Vital Problems to Be Mastered

There is no possible doubt on the part of an enlightened Seventh-day Adventist that the present-day evolu­tionary philosophy is the great apos­tasy of the last days, and that it is this philosophy which sets the stage (in America, at least) for the final struggle between good and evil. So-called "Fundamentalism" is making no progress whatever in checking the spread of evolutionary ideas. Some of the outstanding leaders of the Fun­damentalist movement are themselves in the fog regarding the relationship between natural science and the in­spired record in the first chapters of Genesis, and the Scripture admonition is timely: "Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch."

Seventh-day Adventists ought to take the present situation more seriously. Those who are called to be leaders and to maintain true Christian stand­ards in the times just ahead of us, must master these vital problems in the relationship between God's revealed word and His larger book—the book of nature. It is not sufficient prepara­tion to be able to shout, "Evolution is not true!" Such a battle cry will be of little avail amid the conflict which is just ahead of us. We must know why it is not true; we must be able to discriminate between the facts of science and the speculative theories put out in the name of science; we must be able to draw from modern discoveries the spiritual lessons which help more fully to understand our re­lationship to our Creator. In other words, modern discoveries in real science ought to lead Seventh-day Ad­ventists to a deeper appreciation of the Sabbath and other eternal truths of specific application at this time.

But how can we expect to guide others to safety if we ourselves are in the fog regarding some of the most important questions involved in this whole discussion of evolution? If Seventh-day Adventist leaders are blind, they will as surely lead the blind into the ditch as any other class of blind leaders; but the greater will be their responsibility. The man or woman who thinks he is too busy to spend time in serious study of the present situation, so as to be thoroughly informed and able to meet the claims of present evolutionary philosophy, but is content to repeat catch phrases learned by hearsay, will never be a safe leader. Such mental helplessness in the face of the greatest crisis of the ages is dishonoring to God, and dis­graceful to those who profess to be guides of the people in these perilous days.

"The evolutionary philosophy is the deepest spiritual blindness of all his­tory," is one of many stirring state­ments in a remarkable book entitled, "Evolution and Christianity." The author is Jessie Wiseman Gibbs, and the book may be had for the asking. Things given away are usually of little good. Not so this book, which con­tains 222 pages, and is handsomely bound in cloth, and excellently made In every way. The author is a pro­found thinker, and does not hesitate to tell the truth about the dastardly work of undermining the faith of the present generation, which has been going on for two generations in the name of science. The author's address is, 2113 Highland St., Nashville, Tenn. It would be well worth while for Seventh-day Adventist ministers to become thoroughly familiar with this book.

Berrien Springs, Mich.