The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1890-07-03
THE QUESTION TABLE.

ANSWERS TO 1a QUESTIONS ON 1.-THE BIBLE
IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY ."-TOWN-
SEND.
l. The essentially twofold question at the pres
ent time regarding the Bible is. whether it was
written and compiled by men providentially
selected, directed and illuminated by the Holy
Spirit. or whether it written and compiled by
irresponsible persons, whose words may be ac-
cepted rejected at the pleasure of every reader
2. Regarding a denomination of the entire sub
ject of Bible authority it looks some what that one
will be demanded. and vigorously entered upon in
the near future but in that denomination
thing should be strenuously insisted upon. that
the work done shall not be superficial but thorough
and its present credibilty not be decided against
except for cause. 3. The single propos ition the
author presents regarding the important questions
involved in the general subject of the Bible is.
that though not protesting to teach science it is
when correctly interpreted in harmony with all
established facts of science, and in this respect
differs widely from other ancient literature. 4.
SO called friends of the Bible say that it is not
treatise upon science, therefore should not be
held responsible for scientific errors. Such po-
sition is untenable. If it is book of God. as is
claimed. it may be rigidly questioned respecting
everything upon Itch it speaks. 1t asks at
ones hand cowardly defense. S. Regarding the
Bible and the exact language of science the author
says that it does not employ in its teachings the
exact language of science. Errors in science, and
the of scientific diction are things en-
tirely different. To illustrate-no one would
pect to hear from astronomers anything but sun
rise" and "sunset" in references to these phe-
nomena; yet it cannot be considered that they
mean that the planets move. If skeptics insist
upon scientific expressions then there must be in
trOduced scientific nomenclature into ordi-
nary conversation 6. further reply to skeptics
is that the Bible was written for the untutOred,
care-worn toll stained suffering millions of the
human race and for such people Bible language is
perfectly adapted it is sweet. precious, inspiring.
Z. The reason why that some may find in the Bible
that which is apparently in conflict with natural
science is that it does not adopt anything like
scientific classification of the facts revealed but
when Biblical scholars explore and ponder them
the truth dawns upon the mind in delightful and
silent majesty. s. Regarding conflicts between
the Bible and science Professors Tyndall, Turner,
and Lyell say that 1.-THE views of Lucretus and
Bruno, of Darwin and Spencer. will undergo mod
ifcation.' THE most hostile Of disbelief in the
past of all written revelation has been destroyed"
than eighty geological theories which were hos
tile to the scriptures but one of those theories
is held to-day" g. The important rule laid down
regarding Interpretation is that one should
fully distinguish what the scripture saith, from
what is said in the scriptures. For instance, the
conversations of the many friends of Job were in
many instances false sentiments. Those senti-
ments are recorded in the Bible. But the Bible
does not thereby vouch for their correctness, it
only vouches for the fact that they were spoken
by those friends. 10. The period at which a large
portion of the Old Testament was written (not
including the books of Moses which were of an
earlier date) exten ded from the Trojan war, 1854
b. c. to the dissolution of the Pythagorean soci-
ETY. 500 b. C. IL. The opinion of modern medical
authorities upon the writings onI physiology and
medicine at the period the Old Testament was
written is that for the greater part they false
crude and senseless. IL. The brilliant writer's of
the subsequent period extending from 500 B. c. to
20 b. c. known the philosophic era in medicine
were Pythagoras, Hippocrates Plato and Aris-
otle. and modern scientists say Of their writings
hat though some Of their opinions are found to
correct far larger part as unscientific as
hose of the preceding primitive and mystic
periods
"POLlTICAL ECONOMICALLY
The primary basis of political economy is social