, 1880-05-23


whose author WAS unknown, and which was
probably an adaptation from some foreign liter
atnrc; the collection Of Proverbs. including not
only Jewish, but also Edonlto and Arabic pro-
verbaal say1nSs,-as you nlny assure yourself by
looking at the Inter chapters, sand the Lamenta-
ons o f4m r9 81 heart BY dso
In tho previous history between Judges and
s4mRsl; s4 vel, is supplied by the little book
is the most exQuisit Of PASTORAL idyls- 4 new
historical book, unfortunately severed In twain
III later day, and known to us Ezra and Nc
Iater uprising Of the Jewish state. and to com
plete the historical narrative of the earlier
books: m Thus the collection ut the begtnntng Of
the fourth century probably included Psalms,
Proverbs, Job, lamentations Ruth, and the
Ezra books Unlike the other collections, this
WIS not then closed. but remained open to re-
oeive both the writings of later time and
some earlier ones whose sancttty and value first
became established during the succeeding two
centuries Among tho later writings nrc clearly
to be placed Esther. the reason of whose right
in the collection is sttll in dispute among scho-
ars, and the Chronicles, founded on the Temple
accessible to the compllers Of the previous his
tory Of the same period. ! have said already
that Chronicles stands the last book Of the He
brew oriyinal-who the author was we do not
know-he seems often overmastered By his mat
ter. and some have gained the Impression in
reading him that ho is writing In an 1mperfectly
Or early literature which was not till late re-
ceived In the collections IS the Song Of Songs
q DOCK WQO5E 80CFGU EQRraE[GT romans Until
this day III undecided subject Of inquiry. It was
one of the burning questions of Jewish theology
in the first century Of era, whether it might
be read with Washen or unWAshen hands,. e.,
whether it was sacred or profane.
There remains but two books more, Daniel |
and r;cclcsiastes. The opinions us to the age Of
these books are now very widely variant; for |
Daniel, from the exile to the persecution Of /
Antiochus Epiphanes; for Eccfesastes, that 1t |
Is reflection OF the aged Solomon, or Stole |
pamphlet Of the year So The views Of both !
positive and negative critics held on grounds
If dogmatio prepossession which will not bear |
literary criticism It is impossible, l imagine, |
Hhile mems minds are unable to investigate /
these books without the present prejudice, to /
determine with accuracy either their age or |
heir authorship
When this collection Of 'tHoly Writings" WAS
closed is not known, and must be largely de- |
ermtned by the dates VIC assign to its later |
looks. We know with reasonable surety that it
existed in its present shape at the beginning Of |
,ur era In the New Testament the coil ecton is
:Riled the Psalms, q name taken from its prin-
:ipal book,-the reference to the Law, the
PROPHETS, and the Psalms being an allusion to
he thrccfold collection in the Hebrew Script |
Tres, which was then, as it Is now, In existence.
n the arrangement Of the several writings In
his collection, there is q great divergence even !
'etween the manuscripts OF the originals re- |
lection Of the uncertainty prevailing Until
line subsequent to our era as to the age ana
uthorfty. OF one or more Of the books. The |
aore common arrangement in our best printed
diions Of the original is: Psalms, Proverbs, |
OBJ. Song Of Songs. Ruth, Lamentations, Ec-