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

petens as nyone to state the conclusions Of
biblical science respecting the origin and
character of the Pentateuch or so-callod
Mosaic law. and he writes: odd Tesla
ment critics are now practically unanimous
that the first six books OF the Hebrew scrip
compilation from four distinct and indie.
pendent sources Gall centuries later than
Moses)."
The Expository Times, November, 1891.
PROF.. cHAs. H. WRIGHT. M
of the university Of London. one of the
most conservative scholars in England,
furnishes similar testimony. "The COM
posite character of the Pentateuch Is in
deed one of the accepted results of modern
oriticism. The old traditional view can no
longer be regarded as correct. The dogma
tism of the old divines on the Mosaic au-
thorship of the entire Pentateuch ia no
longer dofensible."
Introduction to the Old Testament. 1890.
PROF. A. n. DAVIDSON,
of the university Of Edinburgh, states the
conclusion of modern scholarship respect
ing the Ten COMMANDMENTS: "1he Deos-
logue in either of the forms in which it ap-
pears Exodus TX, Deuteronomy W. can
hardly be from him (Moses). These forms,
however. are in all likelihood expansions
of the original cast; the ten words may all
al uIbb AutC Ucdu db OlIcA q % II o6lAbu,
seventh and eighth, and in this form there
10 less objection to their Mosaic origin,
though the prohibition Of craven images
can hardly go 80 far back"
The Critical Review. 1891.
PROF. T. X. oHEYNE.
Of the university of Oxford. has long been
regarded as one of the greatest biblical
scholars Of England. On the general de-
cay of the traditional views respecting the
Bible. he remarks: ''Fanoied knowledge
respecting the Old Testament has been
weighed in the balance and found want
ing. The old house (not the Bible. but ira
ditional theories about it, has fallen. and
great has been the fall of it...... The He
brew scriptures are fully recognized as a
literature. and have taken their place
alone. yet not alone. at the head of the sd
cred books of the East"
The Origin of the Psalter, 1891. In dis
GUESSING recently the relation of the Bible
to science. the same writer uses these
words: 1.-THE so-called mogo (Gene-
sis ILL was not meant to be taken as an
account of what we call facts. II is not a
specimen Of rudimentary science or pseudo
science. How far the idea of natural SCI
ence had dawned uron the Babylonians
from whom the general ideas Of these
chapters oame) may be left an open ques-
ton; there 10 no evidence that it had
dawned upon the lsraelites in Old Testa-
ment times"
The Hallowing of Criticism. 1883.
pRoF. MARCUS Dops
of the university Of Edinburgh, ia bv no
means q radical, aud yet he writes: "That
the compiler of this book (Gsnesis) did not
aim at scientific accuracy in speaking of
physical details is obvious, not merely from
the general scope and purpose of the bibli-
cal writers, but especially from %this-that
in these fitst two chapters of his book, he
lays side by side two accounts of mans
creation, which no ingenuity can reconcile"
The Book of Genesis. 1883.
PROF. ii. L. DYLE,
OF Tho university Of Cambridge, has re-
Gently passed into the front rank OF Eng
lish biblical scholars. In discussing the
frst chapters of Genesis. he frankly accepts
conclusions long ago reached by such men
as Kuensn. Reuss, Oort, Wellhansen. Schra-
der, and others. Upon the statements re-
specting the Immense age OF the antedilu-
Wan patriarchs. he says: 1.-The study OF
science preoludes the possibility OF such
figures being literally oorreot.s +
The Early Narratives OF Genesis, 1892. In
the same work, he makes this remark re-
specting the legend descriptive of the con-
fusion OF tongues at the tower Of Rabels
M INT would avor think now OF accepting
it as a scientific ex%planation.'' Prof. Ryls
~testities to the wide acceptance of the
fact. nov 40 clearly established, that the
Laws of Israel. aa OF other nations, only
reached their final literary form by deyel-
opment through gradual stages. must show
conclusiyely that Moses was not the writer
of thsm In the form in which they have
come down to u.s."
The Canon Of the Old Testament. 1892.