The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1870-12-02
THE,WRITERs OF THE BIBLE.
FROM THE WELSH BY wM. b.
JONES, APP. T.. A. NON.


JONES, AP. l.. A. NON.
After having laid the foundation of
the Divine Revelation in the book of
Genesis, the church was for more than
fifteen hundred years without seeing it
accomplished. Some portions of it were
composed in ages when general history
threw but doubtful light upon them
when the greater portion of the nations
of the world were in comparatively
barbarous state-in the shepherd age,
when the simplicity of the first patri-
archal life was not entirely gone. Other
portions were composed in the times
of great empires, when the millions
were under the dominion of the will of
one man; other portions were written
in the golden age of the wisdom OF this
world and others in the time of Rome's
mighty power. 1t is impossible TO con-
ceive of any phase of society that has
not influenced, to greater or lesser de-
gree, in forming the mind of one or the
other of the writers of the Bible. 1t
would have been an advantage 10 its
uniformity, had it been written in the
same formal in song, or all in prov
CRIBS; all in Psalms, or all in history.
But we cannot think of any department
Of literature, any form in which the
mind can express itself, that's not found
in the Bible. We find in il the simple
story, songs full of the finest emotions
national and general songs, and Di-
vine Psalms proverbs burdened with
wisdom; Incompatible parallels, not
alone in their intrinsic worth, but also
in their beauty and literary perfection !;
poetry more full of fire, nature and sub
Unity, than any in existence essays con-
tanning all the elements of the most
consummate reasoning, to say nothing
OF the matter of that reasoning-depth,
exactness and the fire of feeling friend
ly letters, for some especial purpose,
and yet containing lessons of wisdom
suitable to every age; the best models
of oratory; conversations and visions.
This variety was composed by thirty
different writers, and these, in their
worldly circumstances, bringing up,
mental powers and refinement of taste,
differing greatly from each other.
Among them are to be found kings and
shepherds, field-marshals and mechaD-
ics, priests and fishermen, medical men
and publicans, rich and poor, men of
the highest grade of culture, and men
of whom it was known that they were
illiterate. In Moses we Lave a man
versed in all the wisdom of Egypt, one
who was endowed with the highest men
tai powers, and thosepowers cultivated
with the best dicipline, of the best adj
vantages of the most learned country in
the world. In Isaiah we have the lofti-
est of the bards and prophets of the Old
Testament whose muse, were if not
coupled with inspiration, might ascend
as high as that of any of the bards of the
ages, but which, by virtue of that union,
winged its fight above them all; of
whom Ewald said, that he was so en-
dowed as q prophetic bard, as to elevate
him to such heights, that no bard, either
before or after, has been able to aspire
to. Whilst each, of the other prophets
display excellency in one way or anoth-
er, SO as to qualify one for this kind,
and another for different kind of poe
try, there is in the prophet Isaiah
combination of all the excellencies and
beauties, so that it cannot be said of
him, that he is noted for one, because
all are equally combined and perfect in
him. Every variety of style is at his
command according to the subject I'M
der consideration. In Amos, again we
have one who was brought up among
the shepherds of Tecoa, who was called
by the Lord from among them, to de-
clare ''that which he had seen of Israel,
two years before the earthquake )" who
was not q prophet-not having been
brought up in one of the prophetic
schools of the age-nor the son of a
prophet-"only q shepherd, and gath
erer of wild figs;" whose style is noted
by his frequent references to the things
it might be expected for a prophet of
his surroundings to be acquainted with.
In the Apostle Paul we have one who
was familiar with the literature of
Greece and Judea, learned in the Rab-
binical writings of the Jews and in the
wisdom of the Greeks, having mastered
the traditions of the ancients at the feet
of Gamaliel, and who was a vessel pre-
ordained to bring the creature of the
gospel to the Genfiles, because he was
for one thing, familiar with oil the in
tricacies of the Gentle mind; who rep
resented, by reason of his powers and
knowledge, the mental status of the
world in his time, as Moses, David and
Isaiah had the Hebrew mind in. their
day. In the Preacher we have the most
complete code of worldly wisdom ever
given before his time by any one; he
was endowed with a stronger desire
and greater powers to note and judge of
the circumstances and temptations to
which men are subject in this world
to discover what the created can and
what Il cannot do for man in this fallen
condition--so that by the experience OF
his own insufficiency, he might declare
that to fear tho Lord and depart from
evil excels everything under the sun.
."Unity of the Bible, as proof ofits Divine
England.
Emporia, Thanksgiving day.