THE SILENCE OF GOD
PREFACE TO THE NINTH EDITION
SIR ROBERT ANDERSON
IN response to appeals from various quarters this book is once
again reissued. Its importance is enhanced by the vagaries of religious thought
in our day, and notably by the growth of certain religious movements which claim
to be accredited by "miraculous" spiritual manifestations.
As the Epistle to
the Hebrews teaches, certain great truths which are generally regarded as
distinctively Christian were common to the Divine religion of Judaism upon which
Christianity is based. And as the opening words of Romans remind us, "The gospel
of God concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord" was "promised afore" in Hebrew
prophecy. The most distinctive truth of the Christian revelation is Grace
enthroned. And that truth was lost in the interval that elapsed between the
close of the New Testament Canon and the era of the Patristic theologians. That
He to whom the prerogative of judgment has been committed is now sitting upon
the throne of God in grace, and that, as a consequence, all judicial and
punitive action against human sin is in abeyance - deferred until the day of
grace is over and the day of judgment dawns - this is a truth that will be
sought for in vain in the standard theology of Christendom. "My gospel" the
Apostle Paul calls it, for it was through him that this truth was revealed - not
the gospel "promised afore," but "the preaching of Christ according to the
revelation of the mystery which was kept secret since the world began."
Even
among men, the wise and strong keep silence when they have said all they wish to
say. And as this gospel of grace is the supreme revelation of Divine mercy to
the world, the silence of heaven will remain unbroken until the Lord Jesus
passes from the throne of grace to the throne of judgment.
It is not that the
Divine moral Government of the world is in abeyance. Still less is it that
spiritual miracles have ceased. For in our day the gospel has achieved triumphs
in heathendom which transcend anything recorded in the New Testament. Infidelity
is thus confronted by miracles of a kind that give far surer proof of the
presence and power of God than any miracle in the natural sphere could offer -
hearts so entirely changed, and lives so thoroughly transformed, that fierce,
brutal, and degraded savages have become humble, pure-living, and
gracious.
But the argument of these pages is that what may be called
evidential miracles have no place in this "Christian dispensation." In the ages
before Christ came, men may well have craved tokens of the action of a personal
God. But in the ministry and death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ,
God has so plainly manifested not only His power, but His goodness and love
toward man, that to grant evidential miracles now would be an acknowledgment
that questions which have been for ever settled are still open.
No one may
limit what God will do in response to individual faith. But we may confidently
assert that, in view of His supreme revelation in Christ, God will yield nothing
to the petulant demands of unbelief. And that revelation supplies the key to the
dual mystery of a silent heaven and the trials of the life of faith on earth.
This foreword is given for the benefit of persons who skim a book instead of
reading it.
R.A.
PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION
IN his introduction to
The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne descants feelingly upon his incapacity
for literary effort during the years in which he held an appointment in the
Custom House. But there are spheres of work in the Public Service compared with
which the Custom House might seem almost a sanctuary! And having regard to the
circumstances in which the present volume was written, the demand for a new
edition within a few weeks of its first appearance gives striking proof of deep
and wide-spread interest in the subject of which it treats.
Conflicting
criticisms have been passed upon the structure of the book. In the opinion of
some the middle chapters embarrass the argument, and ought to be omitted or
curtailed. Others, again, have strongly urged that these very chapters should be
amplified, and definite additions made to them. These seemingly contradictory
suggestions are both alike legitimate. To a very limited class such incidental
dissertations seem unnecessary, and the mere critic turns from them with
impatience; but in the estimation of the great majority of readers they are of
exceptional interest. The ninth and eleventh chapters, for example, which might
perhaps have been excluded, seem to have attracted special notice.
It must
not be forgotten, moreover, that, unlike those doctrines which belong to the
Christian dispensation in common with that which preceded it, the great
characteristic truth of Christianity is ignored by the religion of Christendom,
and receives but scant attention even in our best religious literature. It is of
vital moment, therefore, to unfold here its character and scope, and to
emphasise its transcendent importance. Indeed it will probably be found that the
reader's appreciation of the argument will be precisely in proportion to his
apprehension of this truth.
One of the leading daily papers, for instance,
informs its readers that the author "finds the sufficient cause of the silence
in the doctrine of the Atonement." And another journal -a Review of the highest
class indicates as the "main contention" of the book, "that the Christian facts
supply an adequate explanation of the 'Silence of God.'" It might seem
impossible that any one could so misread these pages; but the preceding
paragraph may perhaps account for the phenomenon. "The Atonement" is not a
specially Christian doctrine at all: it holds as prominent a place in Judaism as
in Christianity. And the author's "contention," most plainly expressed, is that
"the Christian facts," so far from explaining the silence of Heaven, seem only
to render it still more inexplicable.
