New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-02-17
THE BIBLE IN ENGLAND.

The readicst way for a mediocre man to
gain notOriety il, as we all know, for INN To
proclaim himself infdel and attack the Bible.
His blows may be as feeble ~ a hens peck
ing. but they are sure to attract notice be-
cause of the holy and tender regard in which
the object that he assails is held by the nOblcSt
part of the race We are always sorry, how
ever, when a man of natural ability is driven
to such straits as these TO produce sensation
and draw notice to HIMSELF and were cspe-
cially sorry to find so much OF this blue-light
stace-thundcr in the book just issued by Mr..
Conway in England, in which he processes to
give resume of this philosophy or religion
which life has taught him.
Mr. Conway is an American, and known to
many Of us as a clever contributor to some OF
the magazines and a well-moaning man, whose
anxiety for bold expression, however, very
much outruns his thought or judgment.
1t has noticeably done so in this
instance. He informs us that in his teens he
rad made Christians journey from the City OF
Destruction to Zion, and reached the feet of
Christ. He found (Which will, to all other
Christians, appear remarkable experience
that he had nothing further to do but 10 praise
Him in words and call himself "a misc Nblc
sinner but. learning that better work was
done in the City of Destruction, he set out
ON the back track. OF course, there can be
nothing new in the ideas he advances; the
ieers at Christianity are the old and well-worn
campaigners with which we are all familiar
but we confess ourselves surprised at the
want of policy and taste in their manner.
Writing for earnest men, Mr.. Conway should
have known that an earnest dOubter, to COM
mand attention, would not turn to the
gravest subject which the human soul can
approach with the quips and cheap
rbaldry of clown. "The myths of the
New Testament" he tells us, care but re-
"hash of the Old and those of Greece +; and Jesus
" wears the old clothes which have served Moses
"and Zoroaster in their turn" 1t is over the
children who are permitted to read the Bible
that he lifts uphs voice in shrillest lamentation.
"They are no more capable of cOmprehending
"what is pure in its pages than they are
"Kant's metaphysics, while they learn from
" il scandala which are without aname. Millions
"of childish hearts and minds first soilcd by
"contact with these obscene pages are offered
"each year as holocaust" etc. Mr.. Conway has
been unfortunate in his childish "reminiscences.
The boy or girl who would dig among Leyitical
laws for obscure uncleanness must have an ex-
ceptionally keen scent for nastness.
There is an effort, however, of more weight
making In England TO restrict the use of the
Old Testament as a common schOOl-book; the
argument urged by Catholics (apart from
sectarian dfferences), being that the Jewish
patriarchs, addicted, as they were, to cheat
hnp1l thn
proper models upon which to mold the youthful
English minds. There would be some force in
this if any English boy is really dull enough
to suppose that David or Jacob is offered as
examples for his wholesale imitation, which we
are 10th to suppose is the case. 1t is not prob
able that any part the Bible will be withdrawn
from use in England. Intelligent Christians are
keen enough to see that the doctrinal portions of
the Scriptures are sngularly adapted by di-
vine inspiration, both in their form and word
ing. TO the minds of children. The textbooks
of every other religion are accumulations of
reconcile maxlms meant for the research of
adults; but the parallels and words OF Jesus
hnger with the homely simplicity of an old
friend in the child's mind until his eyes are
opened as age and knowledge come to him,
and he finds that he has entertained god
unawares. Neither will the merely historical
books we think, ever give place in English
education, as is suggested, to Shakespeare or
Milton. 1t is quite true that the ways OF
God with men could be as plainly taught in
the history of any nation as in that OF the
Jews; but it is equally true that they are not
so taught in any book or by any nation. The
Hebrews, avaricious and stiff-necked though
they were, had always an overwhelming sense
OF the Divine Presence, equaled only by that
OF The Scotch Covenanter. They wrote down
uhinchlngly David murderer, and Solomon
an a0nlteIer. therebY " show more clearly tho