New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-05-18
DR. CRAIG SPEAKS OUT BOLDLY AGAIN.
THE SERMON OF TIE RETIRING MODERATOR
RE-ECHOES TIE DELGVERANCEs OF
TIE LAST TWO ASSEMBLIES.

REECHOES THE DNiINEEANCES OF
THE LAST TWO ASSEMBLIES
Saratoga May Il (SpeclaD.-The annual sermon
at the opening of the General Assembly is supposed
10 sound the keynote Of the meeting If that b.
true this year the meeting IS to be conservative.
intensely conservative. No speech at Detroit.
Portland Washington deeply dyed
than the OF this morning. For seventy
minutes DR.. Craig held the rapt attention Of the
great church. full OF commissioners. eX-cOmms-
sioners and friends No one who differed from him
could take exceptions to his manly stand for the
truth he understands the opinions Of learned
high in the courts Of the Presbyterian Church.
Sundry deliverances Of the General Assembly. the
Confession of Faith. the Bible itself, all
quoted in support OF his position that the Bible
as we have 1t. when freed from the errors OF copy
lists and printers. is the very word Of God. The
Bible is not 10 be handled as other books are
studied. Its nature. It's origin. It's authors demand
a reverent handling than that given other
books.
ORIGIN OF THE BIBLE.
As TO its origin. Or. Craig said:
We clear our doctrine from the incubus OF me-
Of the infalble truth written in Scripture, we
perceive concurrence OF the divine and the human
manifested his indviduai character simply and
my and yet Goa SO Guided win n pen6ny %%e
Gods truth in Gods words. The Scriptures cannot
be broken. they cannot err because they are Gods
words uttered by chosen human agents diVnely
guided infallihty Of uterance. whether by
miued distinction between revelation and nspira-
ton. w may sey that in this confessional doctrine
clarod the whole counsel Of God on this point The
10 engage his attention in connection with the au-
thorship OF the various books OF scripture thrlr
date their structure their sources. II" may proht-
ably consider TIM settings OF the books the people
whom they were first addressed. the exact pNT.
port Of a given piece, the cumulative character or
the doctrine contained In the several books. He
may serve his generation well by scholarly 'Hori,8
TO draw nearer - the true text ana most OF AL
by careful exposition OF the MIND OF me spirit ~
put to record in these sacred oraces I$ui u ne -
under the influence Of the doctrine OF HOY Sgrp,
ures expressed In valued symbol, he VIII not
doubt the absolute historic trHthtnness OF ,S
itself is the author thereof and God cannot be the
author Of untruthful history.
NOT TO BE JUDGED As OTHER BOOKS
1t may be that some earnest and candid men have
made mistake at this point. 1t is sometimes held
that the Holy Scriptures should be- examined. crit-
clsed dealt with Just az may be done with any
other book. that they should be- put to the test OF
literary canons. and required 10 pass the ordeal OF
human presuppOsitiOns to what should be the
style the amount Of knowledge the degree or cult
ure. which may be considered pertinent to writer's
OF a given age. before credence can De granted 10
their historical truthfulness. or 70 their dognatic
utterances have fear for the Scriptures. as the
final outcome OF such a mode OF treatment. But
the query may be raised. should Christians hold TOO
tenacOusly 10 such mode OF treatment! IS II hVI
rather better form 10 say that We should handle
this book OF books DO no other? shall We
enter upon the examination OF this book under me
under the influence OF human testimony obtained AZ
When the splendor Of the Supernatural Is iiashing
upon II az every page; when the heayenIhess Oh
the matter the efficacy Of the doctrine, the majesty
Of the style, the many other incompatible excci-
enees ana the enre Heeeon nrd err 90 &S bdn
Christ has most soemny taught us to trust ne
have added their witness to IT as true, quoting from
almost every book OF the Old Testament, and using
again ana aean af very bs anfs e bos spaE
that word which Esaias or David had used.
NO OTHER BOOK LIKE IT.
IT may not be beyond the truth to say that when
we come 10 such a book the Bible. with all these
characteristics with the undoubted claim that It
makes that II IS SprIt-breahed to thoughts ana
words not In one or more parts. but In all parts;
with the sanction OF Christ and His holy Apostles
upon this claim; with the account Of mighty signs
and wonders wrought in attestaton Of the divine
mission OF those whom God used His prophets
mouthpieces: with instance after instance OF
predictions fulfilled: with the proof from accurate
observation. that human history Is but the outcome
tested In His wondrous book with the additional
fact that this diviney Efficient truth IL turning the
hook [ as his we should form r,le iis, The Te
OF that which has guided the Inquiries OF
some thinkers, and conclude to handle 1t
book like IT, and the difference is just this ihs:
every other book Is human, and this book Is divine.
with this human element. that 1t was given to the
world from God. by OF dlvlnely inspired men.
1t is fair to that debate cannot be Joined upon
the historical question Of the judgment OF
body the doctrine Of Holy Scriptures
nat docrns is a & b IL the @ Of
taons have been uniform UNMARRIED They stand
by the originals. They guard the Bible as we ave
t. Gods word written all OF which, being imme1i
ately inspired is traced to God who Is truth itseD
the author thereof declaring the authority OF Holy
Scripture and urging the duty OF believing and
obeying II. because II Is the word Of God. No issue
be inteiligentiy Joined at this point within
Church. Human dtterance cannot be made more
precise and accurate than we have made testi-
nony. at every period OF Church life TO the
iessness nfa:libity; inerrancy OF Holy Scripture.
and Church has been more diigent and patient
in the effort to rid present copies OF mistakes made
I'm transmission. reaching out 10 the pure text.
which doubtless Hes at our hands In the various
manuscripts open 20 our inspection. Let us be
candid with ourselves. with our sister Churches,
and with the word awaiting testimony. No
confusion reign among us 10 what the
Church has taught this all-mportant subject OF
Holy Scripture.
Earnest and intelligent debate can be raised only
at the point OF a different question. to wit: Has
our Church been in error al these years as TO her
cearly stated and fully recognized. an I'M