New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-05-03

can 4h.t the ,o,ular excitement had collapsed
a. or;ctlv az II had grown; he knew that
suffering and death awaited tis unsaceeSs-
full revolutionist, unless, indeed, the mana OF Vou
should suddenly intervene" lie subnnt'ed huns t
10 arrest with fatalistic resignation. bt ""u uiu
not come TO his rescue and his short career ehueu
urtirpeIv in failure. Numerous legends and fables
were afterward invented by his disciples 10 account
for his defeat; a marvellous story told 10y
some frightened and snper5titious women was &C
cepted as proof Of his resurrection and new inter
nr.ation was put upon the Messianic prophecies to
III the facts of his career. His followers-not the
Christian Church but the sect Of the liasaya, or
Esseneslingered for four centuries after his DEATH
and even continued for a time 70 make converts Out
they gradually became extinct.
Thus the lessons " Rabbi Joshua " are mat
the hone Of a Messiah was always a deluAon that
Christ was nos only not the Messiah, but not even
the founder OF Christianity that he was Seli-Ae-
ceived az 10 his mission, sincere but mistaken pre-
tender and that his career was failure. We make
no comment upon These conclusions; but putting
aside the authors theories, we object 10 kabol
Joshua" on the ground that 1t IS appar-
entity not a sincere book. We have spoken
already Of it's instrumentation Of testimony arb-
trary exclusion of troublesome witnesses, and com
mingling of bald assumptions with historic facts.
presses one as a dalectical exercise undertaken
rather for the indulgence of n fancy than the sup
port of real conviction. Here is paragraph on
one of the miracles recorded by Mark, which Illus
trates its want of frankness:
In reading the quaint chronicle Of Simeon has
Saddk we are doubt nj liberty 10 receive win
the sccpticisrn which may consider sign "f onr
infinite superiority to himself. the various wonder
ful statements which he makes respecting the
actions of Rabbi Joshua. We are not dealing WITH
-. 1. ...f. iona ~
the subject Of controversy between the great doctors
of the church and the graf critics OF the world
and while nowiedgng that such miracles II az
tested by the evidence of Inspiration at" nihulnk
on Us a. articles Of faith, are not thereby ior-
hidden to criticise freely the statements OF
rahbinical chronicer any more than We are Tor
hidden 10 denounce the errors OF the modern
spiritualist or clairvoyant. We are dealing win 2
simple episode 81 Oriental life, with the spirit OF
Eastern superstition among the Hhtrate pfasahlIy
of Galilce and among the humble scrlies OF the
Hasava. II is question of evidence, and none III
suppose that IN thus freely cutcislng The ideas @,
our quaint author we are denying great truths oi
the miraculous surely attcstcd by inspiration, If In
spiration ever did attest a miracle.
Here is a quasi-apologetc profession Of faith Of
which il is clear that the writer does not believe
one word. The foundation of the whole book IS
denial Of the miraculous and denial of any in
srired testimony 10 the miraculous. In the
second chapter 1.-THE introduction of the mar
yellous element and the use Of super
natural machinery is cited Of the proofs Of
the d" want Of authenticity in the New Testament
narratives The question Of evidence is not consid-
cred at all. Miracles are denied in totor because
they are miraculous not because the evidence Is
defective When the author tells u.s. on page 20 that
miracles are to be received If attcscd by lnspua-
tion after telling page Il that the attcsting Of
miracles is proof ia itself That the testimony Is not
authentic. il is plain that he means 20 deceive.
What can We say of such teacher except that he
asks for our confidence under falA pretencesf