New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-08-02
PRACTICAL CHRISTIAN WORh
ADDRESSES AT THE BIBLE CONFERENCE
THE HIGHER CRITICISM DISCUSSED BY DR..
M1;NHALL AT NoRTHFIELD.

THE HIGHER CRITICISM DISCUSSED BY DR.
MUNHALL AT NoRTHTELD.
East Northfield Mass, Aug. l (SpeciaD.-The biD'e
Conference was well attended this morning. as II was
known that Mr.. Moody was to speak on how to mark
= pu,o tn handle Mr.. MOodys Bble is @
nIeasure that many covet, and the evangelist allows
IN ho wi IN 10 see II that privilege. Mr.. Moody was
eo,,oupod bv ths Rev. r. A. Torey, OF Chicago WHO
,, nm - How to Use the Bible in Dealing with IN
,r,,ors . A full day Is expected tomorrow. sunday
at Northfeld is experience never to be forgotten.
In his address yesterday DIR. L. W. MnnhaI' IN aus
cpseIng @The Highest Critics versus the Higher
c,i,,ce asked this question Who are the 'hghesl
critics - and answered 1t follows; one lighe'
Critic IS lie who spake as never man spake Jesus
christ the son OF the Living God, and the other IS
lie who sent 70 guide men into all tfuth' At =
not thnkable that They would declare that lie was
the truth. / cannot imagine that They "Oulu per
petuate an untmth truth because 1t was held IRA
dtionally by the Jews. 1t Is mOnstrous u OeheNc
that They would condone frand.' II Moses uiu uo'
write the Pentateuch any portion OF It, anu "'
HIGHEST Critic, declare I've did. II would be De IL
would he none the less lie even though ne jews
held tradtlonsly that Moses the author ot These
books.
In a recent meeting OF pastors Of a certain SO
called orthodox denomination city not thousand
miles from the capital OF this country, the gehue'"
who was addressing the meeting Inquired.
"If Moses did not write this why did Jesus Christ
say ne did ?"
~ pastor I'm the audience replied
Because he did not know any better.
MY honest Judgment Is that such a statement WIS
blasphemous. Canon Driver tells us:
lyon had better not make an Issue between the
critics and Christ lest He too should 60 down before
them This statement is very little better thsh "he
former.
Irha presu
certain learned and deyout men who gave or are
giving their time almost wholly TO honest. reveleht
and critical examination OF the text Of the scriptures
From such critics the Church Of God has notmhg 10
fear and, indeed for that matter from any other
kind" Dr. Munball then traced the history OF hlgher
Criticism from the twelfth century to the present dsy
with "Wellhausen on the Continent Robertson ana
George Adam Smith and others In England ana
scotland and Professor Briggs in this country
considered leaders OF tie crusade against tue IN
tecrity of the Old Testament They, like former ana
older critics may make nOtOety for themselves ana
stir in the churches but fifty years hence tIelf III
hucnce Will be felt than that OF the luDiseh
school and the old Testament VIII still remain In all
is present strength and potential for greater good
than ever before The present agitation enables many
enemies of the Bible 10 come to the 'front.' therefore
we ought 10 be careful TO ascertain who II Is thai
speaks and writes. Some apparently only seek 70
DESTROY the faith Of the churches In the Bible as an
nfallible guide. They parade and magnify the ap
parent discrepancies and errors, and seldom II ever
give tho reconcilaons Notifications that have been
clearly proven. Nor do they point out the proofs OF
the integrity and nerIability OF the scriptures Their
efforts seem to be to dlscredit them These are as
honest Observation-Disclosures. lie VINO says 'he
Blbo IS no better than mass book for stopping
bullet aud not 50 good holy water for putting out
fire is an irreverent critic he he religious,
honest and scholarly He is to play into the hand
of the enemies Of Gods WOrd' .
DR. Munbal next took up the question OF inspiration
and showed that the socaed higher critics to man
50 far he knew disbelleve the doctrine Vi Vetpai
theory" In this. he says they bear false witness
Another expression In common use among thenl Is
This - "euch belief drives men into nhdelty, ana
vet not one Of them ever knew of a case lie then
turned 10 the Bible itself TO show how constantly tee
writer's speak of their work the Word Of the LORD
and gave an abundance OF quot atons bearing on tins
point lie closed with brilliant perorauon 70 prove
The necessity of keeping the fountains or uuth