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PROFESSOR LOU
An interesting story
dealing with the theory of evolution
and other phases of modern teaching
as unscriptural and unscientific.
(From the original dust cover.)
By
Mary E. McDonough
CHAPTER V
The lovely summer days were passing all too
swiftly for Louise Harper.
Each morning as she tore a leaf from her Daily Promise Calendar,
the large figures reminded her that the "breaking up time," as Ted
called it, was drawing very near.
Only four days remained of her uncle's visit, and the day
following his departure, Ted, with Sam, Ned and Charlie, were to
leave for their summer camp; while a few days later, her father and
mother were to start upon a European trip. On this particular
morning there were tears in the sweet blue eyes as she detached her
"promise."
Louise possessed one of those intensely loving, constant natures
to whom even a temporary parting from dear ones, causes real
suffering; therefore as she realized the nearness of the parting
time, a great wave of loneliness rushed over her.
Mechanically she glanced at the promise upon the printed slip and
read
"I
will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."
"Lo, I am
with you alway."
"Commit,—trust and He shall bring it to pass."
Quickly brushing away the tears she
exclaimed aloud, "Lord, I know that thou wilt never leave me. Thou
art with me all the days; and as the going out of my dear ones is in
Thy plan, I commit them unto Thee, that thou wilt preserve their
going out and their coming in, and I trust Thee to bring to pass all
the good pleasures of Thy will in their lives." Then with a trustful
smile, she ran downstairs to the breakfast room.
The morning meal was hardly over when Nell appeared breathless
and excited, beckoning to Louise who ran down the walk to meet her.
"Oh! Lou, have you heard about brother Tom?"
"Tom, why what do you mean, Nell?"
"Why your uncle has asked Tom to accompany him as an assistant on
his Rocky Mountains Expedition. It was not decided until last night
and Tom told us this morning, He wanted to tell you but as he had to
take the first train for Town this morning, he asked me to be sure
to tell you. Now isn't that just grand?" added Nell.
"Yes indeed," replied Louse. "I am very glad."
"Lou, do you know that Tom is thinking very seriously? I
shouldn't be surprised if before very long he—he—really believed.
Don't you think so too, Lou?" inquired Nell earnestly.
"I do indeed, Nell, and when he believes, God can use him
greatly. We will continue to pray for him, dear."
"Then you are praying for him Lou?"
"Certainly, Nell."
"Oh! I am so glad, Lou. And now I have another important matter
to talk over with you," said Nell. "What do you think of a picnic
party for our little study group before we separate?"
"I think that it would be lovely," replied Louise with
enthusiasm. "Let us find mother and talk it over with her."
Mrs. Harper was in the garden cutting a few delicate blossoms for
one of her several shut-ins, when the girls presented their plan. As
Louise had expected, her mother thought the plan a good one and was
ready with suggestions at once.
"How would Oakland Grove do for the spot?" inquired Mrs. Harper.
"There are the grand oaks and the interesting ledge, while nearby
is the lovely river which always pleases Uncle Roger."
"Just the place," cried the girls; "and now we must plan
concerning the food, which to the boys, is of more importance than
the grove," said Nell laughingly.
An animated conversation followed, in which sandwiches of various
kinds, jellied chicken, cake, cookies, tarts and other delicacies
were freely discussed.
What busy hours followed, and, how carefully were weather
indications regarded as the time drew near. "Do you think it will
rain, Lou?" asked Nell for the sixth time, as the two girls sat upon
the veranda the evening before.
"No, dear, I think that we shall have a pleasant day. See what a
glorious sunset we have."
Louise was right. A more perfect day could hardly be imagined,
and it was indeed a merry little group that set out in the morning
sunshine for Oakland Grove.
The natural beauty of the place appealed to all, and cameras were
soon busy in every direction. The Ledge furnished the topic for an
intensely interesting talk on the Formation of Rocks, by Professor
Murdock.
Of course there had to be races for the boys, and games in which
all participated; and then came the lunch, which the boys declared
was the "best ever," and which Uncle Roger pronounced "perfect in
design and complete in execution."
After the lunch, came the rest time, when the boys stretched
themselves upon the ground and the older persons chose comfortable
quarters in the hammocks or upon the rustic seats which the girls
had made restful with cushions.
"Professor Lou," said Ned, abruptly breaking the silence" "do you
realize that this is the last gathering of your study class this
summer?"
"I do indeed, Ned," replied Louise with feeling.
