NOISY DEBATE^

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 969, 12 May 1930, Page 8

NOISY DEBATE^

RATIONALISM VERSUS RELIGION MANY INTERJECTIONS "I do not believe in such and would not have had not been pulled into it s’ i! i deb . at £ s d 2 convince said Mr. E. C. Cutten, S.M. conclusion of a debate held at tu Strand Theatre yesterday noon between the Rev. W Marsh, M.A. of St. Paul’s P^i3?’' , ter,an Church. Devonport, aidliiV J. S. Langley, lecturer to ’ Rationalist Association of a. tralia. Au >- There was a very large attend-*, and partisan feeling ran high. were many interjections, and the chair man had frequently to appeal order. Both speakers had large bodi« of supporters who showed their proval of various arguments by had applause. The Rationalist section in- « dulged mostly in noisy interjections and derisive laughter. A very unsatls. factory feature of the proceedings was the personal and unnecessary remarks directed to Mr. Marsh by a section of the audience. Mr. Langley, who was the first to speak, devoted a good deal of tim* an attack upon the Anglican Churrv, He declared that the Anglican Chinch in England was ordaining men who dirt not believe in the Virgin birth of Jesm or His physical resurrection. w Pointing out that Mr. Lawson Mai*), was not a member of the Anc'ican Church, Mr. Cutten said that th, speaker was getting away from th, subject. The debate was not con corned with what the Anglican Church was doing:. NO HISTORICAL RECORD In reply to an allegation bv u. Langley that he had declined to dchat. the question, “Did Jesus Rise From th' Dead?” Mr. Marsh stated that MLangley chose the subject for the dp' bate. It was, “Did Jesus Ever Live'" stated Mr. Marsh. “I did not switch on to any other subject, but 1 pref-rr,,! ’The Historicity of Jesus.’ ” j In the course of his address, Mr Langley declared that the scholastic leaders of tho Anglican and Presbv terian Churches were abandoning beUef in an historical and miraculous Jesus. He submitted . that the tru«. analysis of the Gospels left nothing of the human Jesus but a Jewish carpenter of that name, whose activities led to His execution. Of even that h*contended there was no historical record. H© stated that in the 400 years or* so between the reputed death of Jesus and th© formal acceptance of the four Gospels, out of a large number, as alone authoritative, there had been ample time for a myth to grow up. INFLUENCE JUST AS STRONG When Mr. Marsh spoke he was subjected to a number of interruptions. He said Mr. Langley’s arguments were a paltry business of isolated texts and references to schools of thought wnich he, Mr. Marsh, did not represent. Ho submitted that the Gospels were written within a generation of the events they recorded, and were compiled from the accounts of eye-witnesses and memoranda of the teachings of Jesu&. Their influence, and that of Jesut,' personality, upon the human, heart, were as strong today as ever. Mr. Marsh concluded the discussion with a confession of personal faith, which was partly drowned by jeers. As the audience rose to leave. Mr. Cutten stated that he had no belief in debates of that kind. fc?uch a debate, he said, convinced nobody. Mr. Marsli had many supporters, who showed their belief in a very definite way, and Mr. Langley’s supporters showed their views also,” he said. “I am certain that nothing has been attained except getting a big audience here, which is a pleasure to see. Mr. Lawson Marsh stated last evening that he hoped shortly to give a public address, or series of address**, -j upon the subject-matter of the debate, and to invite and answer questions bearing upon it.