, 1879-06-15
THE OLD TESTAMENT.

j = EAf1S1-b QEutAIkOSa fRoA 1t. -
| TO ths Editor at Tie Tribune. -
! CHICAGO, June 1.-THE criticism OF Mr
Smith Wildwood in your paper OF June
| upon the sermon OF DR.. Lorimer is SO charac
teristic Of q certain class OF persons who cal
! themselves "advanced thinkers " that wish tt
make answer to some OF bis assertions.
The class OF men to which I refer are so ego
tistical, so puffcd-up with sense OF their su-
perior notwithstanding around SO many al-
lusions to logic, reason, candor, uogma7 as
sumption, prejudice, sense, superior knowledge
ETC., that it is only necessary to read one OF
their effusions to understand their true charac-
ter. They come to their work with great
swelling pride,-with an evident con-
sciousness that they are the great In
tellectual giants that have come
in these latter days to crush out all the bigoted
intellectual pigmies that hold any belief In the
Bible or in the faith OF their fathers. II any
one thinks this too strong. language, let him
carefully read over the criticism alluded to and
observe the tone of the whole article. he SO Us
the clergy have not the learning to understand
the Bible and its teachings, and advises them to
study it more carefully This to men who have
made the Bible their special study for years,
many OF them for lifetime, and this from
illAu " uU Gfl4Eutts MIS- " EV W u AtACGlAAuEC
made by these clergyneu for material out
OF which to manufacture his article.
He pompously says: "I will propose new
Bible lesson to Dr.. Lorilner and all Christians.
Take the Bible in hand and examine all the pas
saees in which the phrase Word of the Lord
occurs,-nnetecn times ufmy Concordance is
right)," etc This great light OF the Nineteenth
Century is to be congratulated that bis caution
gives him an apparent modesty sufficient to ac-
knowledge the source of his information.
fFnff.u rF ttr Grtf tfr7nN
4" Another assumption that he makes is In what
he says about Jesus aud: his estimate OF the
book. BE (Dr. Lorimer) says that Jesus ac-
know1edges the inspiration OF the script-
ures' Now it is noteworthy that Jesus
does no such thing. He never uses anything
like it with reference to any: Of the Old Testa-
ment books, and those Ut the New were, Of
course, not then written. Jesus frequently
quotes from tue Old Testament, IN all about
sixty times, etc. Now, If we anayze these quo
eral times to disapprove it as insufficient and
erroneous, etc, Hecoustantly dscred-
tied the letter to approve. the spirit when He
could do so; but nothing that He says makes
HIS Father responsible for the Mosaic laws.
. -. Neither Of these classes Of quotations
asserts any inspiration in the original writer's,
or authorizes us to assert the truth Of the So
called history Of Jonah or Noah"
In thu above quotations S. w. asserts:
III That Jesus does not acknowledge the in.
Inspiration OF Tue scriptures nor noto any SUCH
estimate OF the oook:
C2) That neither Of the classes OF quotations
made by Jesus from the oia testament asserts
any Inspiration til the orlg1nai writer's.
t3) That these quotations 90 not authorize US
to assert the truth OF 1hes so-cAlled history OF
Now as to Jesus estimate OF the Old Testa-
ment, it Is noteworthy that from the inst to the
last OF His teaching anu preaching de quotes
from It and IRON no otner poo1. When tempt