Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-05-22

The quotation from DR.. Briggs address cited
In support Of this charge is as follows:
II shall venture to affirm that, SO far as can
see, there are errors in the Scriptures that no
one has been able to explain away; and the
theory that they were not in the original text
is sheer assumption, upon which no mind can
rest with certainty. II such errors DESTROY the
authority of the Bible, it is already destroyed
for historians. Men cannot shut their eyes to
truth and fact. But on what authority do
these theologians drive men from the Bible by
this theory of inerrancy? The Bible itself
nowhere makes this claim. The creeds of the
church nowhere sanction it. 1t is a ghost OF
modern evangelicalism to brighten children.
The Bible has maintained its authority with
the best scholars of our time, who with open
minds have been willing to recognize any
error that might be pointed out by histori-
cal criticism; for these errors all in the
circumstantlals, and not in the essentials; they
are in the human setting. not in the precious
jewel itself; they are found in that section Of
the Bible that theologians commonly account
for from the providential superindence of the
mind of the author, distinguished from
divine revelation itself. 1t may be that this
providential superintendent gives infallible
guidance in every particular; and it may be
that it differs but little, if at all, from the
providential superintendent of the fathers
and schOOlmen and theologians Of the Christian
Church. 1t is not important for our purpose
that we should decide this question. II we
should abandon the whole field Of providential
superintendent 30 far inspiration and
divine authority are concerned and limit
divine inspiration and authority to the essen
tial contents Of the Bible, to its religion faith
and morals, we would still have ample room to
seek divine authority where alone 1t is essen
tial, or even important in the teaching that
guides our devotions, our thinking and our
conduct"
CHARGE ~.
Teaching that many of the Old Testament
predictions have been reversed by history and
that the great body Of Messanic prediction
has not been and cannot be fulfilled. which is
contrary to the essential doctrine OF Holy
Scripture and Of the standards Of tho said
church. that God is true, omniscient and un-
changeable."
The following words of Prof Briggs are
quoted as specification in support OF this
charge:
Minute Prediction barr Ter to the
Bible has been the Interpretation put upon
protective prophecy, making it sort Of his
tory before the time, and looking anxiousy for
the fulhllment of the details Of biblical pre-
dictioh. Kuenen has shown that il we insist
upon the fulfllment of the details Of the pre-
dictive prophecy Of the Old Testament, many
of these predictions have been reversed by
history; and the great body Of the Messanic
prediction has not only never been fulfilled,
but cannot now be fulfilled, for the reason that
its own time has passed forever"
CHARGE v.
Teaching that Moses is not the author Of
the Pentateuch, which Is contrary to direct
statements of Holy Scripture and to the essen
tial doctrines Of the standards of the said
church that the Holy Scripture evidences itself
to be the word of God by the consent Of all the
parts. and that the infallible rule Of interpre-
tation Of Scripture is the Scripture ITSELF
The following brief sentence from tho inau-
gural address is given as the single specifca-
ton under this charge:
1T may be regarded as the certain result Of
the science Of the higher criticism that Moses
did no: write the Pentateuch."
CHARGE vi.
Teaching that Isaiah is not the author Of
half the book that bears his name. which is
contrary to direct statements of Holy Scripture
and to the essential doctrines Of the standards
Of the said church that the Holy Scripture
evidences itself to be the Word Of God by the
consent of all the parts. and that the infallble
rule OF Interpretation Of Scripture is the Scrip
ture itself"
Only a brief sentence from the inaugural il
lows:
Isaiah did not write half Of the book that
bears his name"
CHARGE VII
Teaching that the processes Of redemption
extend to the world to come in the case OF
many who ole in sin; which is contrary to the
essential doctrine Of Holy Scripture and the
standards OF the said church; that the proce sses
of redemption are limited to this world"
To sustain this charge the following selec-
tons from the address are given:
The processes Of redemption ever keep the
race in mind The Bible tells us of a race
origin, q race sin, a race ideal, . race Re-
deemer and q race redemption"
Another fault Of Protestant theology is in its
limitation OF the process Of redemption to this
world. and Its neglect of those vast periods OF
trvxna uhpnh hax- e.. Al.
middle state between death aud the resurrec-
tion."
"The Bible does not teach universal saliva
ton, but it does teach the salvation OF the
world, Of the race Of man, and that cannot be
accomplished by the selection Of q limited
number Of individuals from the mass. The
holy arm that wOrketh salvation does not con-
tract Its hand in grasping only few; it
stretches its loving fingers SO as to comprehend
as many as possible definite number, but
multitudes that no one can number. The sal
walton Of the world can only mean the world
as u whole, compared with which the unre-
deemed will be SO few and Insignificant. and
evidently beyond the reach of redemption by
their own act Of rejecting it and hardening
themselves against it, and by descending into
such depths of demoniacsl depravity in the
middle state that they will vanish from the
sight Of the redeemed as altogether and ire
dsemably evil, and never more disturb the har-
monies OF the saints"
Appendix, I'd ed
Page 104. This raises the question whether
any man is irretrievably lost ere he commits
this objectionable sin, ana whether those who
do not commit it in this world ere they die
are, by the mere crisis of death. brought into
an objectionable state; and whether, when
Jesus said that this sin against the Holy Spirit
was objectionable here. aud also hereafter, He
did not imply that all other sins might be par
doned hereafter well as here"
To show that these declarations are contrary
to the standards the specifications quote from
the confession of faith that ''the souls of the
wicked are cast into hell where they remain in
torrents and utter darkness, reserved to the
judgment Of the great day."
CHARGE VIII
Teaching that sanctiication is not complete
at death, which is contrary to the essential doc
trine OF the Holy Scripture and of the stand
ards of the said church that the souls of be-
levers are at their death at once made perfect
in holiness"
another fault Of Protestant theology is in
its limitation of the process Of redemption to
this world and its neglect of those vast periods
of time which have elapsed for most men in
the middle state between death and the resur-
rection. The Roman Catholic Church is frmer
here, though it smears the biblical doctrine
with not few hurtful errors. The reaction
against this limitation. as seen in the theory of
second probation, is not surprising. do not
find this doctrine in the Bible, but do find in