New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-08-05

words of the sacred writer's 10 the investigation OF the
books of the Bible as such. 1t inquiries into their
date and authorship, their plan and the purpose win
which, we'll as the circumstances under WHICH, 'hey
were written This VIII be rehec ted certain OK
tent in the books themselves which must be careiuy
examined in their language STYLE statements ana I'M
plications and all the help possible must be gathered
from contemporary and other records. The more OK
acty we ascertain the precise unct'ire at which
each Of the sacred writings produced, and can i'm
age to ourselves the circumstances that called forth
and the end that II was designed to answer ana can
reproduce the respective attitude of the writer ana
his original readers better shall be able to COM
prehend the book itself"
What is Princeton's attitude in this dscussion9'
The Higher Criticism thus understood and thus
handled is not only perfectly legitimate but emnenty
servceabe to the student the Scriptures. No word
TO my knowledge has been heard from Princeton
discouragng depreciating such Inquiries or oppos
ing the most rigorous and searching investigation into
every part Of what is believed to be the inspired word
of God. The thoroughly the foundations are
examined upon which IL reposes the frmer and more
solid they VIII be seen to be-
Is Biblical criticism new study! y
sit is not a thing for the genuneness and IN
tegrlty Of the books of the Bible 10 be impugned ~
wrong methods here as everywhere else have led 70
unsound conclusions. When, for example men Ike Ike
fundamental assumption that the religion of Israel
a purely human development, that miracles must ne
Ielegated TO the sphere mythS ana
prophetic prescience Is impossible, and reenessy un
defake 10 make the Scriptures square with this lore
gone conclusion their results are necessarily Vlta,en
by the fasity of their promises The remedy for ths
IS be sought, not in denouncng the higher cluoS'
but in refuting them" ,,
"What, then. is in the present discussion :"
"Tbo only thing that Is novel in the present aSpec'
of the subject Is the extent 10 which profesediy or
thodox scholars and devout believers in different evan
gelical cOmmunions have within the most leceh'
tines accepted revolutionary ordeal concllsions'
The English Bishop. ColensO, and the ScOich pro
lessor, Robertson Smith. well known representa-
tives and leaders of this movement Win numerous
followers coadjutoIs on both sides OF the Auahc
1t is the novel and the startling, however hat IS
as a rule the bestfOunded or the most cndullug
think that it VIII prove In the present instance
"What result do you anticipate!
al do not believe that the foundations are IN any
danger of being overturned. Many of the so-called
new discoveries arc likely TO be abandoned with as
much haste as they have been accepted. IL Is NOT
case however, for suppression by popular denlmcia-
ton or by ecclesiastical censure, but for the fcest
and fullest discussion. Let light be turned on from
every quarter. Truth has no need to fear me most
searching tests and the most thorough Investigation
Some chat heretofore cherished may be blown away:
Some dross may be burned up. But all thai IS or
real value viii abide. And there need be no feaf
that Biblical criticism fairly and honestly CONQUERED
will contravene or seriously modify the long estaD-
llshed faith of ChristendOm in the commences. IN
teCry and truth Of those Scriptures which were gwen
nv inSpiratiOn of God