, 1874-06-07
INTERPRETATION OF THE B1BLE.

with the controversy respecting Science and til
Bible is that the Interpretation Of the Scrip
tures is itself & SCIENCE and progressive one
II tho natural sciences arc going through pre-
cess Of perpetual development, it is no less tin
that the Investigation OF the two Testament
results in uow and more enlightened views o
their meaning in the original. Certain time
hold, will certainly disappear under the "r re
vision nov going on in the Jerusalem Cham
Der OF Westminster Abbey.
To decide according to the evidence is as mucl
tho duty of the tranalator who grubs among th'
Greek roots Of Scripture as OF the scientist wht
sets himself to interpret the I" testimony OF tht
rocks" Here, then, are two kindred veins o
Divine revelation for human inquiry and industr!
Natural Science and the Science Of Exegesis
Instend, therefore, Of disputinS by the way IS tt
who shall be greatest, the workors in these veini
should ecok only the golden ore of truth, ani
give it to the world without delay and without
alloy.
| Think Of what has been accomplished in the
department Of o1ogeeis since Galileo's e1egotica]
| heresy Of the earth'a revolution, or since the
exegesis of our Puritan forefathers, which would
not allow them to allow Quaker or witch to
live. But let uB look round for more recent
evidence OF progressive spirit in the interpfeta-
ton Of the letter.
! The right OF q man to marry his deceased
wife's sister, for example. is purely e1egetical
| question. It depends upon the meaning Of a
passage in Leviticus, Our churches construe it
to the advantage Of the deceased wife's widower;
| the English Church and law SO construe it as to
| make the children Of such marriage illegiti-
| mate However, the science Of e1egesis has
made SO much progress in England that it is
perfectly scriptural, and therefore lawful,
to marry your deceased sisters hus-
band in Ausrralia, although it is an
unbiblical knot for you to tic in Great Britain
OF Ireland, Us some have found to their sorrow
4 bill has been before Parliament several times
which is designed to put N end to this exegoti-
cal anomaly, and it will doubtless be before
Parliament several times more before tho anom-
aly is removed. The controversy does not lose
in animation from repetition. At every onset
both sides fire off their Hebrnistic acumen and
Levitcal lore with rancor known only in
debate where two parties are contending for an
exegcsis onco delivered to the saints-both sides
being the saints. It is very absurd to most
Hebrew scholars Especially the Jewish Rabbls)
to see the enemies Of the unmarried listers OF
deceased wives drawing such IN inference from
such text; but there is the Inference, neycrthe-
less, printed in tho statuto-book OF the realm
and the Prayer-Book Of the Church, where Ho1
Majesty's subjects are also forbidden to marry
their grandfather or their grandmother
The Presbyterian e1egesis, which, until recent
ly, declared every form Of public praise distaste-
ful to the Almighty except the metrical Psalms,
has subsidized in nearly every branch Of tho Pres
Elder George Fl. Stuart was disciplined the
other day for making melody unto the Lord
with q rhythmical composltion of human origin.
Now, this change in hymnology is as much OF q
capitulation on the part of the extreme e1egeti-
Gals as is the reputation by the same party, to
growing extent, Of the imprecatory temper in
Davids supplications and Of the "inspired"
iuhurnanity in the Old Testament wars.
Theu what change has come over the exc
geticd mind with reference to the observance of
Sunday. At one timo,-and the time is not dis
tant.-we were informed by those whose busi-
ness it Was to inform US, that not only was the
fourth commandment transferred from the last
to the first day Of the week, but that the trans
fer waa made root and branch, man-se1yant aud
maid-serrant, host and guest, OF md ass. Nny,
more, it Was to include in its inhibitory details
what Moses could not havo dreamed of-the tel
eGram, the stean-car and horBa-car, and the
Sunday newspaper. In those daye, when not
tho words Of Jesus but the aor1nons OF Knox
wore consulted on this question, there could
be no more gross dissertation of tic
Sabbath than a ride upon a street-,ai1way. To-
day you mny see sitting sde by side, even in q !
Philadelphia horse-car, on their way to their |
vines and Lz-treos, tile demure |
Quakoress, the genteel Ep;ncopalian, the austere
Presbyterian, the complacent Unitarian, and tho |
exclusive Baptist. Behold how pleasant it is
for brethren to ride together in unity az respects
the e1egesis Of commandment which prohibits |
the horse-car Oh the last Sunday OF one year
and patronizes the same conveyance on the first
Sunday OF the next year. The tinkle Of it's little
bell has, however, We believe never yet been
suffered to disturb the stiffness of m Edinburch
Sabbath, although, such is the progress
in tho science Of formulating doctrines,
it is not safe to speak positively with
respect to even Scotland, tho last strong
hold OF Levitical Christianity, where there arc
more llesitimate children and Sabbatarian
hristians than in any other country. and, il
it is true that in OF the country districts Of
Scotland shaving en- the Lords day is considered
a much more heinous otfense than living and
cheating On any other day, this only illus
trates the multiplicity and diversity of opinion
held b. the exegetically minded upon tho ques-
tion Of Sunday observance
In the Lutheran Church Of Germany. the
otbe lin - I