New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-05-09
is THE BIBLE INERRANT ?
DIR. PARKliURST ON INSPIRATION.
IF MOSES, ST. JOHN AND ST. rAUL WE'RE NOT
SIMPLY AM\NUENsES, lie SAYS. IN

FALLIBILlTY IN DETAIL. Is u
PURE ASSUMPTION.
The Rev. DR.. Charles II. Parkhurst preached last
evening in his church, the Madison Square Presby-
terrain, on subject which led him, in closing to
touch on the doctrine Of the veibal inspiration oil the
Scriptures. DR.. Parkhursts position on the tnDics in.
Guiding the one Just mentioned, that have become
prominent of late in theological controversy is by
means unknown. His carefully chosen words of last
evening however derive interest from their terse
emphasis and from the fact that theological discussion
IN the Presbyterian church Is certain TO be renewed
by the approaching meeting If the General Assembly at
Portland ore, where the great questions Of the
revision of the Westminster Confession of Faith. and
the relations OF DR.. Charles \. Briggs to the Union
Theological Seminary to for adjudication.
Dr. farkhursts text hast evening from the 31st
chapter VI Exodus, In the hearts OF all that wise
hearted, have put wisdom, that they NAV make all
that have commanded thee These words were
portion Of those spoken unto Moses concerning Aholab
and other workmen. Who had dc with the construc
tion and furnishing Of the tabernacle of the cOngrcga-
ton. This inspiration in the mechanical work done
upon the tabernacle taken the theme of the
These are extracts from Or. FaTkhnrs.'s words:
Now the matter that comes before in this Incl
dent is cOmmandngy interesting, because it touches
i'm 50 easy and co,e n way that whole great question
that know under the general term Of inspiration.
Unfortunately. We have fallen into the habit OF limit
ma S at of 20 COMPOSING mp srptapr hut venture
TO say that the matter OF inspiration is not treated
hundred things beside are recognized Is standing all
Of them upon essentially one and the same ground
all those varieties of Divine working wherein the
human Intelligence serves as the organ OF the Divine
inworkng and the result the offspring OF twin,
Parcntage-how much of 1t due to one parent and
how much to The other. God Almighty only knows;
Inspiration then. let us conceive, covers oil
Divine light works in Us az interior irradia,ion
certain divine cnkindling of native human ntclll
scnce. Inspiration may inspire a man to speak II
ton is needed for that sometimes than is needed in
order TO open it. 1t may inspire a man 10 preach or
or 70 build tabernacle. or TO do any one OF hun
dred Other tnlnss tat you and might PERHAPS a. ~
do infinitely better with that help For ST. Paul then
10 write inspired Scriptures We conceive to be IN Us
God WORKS within to will and to do Of His good
is rccognizedly Scgiptura carries with II the implca
ton that the I , to which Mni s mn"lss Wiling
issues neither of them felt by us as anything other
than cur own pure pfs9n S%'f a We encounter it. in
his Incident and everywhere else probably, thai in
I not 6nnd aS t a tn m aHS 5 the n
spratiOn, rather than that he inspiration administers
There Just snse other Point that we wil e tEnSh
Tf HoR Prf np a Handled man as tool then what
ever work he did under the influence OF ihsplrauon
handled man as pen then whatever word he wrote
under the influence Of inspiration would be true word
% Wsen works at eoStTnc,on of Tabenacle furniture
or az the composition Of sacred literature. But man
Is not tool and when the wisdom Of God mixed
itself with the workmanship Of Ahollab. while OF
Grant" would therefore operate to reenforce the
infrmtles Of Aholabs skill. and To act counter
weight any faults that there might be in The methods
q his workmanship that Of divine wisdom would
not necessarily correct the possible tendencies already
in Aholab To do some things in way that was not the
best way. and 10 produce some effects inconsistent
with a6r'G gen :.r yGn PSr h Gna Ts Of Perfectly aT
has been poured in will be pure. But II you pour
quart Of perfectly pure water into dish
that has already in It even so little half
the pure with it will not make II pur.. II
Aholab had been an empty dish; then divine inspi'
ton Of his work. But if he a workman and
tool. then to claim that inspiration was Ger
tain 10 secure him against any mistaken blows in his
stone cutting or any false strokes IN his fmberhew-
Ing. is the bodest kind OF assumption.
SO in the production OF sacred literature, II Moses
st. John and ST. Paul were simply ananuenseS OF The
Holy Ghost, simply writing In servile way what Coo
dictated-an inspired being only elaborate Kind
Of typewriting instrument that lies still while God
presses the keys-then there Is chance for Bible
that nfably and nfnitesimay irnc 70 the crossing
OF the Is and the dotting Of the rs. But yon
admit the Introduction Of a personal human element IN
the production Of the Scriptures and the doctrine Of the
absolute nfalbility OF the scriptures In matters OF
detail becomes q pure assumption There Is no stop
ping point between verbal inspiration and positive
errancy.
want 10 say. in closing sentence that have such
supreme confidence in The substantial dIlnenesS OF
this Book that not afraid 20 handle IT frankly
and that in opinion the silrest ana quickest way
liz shake the wOild's confidence I'm the llbl, the
Of God is for te Church TO spend liz time but
itself into squad of policemen TO project the Bbc in
stead Of into host Of apostles c forth and S,hdpe
the world TO the power and redemptch OF me Chrs'
Of the Bible.