, 1879-07-27

thus partial; for, while the Jewish writer's set
up claim for their nation as the only people
who knew GOD, they give US candid account
Abraham did obeisancc, and Of Balaam, q
prophet Of the very people whom they went to
conuucr, Us heathen, who was tn quite Is close
communion with the Deity 4ae we're the prophets
OF she pesulla3r, ,neo peopS;; tho xes w,. +,,+
was their God, their persoual property; that
they had Him hedged about by ordinances so
thut He was quite unapproacnahle TO the outside
world; but this idea is SO eftectual!y disposed
and the inference OF the people whom they must
have represented, that we must conclude that
the Jews had not at any time any very decided
advantage over the Gentiles in the matter Of
revelation.
! dozen others. claiming to be Older. that it
REQUIRES peculiar mental fibre to believe it to
be special aud Irvine revelation, and the effort
to spread those si1 days over millions OF years,
while resting the claims Of the Sabbath upon
them, is quite as belittling to revelation rs to
the human intellect. It is in every way an i'm
provcment on all other accounts Of creatiou,-
| q growth. development; but, in the light Of
science, it is impossible Tor very large PARTON
OF the race to regard it as a history OF facts ::
and, if it is not the exact truth, the God Of
| Truth never dictated It,
It is Thought to be horrible blasphemv to say
that the Bible is not the word OF God; but is it
| less blasphcmous TO say that God wrote book,
for the education OF his children, and wrote it in
such way that they have found it utterly i'm
possible to understand it; utterly impossible to
CONF to any general agreement as to its mean
iug! 1t is. beyond dispute that, alter centuries
OF most earnest, praVerful research, the most
deyout believers in the theory Of Inspiration
find it impossible to agree as to the principles it
teaches.
| When was little child 1t occurred to me
that it was very wicked to read Commentary
on the Bible, and thus assume that God could
not write SO Us to be understood. l thought
that if He wanted me to understand His book
&c had written it so that could; aud if.He did
not want ME to understand it I had no right to
try. As I grew up, entered on the active duties
OF life, and revercntly strove to make It my rule
Of action, the conviction was forced upon me
that nobody understands It, and that anv gen.
eral agreement aboutits teachings Is absolutely
impossible. .--'. =.
for assuming that Goa ever did write book; or
that anything fn the law Of His nature required
Elm to do SO. To assume that it wus any part
Of the Eternal plan to reduce nc divine will to
written human speech, is to open wide door
for imposture; and no wonder We have had SO
many sacred books. und SO much fraud aud
bIooushcd to establish their authority and define
their meaning. :.
!! Looking abroad oue is tmuresscd with the
/ idea that nothing less than an Infinite being
i. could have nude blade Of grass! No man has
ever made ones@bdt useu haGe naade, millions OF
books; aud, when any book contradicts the
testimony Of the rocks, the hook must be wrong !
cannot gee what religion has to lose by the
discovery of the fllibiliry OF the Bible.
That it contains sublime. truth is beyond
question. No poet has conceived state OF So
ciety more perfect than one governed entirely
bY laws to Be found in it; but no fiend could
desire one more depTaved than some which have
existed, and have found in 1t warrant for every
crime! The 1pixin. up Of the contents into a
general iu4nt7ie md Labelling it 'Diytnc Reve1a-
tion,'' stGod's Word," ETC., has certainly been
fatal mistake.
Life is q lame and impotent conclusion, If we
NAV not believe in lone only living and true
God, who is infinite, eternal, and uuchapecahle
in His being, wisdom, power. holiness, justice,
goodness, and truth" Its dark hours are dark
indeed without Divine Redcemer and Com