Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1839-10-16
VOL. XII. NO. 4.

ueen Question OF ordinary history. Had
'ne apostles been the disciples OF some
e,hiheni philosopher, and the fathers afIb.s
cnurch, their Immediate successors in The
once OF presiding over the discinlins n.d
- lion oi Inc numerous schools which
'ney had established. this would have DIV.
en- secular complexion 10 the argum, Il,
winch we think would have been oors
saiisiyIng 10 The mind, and have imnr,.s-
sed upon It closer aud nor,. e,,n,l;o.
conviction OF the history in Question We
should have immediately brought il ;n,o
comparison with the history of other NH.
losophers, and could not have f,iIeJ ~
recognize, that, In minuteness of infornn.
llon, In weight and quantity OF evidence.
10 Inc concurrence OF numerous and indie.
pendent testimonies, aud in The Total nh.
sence oil every Circumstance that should
dispose US to annex suspicion 10 the ac.
count which lay before US, i, far surn,ss,-J
any thing that had come down to "a from
ambiguity. Ii so happens. however. ll,nt.
instead OF being the history of pblIoso.
pher, It is The history of a prophet. The
Venefalion we annex 10 the sacredness of
such character, minglrs with our be.
liel in The truth of his history. From a
question OF simple truth, it becomes a
Question in which the heart is Interested
and the subject from that moment assumes
"a CERTAIN holiness and mystery, witch
veil the strength of the argument and
takes off from that familiar and Intimate
conviction which we annex to The far less
authenticated histories of profane authors.
1t may BE- further observed, that every
part OF the Christian argument has been
made 10 undergo most severe scrutinv.
The same degree OF evidence which 40
questions of ordinary history commands
the easy and universal acquIescencs ofey.
cry inquirer, has, in the subject before US,
been taken most thoroughly 10 pieces.
and pursued, both by friends and enemies.
INTO all It's qualifications The efsc, of
this is unquestionable. The genuineness
and authenticity of the profane historian,
are admitted upon much inferior evidence
10 what we can adduce for The different
pieces which make up the New Tesla.
Inent And why2 Because the evidence
has been hitherto thought sufficient, and
the commences and authenticity have
never been questioned. Not so with oos,
pei history. Though its evidence is pre,
clsely the same in kind. and vastly sumo,
rIor In degree to the evidence for The his.
tory of the profane writer, lis evidence has
been questioned, and the very circum,
stance OF It's being questioned has annexed
a suspicion 10 it. At all points of the
question, there has been struggle and a
controversy. Every ignorant objection,
and every rash and pelulent observation,
has been taken up and commented upon
by the defenders of Christianity. There
has at last been so much said about il that
general feeling of insecurity is apt TO &C.
company the whole investigation. There
has been so much lighting, that Chris.
tianity now is looked upon as debateabls
ground. Other books. where The evil
dence is much inferior, but which haya
had the advantage of never being cues
toned, are received as of established au.
lhority. IL is striking 10 observe the Der.
fect confidence with which an infidel will
quote passage from an ancient historian.
tie perhaps does not overrate the credit
due to him. But present him with a Ia.
5ellated and comparative view Of all the
evidences that eau be adduced for the oos.
pei oil Matthew, and any profane hisIori.
an, which he chooses 10 fix upon, and LET
each distinct evidence be discussed unon
no other principle than the ordinary and
approved principles of criticism, we as.
sure him that the sacred history would far
outweigh the profane in the number and
value of its testimonies
In illustration of the above remarks.
we can refer to the experience of those
who have attended to this examination.-
We ask them TO recollect The satisfaction
which they felt when they came 10 those
parts OF the examination. where the arpu.
ment assumes secular complexion. Let
US take the testimony of Tacitus for an
example. He asserts the execution of
our Savior in the reign of Tiberius, and
under the procuratorship of Plate; the
temporary check, which this gave 10 his
religion, its revival. and The progress il
had made, not only over Judea, but 10 the
city Of Rome. Now all this is auesled in
the Annals of Tacitus. Bul it is also at.
tested In a far more direct and circum-
slanlIal manner III the annals of another
author, IN book entitled the History Of
the Acts Of the Apostles By the Erangei-
ast Luke. Both of these performances
carry on the very face of them the appear
ance OF unsuspjcious and welI-aulhenlicat-
ed documents. But there are several cir
cumsiances, in which the testimony Of
Luke possesses a decided advantage over
the testimony of Tacitus. He was The
companion of these very apostles. He
was an eye witness 10 many of the events
recorded by him. He had the advantage
over the Roman historian in time and IN