New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-10-15


nttohIe and courteous treatment, 1t behooVes
ministers and theological students to study before
thew condemn, and be sure that they are riGhV
before they refuse to vary the ideas which they
have inherited OF imbibed from comparatively
restricted examination of the subject
In the introduction. we have brief vindieatoh OF
~ the RIGHT IN re-examine the doctrine of Sacred
Scripture PrOtestants acknowledge no huin"n
tribunal that is superior to science and lntelhgehoo
Science and intelligence do not stand stll' IH
lessor Ladd avows his method to be that of induc
tiou-ths only method which can give promise "a
Trustworthy results He leaves the old pr'on roao
for the humber. but only safe path But he starts
with the poStulate, which has been referred 10
above that the Gospel of Redemption. the man
substance of Scripture teaching, is true. Inc proo
lem is TO consider the characteristics and history Oh
the sacred books in which this divnely gwen reHg
ion is set forth The body of the work Is cas-. ll''
four parts Part l. treats of the claims winch thc
Bible makes for itself. At the outset there Is ue'
scrlpton of the teaching of Christ concerning tle
Old Testament and the nature oil MS PROMISES III
their bearing on the New Testament writings Inc
oIoir,o which the Old Testament makes for
tiff ssneciallv Mosaism' and the claims OF
the New Testament in behalf of the Old, arc the
next topics Then follows a careful inquiry INTO
tho claims made for the New Testament by its own
| ,vriters Among the conclusions drawn from the
first GREAT division of the treatise that the same
| origin authority and value cannot be ascIlOed
On the basis of its own claims to all portions oil the
| Bible alke and that the title of sacred Scrip
ture belongs to tie Scriptures, IN the estimation
of their authors from the nature OF their VontehS
1t il not the sanCJty of the writings IN themselves
Int the truths of revelation which le2d lhe
Apostles to attribute this dignity to the WRITINGS
In which these verities incorporated Inc prl-
mary subject of revelation is the one community OF
/ believing souIa This community Is, likewise the
primary subject of inspiration. OF any special form
Of Inspiration for the purpose of writing the B!De
| says not "a syllable.
! The second mart of this elaborate work is the
/ Critical Here the phenomena Of the Bible pass
upder review The book itself is subjected TO
| close ipsuection Its actual contents are brought
under the microscope and accurately described
First we have an examination of everything IN the
| Bible that touches science. Here the cosnosnhy
Of Genesis comes under review. Then follows the
consideration of the narratives OF miracles IN tue
/ Old Testament and in the New. The nature OF MIR
aces ana the evidence Of them are the theme OF MS
] terminating remark Holding decidedly to the his
| torical verify of the miracles IN the man. inc
autbor still concludes that certain of the mir
! oc,,ous narratives Of the OH Testament are an
Giant and wide.s spread or mere local, traditions,
,vh,se historical accuracy 1t is impossible 10 au-
thentlcate" The historical contents OF the BLDG
in general are the next succeeding section. ms Is
followed by a chapter on the protective contents OF
the Bible where the whole subject OF PROPHECY
and of MesNanlc Prophecy in particular IS unloidsd
in a luminous dissertation. In this way we are Ied
M TO the treatment lchapter W. Of tAe ethIcai ana
rehpIou, contents of the BIbie-whcre the morality
Of the Book OF Esther, the song OF solomon the acc"
Of Iaol the wars of determination etc. are among
] cot i,a IN a
| and composition of the Scuptural books lchapter
viii. of their language and style chapter viii; OF
the canon ichapter tx OF the text both OF the Od
| Testament and of the New chapter K. Included IN
cbapter vii Is lucid exposition of the controversy
in r,spect to the authorship Of the Pontateuch IL
is not merely a statement Of the several theories;
the grounds OH which each Of them Is based arc as
tjnctly set forth. The tabular statements Whi"h
ara introduced, in which he documents supposed
TO be wrought into the Pentatelch are dIstn-
cuiebed is a great help in the comprehension OF
! tIis intricate subject. Professor Ladd opposes
the extreme views of Graf, Wellhausen and
Kuenen: but lie gives his adhesion TO the more
noderate criticism winch ascrbes to Moses the Ru-
tbor,hip OF portions of these ancient books, or OF
imnortant materials lying at the Foundation Oh
them.
The comprehensive and detailed exhibition Of
what the Bible actually is and of how 1t came 10
he. payes the way for tie history of the doctrine.
What has the Christian Church, ami its scholars
and teachers believed respecting the Bible reVea-
tjon inspirationl This is the subject of Part Ill
Professor Laid finds marked contrast between
tbe more fire views of Luther and other reformers
rd tbe stiff frigid. oyerstrainod "pOst RetOrma-
tiop dogma" which the polemcal divines Of tile
next generations after Luther and Calvin forged
and imposed on tho Churches. These chapters OF
Part ILL., are a very important and interesting sec
ton of tha history Of theological thought and Oi
creed-maklug.
Tho three divisions of Professor Ladds work
to which we have adyerted are only stepping
stones to the fourth and final portion-Parf "
the synthetic, or positive division, III whlch the
authors own deductions and opinions the result
OF his broad survey Of the whole ground-are stated
and defended. The moot interesting and mohen-
tous questions o. theology are here handled with
. mastery ability and Christian candor. The Ter
! ,onality of God. Revelation, tho relation OF tho
Word Of God to the SPIRIT Of God, Inspiration, the
relation OF the Bible to the Chuych the Authority
Of the Scriptures-thesc form part Of the attrac-
tive field INTO which the reader who ia Interested
/ IN cui rent religious discussion Is invited MOI
content with so rounded and various treatment Oh
tho scientific aspects Of the general subject Pro-
fsssor Ladd subiOlus several final chapters on the
versions OF the Bible, ITS practical uses and ITS re"-
r,on 4, the individual aud to the race. We must
pause with this brief sketch of the contents OF a
work which is not only Of the most coplous but
js also. one Of the profound, erudite and able
, of the theological productions of tue time. 1t
, brings together IN complete view clearly writ
ten and ripely dlgosted representation, from the
hand OF a master OF what is known respecting the
, prlmitive documents Of the Christian religion.
NEW BOOKS.
! I'll.