In the judgment of this last-cited
critic the intensely Protestant and Christian position maintained throughout
this volume is nothing more than a "peculiar view of Scripture as a supreme
guide in matters of faith and speculation." And writing from the standpoint this
indicates, his strictures are, of course, unsympathetic and severe. Nor can the
author complain of this; for one who deals hard blows should expect hard blows
in return. But there should be no "hitting below the belt." The impartial reader
can decide whether these pages afford even a colourable pretext for the charge
of "occasional departures from reverence." And no less unwarrantable is the
allegation that Mr. Balfour is here referred to in "a patronising tone."
Considerable freedom, indeed, is used in criticising the arguments of a still
more distinguished man. But the author's misgivings upon that score have been
relieved by receiving a letter from Mr. Gladstone himself. "I am very glad," he
writes, "that those arguments should be thoroughly canvassed by persons so well
disposed and competent as yourself."
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
CHAPTER
I.
The problem stated, and exemplified by the Armenian atrocities and the
massacre of Christian missionaries, by "the Christian persecutions" and the
common experience of Christians generally
CHAPTER
II.
A reference to Scripture seems only to make the difficulty greater
-The advent of Christ seemed to give promise of a new order of things, and the
experience of the Pentecostal Church appeared to confirm the hope.
CHAPTER
III.
As this discussion assumes the possibility of direct Divine
interposition, the infidel objections to miracles are considered and refuted-But
why have they ceased? Mr. Balfour's suggestion affords no answer - Mr.
Gladstone's argument criticised - The problem exemplified-Doctrinaire and
practical infidels contrasted 19
CHAPTER
IV.
The seeming cogency of John Stuart Mill's argument against
Christianity shown to depend on the error of Paley's position. Bishop Butler's
thesis that miracles were the ground of the faith of the first converts
discussed and refuted-The purpose and evidential value of the miracles of
Christ- His ultimate appeal was to Scripture, not to miracles- Christianity not
a religion-In what sense external evidence can accredit a revelation 33
CHAPTER
V.
In confirmation of the view that it was for the Jew the miracles were
given, the Acts of the Apostles gives proof that the miracles ceased when the
favoured nation was rejected; and the record of that rejection is shown to be
the main purpose of the Book 48
CHAPTER
VI.
Restatement of the difficulty of a silent Heaven - The solution must
be found in Scripture, and notably in the Epistles of Paul - But the discussion
assumes that these Epistles contain the revelation of Christianity - This thesis
discussed - Christianity distinguished from the religion of Christendom 61
CHAPTER
VII.
In continuation of the argument of Chap. VI., Baur's theories are
shown to be but the travesty of a lost truth - Having crucified their Messiah,
the Jews received a further offer of pardon - Hence the Jewish character of the
Pentecostal dispensation - Their rejection of mercy, signalised by the murder of
Stephen, led to the revelation of the great truth of Christianity 71
CHAPTER
VIII.
Review of the preceding inquiry, leading up to the position that
the characteristic truth of Christianity must be sought for In the
Epistles-Before turning to St. Paul's teaching, a further defence of Holy
Scripture is offered, against the attacks of rationalists on the one hand and of
those who make it subordinate to the Church upon the other . - 84
CHAPTER
IX.
A digression to notice the Agnostic's view of Christian doctrine, as
stated by the late W. R. Greg; and to explain from the Lord's parable of the
Good Samaritan what that doctrine really is 96
CHAPTER
X.
The Apostle Paul's gospel is not to be found in the earlier
Scriptures: it was a special revelation to himself-The truth of Reconciliation
explained, and shown to be a distinctive "mystery" truth-Eternal salvation is
thus brought within reach of all-But why do so few receive the benefit?
106
CHAPTER
XI.
The answer to the question which closes Chap. X.-The Satan myth
contrasted with the Satan of Scripture-His temptations are aimed, not agaiast
morals, but against faith - He is "the god of this world," and influences and
controls, not its vices and crimes, but its religion -Hence the neglect and
rejection of Christianity 117
CHAPTER
XII.
In continuation of Chap. X.-The doctrine of Christianity is further
unfolded -The present controversy between God and man is shown to be altogether
about Christ -The Cross has closed every other question - Grace is supreme and
judgment is postponed
CHAPTER
XIII.
The silence of God is explained by the great characteristic truth
of Christianity - His seeming apathy in presence of the sufferings of His own
people is a part of the discipline of the life of faith - Final restatement of
the main problem, and a recapitulation of the argument of the book. . .
146
APPENDIX.
NOTE
I. The alleged miracles of spiritualism and faith healing
II.
The use and meaning of the word "religion" in this work 171
III. The purpose
and scope of the Acts of the Apostles . 172
IV. A new dispensation began when
the Jews rejected the Pentecostal testimony 177
V. The meaning of " mystery"
in the New Testament . 180
VI. Examination of passages of Scripture relative
to the Devil and his temptations 182
VU. Further exegesis of John viii.
44-The effect of Satan's influence in the world 186
VIII. The
Satan Myth 189
IX. The gospel of Divine grace, and men's attitude towards it
200
X. "Of what value, then, is prayer?" . . . . 203
XI. Abandonment of
the critical attack on the New Testament - Mr. A. D. White and Professor Harnack
. 2088