"Well," continued Ned, "there is one subject that is not very
plain to me. May I ask a question?"
"Certainly, Ned," replied Louise.
"My question is this: Was not Adam a child of God when the LORD
God breathed into him the breath of life?"
"I wish that Uncle Roger would answer that question," said Louise
glancing appealingly to her Uncle.
"I will do so gladly, if you wish, Louise," replied Professor
Murdock.
"Ned, when the LORD God breathed the breath of life—which was
merely the human life-principle—into the lifeless form of Adam, what
did Adam become?"
"A living soul," replied Ned.
"Yes, or we might say, a living being; for that is the meaning of
this expression. Now the biologist classifies each plane of life.
These magnificent oaks are on the plane of vegetable life, which is
simple, unconscious life. Those cows grazing in the pasture upon the
opposite bank of the river belong to the animal plane of life. You
are upon the plane of human life. Now all life upon these various
planes was created by God; but would you say that He possessed
created life? Could you include His life in the classification to
which we have just alluded?"
"No, Professor Murdock. God's life is quite different. He always
was. His life was not created."
"How would you characterize the life of God?"
"Well," slowly replied Ned, "God's life is a not-created, or,
perhaps I should say, uncreated life."
"Uncreated, is right, Ned. Now was Adam created, or uncreated?"
"Why, he was created."
"Then biologically upon what plane of life was he?" inquired the
professor.
"Upon the plane of created human life," replied Ned.
"If God were to have beings whom He could call His children, what
kind of life must they have?"
"I see," said Ned. "They must have the same kind of life. No,
Adam was not a truly child of God. Thank you, Professor Murdock, I
understand now."
"But, Professor Murdock, do you not believe in the Fatherhood of
God and the Brotherhood of Man?" asked Sallie.
"Just what do you mean by the Fatherhood of God, Miss Atherton?
Do you use that term in a poetical sense or in the biological?"
"Why I—I—I hardly know how to answer you, Professor Murdock,"
replied Sallie in much confusion.
"I think you mean it in the poetical sense," said the professor
kindly. "You mean that as God is Creator and Sustainer of man, He is
to be regarded as the Father of all. Is not that your meaning?"
"Yes, I think so," replied Sallie. "And if God is the Father of
all, then, of course men are brothers," she continued. "Our
professor in Sacred Literature in college always emphasized this
point and frequently told us that if our relation to our Heavenly
Father were constantly recognized, our relation to our brother man
would be ideal."
"But, Miss Atherton, beautiful as is this conception,
biologically it is incorrect; for all men are not the children of
God, as we have proven. Each human being who is a real child of God
has measure of God's own uncreated life in his spirit. There must be
something more than the fact of creation, to constitute sonship.
Sonship implies a birth relationship."
"Do we not enter into such relationship with God through
sustained moral effort and perfection of character?" asked Miss
Thornton.
"My dear Miss Thornton, I feel that you fail to perceive the
sharply defined lines, that exact biological science is obliged to
draw. Life on each plane is distinct, apart. Life on one plane can
never generate life upon a higher plane. At best it can only reach
its individual goal. Look at that noble oak. Years and years it has
been growing, sending out its branches in every direction and
towering higher and higher season after season. It is one of the
finest specimens of the oak life that I have ever seen; but look at
that little bird upon its topmost bough. Just listen to its song.
Isn't that sweet? Ah! there it goes sailing through the air. Now the
tree may reach its goal of oak life perfection, but never can it
partake of the life of that little bird. No, there is an impassable
barrier between all vegetable life and animal life."
"Rover is a fine dog; about the best dog I have seen," continued
the professor, patting the shaggy head at his feet, which gentle act
was acknowledged by the slow wag of the tail and the half-opened
eyes of the sleepy animal; "but try as he may, he can never possess
the life of his master. Rover will continue to be the very best kind
of dog; but human life he can never know. Now a human being may be a
pretty good sort of person. He may be morally clean, intellectually
gifted, kindhearted, upright; but he is not thereby elevated to the
plane of life above him. No, again there is an invisible barrier.
All of his efforts are on the plane of human life only; while the
unreachable plane of Eternal or Uncreated Life, is far above him."
Miss Thornton drew a long breath but made no reply.
"But, Uncle Roger, when God created man, didn't He make him so
that he could become a child of God?" asked Ted.
"Yes, Ted; and because of this fact, all men may be called
potential sons of God. Do you see the difference between potential
sons, and actual sons, Ted?"
