St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-07-08
NEW BOOKS.

1.-THE Unknown Life OF Christ" by the
discOverer Of the manuscript. Nicolas
Nitovitch. Rand & McNally, pub
fishers. Chicago.
st. Luke says in his gospel, "And the
child grew and waXed strong i'll spirit
and was in the deserts until the day of
his shelving unto Israel" This book
purports to he record of Christ's life
in the deserts and gospel OF his teach
ings. written by Brahmin historians and
Buddhists OF India and Nepal.
The author accounts for the discovery
in this way: In one of his visits to a
Buddhist convent at Lassa he heard of
the existence Of the manuscript, and.
being detained there by an accident,
with the aid of an interpreter, who
translated them from the Thibestan
tongue, he transcribed them. This was
done in 1887 and 'sS. but by the advice
of Monsignor Platon, archbishop of
Kew, Cardinal Rotelli, Nj. Jules Simon
and NJ. Renan, the author delayed pub
fishing them until the present time.
Mr.. Nitovitch closes the book with an
epitome of the writings and the adduc-
ton of some arguments which he con-
ceived established this gospel as of
paramount Importance and credibility
to that of the New Testament.
The title of these writings is 1.-THE
Life of Saint Issa, the Best of the Sons
of Men" They open with brief his
tory of the Israelites under their leader,
Mossa. who is declared to be an Egyp-
tian and the second son Of Pharaoh.
With the consent of his father he led
the Israelites out of Egypt to found an
other kingdom, as he was debarred from
the throne Of the PharaOhs. The miracles
performed by Moses, according to the
Biblical account, were simply artful
and deceitful tricks TO work on the
fears of his father to obtain his consent.
At least the writer advances the
hypothesis as a plausible explanation.
The arguments to prove that Moses
was not an Israelite are not clear or
strong. The author says had Nose S
been slave Pharaoh would never have
admitted him as prince of his family.
The Bible never speaks Of him as an
Egyptian prince. only as the adopted
son of Pharaoh's daughter. Indeed,
when he slew the Egyptian who was
shifting the Hebrew he was compelled
to fee from the wrath of the king, who
would have killed him, which could not
possibly have happened 10 a prince of
the despotic house of Pharaoh.
Another argument the writer gives
SSor rejecting the Hebraic record is that
Moses great work as legislator. judge
and ruler presupposeS complete edu-
cation and great abilities, incompatible
in a slave. Moses, according to the
Bible, was only born slave, but Twas
learned in all the wisdom of the
Egyptians" and as the adopted son of
the kings daughter. or as favorite of
the monarch, all the advantages of
learning and science would undoubtedly
be conceded to him.
The birth of lssa was on this wise:
The Eternal Spirit detached itself
from the Eternal Being and was incar-
nateG in the newborn child of a noble
and pious, but poor family" When
grown to marriageable age-thirteen
years-he escaped into the desert to
avoid compliance with the laws of mar
rage aud to study the words of the
Buddhas, and then he taught the natives
of India and Persia. What purDorts to
be narrative Of his life and teachings
while in India and after his return to
Judea is then gwen.
These so.called teachings of Christ
differ in style of expression and thought
from those recorded by the four Evan
gelists. In their ethical aspect they re-
semble the writings Of Cakya Mount,
the founder of Buddhism, and in their
philosophical, the "Meditations of
Marcus Aurelius." but very little the
teachings of the Christ of the Bible.
The distinguishing mark Of difference
is the spirit which pervades them
The maXims of Cakya or of Epictitus
are words of human philosophy or
morality, while to the Christian every
word Of Chlist has sweet tenderness,
the inspiration of all infinite love
which separates them forever from all
written words. The agnostic, the
Buddhist. or the infidel may object,
may doubt or deny. but to one ''Who
has breathed the air and learned the
words of Christ" there is no room for
argument; there is the eternal calm of
! an invulnerable faith as Paul said: 1.-The
Spirit beareth witness with our Spirit"
The principal argument the author
has adduced for accepting this gospel
| instead Of the Apostles is that it ante
| dated the latter by many years. If the
| disciples had depended wholly upon
their unaided memories. or upon hear
say, in recording the words of their
Master, this argument would have more
weight. Christ told them just before
his death that 1.-THE Comforter, which is
the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will
send in My name, He will teach you all
things, and bring all things to your re-
membrance whatsoever have said unto
you" ST. Luke declared that the
things which he wrote were even as
they were delivered unto them who
were from the beginning eye wit
neSses."
There is nothing In these writings
themselves, nor in their age or long ST.
clusion from the knowledge OF the
world, to Justify their acceptance as the
teachings or life of Christ.
~ Burne Jones Head" BY Clara