The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1879-12-25
45ooics' }1ortlolio.
A Singular sut Of Religious Work.

a SlIS lIIdL > II u -
Oni,c = ,tir h., !ccn made in the literary
md RELIGIOUS circles here hy the p~uhllca-
ton Of the New Testament volume "i the
edible ft- ! carncGs. Il commentary on the
RibIc b, &c eminent ClvlneS OF the
Dntc1 Reformed Church III Holland. the
Rev. DIS. ~IIookyaas, Aneuner and Oort.
Two If these gentlemen are professors IN
the T"heolo2icus Seminar! o, Leydcn, lloi'
land. and the third i the pastor OF 4 large
church. The views set forth IN the work
referred 10 are utterly -uoFerslNe OF all ac'
can+eI ffacnino, OF the orthodox church.
Every one Of the miracles, for instance, Is
examined n. length. and an attempt made
with GREAT learning TO show that the mIrac-
t-1on, mart must be lift oUt. They Considcr
every miraculous story Of the New Iesta-
r5cnt either the intentional miSinterpreta-
ZION g.: a.Icoorics by devout but ignorant
men. or the remains of former fabulous be
l:rfS The alleoorIcs Of one century become
the miracles Of the next. For instance, the
raisinn 81 the dead. the miraculous drau9ht
of fishes. the water changed into wine,
&c are examined eXhaUetively and OK
nIaincd as mistakes. The miracle OF the
fishes represents, they say, first, the unsuc-
cessful attempts of the disciples to make
converts among the Jews, and afterwards
their overr hclmiu1 success among the
heather. Here is the manner in which one
Of the central facts Of christianity is treat
CD: In the first and third Gospels We read
that Jesus was born miraculously, and that
Jo-euh Was ONLY his toster-father. How did
this belief arise IN the first place. We
must notice that it was q common idea III
ancient times that GREAT founders Of relig-
ions like Buddna and Zoroa,ter, Dhiloso-
pliers such as Pythagoras and Plato, and
kings zuch as Bemulns and Alexander, had
had Nc earthly father. Perhaps the chris
tians were confirmed IN this idea with re-
card to their own Master by applying Il
nassarc in isaiah. which they completely
misunderstood. TO the mother of the Mes
siah. AMI therefore 20 the mother of Jesus.
Beside, this. they very truly saw in Jesus
an altogether unique personality They
felt now lar above all other men he stood q;
that his nobility Of soul. his goodness, his
purity, his cIaltation OF character and his
love raised hin above all comparison with
other men. The. were not content to eN-
plain these facts from tie beauty of his ma
tural disposition, liz happy development
and the holiness and strength of his will.
They were determined to find II super ma
turai Gauss. Three separate representations
found acceptance in succession. In the
earnest llIlC- t-t CHRISTIANS DClICNt "a lhaI
when Jesus was baptized the Holy Spirit
descended upon him. Somewhat later he
was said to have been born into the world
riraculously. ard not as an ordinary human
: eing. Finally, an existence III heaven pre-
-: us to his appearance on earth was as
a ed 70 him in order to account to some
o II iog his being 50 far exalted above
,rhcr men"
= Il be seen at one that so radical
these Will make Il stir in the
and l already hear that several
a,r+ thought in orthodox circles are
0tO o answer the book. If once the
-1,~l'u ly gives up the story of Jonah
49, le ii general retreat must be
ne . W. ing the line. And, although
win Smith, Il keen observer,
-. n w." last -lH.tjc his belief III
taa the present church rclig-
~ ,T' rthod champions are by no
ready to cap ~