J. Gresham Machen Bibliography

The Text of an Interview at the Inauguration of the Radio Broadcasts, Which Are Sponsored by “The Presbyterian Guardian,” on Saturday, December 12th, over Station WIP

DR. MACHEN, what do you think of the “Preaching Mission” which is now being carried on under the auspices of the Federal Council of Churches? I think that it is a manifestation of the current Modernism, which is but a poor substitute for the Christian gospel.

But, Dr. Machen, do we not read that conservative as well as “Liberal” preachers are taking part in this mission? Yes, but the trouble is that a conservative preacher who will take part in a preaching mission together with Modernist preachers is not really a conservative preacher at all. The Bible says: “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” A man who disobeys that injunction cannot possibly lay claim to be a faithful minister of Christ. And a man certainly does disobey that injunction if he makes common cause with the Modernist leaders of this preaching mission. A true Christian preacher must preach Christ not only in his own words but in all his associations.

But, Dr. Machen, are we not told that this preaching mission is a splendid expression of united Protestantism and that Protestantism must unite against communism and the totalitarian state and other anti-Christian forces? Yes, I know we are told that; but, in the first place, the union of Protestantism, supposing just for the sake of the argument that it is a good thing in itself, must be a union of real Protestantism and not a union between Protestantism and something that is really opposed to Protestantism. At the foundation of real Protestantism is the Bible—the Bible as the very Word of God, completely true in what it says regarding matters of fact and completely authoritative in its commands. That belief in the complete trustworthiness of the Bible is the foundation upon which any real Protestant union must stand.

But suppose the union of Protestantism were a union of real Protestantism—Protestantism really faithful to the Bible. Do you think that in that case it would be a good thing? Well, that supposition is very remote just now. Most of the larger Protestant churches are dominated now by a Modernist unbelief or indifferentism which is contrary to the heart and soul of the Christian religion. But since you have asked me the question, I may just say in reply to it that even were the Protestant churches much nearer to the Bible than they really are, still I doubt whether union of them in one great monopolistic church organization with one monopolistic set of committees or boards would be a good thing at all. I am inclined to think that such a church union would be the deadliest enemy of real Christian unity and an instrument of the most outrageous tyranny.

Well, but if you reject the remedy for the evils of the day which is more or less being promoted by the Federal Council of Churches, what remedy do you propose? The condition of the world is certainly bad enough, is it not? Yes, the condition of the world is certainly bad enough. There is no doubt whatever about that. Civil and religious liberty has been completely destroyed in many countries of the world and it is rapidly being destroyed in this country. The sweet and delicate things in human life are being trampled under foot. Decency is being openly despised. Every indication is that mankind is over an abyss.

Well, then, Dr. Machen, what is the remedy? The remedy is God. Not God as He is found in human experience, but God as He has been pleased graciously to reveal Himself in the Bible which is His own most holy Word. The remedy for the evils of the world is not to be found in man. It is not to be found even in any pooling of man’s ecclesiastical resources. It is not to be found in teamwork among the world’s most eloquent preachers. It is to be found only in the Word of the living God.