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 PRINCETON, N. J. 
 
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 Presented by 
 
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 Section 
 
 
Third Edition. 
 
 THE 
 
 New Theology 
 
 IN 
 
 THE NURSERY. 
 
 AutJior Unknown^ 
 
 New York, 1892. 
 
THIS EDITION IS PRINTED FOR 
 
 John I. Covington, 
 
 29 Broadway, New York, 
 
 by the rockaway journal, 
 
 far rockavvay, l. i. 
 
NEW THEOLOGY IN THE NURSERY. 
 
 Mrs. Martineau Kuenen (who has been 
 attending various inaugural and other ad- 
 dresses at Presbyterian seminaries and 
 churches): Now Johnny, as it is raining to- 
 day, you need not go out to Sunday-school at 
 Dr. Westminster's church. I will give you a 
 lesson at home. 
 
 Johnny: Mamma, shall I say my catechism? 
 
 Mrs. Af. K.: 1 think not. You know they 
 are revising the Standards, and are going to 
 let down the tender grass for the lambs of the 
 flock.* But tell me Johnny, what is it which 
 teaches us how to be saved, and about Heaven 
 and God ? 
 
 Johmiy: The Bible. 
 
 * Proof Texts: Report on'Revision to the Gen. 
 eral Assembly, rSgr. 
 
4 THE NEW THEOLOGY. 
 
 Mrs. M. K. : Yes; but there is something else. 
 
 Johimy: I don't know of anything else. 
 
 Mrs, M, K.: There is the Church, you 
 know; and the Reason.* 
 
 Johnny. Do you mean the Presbyterian 
 Church, mamma ? 
 
 Mrs. M. K.: Well, not exactly. You see 
 the Presbyterian Church sometimes dis- 
 approves of my good friend Professor Barkis. 
 By church, I mean Institutional Christianity.*" 
 
 Joh?iny: Oh, I understand. 
 
 Mrs. M, K.: You have heard of Cardinal 
 Newman, Johnny; he was a representative 
 Christian, living in or near the world's me- 
 tropolis; but he could not find God through 
 the Bible,* striving never so hard, but he 
 became a Roman Catholic and found God in 
 that way. 
 
 Johnny: Then, if you can't find out how to 
 be saved, and can't find God in the Bible,, 
 you must become a Roman Catholic. 
 
 Mrs.'M. K.: Yes, it is a matter of tempera- 
 ment and environment, which way to God 
 men may pursue.f 
 
 * Proof Texts : Inaugural Address by_Prof. C. A. 
 Briggs (pp. 24, f. f.) 
 f (lb. pp. 26, 28.) 
 
IN THE NURSERY. 5 
 
 Johnny: But suppose you can't find God in 
 the Bible or in the Church, then what do you 
 do? 
 
 Mrs. M. K.: I am glad you have asked 
 that question, my child. You can find God 
 through the Reason, and become a represen- 
 tative Christian. 
 
 Johnny. What is the Reason, mamma ? 
 
 Mrs. M. K. : Oh, I don't know exactly. It 
 embraces the Metaphysical Categories.* 
 
 Johnny: What are they, mamma ? 
 
 Mrs. M. K.: They are the Holy of Holies 
 of Nature,* my dear son, and then we have 
 the Conscience and the Religious Feeling.* 
 
 Johnny: Are they better than the Bible and 
 the Church 
 
 Mrs. M. K.: The Bible is infallible, but 
 the majority of the Christian world would not 
 assign a higher place to representative Chris- 
 tians who have found God through the Bible. 
 
 Johmty: Mamma, what kind of tempera- 
 ment and environment have I got? Must I 
 find God through the Bible? I think' perhaps 
 I had better find him through the Reason, if 
 that is the Holy of Holies of Nature. 
 
 * Proof Text: Inaugural Address by Prof. C. A. 
 Briggs (p. 26, 28). 
 
6 THE NEW THEOLOGY 
 
 Mrs. M. K : Never mind about that just 
 now, 'ItU me, does your teacher at Sunday 
 school tell you anything about God? 
 
 Johnny: O yes; I know the answer to the 
 question in the Catechism: "What is God?" 
 
 Mrs. M. K.\ But we need a new doctrine 
 of God.* You know Prof. Barkis tells us that 
 God is love.* I must ask your teacher to 
 read his Inaugural Address. 
 
