The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1895-02-02
MINNEAPOLIS, MINI. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2 1895

the prayers or. Ills children, alters tne
currents of these phenomena. Thus far
theology and science 60 hand in hand"
OF course, Mr.: Tyndall asserts that We
fail in the verifcat1on of miracles, but he
confesses that there is no unreasonable
ness in supposing them, and this is what
we contend for at the present moment.
Miracles, we say, are antecedently prob
able, rs is direct revelation from God,
which, if it happens, demands the attes'
tation of miracles.
It is objected that the authors of many
books of the Bible or of parts of certain
books are unknown; that no certain date
can be assigned for the composition of
many of the books, and that there was
not always through history uniformity
of judgment as to what books were or
we're not inspired. And what if all this
be true? We take the books of the Bible
as Christ His Church gave them to us'
and on the authority Of Christ and His
Church we accept the books Of the Bible
as an inspired record of divine revela-
tion. Questions of authorship and dates
we deal with on grounds Of historical
criticism upon which We fear not to en-
ter with the seekers of historic truth, be
they believers or unbelievers. Know us
for what we are and what we contend
for, and the shafts of war will not miss
so widely the mark.
You deny that the Bible is divine be-
cause you say it is book which never
could have come from God, as we must
conceive of Him, If we admit at all His
existence.
ARGUMENTS OF UNBELIEF.
Misstatements and misconceptions are
the arguments Of Bible haters. Mis-
statements! The word does honor over
much to assertions of this kind: "The
Bible is the enemy of art, the Bible up
holds lying, larceny, robbery, murder,
the selling of diseased meat to strangers,
the Sacrifice of human beings to Jehovah.
1t teaches the duty of human sacrifice,
the sacrifice of babes" Aud these mis-
statements are made publicly in enlight-
ened America and Americans, are found
who applaud them. They are perverse
readings of texts so obvious in meaning
that misconoeption of them is criminal.
Does the Bible, ask, condemn art be-.
cause it forbids the making of craven
images for the purpose of idol worship,
as the words of Exodus plainly mean?
Are infants sacrificed to Jehovah because
the law bids the dedication of them in
the temple and the redemption Of them
by the offering of lambs or doves? Is
the selling Of an animal dying of itself,
as it might happen in divers manners
without the presence of dangerous and
contagious disease, the selling Of dis
eased meats? The Bible, the book of
ages and of Christian civilization, de-
serves at least to be treated in truthful
ness. The Bible unfolds mysteries of
heaven, not of earth.
The Bible is a book OF religion and
moral righteousness; it is not book of
human industry, of science, of finance, of
civil government. Is: it not the absurd
ity of absurdities to blame it for not
teaching how to cultivate the earth, to
build houses, to weave cloth, to construct
bridges and ships, to paint pictures and
chisel statues? The Bible is not text
book on material progress. OF course,
for materiallst and an agnostic there is
nothing higher or better, and the book
which lifts up towards God and the plane
of heavenly life is to no purpose. But
all humanity is not of earth earthly, and
there is room among men for book
whispering to us lessons of God and His
Kingdom. 1t is an unworthy conception
of God to imagine that revelation from
Him will bear on mere material matters,
for which nature already furnishes US
sufficient equipment.
GODS REVELATION EVOLUTIONARY.
The Bible, I have said. is book of re-
ligion and righteous conduct, teaching
spiritual truth, imposing precepts, lift
ing men above passion and sin. The
light, however, coming from it's success
sive revelations was progressive in It's
eff1lgence. Gods revelation was at first
as days early dawn, suiting the weak.
ness of intellect and will, gradually be-
coming brighter as recipient generations
were prepared for warmer and more lu-
minous rays, until MONDAY brilliancy was
Gods work in the spiritual,
as in the natural life of humanity, wac
His revealed law was in
with mems social condition,
which it was continuously lifting up,
without, however, urging it to sudden
and irregular leaps. The Mosaic code
permitted slavery and polygamy. Many
Of it's enaotments, its criminal procedure.
it's policy towards neighboring peoples