The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-12-18

And in addressing the Church Congress at
Rhyl, a year ago, he very clearly stated an
important fact: 1T is now recognized that
there ia no ground for supposing the books
Tof the Bible] to have been regarded az
sacred from the time Of their composition.
nor even for supposing that they were COM
posed for the purpose of contributing to
form an authoritative canon"
Address at Rhyl. 1891.
REV. J. j. LTAs
has recently expressed what is now gener-
ally admitted even by conservative scholars
abroad in reference to errors in the Bible:
1--WE have seen that the numbers in scrip
ture are not always accurate. This inac-
curacy cannot always be explained by
often seriously ut fault. The chronology
of Judges is clearly not to be regarded as
strictly accurate. Such phenomena as the
cursing Psaims, the slaughter of the proph-
cts of Baal by Elijah, the imprecation by
Elisha of divine vengeance on the hooking
young men Of Bethel indicate a stage of
moral development which the gospel has
left behind"
The Thinker, April. 1892.
REV. Il. C. s. GIBSON
principal Of Wells theological seminary.
recognizes the unity of all human history.
and admits that the old notions respecting
the supernaturally unique position and re-
ligion of the Hebrews can NO longer be
held: 'Thus the fence that marked of
Israel from the rest of the world seems to
be broken down. IL stands before us with
a history. alike in its broad features and
main outlines to that of the nations around
1t. $50. The early narratives are brought
into line with the early traditions
and myths of other nations"
Church Congress at Rhyl. 1871.
PROB. A. II. sAYCE,
of the university of Oxford, q master of
oriental history. ia very conservative re-
speeding problems of biblical scholarship,
and he has used the discoveries of atch@ol-
oay, as far as possible in defence of the BIZ
BILE. and yet he admits that archaeological
researches have confirmed only the obvi-
ously historical statements in scripturei it
has done nothing to make Its legends and
stories of miracles more credible. And
while all biblical scholars assume that the
writers of the Bible worked with an earnest
intent to tell the truth. yet we are to-day
compelled to set aside some of their state
menta as erroneous. Prof. Sayce on this
point says: 1.-The so-called historical chap
ters of the book of Daniel are but examples
of Jewish Haggadah Ifancy-work with a
moral %purpose]. The cuneiform insorip-
tions of Nabonidus and Cyrus tell MS ex-
plicitly that there was no siege OF Babylon
and no capture of the city in the time of
Cyrus; the siege described in the Book of
Daniel has been transferred from the reign
of Darius Hystaspis to that of his earlier
predecessor :. . . The dated cuntract-tablets
make ii certain that Belshazzar [reprs-
scented in Daniel v. as the son of Nebuohad-
nezzar and king of Bahylonl, the eldest son
of Nabonidus La usurperl never became
king"
The DEPOSITORY Times. December. 1891.
DIR. Il. j. A. HORT
stands foremost az An able and a cautious
New Testament critic. He not only admits
the imperfect and uncertain character of
the text of the New Testament, the errors
of which he has done much to remove, but
he also admits, with nearly oil scholars
abroad, that there are contradictions in the
gospels which cannot be explained away,
or one of these, the difference between the
Frat Three Gospels and the Fourth respect
ing the date of Jesus' ctuciixion, no says:
II feol sure that So. John meant to place
pels place IL on Nissan 15.) The most OBJ
vious, and perhars the most probable, view
IL that ST. John Ia tncitly but deliberately
correcting m error of the Synptists tthe
writers of she Firet Three Gospeis)."
REV, DIR. ]. NJ. WILSON,
arohdcacon of Manchester. in an address
sivon a year ago, used this very significant
languages; "As regards the miraculous
ever, modern criticism 10 practically unan-
imous In saying that a non-h,stot ioal ele-
ment, no longer aeparabie. has mixed with
tho narrative; aud that in this respect the
sacred books of Christianity are like those
of MoaRism, or buddhism, OF Islam. OIL
other religions. . , We can afford to ac.
knowledge somo halo Of legend round q