nt
of the General Council, declared in the _Lutheran_, April, 1912:
"Evolution is the most wide-embracing, suggestive, and fascinating
theory of things and life that ever has been offered. In innumerable
cases it has been found to be in accord with nature and with history. In
itself it is not a cause, but a process. Evolution as a partial process
may be within Christianity." In 1915, in his book, _Trends of Thought_,
Dr. J.A.W. Haas wrote: "If evolution as a biological theory remains
within its limits and knows its sphere, it will not contradict the
claims of Christianity. If we avoid a materialistic philosophy in
biology, and if we do not make nature all-controlling, we can accept
evolution as not in disagreement with Christianity." "But, on the other
hand, Christianity must be careful not to demand as Biblical facts old
hypotheses of species. It must differentiate between statement in
popular religious language and the interpretation which tradition has
put upon Biblical statement. In this tradition there are elements of
past science which have unconsciously colored the Biblical account.
Christianity must also treat its document historically, and not be
disturbed if the temporal vessels of its religious truths are not shaped
scientifically. Were they thus shaped, they would fail in their very
purpose. It is general, popular, descriptive, childlike language, which
is universal and lasting. But Christianity must make certain great
reservations over against any theory of evolution. It must demand that
the doctrines of a personal God, of the final spiritual character of
life and its origin, and of the divine nature of man's spirit be not
violated." "Christianity can allow an evolution as the continuation of
creation." (_L. u. W._ 1915, 514.) The _Lutheran_, June 21, 1917,
published an article of L.S. Keyser in which he maintains: "Evolution is
God's method of developing that which He has previously created. The
evolutionary process may have continued for millenniums upon millenniums
until the introduction of life. Whether man's body was evolved or not,
surely his soul must have been created. We should use two terms:
creation and evolution. Together they afford an adequate explanation of
the universe as it is to-day." (_Lutheran Witness_ 1918, 372.) According
to _Lutherischer Herald_, October 15, 1904, Dr. Pick, of the General
Council, declared: "Harnack is all right." (_L. u. W._ 1904, 517. 564.)
"Keeping company with lib