New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-03-27
THE CRADLE OF THE CHRIS
TIVE CHRTSTIANlTY. BY
IA.lIAN 1nnLn- lLfi. ~ q. i.

THE CRADLE OF TIE CGIsr ASTuRY cDSs Penn fn6
N0iAM. l2mo pp. 2t3. &. p PutnaH's SONS
The DESIGN OF this essay is to discuss the
origin of the New Testament especially OF the -Four Cos
pes from purely literary point OF view. that is, con
sde cd as productions OF the intellectual activity OF
the age. In the accomplishment Of this purpose, Nj
FiOtIing CHAM discaims all controversial intent His
book las written, not in the interests OF theology
OF History and criticism IL is far from his wish to
weak, n tie moral supports Of any form of religion In
ms opinion religion IS Independent Of history and there
fore cannot be ulrJmscd by scientific or literary
studies Ills conclusions, !! accepted. he believes, would
moi affect the institution Of the Church the habits OF
society Tue lys perfect CHARM be suggests, SUI
fers no abatement from the CHEMISTS analysis of the
slime into when strikes IS slender root the grape OF
the Johannsbcr ~ vineyard is no less luscious from the
tao, that the been subjected 30 the microscope;
tie inc qualities OF The human being man on woman,
are the same OH any theory, the Bible theory
OF the perfect Adam, or DarWins or the anlhro-
pokl APE. The hero is Gro still, ana the saint saint,
Whatever lis ancestry Hence, tho author contends.
tie basis Of Christianity il not involved III the history OF
the -Four Gospels II does not follow that because their
gcIiuincres Is called IN question, Christ!an} is doomed
The early records Of the religion, however curious as
literary remains essential to the constitution or
Tic work Of the Church IL tie authors view the New
Testament Is 10 be received the natural fruit OF the
Hebrew mind It's different books the last expression
ideas that have cXcrtcd vital influence ON the deVc
OF that branch OF the human Utfy liiS con-
ceution OF the New Testament, Mr. rockingham main
tains would probably explain its obscure and
difficult passages. The literary method of treatment
which grows OF it is neither dOgmatic nor cODtro-
yeria but cOnsus Only the laws Of literary expression
In which human thought is embodied. In the appca-
ton OF principles the contents Of the -Four Cos
pcs Mr. FrOtlng CHAM starts with the expectation OF the
Messiah which at the commencement OF tie Chris
tian era had long been the cardinal idea OF
the Jewish mind. The earliest writings OF the
New Testamenthe genuine letters Of Pau-the author
sfrms take up coDtnne the line of Hebrew tradi-
ton Toe earliest Gospels. which must probably &c
placed at later date OF from twenty 10 thirty years. bear
The impress Of ideas which their currency 90 aUl
Their authors had respect for bis school and regarded
its claims Though concerned with period prior 10 his
conversion and with events of which he had no knowl
edge the Gospels are written not much in the style CT
memoirs or chronicles, as OF dsquistiOns. "They
,nedaed biographies in which the biographical material
is selected aud qualified by speculative motives" This
septence may be taken the keystone to Mr. Frothing
hams theory Of their construction Still, he remarks,
they are the only fragments presumably OF historical
character that possess IN the absence OF any sueh
documents the subject, the utter want oil early mem
oranda. the advanced age OF the eyangests at Tie
time they wrote the effect OF age Ia weakening reeol-
lection and I'm suggesting fancies thcOr1es ana marNe
and the influence tie disciples OF man so powerful
as Paul. the authOr concludes, that the mws OF NJ
erarv conposltion compel us TO read the Gospel
narratives as reflective disqustons, rather than as
authentic bisores Mr. Rockingham then proceeds to
,lvy the character OF the Messianc hope as IL existed
,u , time Of the disciples the effect which 1t pro-
epe.a ON the contents Gospels The essence OF the
,.u,ne may be found In tie chapter devoted 10 ths
tonic end In the general summary In the CONCLUSION oi
The work His purpose the author remarks has been 10
rive the history Of idea, not the history Of