 Johnny: Does God love sin, mamma? 
 
 Airs. M. K.: I am not talking about that ; 
 but listen to the new doctrine of God. ] am 
 surprised that your teacher should not have 
 seen it (reading). . . . "Irregularities, 
 breaks, misfits, broken joints, deiormities, 
 mutilations, abortions, collisions, discords im- 
 perfections all the way along and God back of 
 it all, pushing on His way. , . Ah, brethren; 
 God's thoughts are not as our thoughts. His 
 ways are not as our ways. The designs by 
 which He works are not patterns for patent 
 office purpose's, nor pieces of dilettante china 
 decorations, nor aesthetic models in waxwork. 
 
 . . Flaws? Yes; but look at the I'lan, 
 massive with the lines and the curves of the 
 
 * Proof Texts: Inaugural Address by Prof. C. 
 A. Briggs (pp. 46, 47, 48). 
 
IN THE NURSERY. 7 
 
 Infinite and the Eternal. . . . Frictions? 
 Yes; but look at the matchless correlations of 
 energy, the actions and interactions of end- 
 lessly ariiculated forces that determine the 
 balancing of the dewdrops, and swing' Jujjiters 
 and suns and systems along their vast and 
 mighty courses. Discords? Yes;'but listen 
 to the Eternal Anthem that rings from star 
 to star, and ravishes the eternities."* 
 
 Johnny: Mamma, is that out of the Bible? 
 
 Mrs. M. K. : Not exactly, dear; that is part 
 of the new doctrine of God. It is by Dr. 
 Heavens. It doesn't repel me as much as the 
 answer in the Catechism which^ you have 
 learned at Sunday-school. 
 
 JoJuuiy: Is every word in the Bible true, 
 mamma? 
 
 Mrs. M. K.: Oh no, Johnny. One of the 
 barriers to the Bible is the belief that it is all 
 true f But only the essentials are true. J 
 
 Johnny: Teacher says that the Bible is the 
 Word of God, and that whatever the Word 
 of God says must be true. 
 
 * Proof Texts: Biblical Scholarship and Inspira- 
 tion, by Prof. L. J. Evans (pp 14, 15). 
 
 f Proof Thxis: Inaugural Audicss by Prof. C. A. 
 Briggs (p. 34). 
 % lb. (p. 30). 
 
8 THE NEW THEOLOGY 
 
 Mrs, M. K.: That is a ghost of modern 
 Evangelicalism to frighten children.* God 
 inspired only the concept.f 
 
 John?iy: Is the concept the same thing as a 
 "Metaphysical Category. 
 
 Mrs. M. K.: I will have to ask Prof. Barkis 
 about that. You see he has been very much 
 misunderstood. But when you get older, you 
 will learn all about such things. 
 
 Johjmy: Mamma, what a wise man Moses 
 must have been to have written about the 
 Creation, and all those things in Exodus and 
 Deuteronomy! 
 
 Mrs. M. K.: Moses didn't write those 
 books. Those were written by Elohists and 
 a number of other men. 
 
 Johfifiy: Did not Moses write Exodus ? 
 
 Mrs. M. K.: No, that was written by P and 
 JE.;|; Moses may have been the Redactor of 
 part of the books. 
 
 Johnny: What is a Redactor ? 
 
 Mrs M. K.: A Redactor is a man who puts 
 
 *Proof Texts: Inaugural address of Prof. C. A. 
 Briggs (p. 35). 
 
 t lb (p. 32). 
 
 X Proof Texts : Introduction to the Literature of 
 the Old Testament by Prof. G. R. Driver. Edited 
 by Prof. Briggs (p. 20). 
 
IN THE NURSERY. 9 
 
 books written by other men together, so as to 
 pretend that he wrote them himself. 
 
 Johnny: Next to Moses, I think Isaiah was 
 one of the best men in the Old Testament. 
 
 Mrs. M. K.: (laughing heartily): Which 
 Isaiah do you mean ? 
 
 Johnny: I mean Isaiah the Prophet. 
 
 Mrs. M. K.: Oh, you foolish boy; we don't 
 know that Isaiah wrote half of the book which 
 bears his name.* 
 
 Johnny: Teacher says that Jesus said that 
 Moses wrote the Law, and that the Law was 
 the same as the five books of Moses. 
 
