New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-03
THE REAL BIBLE.
az MODERN CRITICISM

rrho author of this book needs lo in'i0
.. American readers. But we VIII Nci'uiv ~ 50
.ho+ sbe has never before shown sIe''cI ;"
;r,o,lectnal Grasp and critical aCu'H'" .''i
,ljs collection Of parcrS, when "elc oilsir,,',
r.od IN Washington last WINTER peiore i""''
class composed of prominent Womch Vi '"1V ',.'
ur''' ..oronts of the higher criticism Will DIS
oaree with most of her conclusions Tor s'c u"-
rosarvedlv accepts the methods and many oil 'he
lie of the higher criticism, while as Con
.,.ooot,onaist she strongly ranges herself on inc
eae ~ what is known as the progressive thcoioGS'
Tor those who will most earnestly oppose her
ETHICAL methods and the conclusions TO WhIc"
tbav lead will feel compelled to acknowledge
tho charm of her style, the power OF her arSiheN'
Tho NAV of her wit. the force OF her logic anu
bcr wide and accurate knowledge OF 'lc NcIlP'-
ures Moreover, in the more restricted HI" VI
theology she reveals herself as theolo-lah OIL no
mean quality, with whom the traditional ''co'o-
clans Will find # hard TO fight The book is, lreeu'
almost UNIQUE, in that while it is written pN "
woman, for women it is characterized DIV inc 'ou'-
pact strength and robust c0mmon-sense uSuaIly sup
posed to he found only in the Writings oil mel
In this respect the author suggests George Eho''
though unlike that great writer, she cohs'aA'F
exhibits Joyous faith in God ana man tl"o
cannot fail 70 be both stimulating and helpful.
ing the right of criticism and investigation TO ask
tradition for its credentials she is neither puzzled
nor dismayed when those credentials are not
forthcoming. On the contrary, she sees nothing
Int good in the destructive work of legitimate
criticism. and out Of the ruins wrought by II she
shows that there may he buit-nay. is already
buildine--a temple of divine truth, whose glory
shall far exceed the glory of the former temple,
and in which the true believers nay worship the
Father in spirit and in truth. The constructive
clements of the book are, perhaps even more note
worthy, and, some readers may say far more con-
elusive than its destructive elements. Certain 1t is
that the last two chapters, Oneness with Christ
and Miracles" contain an eloquent argument Tor
the divinity of Christ and the reality of miracles
that will earn for its author the thanks Of all
Christian believers and the enmity of all agnoStcs
Let us leave speculation to itself: let us cease
10 question error, and let us search for truth
The Bible is the source of orr formulated faith
Whether it is authority or not. nothing else IS
authoritative. Let us sec, not what is Calvin
ism, or Luthersm or SonostciSm, or Catholicism,
or Cniversalisn. but what is Scripture; not what
men say Scripture says and means but what
Scripture itself means and says" "ThuS,' says
Miss Dodge, the Lord gave the Word TO the
Bible class The women prepared to publish the
tidings were great host. prcSbytcrianism, Con
gregationalism, Unitariansm, Episcopacy, were
ably and 0miably represented. and never
moro agecablv than when, in Horatian phrase.
beautiful daughters came with their more beautiful
mothers. The English Church and the Greek Church
bent TO each other with stately courtcSc The
Quaker faith there, TObcd according 70 the
last dainty imported touch of the children Of this
world, but with all the gentle aspect and sanity
bearing of George Fox and the Whtticrs brother
and sister. Ignatius LoyOla and jonathan Ed
wards sat side by side in French costume. Of
fautlcss cut and wonderful combination and the
one had danced no more lightly or deeply into
Saturday night than the other. Young RadicaiSm
found the texts FOX old Orthodoxy, and both
smiled approval whenever the sword of the spirit
Slipped in between the loosencd joints OF Errors
gaping armOr. All came together not u advo.
cate any theory or repe any doctrine whatever
but to learn for themselves what the Bible
teaches" Naturally the nrst topic discussed
Is the real Genesis, involving 4 consideration Of
the whole question of Divine Revelation" Its
tone may be judged from the following suggestive
passage:
Even an intaIIiblc Bible is practically falliblc
so long as the minds that use il falliblr.
Rationaliss pnt reason TO Judge revelation? What
ought 70 judge revelation Revelation is adj
dressed TO reason. IL is God who puts reason
10 Judge revelation. There is no revelation whore
there is no reason. Cats and dogs. birds and
fishes have no revelation, because they have no
reason. God reveals hiInSclf and can reveal him
self only through and - the Reason Of man. ami
lie himself constantly appeals to man 10 lis" his
re son in Judging God. How c2n any man uphrail
his fclloW-man ior doing what God conStantlE
in the Bible cXhorts and outside the Bible, s,inu-
latcS man 10 do,
Fut while acknowledging the human element
in the Bible the author expresses her fire Scorn
for the blatant and boastfll acnostic, who never
went anlle.Gecp in ScriTtuIal or any other in
veSt.atiOn. but who makes more noise Shouting
and splashine in the shoals than the whole Squad
ron Of Evolution makes in sailing tie wide seas
over His idea of argument is DO you believe
.Jcshua's sun stayed in the SKY all night? d.
yoa believe Lots wife turned INFO pillar Of salt?
Yes? Then YOU are an ignoramuS No? Then
you must throw away the Bible, or proclaim your
self a coward and hypocIitc The real scholars
do neither. The men who are increasing the sum
of the worlds Gnowlcdgc are studying not scoa-
ing. the Bible And they are not trying TO over
turn Christianity, either For.
of things rs they are. of Christianity pure ana
simple we scarcely hear What we are chehy
taught j. the opinions which many generations
have formed about Christianity. When any part 81
these opinions is seen TO be false, ana begins to
be reft away, the cry IS that ShriSilanlF n1s
bleeding-that another assault has been made
upon it!
One of the strongest chapters in the book is
that on the institutes Of Moses which IS devoted
10 showing that every sacrifice on an altar.
whether in the Bible or ont of it, is simply and
purely paganism. 1t follows therefore that the
idea of sacrifice ought to have no place in Chris
tianity. Moreover, il will not do TO say that
God ordained material sacrifices for the Jews be-
cause sacrifices suited to a rude and barbarous
people. If that were 50, why do we carry the
Gospel of Christ to barbarous peoples and not the
Gospel of burnt offerings? If animal sacrifice
spiritual worship why did we not build affairs
in Hawaii and sacrifice bullocks among the
Cherokces9 So it is argued that God did not
ordain material sacrifices: that He was not pleased
with burnt offerings; that they did not prepare
the way for Christ, and that they hold no rela-
ton 70 Christianity whatever.
Mistnr,. recnrdnd in the Rihln and ScenCc In