The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-07-18

DIR. Phillips Brooks Does Not Take the Pop
ular Position This Subject.


Address at Moody's Summer School.
DR.. Brooks made IN address on the verbal in
spiratIon of the Scriptures to-day which has
aroused buzz of discussion among the students
by reason of its extreme position The theory
now popular, that the words of the Scripture
not inspired, has been invented to account for
supposed errors in the Bible. If you come to
anything that does not agree with your ideas
you fall to this theory, to the dishonor of
Gods word. Now, if the words may be dis
believed, you see how readily you can carry
the theory a step further. and disbeleve
sentences, or passages, or whole sections.
take the ground that IL man has
particle of logic or consistency he will away with
divine inspiration within a week. It's marvel
GUS fact that those very passages that men are
most apt to believe unlnspired are the ones
which have received the sanction of Jesus Christ
himself in the New Testament He makes refer
ence to Lots wife. who turned to pillar of
salt; to the destruction from heaven of Sodom
and Gemorrah, to Jonah and the whale. It's
nonsense to say, II believe Christ but not those
things" No man with thimbleful of brains
will do it; he's too small to talk with. What are
you going to do about it'll What are we, who
can't tell how we crook little finger, or how
blade of grass grows, to sit In judgment on
the Lord Christ and say he made a mistake?
Again. suppose we have in the holy book, as
some think we have, Gods thoughts in mans
words. Its like casket Of Jewels which he gives
me- Having thrown away the key, can't get at
ignorance to open up to me their preciousness
If you don't agree with me take any sentence in
that holy book and try to improve it. The great
est intelects of the earth stand uncovered before
that book. Not one scholar on the earth, with
all his learning, can improve one verse there.
The moment pass out from the writings of the
apostles to those of the early uninspred
Christian fathers / find the most glazing errors
Again, if one does not accept the verbal in
spiration, he cannot enjoy profitable study of
the Scriptures. For instance, my knowledge
of the Scripture is of the nature of cumulative
evidence, growing brighter and brighter, till
hear God himself speaking down to me in my
study, as I read His word, telling me that it is
true. / referred to human authority being
against this doctrine of inspiration. But the
best men, preachers like Spurgeon, theologians
like DR.. Hodge, I unhesitatingly affirm are
sturdy upholders of the doctrine of verbal in
spiration. Young men, I'd feel sad enough as
go away from here week from to-day if |
felt that you had any doubt about that point.
You will go back to professors and instructors
whose shoe-latchet l am unworthy to unloose
but l beg of you. earnestly, prayerfully to
study the word for yourselves, and then if these
men give you one learned teaching or another
against its inspiration, tell them you have stud
led for yourself and you cannot agree with them
DIR. Brooks continued his address with Bible
reading, in which he read passages to establish
the points he had made.