The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1891-06-05

Oriental Society, Of which many profess
ors Of Eastern colleges are members. He
is warm friend of DR.. Briggs, and the
reporter had no difficulty i'll interesting
him in the business that called him to
Boston. DR.. Thaycr said among other
| things:
II agree in the main with Prof. Briggs
in his ideas about the inspiration, au-
thenticity and inerrancy OF the Bible.
His views are the correct views. Whether
thew are the views OF the Westminster
Confession and it's authors !, as Congre-
cationalst, do not feel called upon to c1-
press an opinion. But in other times and
lands the largest liberty OF speech has
not been regarded as disloyalty to the
confession. DR.. Chalmers, for example,
says of 1t, you remember. All wei
! enough in its place, but don't thrust that
wretched thing between me and my Bible
DE. BRIGGS HAS HIS SINCERE SYMPATHY.
"Yhat they are not i'll accord. with the
Interpretation put upon the confession ny
the modern dogmatists is not to be charg-
ed as crime against Prof. Briggs. nc
may say with the reformer Tyndale. III
is because the priests of the country be
! ignorant men that my writings arc called
hercsics.
"Of course there are errors in the
Bible. There is nothing new in that
statement, however strange and unpleas-
ant it may sound to-day Luther recos-
nized them, so also did Calvin, aud DR..
Briggs is simply one in his generation OF
long line OF Church teachers from
Origcn down who have held these views
and boldly declared that there are mis-
takes and discrepancies in the Bible. Dr.
Briggs has my sincere sympathy i'll his
fight with the dogmatists. He knows my
views on the subject. They have been
fully explained by me i'll lectures IN my
class room"
The position of Prof. 1hayer, as gath
cred from his talks, lectures and writings,
is here stated in language revised, cor
rccted and approved by him:
SIN looking at this subject it is neccs-
sary to recognize a distinction between
Christianity itself and the records OF
Christianity. The excellence, perpetuity
and eventual triumph of Christianity Is
universally conceded, but with reference
to the records of Christianity, that is, the
early writings that were familiar to the
first generations Of Christians, and that
have come down to us in the form ana
under the name of the Bible. there are
still many open questions. We may DIS
cuss these freely and fully. 1t is the
scholars duty to do So
at is DR.. Briggs duty to state the re-
suits Of his study so that men who nave
| l. tbn trnth There
can he no question as to the results oi
such study. These writings are by no
means free from the traces OF the imper-
| lection that cleavcs to all things human,
but by admitting that there are errors III
the written records of Christianity we 90
not in the least discredit the truth OF
Christianity itself. In an examination OF
the Testamcnts it becomes at once appar-
emf that the present prevalent view OF the
Scriptures is not that held by the early
Christians nor By the succeeding genera
tons of Christians through the centur.
les. American Professionalism has adopted
an exaggerated view Of the relative i'm
portance of these Biblical writings. Too
much emphasis has been laid on the full
and final character of Scriptural teaching
relative to the whole range of thought
and conduct, life and destiny.
"By reason of improved methods OF
pathological study, of progress in science
and discovery of the accumulating re-
suits of archaeological and historic re-
search the theory OF infallibility has
come to occasion rcstlessness and per-
plexity and ut times not little distress
| in thoughtful souls. 1t has become yoke
which they are unable to bear Now, 1t
is because of the general acceptance of
| this exaggerated idea of the nature and
function of the Bible that Prof. Briggs is
| in such trouble. The error of this posi-
ton of Prof Briggs opponents may be
easily seen when VIC recall the circuni-
stances in which the New Testament orig
| mated.
THE BIBLE Is a GROWTH.
"1'he primitive Christians for genera
| tons were destitute of our collection OF
Biblical records. These records came
into existence gradually as the wisdom of
scattered bodies Of believers dictated.
More than century elapsed before col
lection of writings was framed together
in a body of religious literature. The
early Christian judgment did not discrim-
mate between the many extant documents
and pick out those entitled to Il perma-
nent place in the canon of Scripture.
| This power of discrimination came slowly
and from many causes. Internal disscn
sion over questions OF belief, combats
with heresy aud prosecution from without
taught them how to sift their documents
and the unworthy ones fell into neglect
one by one. Many of the books that are
now discarded were read by the first gen.
erations Of Christians with as much in
tcrest and devotion rs those now accept
ed in our canon.
"Such facts as these show that the
Church produced the Bible, and not the
Bible the Church.
"They teach also that there is no his
torical warrant for setting this book up
as the infalible and final appeal I'M all
matters of belief and life.
"But the intrinsic characteristics Of the
Bible make still more evident the error of
the American view that the Scriptures
are the only source Of divine authority.
The phenomena OF the Bible c0rroborate
this statement. Some CT these phcnom-
ena may be briefly stated:
"First, many OF the apostolic writings
have persisted. We know not how many
of the Epstles of Paul have been lost.
There are evidences in the Bible itself that
letters to the Thessalonians, Philippians
and Corithians from Paul's pen have been
lost. Even the words and works of the
Lord himself have come down to us great
ly abridged Arc the books that have
been preserved inspired and those that
are lost not inspired?
PROOF PILED UPON PROOF.
Another.pro Of the error of this view