The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-10-02

skeptical critic, which makes his ad
missions the more significant. For
instance, he believes that John the
Presbyter and not thesbeloved disci-
pie, wrote the fourth gospel. But he
admits, and proves, thatit was written
about the close of the first century,
while it's reputed author was still
alive, instead of in the second or
third century, as Baur taught. My
point was that it is absurd, contrary
to common sense, to suppose that
such a forgery could be consummat-
ed at such a time, and ever be ac-
cepted by the church. Much strong
er evidence will have to be presented
than has ever been yet, to shake the
faith of the "traditionslists."
The two principal arguments have
been the alleged discrepancy in the
dates of the observance of the pass
over in the synoptics in John, and
the difference in style and spirit be-
tween the gospel and the Apocalypse.
As to the first, DIR. Drummond, of
Oxford, has shown. if any thing can
be proved, that it has not the slight
est validity" The second can easily
be shown to be equally baseless.
The Book of Revelation was written
as its contents clearly show, and as
we know, as early as 68 or 69-before
the destruction of Jerusalem-while
John was comparatively young man;
but his gospel was written 30 years
or more afterwards, when he was a
very old man. The former was in
substance higher wrought poem,
as forid as Millions Paradise Lost
in fact there is no sublimer poem in
any language, ever written. If any
body cannot understand or compre-
hend it, SO much the more for him.
Of course it has been misunderstood
but there never was any excuse for it.
And the gospel is il the main plain
narrative. Now under all these cir
cumstances, ought we not to expect
the style to differ in the two works !?
Would Milton or Shakespeare write
their letters in the style of their
poems? Did they do SO? The sup
position is absurd. Do very old
men write as they did when ycung2
| am almost rs, and when | take up
an old sermon written thirty or forty
years ago, and compare it with what
I write now, it seems almost impossi-
BILE that the same hand wrote them
both. But / should smile to see any
one gravely insist that it did not! 1t
would be no more absurd, however,
than to seriously contend that John
did not write both his books because
they differ in style. And the absurd
ity is enhanced when you IT f sct
that one is poem, and the other
plain narrative or history.
But if we carefully examine the
gospel, we find the burning spirit of
the poet shining out through the lines
now and then, old as he was, and
unimaginative as was his subject. l
instance the first chapter, especially
verses 1-5, and verse IA. Also the
last verse of the book: "And there
are also many other things which
Jesus did, the which, if they should
be written every one, suppose that
even the world itself could not con-
tain the books that should be writ
ten." That is a poetical figure;
hyperbole. worthy of the poet,-we
know John was worthy of the author
of the Apocalypse. What tremend.
Gus emphasis it gives to the activity
of the Saviour's life, and the import
ance of his wordsl In the light of
such flashes of poetic genius, it seems
to me simply ludicrous to deny that
he wrote the gospel; and that with
out any valid evidence. l am as ready
as anybody to accept all the fair and
valid conclusions of legitimate criti-
cism, but it would stultify my COM
mon sense to accept this, on the evil
dence offered. If any one has any
proof, worthy of the name, let him
present it.
AS to the Apocalypse, DR.. Martin
eau's remarks simply show that he is
incapable of comprehending 10 stry
and has no idea of the true meaning
of the book, plain as it is. That is
all care to say on that point, except
that the genuineness of the Book of
Revelation is better attested than any
other book in the Bible, if there is
any difference. The Tubingens them
selves, as we'll as Prof. Harnack,
admit this. l suppose there is no
question now in the minds of any
competent critics, that Paul wrote all
his epistles, unless Hebrews is an
exception, before his death, which