The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-02-26
INSPIRATION OF THE BIBLE.
The First of DIR. X. @. Houghton's Series OF
Sermons the Subject, at Roberts
Park, Last Night

Rev. DR.. C. Ross Houghton, prompted by
recent criticisms upon the inspiration of
the scriptures, last evening, at Roberts
Park Church, preached the first of two
sermons upon that theme Next Sabbath even
Ing he will continue the subject, speaking upon
the present evidences that the men who wrote
the Bible We're inspired of God. brief synop-
sis of DR.. Houghtons discourse last night
follows: Text: "All Scripture is given by the
inspiration of God"-Second Timothy, iii, To-
Whether we read the text from the authorized
or from the revised version, its Importance de-
ponds upon the meaning we attach to the word
"inspiration." This word signifies breathing
into. How, and to what extent, were the
sacred writer's inspired, influenced or controlled
by God in their work2 Verbal inspiration makes
the writer merely an amanuensis of the Holy
Spirit, and excludes the human element entirely
from the Bible. Carried to its logical conclu-
sions this theory demands perfection, extend
ing to the style, the logic, the rhetoric, the gram
mar and even the spelling, which the Scriptures
do not possess. Words cannot be inspired
thoughts ideas and sentiments only can be in
spired. If the theory of verbal inspiration be
correct, who shall decide between original maui
useripts, which differ from each other IN Ian
guage bur not in sentiment. Verbal inspiration
demands that every translation OF scripture ne
supervised by the Holy Spirit, or
some portions. at LEAST, OF the human
family will be without authoritative revelation,
and Will, therefore, fail into error. The sacred
writers lay no claim to verbal inspiration. Inc
fathers in the church had no definite theory of
inspiration, and. th eg freely criticised what they
regarded as the meTa human element IN the sa-
cred Scriptures, The theory of verbal inspra-
tion is of comparatively recent origin; nut Few
leading theoiogans of the day hold to If, and in
no general sense is ii Il received doctrine or
opinion of the orthodox Christian church.
There is a divine and human element in the
composition of the Bible. Each writer
probably moved to write by the Holy Spirit. and
his contribution. is an integrant of the whole
record but lie lost none of his individuality in the
process Some things, like the command
ments for example, were directly revealed, and
are usually recalled in the very words which fell
from the divine lips. But there things in the
Bible which were not revealed at all, hut are
simply narratives given to MS by eye-witnesses.
In other Instances men simply gave to the
world in writing the lofty conceptions of their
own pure minds, In all these cases the tnsnira-
tion was only designed to control or guide
them in writing that they should utter infallible
truth. This makes the Bible of divine authority
in all matters of faith and conscience, and Its
essential import represents the mind and will of
God. But the divine thoughts are clothed
in merely human language. Augustine
sane. ''Ihe truth is not bound TO the WORDS and
the language of the evangelist might be ever so
different, provided their thoughts were the
same"
Authority and infallibility belong necessarily
only to what inspired men wrote only in Hebrew
or Greek, and our English Bible is valuable TO
us, and authoritative only SO lar as 1t IS correct
rendering of the original Scriptures. The Bible
is given solely to teach men the true religion.
1t is not a textbook of science or history,
and, were ever compelled to admit that it con
tains errors in science or history, that fact
would in no sense shake my faith init as Gods
infallible proclamation to men of true religion.
Its history is still, however,
impeached. and all alleged errors in
its scientific statements have 80 far been shown
to be merely apparent, and moi real, and due to
the popular style of the sacred writer's,
The fact Is, man may have no definite theory
in regard to inspiration, and yet, accepting the
Bible Gods word, he may be wise through its
knowledge and saved through it's power. If,
through reason and faith. cothe the Bible with
Gods authority, and accept and accede to it in
my heart, have appreheuded and am building
upon the foundation fact of inspiration. The
power of the Bible does not depend upon the set
dement, of the details OF the question of inspra-
tion.