The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-04-08
MASONIC TEMPLE.
scRIPTURAL NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. BY MIR. O.
d. FRoTHINGHAM.

ECRIPTURAL observation-disclosures BY MR.. o.
d. FRorHlNGHAM.
Mr. o. B. Frothingnam. IN tho Masonic Temple
Twenty third street. discoursed the subject of
.srhe Inspiration OF the Scriptures." In the course
Of his sermon no said he would not speak upon the
definition OF Bbo inspiration, tor any
definition that he mgnt DO able to give would be un-
satistactory to the orthodox. Tho Scriptures
ord Of God; yet like the words Of creeds,
they are vague and shadowy By inspiration the
people understand that not only the general tenor,
bat every chapter and limo Of the Bioic Is
inspired; while, on the other hand, disiin-
gushed scholars entertain SO nusicrc doc
trine Of inspiration that u could not DO
defended from ordinary criticism. The speaker then
asked IL It could De quito credible that the entire
sixty-sx books which compose both the Old and the
Now Testaments should convey the pure tone Of
feeling and sentiment IRON nrst 70 last as II they
smanated from God alone He thought we could con.
ceive Atlantic cable, protected ms 10 by IN
impervious coating oil almost ndestructiblc mater al,
could carry unharmed the fash oil the electric spark
IRON shore TO shore. but he could not Imagine how
we that In The OF those eleven Gen.
which required 70 form the canons OF tho
Old Testament and the fifteen hundred years occupied
IN making tue collection OF the books OF the New
Testament no slip or break took place between the
Inks
For more than hundred and nifty years after
Christ there Testament In collecting u some
books were let ia and others cast out without, app
parenlly, any good reason. They were made up IN
the must OF sharp DISCUSSIONS and alter nearly all
oil the other CHRISTIAN dognas had been adopted Arc
We 10 suppose asked the speaker. that Inc Holy
Ghost allowed the Christian world TO lie In doubt aoout
Inc revelations the New Testament Tor psriod OF
afteen ndred years alter the birth Of ChristY Arc
we TO belcve writer OF tho Book OF Proverbs
was inspired when DO ADVISED the poor man 10 cover
himself that no might forget his poverty aud
wretcDedness2 that Moses and Joshua were inspired
when tney commanded tho Israolites 10 spoil tie
kgyptians 10 slaughter Wy wholesale the defence
less OF the land OF Canaan that the author
OF Ecciesiastcs was inspired when no pronounced
against doctrine OF ian noftiiity oil the SOUR
Taxing the question on ia merits there u ho'hng W
b. said Tor A..
now rHE SCRIPTURES WE'RE ADOPTED
In treating oil how the Scriptures came TO DO
adopted tue word OF COO Mr.. Frohinghnm SAID.
among other things, that Immortal truths, noble aud
anu inspired, aro 10 be iounG la the Hndoo. Persian
aud Chuese scriptures, which were recorded centu-
r,cs before the Ola fetanent was collected The
dogma inspiration started Tor elect, built up
aud imposed upon mankind against their WILL When
Tho second detachmen. oil the Jews went back IRON
Babylon TO reipstate tue Hebrews in Jerusalem the
KING deputed israel the scriDe, learned astuto aud
lvic hebrew, TO lead them. Hc went back 20 Jcrusa-
lem l, 300 oil the best Hebrew fsmisies then IN
txe aud carried great powers and resources 10 back
BIN the avowcd intention Of rebuilding the city
In craving line between his followers anu tue Jews
VINO mad renamed Palestine his policy narrow
and exclusive He compelled the Jews IN Palestine TO
pul away tho name OF the Lord. tbcir pagan wives
aud famiIiss SO thai great suffering aud wrcchedness
followed this cdIct. Israel got together pieces Oh od
mem, ..re Law wnen Israel passed away from the
car al anarchy confusion among the Jews followed
h,n lie was IN tho Course Of Limc succeeded by the
p1oooet mian VINO followed tho short ghsed
pol,cy OF Israel ana adopted hts plan Tor making AN
sula god collection OF Hebrew literature which came
Il, he called the scriptures Then tho priestly spirit
bscame supreme among the Jews, ana. IN carrying
o.t he AIMS OF these men, Dy making barrier be-
tween their followers the bscksders vi tnclHsbrow
rae. tic SCRIPTURES were founded. la making up inc
books. some writings were admitted because hey
eulanated IRON acknowcdgedy hoy men, others were
received because OF their historic merit, aud suii
more came In on account OF incr coincidng win the
pians OF Israel ind Of Nehcnian. "lhe Law" thus
collected seated and adopted ny tho Hebrews long
before CnrIst into tue word. .
The hrst christians we're Jews. For one ana half
centuries after the coming OF Christ the only Bibie
Know the Old Testament Then small, and alter
larger collections of the matter now forming the
New Testament were made w The enorts OF various