"Yes, Uncle, I think that I do. A potential son is one who may
choose the life of God, and the actual son is one who has chosen."
"You are right, Ted," replied his uncle.
"Brother, from the biological standpoint, what would be necessary
if life on one plane were ever to know life on a higher plane?"
asked Mrs. Harper.
"Two conditions would be necessary," replied Professor Murdock.
"There must be a prepared organism to receive such a life, and a
prepared medium of transmission from the higher to the lower, so
that the new life might be received as an immediate, instantaneous
bestowal. Now no object on the plane of vegetable life has a
prepared organism to receive animal life; nor is there any object
containing both kinds of life that could serve as the medium of
transmission. Again, the animal has not a prepared organism for
human life, and there is no medium of transmission; but when we
reach human life, we find that God has endowed human beings with a
prepared organism to receive the life of God. That wonderful inner
man which we found that God patterned after Himself, is the prepared
organism. In other words, God created man with wonderful powers
whereby he might know that there was a higher plane of life for him,
and He created him with the power to choose this life."
"Oh! Professor Murdock, I know who is the prepared medium of
transmission,—the Being who has both human life and the life of
God," exclaimed Nell impulsively as the great truth burst upon her.
"It is Christ, our Lord and through Him, the life of God comes right
into our humanity. Oh, isn't it wonderful?"
"Yes, dear Miss Helen, it is wonderful. 'Without controversy,
great is the mystery of godliness; God was manifest in the flesh.'"
"Professor Murdock, Ned's question had to do with Adam before his
sin. We have proven that Adam was not created a child of God, but
how could he have so become before the Incarnation and Redemptive
work of Calvary?" inquired Mr. Marshall.
"Choosing the life of God, before sin stained the human
personality, would have been a simple problem, whereas sin has made
it complex"; replied Professor Murdock. "Adam and Eve were so
created that they could perceive that a higher plane of life awaited
their choice. This life of God, stored in the Eternal Son, —the
Jehovah Elohim, of whom we have studied, might have entered their
spirits in the Garden of Eden had they chosen to receive the same.
Instead they listened to the seductive voice of the tempter; they
made their fatal choice; they fell; and owing to the biological
law—the law of heredity, —that like produces like,—their
descendants, without exception, have partaken of their sinful
nature. This condition, then, made it necessary for God to reveal
and execute His wonderful Plan of Redemption; for we have already
seen that man cannot through any amount of self-effort, elevate his
plane of life. If God were ever to have children, He must provide
the way, Man could do nothing, and unless God should do,
man would remain apart from God through endless ages. Therefore the
LORD God laid aside much of His glory, but not His Divine nature,
and became flesh."
"The Word became flesh and dwelt among us," softly repeated Mrs.
Harper.
"Christ Jesus,—being in the form of God, did not reckon His
equality with God a thing to be clung to; but emptied himself,
taking the form of a servant; and was made in the likeness of man;
and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled Himself, and became
obedient unto death, even the death of the cross," added Mr. Harper.
For a full minute, Professor Murdock remained very quiet, resting
his head upon his hand; then speaking very slowly he said "My dear
friends, we shall never be able to appreciate the depths of humbling
indicated in this passage. We are so important, so satisfied, so
self-complacent, that we cannot conceive of this emptying of the
Mighty God to be made in the likeness of man. Think what it would
mean for Mr. Harper to so empty himself of His manhood's glory as to
be made in the likeness of one of those tiny insects moving in the
sunlight; and yet this emptying of the Eternal Son was a greater
humbling."
The little group remained in silence which was broken at last by
the rich voice of Mr. Harper singing—
"They say my Lord was but a man
Who
struggled on like you and me
To give
the world a perfect plan
Of what
a perfect man should be.
But I
know He has redeemed me,
From my
sin he set me free,
Yes I
know He has redeemed me,
For He
died on Calvary."
As he repeated the chorus, he was joined by
Mrs. Harper and Louise, Mr. and Mrs. Marshall, Professor Murdock,
Nell and the boys. Tom, Sallie and Miss Thornton alone remaining
quiet.
"Professor Murdock," said Sallie, desiring to direct the
conversation into less serious channels—"last summer I attended a
conference during which one of the questions handed in was this: 'If
you could not believe in the Virgin Birth could you retain your
belief in God?' The very spiritual, scholarly minister in charge of
the question box answered this question in the affirmative. How
would you have answered it, please?"
