The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-24
The Literary Criticism of the Bible

The Literary Criticism of the Bible.
The Rev Isaac Gibson. pastor of St.
John Episcopal church, Norristown, Pa,
has prepared a little volume of one hun
bred pages on Reasons for the Higher
Criticism of the Hexateuch.' The work is
just what an intelligent student, without
time for special investigation. needs to
form a clear idea of this current contro-
versy.
The Higher Criticism" has been much
misunderstood, and frequently misrepre-
sented. 1t is simply the application of lit
erary principles to the study of the Bible,
and the adoption of the results derived
from such study. For centuriesAhe text
ual criticisms of the scriptures has been
allowed and the present movement is only
using the same liberty with the larger con-
stituent elements of the Book. If it is
proper to apply grammatical methods to,
the words and sentences of inspiration,
why should it be offensive to use the tests
of history on paragraphs, sections and
books?
Those who fear the dislodgement of this
great work as a result of these investiga-
tons are unduly sensitive. The outcome
will, without doubt, be the elevation of
the Scriptures to a higher plane of human
| appreciation.
While there are two great schools of
Bible students-one holding the traditional
theories, the other urging CRITICAL meth
ods-the conservative exegetes are adopt
ing critical modes and results more and
more 1t would be hard to find Biblical
scholar of generally recognized ability,
whose writings are not, to greater or
| less degree, permeated with this spirit.
| Such men as Prof. A. Harper of the Ex-
positor's Commentary, DR.. Sunday of Ok
ford University, and Bruce. author of
1.-The Training of the Apostles" are types
of this quiet class; men recommended by
the most orthodox, but who do not blind
themselves to the progress of exegetical
! science.
Mr.. Gibson, in his work, exhibits the
theory of the fourfold origin of the first
| six books of the Bible. In parallel col
| umns he illustrates the fact that there
runs through these books evidences of
compilation. The materials out of which
the books are made are very ancient, but,
| to meet different providential needs, they
! have been worked over from different
standpoints and illuminated by inspired
men using them for moral and spiritual
| ends. Thus we have the Yahvistic pre-
pared for the Kingdom of Judah to coun-
| teract idolatrous tendencies arising soon
after the division of the Kingdom of Da-
| xil ho al n II
service for the Northern Kingdom The
Deutoronomist was the product of move
ment to bring the Jews back to the true
God after the fearful decline of the reigns
| of Manassah and Anon. 1t was first
| publicly read, under the authority of Jo-
siah. II worked over all the early his
tory and services of the Israelitish people
under the af1atus of this great revival.
! The fourth document is the Priests Code
claimed to have been prepared by Ezra
about 444 B. c.. and viewing all the his
tory, ordinances and doctrines under sa-
cerdotal aspects. Later all four of these
documents were compiled into the Hexa-
touch substantially as we now have 1t.
There has been great controversy as to
this movement, and its leaders have been
denounced with severity In this way
the public has largely been misled into
thinking them enemies of the Bible. Such
is not the case. Most of the leaders Of
the Higher Criticism are reverent students
and firm believers in revelation. The con-
troversy is really over theories as to the
method employed in revelation, not as to
the fact of revelation. We have no divine
statement as to the method God took to
preserve to man his revealed will. Though
the traditional view is most ancient, there
is no divine Authorization of it. 1t is the
product of human reason Now, if the
critical method can put up a better show
ing for its view, there can be no disloyalty
to Christ or Jehovah in accepting it.