Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-14
awHAT Is TRUTH?v


More than eighteen hundred years have
elapsed since Pontius PLATE asked Jesus of
Nazareth this question. to which he vouch-
safed no reply, but a few hours before in
Gethsemane he had said in prayer: Gather
sanctify theIR-through thy word thy word
is truth" John xvii, III Then let US
search this word for this priceless gem,
after which philosophers In all ages
have digged and delved, how often
in vain. Does this ''word" miscalled
1.-The Bible" properly termed scriptures, y
bear within its pages any testimony
amounting to proof of the genuineuess- of
its claim to being the ''truthl" The
writer af1irrlS that it does; but in order to
prove it the wrath of the Christianity
world will be moved. This may sound par
adoXical, but wait and see if the sequel
does not zorro borate the assertion. Not to
the philosophy, nor TO the poetry, nor to
the beautiful imagery must we look for
proof, for intidcl and atheist admit this, but
upon the fulhllment of the
prophecies must we depend in
the absence of miraculous manifestations
which could only be reckoned as secondary
evidence, for Jesus said: IF they believe
not Moses and the prophets, they would not
believe tho one arose from the dead" The
truth OF this proposition was made mani
fest 1t the raising of Lazarus, when ''some
believed and others went about 10 kill'i the
author of the miracle. To this proposition
does Peter also agree, for he said in II Pc
ter, i, Il: For he received = honor
and glory when a voice said: This
is my beloved son. in whom 1 am
well pleased - = But we have a
more sure word of prophecy to which
''Ye do well TO take heed as to a light that
shineth in dark place, etc"
The reason of this is obvious, for the dis
puter would account for miracles of healing
and the like as nlusiops, or attribute to
electricity or some such subtle cause, or
collision between the administrator and
the subject, while these prophecies of the
Old Testament, which no one denies as
having been written prior to their transla-
ton into the Greek language by seventy-two
Jewish elders at the request of one of the
Ptolemies, B. G. 2S5 or 300, point out to US
future events with greater accuracy
than any historian has displayed
writing subsequent to their occurrence.
Tertullian. the greatest Christian bishop Of
the Second century, in his defense of Chris
tianlty, before the magistrates of Rome
also confirmed the truth of this proposition
when he hinged his cause on the ancient
prophecies. Mr.. Draper in ''The Conflict
Between Science and Religion quotes
Tertullian substantially thus: (The writer
not having the work before him must trust
to memory of what was read eight years
since.) The Scriptures contain the re
world; and foretell all things that have
come to pass in the world,
and how are we to be blamed
for believing that those things remaining to
be fulfilled viii be accomplished in their
time.''
Besides the accomplishment Of the
prophecies, there are yet other reasons for
believing the scripture. The cander of the
historians is Of itself convincing evidence.
None Of the dark deeds of the heroes are
covered up, even TO telling US that Jesus Of
Nazareth descended through q direct line
tainted with inccstuous intercourse. Wit
Sar5is also the episode Of Judah and hiss
daughoer-in-lsw, TRmor, TIE result of
which Was Phare5 and Zarah;
also q David and Uriah, and
zzau5 asseEsunh thugs Hew usilRa the