BOOK REVIEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 102, 2 May 1931, Page 2 (Supplement)

BOOK REVIEWS.

tt SCRIPTURAL MODERNISM."

In a little book entitled "Scriptural Modernism," Dr. E. S. Dukes, of Auckland, endeavours to show that the Bible itself supports certain views which are to-day labelled "Modernist" and that by the exercise of patience with one another those who dwell on external authority and those who prefer internal reason can join hands and help each other. Dr. Dukes places the Second Advent in the past, soon after the fall o£ Jerusalem, and thinks that the "Rapture," or "caught up," of I. Thess., iv., 17, refers to the death of all the faithful Christians in some epidemic. Surely this is a most fanciful interpretation and one which it is impossible to get from anything in St. Paul's words. When a text stands in the way of any desired interpretation, Dr. Dukes sometimes dismisses it as an interpolation, as in the case Of I. John, i., 7, though in this case there is no manuscript or other authority for so doing. When he comes to deal with the Virgin Birth he says that "the two or three verses which alone support the idea are a clumsy forgery." On what grounds does he make this statement? Evidently he does not understand the significance of the doctrina when he dismisses it as "a matter of no importance, either way." The Christian doctrine of the Trinity is described as "a good example of the fabricated, man-made mysteries that nave been foisted on a degenerate Church by priestcraft." The Athanasian. Creed is dismissed as "an incomprehensible rigmarole." Dr. Dukes evidently wisheß to present a form of Christianity fre3 from the difficulties which surround many of its dogmas. Yet, without definite doctrine Christianity becomes vague and nebulous. Dr. Dukes says that "it is not indeed so much what exactly we think of Jesus, as whether we love and follow and learn of Him" that matters. But our discipleship depends on whether we regard Jesus as divine and the Son of God, or whether we regard Him merely as an inspired teacher like Socrates. It is difficult to extract from this book any positive creed by which man can live. For such a creed one must tread again the ancient paths. But the author writes with evident sincerity aDd earnestness. He wants to help those who find a difficulty in accepting some of the Church's teaching. He is fully justified in his criticism of some of the cruder theories of the Atonement, and his insistence on the fact that it is we who are to be reconciled to God, never our Father to us. This idea of reconciling the Father to us is derived from an unscTiptural phrase of the Augsbuig Confession. Everyone will agree with him when he emphasises the need for a fuller realisation of that real abiding Prescence which ensures the fruits of the Spirit, and the need of providing that Spirit with a suitable mansion. Passages like these make one wish that Dr. Dukes had devoted less space to controversial questions, and had given more of his positive teaching on tie indwelling of the Holy Ghost the Comforter. The Rev. Bernard M. Hancock, rector of Monksilver, Somerset, published a little book some years ago on "Preparation for Holy Matrimony." It had a wide circulation, and Mr. Hancock has now issued a second and revised edition, the publishers being Messrs. Allen and Unwin, London. There is a foreword toy Kathleen L. Boustead, the central president of the Mothers' Union, in which she speaks of it sb wise and temperate in expression. It is admirably and delicately written, and well calculated to help teachers and young people about to marry. From the same publishers two other booklets have come to hand, both of them short dramatic plays in the Religious Drama "series. "A Light to Lighten the Gentiles" is intended as a Christmas interlude. It is written by the staff of Inval St. Hilary's School, Haslemere, and is edited by M. ,D. Whitehouse. "The Gladdening Light" is an Advent and Christmas mystery play, and is the work of May 0. Pelton. Both plays are intended for children and young people at the Christmas season. The former should prove of fascinating interest. Its characters comprise, among others, people of classical times in Greece and Rome, Indians and English people in the Middle Ages. The other play is given entirely in Scripture words, and /is intended to be rendered in a church, with hymns in which the congregation can join sitting. It includes a number of Scripture characters and others, such as Mary and Joseph, the shepherds, Simeon, the Holy Family, and some women of Jerusalem. The author ha«, made clever and apt use of the language of both the Old and New Testaments, and with wise and reverent discrimination. NOTES IN PASSING. Quite a number of ministers in Wales serre on public bodies of one kind or another. Glasgow University is conferring the honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity on Miss Maude Royden. Mrs. Inge, wife of the famous Dean of St. Paul's, is of opinion that there are few things more movingly beautiful than a reverent congregation engaged in worship. The Rev. Alexander Frazer, of Aberdeen, who was entertained to tea a few weeks ago by the Presbytery of Auckland, has been preaching in several churches and addressing largelyattended meetings in Melbourne and other parts of Victoria. Mr. Hugh Redmond, the author of* "God in the Slums," one of the bestBelling books of the day, and of which a review will be given in these columns next week, says that he .was awakened to the reality of spiritual things by a sermon over the wireless. Mr. James Brown, the Ayrshire miners' leader, has been appointed Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland for the third time. He and Mrs. Brown will, as before, reside while in Edinburgh at Holyrood Palace. The Assembly meets this month. St. I Peter's Anglican Church, Onehunga, one of the early Selwyn churches, built 83 years ago, is being replaced in a design more in keeping with the adjoining buildings. The form decided on is perpendicular Gothic. There is a large and handsome tower 70 feet high in the east, instead of the usual western position, and the sanctuary is vaulted and half octagon. The whole building is in reinforced concrete, finished externally and internally in artificial sandstone. The sanctuary, chancel, organ loft and vestries, as well as a large room for occasional meetings, have been completed, and two Sundays ago were dedicated by Archbishop Averill.