 Mrs. M. K.: O, that is a circumstantial. 
 Jesus was speaking so as to suit himself to his 
 hearers. 
 
 Johnny: Is it right to say what is not true, 
 so as to suit your teaching to your hearers ? 
 
 Mrs. M. K.: I have told you, Johnny, that 
 these are circumstantials, not essentials. 
 
 Johnny: Then some of the circumstantials 
 in the Bible are not true. 
 
 Mrs. M. K.: It is not a pleasant task to 
 point out the .errors in the Sacred Scriptures. f 
 
 * Proof Texts: Inaugural Address by Prof. C. A. 
 Briggs (p. 33). 
 t lb. (p. 34). 
 
lO THE NEW THEOLOGY 
 
 Johnny: I thought you said just now that it 
 
 was infallible. 
 
 Mrs. M. K. : Only as a rule of faith'and 
 practice. It is not infallible when it contains 
 fibs (laugning to herself). 
 
 Johnny: What is faiih, mamma? 
 
 Mrs. M. K.: O, that is a docirinal'queS' 
 tion. You must not ask me about dogma. 
 Faith is belief. 
 
 Johnny: Then if the Bible is an infallible 
 rule of belief, I ought to believe whatever it 
 tells me. 
 
 Mrs. M. K.: O, no. That is a question for 
 Christian Consciousness to decide. 
 
 Johnny: Whose Christian Consciousness ? 
 
 Mrs. M. K.: Dear Prof. Barkis's Christian 
 Consciousness. 
 
 Johnny. Mamma, tell me about Daniehin 
 the lion's den. 
 
 Mrs. M. K.: O, Johnny, that is a circum-- 
 stantial. Prof. Browning has shown that the 
 Book of Daniel is full of untruths. 
 
 Johnny: Is the story about Jonah and the 
 whale a circumstantial, too? 
 
 Mrs, M. K.: Of course. Everything in the 
 Bible, which is not a theophany, is a circum- 
 stantial. 
 
IN THE NURSERY. II 
 
 Johnny: Are the Psalms of King David 
 theophanies or circumstantials? 
 
 Mrs. M K.: O, you silly boy. Moses did 
 not wiij^ht the Pentateuch. David wrote only 
 a few of ihe psalms. Isaiah did not write 
 one-half of ihe book which bears his name. 
 Solomon did noi write Proverbs or Kcclrsias- 
 tes. The names of ihe mass of old Tebtament 
 authors are lo^i in oblivion.* 
 
 Joliniiy: ^Vny, mamma; you are not leaving 
 me any Bible. 
 
 Mrs. M. K : If that is destroying the Bible 
 the Bible is drstroyt-d already.* 
 
 Johnny: Then read me something in the 
 New Testament. 1 hat is truer than ihe Old. 
 Read to me about the raising of Lazarus ? 
 
 Mrs. M. K.: Let me see, that is in the Gos- 
 pel accurdin<j to St. John. Well, it is not yet 
 quite settled th:it John did not write that, sq 
 I supnose I may read it. But remember^ 
 Johnny, if ii \\ere possible to resolve ail the 
 miracles of ihe Old Testament into extraordi- 
 nary nets of Divine Providence, using the 
 forces and forms of nature in accordance with 
 the laws of nature; and if we could explain all 
 
 * Proof Texts: Inaugural Address by Prof. C. A. 
 Briggs (p. 53). 
 
12 THE NEW THEOLOGY 
 
 the miracles of Jesus, . . . from His use of 
 mind cure or hypnotism or any other occult 
 power, — still I claim that nothing essential 
 would be lost from the miracles of the Bible.* 
 
 Johnny: Were the Apostles hypnotized ? 
 
 Mrs. M. K.: I have not taken a brief f to 
 tell you about that. 
 
 Johnny: Was Adam a good man, mamma ? 
 
 Mrs. M. K. : Yes. He was created sinless, 
 but was not possessed of that moral excel- 
 lence, which comes only through discipline 
 and heavenly training.* 
 
 Johnny: The Catechism says that he was 
 created after the image of God. 
 
