New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-04-01
THE POPE'S VIEJTS on THE BIBLE

THE POPE'S VIEWS ON 1HE BlbLH'
The article in the current issue OF "The Con-
temporary Review" criticising the ropes IT,
cent Encyclical on the Bible, an extract from
which appears elsewhere, VIII attract geherai
attention Its author-who is Catholic though
he writes anonymously already come before
the public as the writer of series or Drillah'
articles in "The Review on the policy or the
Pope in which the Pontiif was called upon 10
define the attitude Of the Church toward 'he
mistaken conclusions Of historical ana phiio-
logical research in so far as they anect
the traditional dogmas and teachings Oh
the Church The present article Is even
more noteworthy and radical; Tor, Whie
IT Is couched in terms OF profound TO-
spoct for the venerable head of the Church IL
is. from beginning to end, vigorous denial Oh
the Popes assertion that the Bible Is wholly
free from all admxturc of error, ana that IL
Is possible to study its text scientifically WIFI
ont touching the questions raised by the Higher
Criticism.
In travcrsing the first proposition OF the En-
cvclical the writer adduces the examples or APP
parent erroneous statements In the BLDG that
are familiar to all students of the more recent
Biblical criticism. In the Pcntateucn, lor III
stance. II is declared that Moses. inspired by
God. enacted numerous laws concerning burnt
offerings and sacrifices, while the prophet Jere-
miah. also inspired by God. declares tnat "ou
never enacted any such laws Again, III the
Rock of Samuel It Is said that God inspired
David to number the people, while IN enron
iclcs il is said that Satan thus inspired him.
In the Book OF Daniel it is said that BclshaZ-
EAR was the last King of Babylon, ana that ne
WAS the son of Nebuchadnezzar. whereas the
cuncform inscriptions declare that Naobould,
no relation TO Nebucha lncZzar. was the last
King of Babylon. only one other instance can
hero be mentioned In the Lcvitlcal law the
flesh of the hare is declared to be unclcan, be-
cause among other things, it chews the cud,
though as a matter of fact this is not so.
As 10 the assertion Of the Pope that the text
of the Bible may be investigated without rails
ing any such questions as these, the writer
shows that il is out of the question. If any
study of the Bible at all Is to be permitted, 1t
must be untrammeed. The questions involved
i'm the later critical studies Of the Bible are
questions of fact; and not even the supreme
Pontiff of the Roman Church will he able to
keep the world from passing on these questions.
The writer unrcservcdly admits that there are
numerous errors and discrepancies in the Bible.
But he is not disturbed by them, for. as Il
Catholic he believes that the last appeal IS. not
10 the Bible. but to the infallible teaching
Church. For this reason alone he regards ii
rs almost incredible folly for the head of the
Church To claim incrrancy for Il book which
the vast majority of Catholics never read 1t
Is harl enough now. he says, TO explain the in
scrltablc ways of God with man. without at
tributing TO Him the authorship Of Il book which
contains numerous mistakes and untrue state
mentS of facts.
Some Protcstants will perhaps wonder how
good Catholic cannot merely criticlsc, but al
most hold up to contempt an official utterance
of n man whom the Church declares TO be in
fallible But this is easily explained The Pope
is only believed To be infallible when he speaks
cx-cathedr1i on questions of faith or morals
On all other occasions he is liable TO fall into
error: and any good Catholic may say So, with
out fear Of discipline. Nevertheless the plain
speakng Of this writer will he unpalatable TO
average Catholics. not so much because 1t says
there are mistakes in the Bible rs because 1t
criticiscs the Encyclical 1t will also worry
many conservative Professionals because they
have been taught to regard the Pope as the
| Man OF Sin and Antichrst; and yet on this
| question they will be compelled to say that he
| is true champion of the Protestant dogma
| that the Bible Is infallbe and inerraht.