The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-10-01
THE GLORIOUS CLUB.
Rev. e. s. stackpole's Paper on the Higher
Criticisms.

The Glorious olub..of Portland and Vi
oinity, met yesterday at the Sherwood. at
half past ten O'Clock. There were pres-
emit, Revs. Dr.. Dalton, DR.. Blanchard,
DR.. Jenkins. Dr.. BurraRe, Luce, Purdy,
Samson, Grossly, Phelan. Weaver, Bel
lows, Lindsay, Lsitoh. Wilson, G. C..
Wilson, Hack, Hooper, Mr.. E. @. Cum
mings, Perkins and the essayist Of the
day, Rev. E. 8. Stackpole, D. D.. of the
Methodist church, Auburn.
After the reading Of the records of the
previous meeting and minor business, a
paper was read by Rev. e. S. Staokpole
OF Auburn, upon the subject, "The Re-
suit Of Higher Criticism as Affecting the
Doctrine of the Origin and Inspiration of
the Bible.''
The essayist prefaoed his remarks by a
few words as to the term Higher Criti-
cism. defining it merely as the intelligent
study Of the Bible. He suggested that In
Bible study, 1t wasssbetter not to form
opinions and then study, but to study
first and form opinions later. Recognize
ing that the New Testatment is far more
valuable than the Old Testament, it ia
best to begin study there. That Jesus
appeared there 10 no doubt. For twenty
years after his death there were no writ
ten records, but only oral traditions.
often with faulty logic.
As the words Of Jesus became fewer,
by the death of those who heard him,
then written words became necessary.
It il tho opinion of most scholars today,
following the theory Of Prof. Weiss of
Berlin, that the first gospel was that of
Mark. There is no claim on the part of
of the writer's to anything like infallibil-
ity or inspiration. They simply tried the
best they could to tell the truth about
Jesus. So Ii was with the Book of the
Acts. and the letters of Paul There
are many conflicting accounts. many
differences in detail. There was not the
least idea that these writings would be
called "Oracles of God.' They are full
of the conceptions of the time. There is
for instance the error In regard to the
second coming of Christ. 1t Is very evil
dent that Paul changed his opininon of
the event, after he began to write his
epistles. The Apocalypse is evidently
a compilation. The closing prophesies
are doubtless poetic. It il simply folly
to expect any literal fulfillment OF such
prophecies. and it Is the misapprehension
of true prophesy.
The New Testament is preserved In
manuscripts, no one of which is older
than the third or perhaps the fourth GEN.
fury. ThGre are multitude of errors In
transoribing. There are many interpola-
tions. Men were not then troubled with
the strioter rules of accuracy, such az are
recognized today. We have the writings
substantially, but not precisely as they
were written.
II is the same with the Old Testament.
Authorship in most instances is un-
known. The historical parts was COM
piled an other history from existing tradi-
lions and writings. Many are now lost
Some one has counted twenty-seven
books that are referred to, bat which no
| that the Book Of Esther ID of such value
as the prophecy of Isaiah. There are
parallels, allegories, myths, legends, all
forms-.of writing to preserve thu. truth the
authors had to teach. The Book of
Psalms is not by David 1t is divided
into five separate books, and is put to-
gether very much like the Gospel Hymns,
Nos. l, 2. 8, 4, 5. DR.. Briggs was quoted
as one who had formerly accepted seven
ty Psalms as Of Davidio origin, but had
been led to reject all but four. three of
which contained interpolated matter.
The prophecies of Isaiah are not ar
ranged in chronological order. Much ia
the result of compilation. The evidence
is overwhelming that the latter part of
the prophecy, beginning with the fortieth
chapter Ia from another author. The
Book of Daniel is placed by nearly every
scholar at the present time at about the
year 1855 B. Q.
There is proof that large portions are of
latter time than Moses. 1t may be that
he began the codif1cation of the mosaic
legislation. 1t may be that he put to-
Rether the ten commandments. But at
Il
any rate, these commandments contain
laws common to humanity and are as old
as human society.
The ultimate standard is the opinion of
wise and good men. Sanctified reason is
best. Before the reformation, few -peo-
pie spoke of inerranoy. The principle of
Protestantism is the right of private op-
inion. 1t must be allowed. There Ia no
help for it. The doctrine Of verbal In
spiration is the outcome of the idea of
absolute infnllibility. 1t is burden
some, useless unfounded assumption,
and the sooner we get rid Of it the bet
ter. It has been compelled to contradict
every step OF science and of progress.
| 1.-The scripture is not infallible as
history. No one can believe the numer-
ical statements concerning the Exodus
from Egypt, nor the accounts of many of
| the battles recorded in the Old Testa-
ment.
/ A