The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-04-19
THE NEW TEsrAmENT.
Rev. rnOmpson,s sermon at the Fourth
Il street Church.

street. Church.
Rev. j. R. Thompson, President Of the
West Virginia University, preached last
night at the Fourth street church on THE
New Testament" Asatext for his dis
course he chose the sixth paragraph Of the
third chapter of the Second Epistle to the
Corinthians: "who also hath made US
able ministers Of the New Testament; not
Of the letter, but of the spirit, for the let.
ter killeth, but the spirit giyeth life" He
started out with the proposition that 8
book which had created the noise and ex-
erted the influence the New Testament
has, deserves examination at the hands OF
men, and he therefore proposed to exam
Inc it 1t is remarkable book.
First, he consideredi 1t with regard to its
authenticity. The way, he said, he sat
isaed himself Of the authenticity Of this
book was Just as he would satisfy him.
self OF the authenticity Of any book
Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales"
or the dramas OF Shakespeare, for In
stance. II we 20 back one century, we
find that the people at that time believed
that the works attributed to these two
men were written by them; and going
back century by century, in this way we
tind at each successive step records OF q
belief at that time to the same effect.
Finally we reach the ages in which the
books were written, and we find the men
and their books accredited by contempt
raries as being their works. SO, exactly,
with the New Testament: Then there Is
the internal evidence OF the language EN-.
ployed. It was dialect peculiar 70 that
time and section. 1t was mingling Of
Syriac with some little colloquial Greek.
| Another means Of establishing the proba-
bility OF the authenticity OF the book is
the fact thatit contains no mention OF the
destruction OF Jerusalem, which took
place A. D. 70. II the book had been
written after that 1t would have contained
an account OF that event. Therefore it
was written at least at an earlier period
than the year 70. The speaker closed this
portion Of his argument with q quotation
/ from Sir Isaac Newton, Of whom Tyndall
has said that she stands in relation TO all
other scientists Us the Hottest Alpine
peak TO the smaller mountains around
IT,: 81 find more sure marks Of authen-
ticity In the New Testament than In any
profane history whatever"
Next was considered the genuineness
OF the New Testament. This Is establish
ed BY the fact that all the ancient manu-
scripts are in harmony one with another,
and that all the quotations at different
stages OF the past coincide with the origi-
al q a 90 uaa az NOW recorded.
It's credibility was next inquired into:
The books are not only authentic and
genuine, but the history therein contain
ed is worthy OF belief. The witnesses who
testify in the writings under consideration
were competent witnesses. They must
have witnessed the occurrences OF which
they write. This is evident from the min
uteness with which they describe scenes
: and events. An instance OF this Is found
in the passages relating the resurrection
Of Lazarus. Every minute incident is cir
cumstantially portrayed. No other religi-
Gus book is known where such peculiari'
~ is TO be found. Others relate miracles
but il is in general way. Then an air oil
yeracity, of candor, characterizes the en-
tire book. It does not read like history
concocted to uphold certain theories. II
Is not at all partisan .documentin appear
ance.
lis credibility is necessarily involved in
the supernatural character OF Jesus Christ
its chief parsonage. 1t Is admitted by all,
by Theodore Parker, and even by Inger-
soil himself, that Christ himself was the
greatest character who ever lived. Either
he lived, and was the greatest character
who ever did live, or else we must believe
that four unlettered Jews created the his
torical character called Christ; and what
an intellectual miracle that would be. Nc
genius ever imagined o being approaching
him.
The very conduct OF the witnesses them.
t selves goes 10 show that they believed
what theytold. No human being ever
deliberately propagated motiveless false
, hood. The story these writer's tell is
: either true, or false. They knew whether
1t was true or false. II false, what motive
: had they to tell It? Rather they had
motive not to tell ii, for they were re,
I peatedIy asked to retract, and refused. and
, finally died rather than say their tale was
not true. Is this the conduct Of authors
OF falsehood? Nay. They could well
, afford to die for such truths. They had
, seen Christ, and known him for years;
had met him after his resurrection. They
were ripe for death.
In closing Mr.. Thompson said that In
the beginning OF his remarks he had said
that the New Testament is remarkable
book. He was now ready to say 1t Is 3
divine book. It is the revelation from
; Almighty God Of His divine will and Of
our duty, and 1t is right that we should
obey it-should make 1t "a lamp unto our
feet and a light TO our path"