New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-12-20
VISTIEEN ZEAL FOR THE BIBLE.

That WAS 4 pailctic story which The Tribune
nuhlishcd the other day about the man who came
to New-York to persuade the people that-in
Brother .Iaspcrs phrase-"the sun 40 move
He was no illitcrate fanatic seeker for noto-
riety and gain. He was man or modest ue
meanor. serious purpose. and unscifisl ahoiiloh'
of much natural intelligence. and not lil'le
learning of books and schools. For years h'
had believed the Coperncan system 10 pe IalSe'
He had persuaded himself that the Bible teaches
that this earth is the centre OF the universe lie
felt it his sacred duty to convince men OF mat
fact and 10 refutc the "crrors Of science FOR
years he studied and worked for that chd lie
worked rs Il mechanic for mcagrc wages yet
saved a little every day for a fund for the eNecu-
ton of his great design. At last, in Ms OH age
he accumulated enough 10 enable him 10 come 10
Ncw-York. hire Il hall and begin his public propa-
ganda And an audience of two or three was
all he could secure The labor Of lifetime came
10 na,ight in single hour.
The story IS pathetic but in its essence 10y no
means unique. This man. whom some unkindiy
call crank. was doing only what thousands
of others " HON nobody calls cranks. are DONG.
He imagined conflict between tine Bible ana
lst. or. II il does. concerns not the Bible rs it
was written but ii is illogically ana irra'Ioil-
ally interpreted. \ similar fictitious conflict j.
imagined 10y those sill numerous in Christian
pulpiis. who are preaching as essential doctrines
of faith tina. the universe WAS created out OF
noihingncsS. jus: rs it is to-day about 5000
wears ago. in six days of twenty -four hours each;
that Jonah was swallowed Ivy whale and lived
three days in its stomach; that the streets oI
Heaven are paved with pure gold. exactly such
rs we use for jewelry and coinage; and that
every statement in the Bible must be- implicitly
accepted In the most literal possible fashion
Indeed they require men 10 believe not only all
that is in the Book but n great deal that Is not
in il at alas. for example. the theory of crea-
ton quoted above. not single item Of which
is anywhere stated or ntlmated in tho Script
ures They ignore the fact that much Of The
Bible j. avowcdly written in parallels and fg
urativc language They are unwilling TO use It's
words ~ they themselves use the same words
IN everyday speech. And so they imagine con
nirt that does not exist. and spend their lives
fighting straw men Of their own dcvising.
Holmes said that a man has three distinct
personalities himself as he thinks himself. him
self as his nclghbors think him. and himself as
he really *. 80 there arr three Bibles the Bible
rs some ovcrzcalous friends cNpound IT. the Bible
as some undcrscrupulous enemies describe IT,
and the Bible as il really *. Between the last
named and true ScleUcc there Is no conflict. ON
the contrary. the greatest researches and results
~ Science merely confirm and clucidatc the
Scriptures DSingonuous or ignorant Sceptics
scoff AT the statement that light was created be
fore the sun and stars. yet no scientific fact *
more clearly established with regard 10 the
origin of worlds. The peculiar order in which
the creation Of plants animals and man is set
forth in Genesis exactly agrees with the cvolu
iionary theories OF Darwin and his disciples.
Such Instances might be- multiplied thousand
fold II il were necessary. But il is not ncces-
sary The great fact which they establish, the
harmony between true religion and true sci
cncc the unity Of all truth. has long since been
accepted by the great mass Of intelligent men.
and Is not 10 he disturbed by either zealots or
Scepics The wonder j. that there * one who
does not perceive it and accept it, and especially
one so intelligent and conscientious ~ the nm
heard lecturer of last week