The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1889-04-04
PRESIDENT BATTLES LECTURE.

Us WIN Il copy OF MS lecture
"A Discussion Of some OF the
Trials and Judicial Proceeding.
Mentioned II the New Tesla
ment, which lie delivc ed. las;
July, before the Amer can In.
It tutc OF Christian Philosophy
and few weeks since in Viii
III ngtOn. The opening sentrn-
rc% # the lcctu c arc IT, follows:
"Whrn We closely study the -ccu-
lar history crihe time covered by
| the writings Of the New Testament,
we are surprised, and as Christians
deeply pratifcd, to observe how i@i-
nutcly it harmOuiZes with the -a-
I cred narrative. II we Guild under
stand thoroughly the character and
/ mntiyc- Of the various actors there
| in and the conditions surrounding
| them, the Holy word would be H.
! Tuned with meanings new and more
| clear. With much difiidence | ask
yOei to listen to brief discussion OF
some Of The judicial proceedings ia
which appeared as accused Jesus the
Christ, the Goldman, John the Bap-
list, His toIeruunrr, ana Paul. His
specially ordained Apostle.
1t must be kept continually in
mind that the sacred writers were
not acquainted with legal forms, nor
were they practised literary men.
They were dominated by one con-
trolling idea, which hard headed
men, like Festus, called mOmoma-
nia-that of showing 20 readGrs,
Christ, His teachings, His suffering,
His rising from the dead. They
cared not TO explain points of histO-
ry or theories Of science or philOso-
ply. Apparent Inconsistencies were
nothing to them. The s'.arr eyes
Of critics so dreaded by mo lern au-
thors ha ! no terrOrs for them. They
have given .i-pictures accurate
as photographs, but like all other
pictures, to be clearly understood,
things not on the canvas must be
known"
The doctor then goes on to
discuss the trials and executions
of John the Baptist and of Je-
sus Christ, the persecution of
Christians, the trials Of Paul
before Agrippa and Gallo, the
beating Ct Paul and Silas at
Phillippi and Thessalouica, and
the great trial of Paul at Athens,
explaining the manners, GUS
toms and laws OF the various
peoples and countries making
clear points and passages which
we could not fully understand
from reading of the New les
lament alone.
III describing PauIs defense
in the last mentioned trial the
Doctor says.
"Thus in imitation of his great
Master, when the crafty Pharisees
to entaglr Him in His
talk, did the wise and clear-sighted
Apostle, on the awful summit. OIL
the Hill of Mars, the Parthenon and
all the glory Of the Acrop0lis tower
ing over him, and the Temple OF the |
Furies t'rOWning below him, alone in
the mist Of the imposing splendor
Of Grecian mythology, alone in The, |
presence of learned and venerable |
Judges ANA astQte philosophers and
1 volatile, bur kee -witted pooulace,
with serene Courage, under guidance |
Of the Holy Spirit, declare the fun
lamental truths Of our holy religion
with such prude &C, that some of
his batlled enemies could only lest
while others coald only nurse their
,ullen suspicious for future inquisi-
LionS.'
The lecture closes as follows:
at is wonderful, when the sole !
object of the f,vangelists is followed /
Dut with such unvarying sirgleness
Of purpose, that incidentally SO much
attenuation about the history and
geography of the country, and the
government and occupation of the
people, is given" !
Then enumerating many of
,he glimpses of the material,
political and social world of
,he.t age, as shown through the
Bible, he says:
"These and much more appear i'm
heir narrative by undersigned gffmp-
es and all are in strict harmony
With the facts, known from all 9th
+ sources, of the history of this era,
he most interesting and momentous
If all tho ages, the era when moved
NJ the earth the wonderful Being,
whose teachings, purifying the
lear', the fOu ltain of all actions,
ave raised its inhabitants higher
oWards Heavenyand will raise them
ver upwards, slowly but never re-
eding, each generation eliminating
one of the evils of the preceding,
ntil mankind shall bevraised to the
evel of the angels"
a copy can be secured from
B. Ketcham, Il Bible
louise, New York. This lecture
Viii be read and studied by
very christian with unusual
interest.