The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-11-11
STUDY OF THE BIBLE.

A college Professor" writing to the
New York Independent, is much
shocked at the ignorance of the Bible
which he finds to prevail among the
young men who come under his obser-
walton. He gives an account of a test
made of the freshman class of this year
in his college (Which is nameless). the
result of which certainly sustains his
charge of ignorance. The class consist
ed of t~hirty-four men of the average age
Of twenty. sons of lawyers. preachers,
teachers, merchants. and with all the
mental ability n previous advantages
as to education possessed by the ordi-
nary youth of this country. Twenty
two quotations from Tennyson contain
ing illusions to biblical matters were
put to. them for explanation, and out of
a possible total of 74S correct nswers
only 1913 were given. T~hirty-two stu
dents had never heard of the turning
back of the shadow of the dial as a sign
for Hezekfah. Sixteen knew nothing
about the wrestling of Jacob and the
angel. T~wenty-six had not heard OF
Joshua's moon. Nineteen were not ac-
quainted with the hairy condition of
Esau's hand. Eleven did not know h
Cain had a peculiar mark. Twelve did
not understand an allusion to the SER
pent of Eden. Eleven could answer
nothing in regard to Jacobs ladder.
Twenty-three had not heard Of Joseph
of Arimathea. And so it went. The
questions, it will be noted. were not of
a sort requiring any close knowledge of
|. the Scriptures among those expected to
answer them. but were such as might
properly be asked of a class of ten-year
old Sunday school children. 1t may be
urged in behalf of the young men that
the information involved is not impor-
tant, and hat their ignorance is not
necessarily a matter to be ashamed of.
In one sense this is true. 1t is. of
course, not a matter involving morals or
behavior. No young man need be the
worse for a lack of acquaintance with
Esau's physical characteristics or
for want of familiarity with the
tradition of the serpent. Joshua's
moon and Hezekiah's sun dial
are myths which have no prac-
teal bearing on a nineteenth century
college students daily life. 1t may also
be said that the test was not a fair one.
The same class of young men might,
and doubtless would. have proved to be
fairly we'll informed OIL the essential ele-
ments of scriptural knowledge. They
could probably have given an intelligent
outline of the basis of Christian faith
and have shown a theoretical, if not an
axnarirppnfo1 Hnnuy!oHua nf fI1 -1oo 80
salvation. 1t is not at all improbable
that many older men of devout life,
very saints of the church., might STUN
BILE over a catechism calling for details
of biblical history and their piety not
be ~impeached. Nevertheless, for more
reasons than one. ignorance of the Bible
in this age OF the world is not a thing to
be excused or extenuated. From a
strictly religious standpoint IT is cen
tainly proper that the believers in the
doctrines of Christianity should know.
from cover to cover. the book on which
their faith is founded. For purely in
tellectual reasons. and without regard
10 ethics. it is desirable that the people
who belong 70 what are known as the
Christian nations shoul have a thor
ough acquaintance with the teachings
of the prophets and of the great Founder
of the religion which distinguishes such
nations. Furthermore. it is a great
book OF literature; ii is a fountain head
of poetry and philosophy, an ~unequaled
classic. and for that reason. If no other,
should be studied carefully. and read
and re-read world without n d The
college professor alluded to gives a num-
Der OF reasons why this is not done,
among them the fact that under the
modern pressure OF reading matter the
Bible ha ceased to be the one book OF
the household. the doing away with re-
ligious teaching in the home Inc the in
adequate teaching in Sunday schools
All of these are explanatory, bur there
Is a further reason. namely. that in the