The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1897-04-28

"A prophet of the olden time is called
by Jehovah to deliver Il message to n
heather people. He does not believe
in heather people. and he will not 90
to n heather city SO he tries to flee
away from Jehovah by getting out of
Jehoyah's province of Palestine. lie
comes to Tarshish gets on board
ship. thinks himself safely out of Je-
hoyah's jurisdiction, and calmly goes
10 sleep. Presently great storm
arises. The captain summons Jonah to
join with the heather sailors in pray.
or 10 their respective gods They are
sure that the gods are angry, east lots,
the lot falls ON Jonah and he con
fesses.
II am fleeing from my God" he
says; at is my fault" What shall
/ doY Throw me into the sea; that
Will appease the wrath of God. and He
Will let you go free"
"'rhe sailors are reluctant take to
the oars again, rowing with redoubled
vigor, but all in vain. AT last they put
up their cry TO Jehovah, oh, Godr
they cry, If we are doing wrong III tax
ing the life of an innocent man lay II
not to our charge and then they fling
the aequleselng prophet into the sea
The storm instantly ceases. But the
Lord has specially provided Il great
fish for this contingency is no
reason TO call him whale, except that
n whale is n great fish-provided as
means of refuge for the now penitent
prophet, who has shown his penitenee
by his willingness to suffer death for
his apostasy. The great fish swallows
Jonah, and in its belly he composes
psalm.
The unknown writer of the story of
Jonah wrote this story, by its quaint
humor, by its satire of narrow
prophet, by its splendid illustration of
the Wilderness of the mercy and grace
of God, to Illustrate what only later
Israel partially understood God
is more than judge more than king
Is the Father and Savious of the whole
human race
But DR.. Abbott defined his own posi-
ton in his answers to number of
questions that were submitted to him
as late as last February.
First-Do you believe that the Bible
was intended to be an authority on
any matters except our relations with
God? Is It an authority in astronomy,
for example?
Yes, the Bible is an authority con.
corning our relations with our fellow
men. | do not believe that II is an au-
thority on questions of science
Second-Do all Christian scholars re
gard Il belief in the verbal inspiration
of the Bible a necessity?
NO; large and influential body of
Christian scholars of orthodox standing
do not believe in what is called the YER
bal inspiration of the Bible"
Thirds there any large number
among Biblical scholars who believe us
You do about the Book of jehovah the
Book of Job and the Songs of Solo
mon9
Yes. substantially all scholars who
believe in applying to the interpreta-
ton of the Bible the canons of literary
criticism"
Fourth-Can n man be Christian
and reject any part Of the chronology
of the science of the Bible2
Il think he can; 10 be Christian is
TO be believer in Christ as the divine
Saviour of the world and to he fol
lower of Him in spirit and in conduct,
not TO entertain opinions about chrome
logy or science"
Il believe my views are in subStan-
tlal accord with those scholars to
whom have referred in question No,
3. These views will be found in two
series of articles written by number
of English and American Biblical
scholars. published in the Outlook last
year One series. entitled THE Bible
as Literature" has been republished in
book form, and the other entitled The
Bible and the Child" is also issued in
book form. To these volumes | refer
you TO fuller answer to the questions
you ask me. CYRUS THoRP.