters of inquiry, and they are certainly to us, as a religious body, pertinent and legitimate subjects, which seem to claim, at the present moment, special and earnest attention. Already, indeed, has the introduction of philosophy among us been distinctly charged. Some months ago, the editor of the Gospel Advocate sounded a special alarm upon this subject, and has been moved to attempt the enlightenment of his readers in regard to the various systems of philosophy which have been in vogue in the world. He is certainly entitled to credit for his promptitude and good intentions, whatever may he thought of the manner in which he executes his task. We should be well content to follow in the, wake of a vessel which manages to carry so large a sail in proportion to, its hull and its tonnage, if we were only less confident that the compass by which it is steered is itself moved from the proper direction, by influences of a nature entirely similar to those against which President Fanning so loudly declaims. As his particular case, however, affords an excellent illustration of that insidiousness and latency of which we have been speaking, as appertaining to human philosophy, [258] characteristics which seem to have called forth that earnest warning of the Apostle which we have selected as the motto to these essays, we shall endeavor to keep in sight of his vessel, at least long enough to ascertain the amount of variation. To this we shall, accordingly, in our next article, direct the attention of the reader.

R. R.

[The Millennial Harbinger 28 (April 1857): 255-259.]