Pastor to Refute H.G. Wells' Arguments on Christianity

Cedar Rapids, Iowa, 1921

PASTOR WILL REFUTE ARGUMENTS OF WELLS

Those who attend the meeting for men under the auspices of the Men's class of the First Presbyterian church, to be held in the chapel of the church Sunday at 10 a. m., are assured an unusually interesting session in the fact that the Rev. Dr. E. R. Burkhalter will discuss that chapter in H. G. Wells' book "The Outlines of History" which has to do with the beginning of Christianity.

Mr. Wells' book has attained a big circulation in this country in the last year and has been widely discussed. In the chapter referred to, Mr. Wells apparently undermines some of the cherished and accepted beliefs of Christianity. He says, "The miraculous circumstances of the birth of Jesus, the great star that brought wise men from the east to worship at the manger cradle, the massacre of the male infant children in the region of Bethlehem by Herod, as a consequence of these portents * * * * * * rob the gospels of much of the strength and power which they possess."

Mr. Wells says that there is no evidence that the apostles of Jesus ever heard of the Trinity and he says that Jesus taught the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath and that it is difficult to find any claims on the part of Jesus that He was divine.

Dr. Burkhalter has made a study of this matter and he is going to discuss the chapter with the men of the city. Dr. Burkhalter has given a life-time of study to the origin and development of Christianity. He is able to present these matters in an interesting way and as a result of the widespread interest taken in Mr. Wells' doctrines and more especially in Dr. Burkhalter's point of view, arrangements are being made for a large attendance. Letters have been sent to all the business men's clubs of the city, asking them to attend.

-The Evening Gazette, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, June 4, 1921, page 16.

Note: Those asterisks are like that in the original article. That might have been equivalent to an ellipse, dot dot dot, today.