 Mrs. M. K.: Yes; but the Elohist had a 
 very imperfect idea of God. As I have told 
 you, we need a new doctrine of God. 
 
 Johnny: Was Adam as good as mj papa ? 
 
 Mrs. M. K.: No; your papa whose tempta- 
 tions have been a means of grace, has made 
 his progress by the curved lines of sin, not by 
 the straight line of obedience.]; 
 
 Johnny: How did the prophets know so 
 much about the Messiah, Mamma? 
 
 * Proof Texts: Inaugural Address by Prof. C. A. 
 Briggs (p, 37). 
 
 \ lb., 2d Ed. (p. 95). 
 X lb. ist Ed., (p. 50). 
 
IN THE NURSERY. 13 
 
 Mrs. M. K.: Many of these predictions 
 have been reversed by history; and the great 
 body of the Messianic predictions has not 
 only never been fulfilled, but cannot now be 
 fulfilled, for the reason that its own time is 
 passed forever.* 
 
 Johnny: But Jesus Christ said they would 
 all be fulfilled, didn't He? 
 
 Mrs. M. K.: Yes, child; but God recalled 
 his decree, f 
 
 Johnny: Is recalling His decree, the same 
 as breaking His promise ? 
 
 Mrs. M. K.: That is part of the " new doc- 
 trine of God." 
 
 Johnny: I suppose that my little sister 
 Jennie looks down from Heaven, and wonders 
 that we are puzzled by all these things. 
 
 Mrs. M. K.: Hush, Johnny! Jennie is not 
 in Heaven. You are neglecting those vast 
 periods of time which elapse between death 
 and judgment. J Jennie is in the Middle 
 State. It is a heavenly university. § 
 
 * Proof Texts: Inaugural Address by Prof. C. A. 
 Briggs (p. 38), 
 \. lb. (p. 39)- 
 X lb. (pp. 53, 54). 
 § lb. 2d. Ed (p. 109). 
 
14 THE NEW THEOLOGY 
 
 John7iy: Is that an essential or a circum- 
 stantial ? 
 
 Mrs. M. K,: That is an essential. We 
 don't go at first to Heaven or Hell. We go 
 to the Middle State. The l>ug!'eir of a 
 judgment immediately after death should be 
 banished fiom the world.* 
 
 Johiuiy: "I hen Jesus did not die to save us 
 from punishment. 
 
 M?'s. M. K.: Yes; but the whole race of 
 Man is redeemed, f '1 hink of the heathen 
 who have never heard of Christ. 'I'hey would 
 have to be punished for rejecting Him. 
 
 Johnny: Then I shall spend my next allow- 
 ance on candy. 
 
 Mrs. M. K.: 1 hat will be enough for to- 
 day 1 must see about that Sunday-school 
 teacher. I think he must be a traditionalist. 
 
 Jo/innx: Mamma, If I don't give any more 
 money for the redeemed heathen, I shall have 
 more to >pend on the Fourth of July. 
 
 Mrs. M. K.: To be sure and I will take you 
 to see the fireworks; but before that Prof. 
 Barkis is going to blow the breastworks of 
 
 * Proof Tkxts: Inaugural Address by Prof. C A. 
 Briggs, 2d Ed., (p. 54). 
 t lb . ist Ed .(p. 55). 
 
IN THE NURSERY. I5 
 
 traditionalism to atoms.* I will take you to 
 that. 
 
 Johnny: Mamma. Shall I put the Bible 
 carefully on the table again ? 
 
 Mrs M. K.: O, no; put it on the shelf 
 with those novels. The Bible as a book is 
 paper, print and binding — nothing more.f 
 
 Johnny: Papa says he carried one m his 
 pocket all through the war. 
 
 Mrs, M. K.: What nonsense. It has no 
 magical virtue in it, and no halo enclosing it. 
 It will not stop a bullet any better than amass 
 book \ Next Sunday, I will tell you all 
 about the historical errors in the Bible. You 
 mustn't go back to that traditionalistic Sun- 
 day-school again. And now let us go down 
 and hear Dr. Madison Park preach on the 
 immorality of the Patriarchs. It is sure to 
 be instructive. 
 
 * Proof Texts: Inaugural Address by Prof. C. A. 
 Briggs(p. 41). 
 f lb. (p. 30). 
 tib. (p. 55). 
 
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