Organized Sunday School Work in America, 1911-1914

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1914 Excerpt: ... inspired them, even as they did the early Christians of the first century. With its thousand new interests the present generation, however, has largely given up the devotional use of the Bible: In this age of sociology, psychology, and eugenics, its quaint terminology seems somewhat antiquated at least to our decidedly up to date college students. During the past quarter of a century, as we all know, and some regret, the prevailing attitude of thoughtful men toward the Bible has been scientific and historical. Step by step, as the geologist traces the various layers on the earth's surface, the individual history of each book has been traced, and its different strata laid bare. This critical stage in the history of Bible study has not been without its fascination and inspiration; but it was the inspiration of discovery, which appeals to the intellect rather than to the emotions and wills of men. As we are all beginning to see, the critical analysis, for example, of Genesis, has a large ultimate value, but is of little immediate use in helping men along the arduous path of life. At the present moment most of this strenuous, often destructive, and yet in the end constructive, work has been done. Certain detailed questions here and there remain to be settled, but they are relatively unimportant. In this age of quick, intuitive decisions the results of modern biblical criticism have already been accepted by the majority of the leaders of the Protestant world. And suddenly, as is quite natural, Christendom finds itself weary of the detailed processes of higher criticism. The reasons for this indifference are not difficult to find. The center of interest of the present generation is social and educational. Men have little time for merely theoretical and academic ...