The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-01-25
wINNOwING BIBLE HISTORY.
An Episcopal Clergyman's Modern Critical
Methods


The New York Sun of this morning SAYS:
In further sermon upon fright Uses OF
the Bible the Rev. Il. Heber Newton OF
Episcopal church, said yesterday morning:
1.-THE Study of each book of the Bible in
its proper place unfolds the story of the
evolution of the religion of Christ. All
good criticism reConstructs the history OF
Israel and the history of the Christian
church. We first come to the epoch of Mo-
SEES. Moses brought out prominently the
worship of Jehovah. Before that there had
been worship of nature, but not of the God
who made it. 1t was Moses who taught the
worship of aspirations of goodness, OF act
ing rightly, of being pure. 1t was Moses
who identified morality with religion. The
worship of Divine power, manifested in ma
ture, became the worship of Divine power
manifested in conscience. Instead of the
natural law, Jehovah stood for the moral
law.
1.-THE second period of Israelitish history
covers the period between 1900 and 100 b.
9. approximately. The nation was passing
slowly out of II nomadic condition into the
life OF agriculturists. 1t is the heroic period
of Hebrew history. Moses was in advance
of his time. As late as eight centuries be-
fore Christ people were only beginning to
understand the precious and magnificent
conception OF the ten commandments. As
late as the sixth century men thought that
Jehovah might be placated by the sacrifice
OF their children, These low thoughts OF
religion were gradually replaced by higher
conceptions OF Jehovah.
THE next historical period is that of the
consolidation of the monarchy. TO this pc.
riod Samuel contributes mass of his
K.tN al
is to-day revolutionizing religion, so
worlds history revolutionl2ed tho religious
conceptions of Jehovah. Samuel sought to
develop the germinal conceptions of Moses
the worship of God revealed in nature and
the worship OF God revealed in conscience
While various gods were worshipped, the
people were held firm to the recognition OF
Jehovah as the God of gods. This period
gives us one of the noblest conceptions of
God to be found in Hebrew history. We
may see In the first book of their literature
the expressions Of that thought which made
the growth OF religion possble-namely,
that the foundations OF society rest upon
the sacredness of the family, the love of
man for his wife and children.
1.-THE next great epoch that OF the
prophets, comes about 800 10 500 years
bSWiV ShitoNs NO huu tut HIuUUttS
raigning the religion of their time for
its formalities, its mcchanisms, its idol.
atries, Its materialism and its ritual
istic sacrifices. The books of the pro.
phets are filed with these criticisms Of re.
ligious forms, and then We have the declar-
alton. What doth the Lord require of
theeY To do justly, love mercy, and walk
humbly with thy God There was religion
fresh from the heart of God. Israel was
passing through development OF society.
Wealth accumulated. The old.time pos.
sessions in common were not possible. The
old prophets attacked the great monopo.
lies. Don't imagine that Isaiah was q Herr
Most. But the old prophets perceived the
that was eating at the heart of
society. the great changes and great for.
tunes, the gigantic monopolies, and they
dared to say such things as this; Woe UNI
to them that join house to house, that they
lay field to field till there be no place, that
they may DO placed alone in the midst n
the earth Thus men began to learn the
right OF rich ana poor alike to the bread
OF life, until all men shall DO true brothers.
Another historic epoch Is seen IN the or.
ganization OF the priesthood. IL was simply
an embodiment OF the ethical, spiritual and
social religion, and one ofthe most remarka.
bio legislations of antiquity. II revived the
sabbath year; II revived the year ofJubilee.
1--WE next study the period of exile. We
see what tho effect of contact with other
people was upon the Jewish people. II was
akin to that which now teaches the English.
man that there il other civilization than
that Of England, The lsraelites learned by
trave! that God Is the Jehovah OF all PEG.
pies OF the earth. Religion became for the
first time monotheistic, The political and
social development Of Israel openodthe heart
to Its highest reach OF religious thought
In conclusion, Mr.. Newton said: 1.-THE
whole story OF natural development Is told
IN the history Of the Christian religion.
Winnowing from the story ofall the legends
and traditions, there yet remains tho In.
inbitable assurance Of the historical reality
Of Jesus Christ, with an image a. definite as
That Of Caesar. There is no contest between
religion and science. The story OF the
growth ofthe religion Of Christ Is the story
II growth by natural process from the
,erm to the birth Of the perfect man. |
inre to place before you tbis critical study
" the Bible, because In my heart l believe |
lead, TO natural foundation for super.
Natural faith"