The Portland daily press., 1889-09-09
PULPIT AND PLATFORM
SECOND PARISH CHURCH.

SECOND PARISH CHURCH
Rev. DR.. Whitaker, pastor of the Chestnut
street church, repeated at the Second Parish
his lecture on the inspiration of the Bib,e,"
at the request of many prominent citizens.
DR.. Whitaker began by saying:
st. Paul writing to Timothy, and Peter in
his general epistle both claimed that the
Holy Scriptures were inspired by holy men
of God. Since these two men were SO differ
ent and were writing for such different pur-
poses. unless the Scriptures were in
| spired their statements were little short of
marvellous Continuing, the speaker said
there are five theories of the inspiration of
the Bible. First that 1t was inspired as a
book Of poetry is inspired, second that only
certain parts that they, the critics, deem
worthy of divine authorship are inspired !;
third, that only certain portions bear any
evidence OF inspiration; fourth, that the
Ideas OF all scripture were inspired. but that
the writer's clothed the ideas In their own
language; and fifth that the Bible as well as
all writings was inspired-that inspiration
is as necessary for the composition of an
ordinary letter as for the Holy Scriptures
! characterized the first as simple infidelity,
| the second as concealed fidelity, the third
| and fourth that all scripture Is inspired and
| the fifth that 1t is peculiarly inspired, as no
otner work has ever been or can ever be.
After this DIR. Whitaker advanced what he
| claimed to be five positive proofs of the III
| spirati0n of the Bible, These are the ire
mendous influence which it has welded,
leading so many hundreds of millions to
suffer prosecution and death for love of it /;
the uniqueness Of its doctrines, one God,
| observance of the Sabbath, honesty, moral
| ity, sObriety and uprightness and the thou
sands OF other tenets OF its faith that were
totally different from anything that had gone
| before. The third proof and one not the
least important was found In the bold as
| sertions OF the writers that they were moved
by the spirit of God to write as they did.
Tho fourth point is that the Bible has lasted
all these years, and that everyone who turns
to it today finds consolation for every SER
row as tile fathers did ana as viii be until
the end of time. Thief fifth, last. and most
convincing proof of all is its wonderful
history wnleh the speaker traced down
from lQe beginning OF time when it was only
one book, down through the captivity in
Egypt, the Babylonish captivity. Roman
persecution, fanatical fury, and the hundreds
OF other dangers that have threatened but
not destroyed it. The form may change,
improved TRANSACTIONS may be made, new
and elegant bindings may be used, but the
ing yet adaptable to all times and peoples
because inspired of God for all time.
WHY HE DOESN'T FISH ON SUNDAY.
Mr.. Edward Pickett of the United States
barge office conducted prayer meeting in
the cabin of one OF the fishing schooners in
port yesterday. About twenty attended
During the service, the captain of the
schooner told why he was in port. Some
years ago, he fished all one Sunday while re-
ligious services were held on group of fish
ing vessels some distance off. The next day
was fiat calm The vessels which had OBJ
served the Sabbath had wonderful luck
while the captain who had fshed all the
previous day could not catch anything where
he was nor get to the other vessels. He be-
lieves that he was properly dunished for
fishing on Sunday, and now his vessel lies in
port on that day.