"In the negative, most decidedly," replied the professor
severely; but before he could say more, Tom exclaimed, "Sallie, you
have not been following the argument. Do you not see that this
'emptying' precludes the possibility of Christ's being merely a man
like the rest of us? And where is the prepared medium of
transmission, if Christ had only the human life of Joseph and Mary?"
The directness and earnestness of these few words produced an almost
startling effect. Sallie colored and mumbled an apology; while the
boys fixed their eyes on Tom with a gaze of mingled surprise and
admiration; meanwhile in the hearts of those who had been praying
for Tom, there was a thrill of joy and a burst of praise.
"Uncle Roger," said Louise, tactfully introducing a new subject,
"will you tell us how the claims of God's holiness as well as the
claims of His love were satisfied through the Redemptive Work of
Christ?"
"I will try to do so, dear," replied her uncle.
"We know that God is Love, but He is holy also;" began the
professor. "God's holiness and man's sinfulness can never coalesce.
God can never be anything else than holy; man can never be anything
else than sinful in his natural condition. We see, then, that the
claims of God's holiness would necessitate the removal of sinners
from His immediate presence and would render impossible any
fellowship or relationship between them."
"But the claims of His love as well as the claims of His holiness
must be considered. God's love yearns over the race of sinners. He
loves them with His own Eternal Love which can never change. He
longs to clasp them in His arms and call them sons. Now here are
distinctly opposing claims. How shall they be reconciled? Only in a
judicial manner. Let me illustrate: Two men have opposing claims,
therefore they go to the court of justice. Each tells his story
while the judge patiently listens; then he renders his judgment,
which is the official declaration concerning the truth of the
statements submitted to him for consideration, based upon the laws
of the state. Now in connection with the opposing claims of God's
holiness and His love, what is the 'judgment'—or declaration of
justice? This: The claims of God's love are just and His love has
the right to effect any possible change in the condition of sinful
beings that will cause them to satisfy His heart; but this change of
status must also uphold and satisfy His Holiness. Do you follow me
Ted?"
"Yes, uncle, that is fair; to let His love do anything that will
satisfy His heart and at the same time perfectly satisfy His
holiness," replied Ted.
"Well, at Calvary His suffering love achieved that for human
beings which would enable them to become His own dear children and
to eventually become conformed to the image of Christ, thus
satisfying His Love; and because of the absolute holiness of the One
who bore the sin-penalty, the claims of His holiness were upheld and
magnified."
"Someone has said that the death of Jesus was a more splendid
vindication of righteous rule than the death of all the sinners
would have been," said Mr. Harper.
"Do you understand how that could be, boys?" asked Professor
Murdock. After a moment's thought Sam replied "Why sinners deserved
to suffer; but Jesus didn't; and the fact that Jesus suffered death
for our sins, shows what He thought about sin."
"You are right, Sam. Sin is an awful thing. It is rebellion
against God; and Christ, the Holy One, bore the sin of the human
race and its dreadful results, that we might be delivered from its
guilt and its power; yes and bye and bye from its very presence."
"You consider Calvary something more than the 'Supreme Sacrifice'
that so many of our modern ministers talk about, do you not?" asked
Mr. Marshall.
"I do indeed. I consider it a redeeming achievement,"
replied Professor Murdock; "and we may summarize in a single
sentence: Christ's Redeeming Work at Calvary settled the sin
question of the human race once for all, just as God would have it."
"Then God has made it possible for everybody to become His
child," said Ned; "only each one will have to choose His life," he
added.
"Yes, Ned, God in Christ has done it all; but we must
individually receive His gift. He will not force this upon us, but
He lovingly waits for us to choose to receive." There was silence
for a time, then Ned said simply but earnestly "I choose."
"So do I," said Charlie.
"Praise the Lord," said Professor Murdock, while his face shone
with joy.
"I chose a long time ago when mother told us about Christ dying
for us," said Ted, "and I have been glad ever since that I did."
"And I chose when Ted told me all about it," said Sam, "and," he
added with emphasis, "I know it is true."
"I am sorry to say that I did not choose until after our lesson
on sin; but I have chosen, and oh, I am so very glad," said Nell
with shining eyes.
"My dear friends," said Professor Murdock, our Heavenly Father is
very kind to let our last little gathering be such a precious one.
Let us thank Him."
The words of that simple prayer were never forgotten by the
members of the little group, nor were its earnest petitions
unanswered in their lives. |