RELIGIOUS WORLD.

Evening Star, Issue 12060, 2 March 1907, Page 4

RELIGIOUS WORLD.

THE REV. R. J. CAMPBELL ON THE ATONEMENT. .

The Rev. R. J. Campbell recently had an article in the new issue of the 'Hibbert Journal,' in which he endeavors to show that the Christian doctrine of the Atonement has been moulded and shaped' very largely by Semitic religious ideas. He says: ""The roots of the Christian doctrine of Atonement are to be sought in the Old Testament, but in the Old Testament read in' the light thrown upon it by reference to the religious life of Assyria, Babylon, Egypt, Phoenicia, the Hittites, Scythians, Persians, and others. . . . The close connection of Israel with the Semitic race in general has not received sufficient attention from those who have thought and .wjitten on the Atonement. It explains much that would be otherwise obscure in the Old Testament itself."

Mr Campbell contends that the best I method of investigating the origins of the Old' Testament doctrine of Atonement, and its bearing on the Christian development of the same idea, is to examine the psychology of Semitic religious beliefs, especially those pertaining to sacrifice. > He then enters into a description of the Jewish Day of Atonement, with its many intricate and. strange ceremonies, and asks: "What moral significance, if any, can be attributed to them? Out of what sense of need did they arise? What is their historical origin? How do they stand related to what we now mean by Atonement?" . He answers his own questions by discussing the meaning of the Hebrew word "kipper," which appears to mean "to cover," but he contends that the mere etymological \ sense does not exhaust or wholly indicate its religious use and significance. The word " atonement" is closely associated in the Old Testament with the idea of sacrifice, and hence does not invariably suggest the thought of propitiation or "even of sin. It means something due from the soul to God, an offering which we ought to make, arid which Ho ought to accept. Beneath this use of the word is the idea of community of life, and the solidarity of man with God, the source of all life. . Nt „ , He traces the germ of the idea to Babylonian influences, as it is hardly conceivable that Israel should pass through the long captivity which ended about the middle of the sixth century B.C. without absorbini s'omo of the Babylonian religious ideas, and continues : " Sacrifice with them was mainly of a joyous character. There !,was a Babylonian saying that sacrifice enlarges life When the worshipper dedicated his profession to God he but rendered to Him His own. In the shedding of blood he symbolically offered himseli, for- the blood was supposed to bo the seat of the life, or soul." • . Ho arrives at the conclusion that it is not difficult to sea the bearing of these ideas on the symbolism of New Testament language concerning the sacrifice of Christ. "He says : " This symbolism never deceived ,the New Testament writers themselves, but it has deceived many since, . . . Deep beneath Semitic modes of worship there is, as we have seen, the truth that the most acceptable offering to the Deity is that which demands tho most from the individual for the life of the race. This is the true atonement, and there is not, and never has boon, any other."

YEAR'S' RErROSVECT OF THE RELIGIOUS LIFE OF ENGLAND. Xo one can survey the outlook in the lisiious world with complacency. Tho education controversy has left behind a bittcrj.es's'of feeling which many years will not eradicate. It "has placed a solid barrier between tlio two main .streams of our ,uaticnal religious life. Evan a mind so calm and judicial aj that of the chairman of the Congregational Union has been led to bo-lu-ve that there is no possible standing ground common to the Anglican and the Free Churchman. This cleavage must end disastrously to the cause of religion. Apart from tht- religio-eduentior. turmoil, the most important event in the history of the Anglican Church has been the issuing of the report of tho Royal Commission en Disorders in the Church, "it Jias been received on the whole without emotion ; the -school which it was ocpeeted to hit most severely professes to treat it with good-humored contempt, and many of the opposite school of thought and practice are doubtful whether it—or the action of Convocation to which it leads—-will remedy their professed grievances. It is significant that the more militant of the High Churchmen have been the most aggressive in their evangelistic propaganda. The Bishops of London and Manchester have led tho way in a jnore or less successful effort to show that the Church of England is awake to the danger of the masses becoming more out of touch with organised Christianity. Yet, in, spit* of their well-organised efforts and atrenuoua exertions we fear but little impression has been made on the stolid indifference of the people. The publication of the 'English Hymnal' baa created a irtorm of opposition on the part of the bishops, not unlike that which raged round Lyneh's 'Rivulet' in the Nonconformist Churches forty years ago, and perhaps with a. similar result—an enhanced publicity. Turning to the CongregationaliEtß, the. thing that strikes tho careful observer is the wide wrjery of theological thought that finda expression in their pulpits and representative gatherings. Of this an example is to be found in the animated discussion that took place at the autumnal meeting of the Union <>n 'The Virgin Birth,' a discussion that led to a rather prolonged newspaper controversy. As an outcome of this: correspondence more than one cynical critic hfts recommended an examination of tho., .trust deeds of various churches 'ln many quarters the Institiitiojial Church idea has. expanded, and praiseworthy efforts are being put forth to make the local church a real uplifting force in the neighborhood.' The Rev. J. H. Jowett, by his brilliant (widressea and wjas guidance, has added new.' rusfre to the chairmanship of tho Union. The Baptists have been making a bjavo effort to solve the-Vespd question of thai pastorate,' both from the ed'ucational and the financial point of view. The prpbjflrn hag been attacked none too SOOB, for a, great deal of (soreness efjsts on the matter. They, are, jujf, without hope that a .satisfactory; epjutjon in within sight,;and this will probably be found in the direction of the cultivation of a broader connexional spirit., Meanwhile, the churches, as a whole, are apd & goodly increase of mejn ; bgig' ig reported as the outcome of tho years work. » Presbyterianism has its Qwn internal difficulties, not ihp least being the', questions of tho general secretaryship and tl» College: Ifumencally Eterjdy progress lias, been made, though not pojnmensUrato With w hat is expected fponi £u,ph a- splcpdidly §<J u ipped. rninistry. , "All the branches <rf Jfethadism have had* a cooc} y e ? x - Wesleyans have shown a, fgjnarkwle revival of (he missionary and there are signiT p j" a largdyriaereasedY income in to the sweeping awsvy pf the heavy sdverse balance. Large cej*-, trrii jiepHleus centpes. The KSnitivo MetbpB!6te, J»Ye b»sn tme to their trad'tioms *ae an aggressive body <j{ Phrfetiajus, and, wjrijg insisting on ministerial culture, lay even" stronger Hisisteice on fervid evangebsin. s'bjFaaf. af v tha minor }&&>«&$ dftPOTOffi*- i turns will soon Jose their separate identity.

Before tho end of 1907 they will be known ae the United Methodist, Ctrurch, theresolutj«& sanctWiiing .the/ union having'teen' carried in -their respective conferences with absolute unanimity. The 'necessary 'parliamentary Bill'for legalising the union has been prepared, and will doubtless become lalv during the forthcoming session/ ' The (first conference of the new denomination will be, held in Wesley's Chapel, City road, in' r September.

- The Society of Friends ..and- •&*- -Uni-_ tariam nave been encaged in earnest propaganda work, andi'the former nave rftown themselves not devoid of energy by rising grandly to, meet ;the; difficulty created by the needs of .the missionary stations: The adult school movement, largely .engineered by the Friends, baa shown remarkable vitality, and is rapidly becoming a great power,for good." The P.S-A. has made rapid strides, and now -that a .National'

Council has been created, may be expected to make'still greater advances. The Federated Churches, under the guidance of the National Free Church Coancil, are making a sensible impression on the religious life of the country. In the Sunday school world the most important matter has been the quiet but steady revolt against the international lesson system,' a revolt of which more will be heard in the coming days.—' I>nilv TCew?.'