Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1893-11-24

In his address before the Young
Mems Hebrew Association at Carnegie
Music Hall on last Tuesday night DR.
Briggs averrcd that biblical criticism
was sitting the rubbish in the Bible
and said =
In the case OF Jonah, after desper,
ate contest, the anu-cri.ics will event,
ually come over to the position Of the
critics, that Jonah is an inspired work
OF the imagination, beautiful rcli
gious story, and so escape the storm OF
historical criticism in the safe harbor OF
the higher criticism"
The Book of Jonah" has long been
accepted by the Presbyterian Church
as a historical narrative Of actual events
Naturally the new "hcreSy'' of the
doctors sweeping away this landmark
of faith has caused much discussion
among the ministers OF the Presbyterian
Church.
Rev. DR.. Robert Sample, who was
one of the prosecuting committee Of DR..
Briggs, said Wednesday =
L
Church teaches, that the Book OF
Jouah' is historically accurate in all lis
details. Most assuredly believe that
Jonah was swallowed by some great
fish and lived in it for three days and
three nights. Tradition says that he
was cast up on the coast of Assyria, be-
tween Tyre and Acre. | had the exact
traditional spot pointed cut to me
when ] was in Assyria some years ago,
''The Bible does not say that Jonah
was swallowed by whale, but by a
great fish There is a fish in the sea
to-day which has throat large enough
to swallow Jonah. Hooked the matter
up once and | think the fish capable Of
swallowing human being is Il white
shark. !"
Referring to the question of Dr.
Briggs, "What will you do if the histo-
ry Of Nineveh has no place for Jonah ?"
DR.. Sample said that it indicated that
Dr. Briggs wanted the support of pro-
fame history .ts to JUiIIh ami would not
accept anything that was not sustained
by the history ofthe times. The high
er critics, he said, were often in error as
to their facts and many of their former
pet theories had been overthrown by
historical discoveries.
Rev. Dir. John J. Stevenson, who was
also one of those VINO prosecuted DR..
Briggs, said when showa his remarks
about Jonah There is nothing new
in This. He is at liberty 10 say any
thing he plcases about Jonah. | don't
care about saying anything about DR..
Briggs opinion. IF should say any
thing about this it would be looked upon
as a personal criticism of Dr.. Briggs.
have no feeling egaiust him. He is a
good fellow. When | finished my
work on the prosecuting committee |
flushed with DR.. Briggs"
DR.. Stevenson refused to say any
thing more about Jonah than that the
"Book of Jonah was received by the
church us historical narrative. He
said that the negative testimony was
worthless i'll attacking the received
truths of the Bible.
Rev. DR.. Charles II. Parkhurst said
that he did not care TO express an opin-
ion as to whether he lie ievcd the
BOX of Jonah" was historically cor
rect or whether the story of Jonah and
the whale was an allegory. He SAID
that the Presbyterian Church accepted
it as historical narrative, but that
many in it believe as DR.. Briggs does.
Personally, he said, he did rot think it
was necessary for any practical person
to bother his head about the question
of whether the story of Jonah and the
whale was historical fact or an in
spired work Of the imagination. The
conservative clement in the church, be
said, would, of course, accuse DR..
Briggs of another heresy-N 7. Her
uJ1