The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-03-03

AFTER, Stlll the only anrm persuasion ana
right reception of the Scriptures, comes
from the power of Gods Spirit working
on the heart of man. 1t has been stated
that the Scriptures in the original tongues
and so far as correctly translated, pre-
sented in our Bible, under the teachings
of Gods Spirit, constitute the only rule
of faith and practice Though entire
y rejected by the Confession of Faith, ;,
those books bound up. in some Bibles,
called the :" Apocrvpha, are received by
some few churches, as writings of value
in illustrating and enforcing faith and
duty. This constitutes but small ex-
ception to the remark respecting the
agreement of all evangelical churches in
the doctrine of Presbyterians on this sub
ject.
Lastly While the Confession of Faith
states, very explicitly, that the Scrip
lures are given by inspiration of God"
1T does not define the character of that
inspiration. By some it has been de-
clared, that this inspiration may be mere
ly that of superintendence by the Divine
SPIRIT, ensuring the writer's against error :;
by others, that it is to be understood as a
suggestion of the thoughts, writer's being
left to themselves i'm selecting the best
mode of expressing these thoug gifts. Some
hold to verbal inspiration-and some
again to one kind in one place and an
other IN another place, or predicate differ
ences of kind, according to difference of
subjects. For example, that on didactic
teachings. whether of faith or duty, there
Is verbal inspiration; and on those of his
tory Is an inspiration of superintendent
negatively, to prevent error, and of sug-
gestlon, positively, to secure truth But
there Is, among those who receive the
SCRIPTURES, an increasing tendency to ac-
cept the doctrine of a verbal inspiration /:
because the truths of the Bible are ex-
tensively based on its facts, and we have
no security, in the doctrines of inspira-
ton by superintendence or by suggestion
or both, for certainty whether the writer,
while designing. honestly, to be govern
ed by superintendent or by suggestion
or by both, yet left to select his words,
may or may not have selected the most
appropriate. Hence the theory of YER
bal inspiration seems most consonaHt with
the purpose of any inspiration, as it Sc
cures our confidence in the whole Scrip
ture, as of divine authority Nor is
there, as some suppose, any sound objec-
ton to this, growing out of the varied
styles of the writer's. A parent may die
tate to little child certain statements,
In words such as are adapted to the child
style of expressing his thoughts, so that
the productions of several such children,
differing in age or culture or both, may
reflect the differences Of style in each, and
yet express the thoughts presented by the
parent. Thus the styles of the authors
of the gospels, differ as much as were
there no Inspiration, and so of those of
prophets, historians, and others; yet with
all these Universities of ministrations
there is the same spirit, ensuring call
Scripture to be given by inspiration of
God and profitable for doctrine, for re-
proof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness" 2 Tim. iii Is.