Page:The Other Life.djvu/28

 twofold: to reconcile the literal interpretation of the Bible with the increasing demands of reason and science; and to exonerate dogmatic theology from the charges of inconsistency, fundamental error and sheer incomprehensibility. The conservative element struggles earnestly to preserve the old landmarks. The radical element, outweighing it in intellect if not in numbers, would readjust the formulas of faith in correspondence with the reasonable demands of the critical philosophy. So the Church presents the singular spectacle of a vast body of men held compactly together by faith in God and the moral law, but repelled from each other by different and irreconcilable opinions.

How long is this to last? Where is it to end? Has the Church, with its present resources, the means of defence and recuperation, the power of harmonizing the discordant element within, and of converting the skeptical element without? Unquestionably not. Unless additional light from heaven is granted for its moral and intellectual renovation, its gradual disintegration and decay are inevitable, and it will fall a prey to time and the contending elements.

He, however, who has studied wisely the move-