New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-11

"a rather Aeurative Everywhere, he says, In
yestigation in paleontology and pioiosy was
barred by a high fence on which was no''N
board: mo Thoroughfare BY Order mosv''
Reproaches concerning his more recent "euNe
in the affair of the swine of Gadara he answers
by insisting that the historic herd was INV"
IN bis way His controversy with Mr. Giad-
stone on this topic fills considerable part Oh the
nresent volume and the preface Is devoteu u d
clear statement Of his present opiiho" do ~
tha current criticism Of the four gospeis vi
oour,a ha onlv gives one side OF the case Win
all his excellence as a scientific investigator "e
can hardly claim the merit of imparuah's. D''
accounting the data furnished by the ie"S' 'o'
servative of Biblical critics he certaihiy pun '"e
conclusions more forcibly than they nave even
been put by anybody else
With all this he still comedies, as he u''
ago the transcendent Importance Oh INC ''''
as a book of instruction. 1t Is 10 his HIM. nv,
less than to the minds OF his opponents .''"'
element In English life and literature
ever the defenders Of the Scriptures may 49,
Of his arguments they Will proodp'y &
that If his plan were carried ou'' '
would not lack readers And that IS the MAN
thing He still frankly comedies 'h"t "'e 49,
,rnnortant features of civilization in Protestant
cop
he traced to lessons learned from the Bible. ana
-. aoo, no, COO now anv more than he did forty
wears ago the prospect of time VINE" 'ne
I'D osroc,auv that mart Of It which owns the
great English version as precious He'''"e'
be able to do without 1t.
To Principal Fairbairn also the Bible Is above
all the instructor of mankind in freedom and IN
human equality. lie does not deal much III
questions of inspiration. though he does point
ont that TO DENY the possibility OF reNeia'oh 70
To DENY the existence OF God. FOR GOO cou'u
not be and not be AZ free as he ~ o'I''.p , H.
DR. Fairbanks biblical criticism does not ue e
scend to details lie aims to give men pract-
cal lesson and his argument taxes inc u" "'s
ural to his purpose. Supposihg hlnsr" ~, ~
annie to be addressing a group or uouoeIs
who raise questions 10 the conduct OF inc an
| cient Jewish people and the character OF 'hc
law which they were expected 10 oo.s. ~.
points out that most criticism Is itg own answer
! The cruelties and idolatries and ncenuous our
breaks Of the Jews are made prominent Dy Iheir
infrequency. But If the Phoenlcians were III
| question IL would be seen that their whole career
was marked by human sacrifices and by unnen-
| tionable crimes. To censure the Jews ~ 10 gay
! that they were bound To be better IMAM tner
| neighbors This is equivalent 10 praislng the
| law under which they lived. In the same way
| to emphasize the contrast between the CONDITION
! of humanity in ancient time and In the modern
| period Is TO commend Christianity. The author,
| who Is no friend To the union OF Cnurch ana
state maintains that the failures OF Christianity
| were due the infusion of heathenism whlch
| was shown in sacerdotalism and in the per-
version of the Church 10 the purposes OF poo
| litical machine. Originally Christianity was an
| organism without a priesthood. ana 10 regain
| its hold upon the world al the present day IL
! must return TO something like its primitive SIM
| plicty Its membership should be pervaded by
| the feeling Of equality With the growth 81
| democracy I'm the State. this reversiOn to the
| primitive conditions in religious lie becomes
| daily more necessary. State Church he
| holds to be. In the nature OF things. strictly
| limited organism. the adherents Of which must
in the outcome be found only among the ars-
! tocracy II can retain its hold on the people
only so long the aris,ocracy WELD political
| power The ideals OF Christianity are such ~
| can he realized only when all artificial dlstinc-
tons between man and man have been destroyed
If the churches DO not now exert the influence
which they ought. f. Is because they have not
kept pace with the social progress oi the world As
for the future. Dr. Farbairn betrays no mis-
| Ciyings