The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-04-21
The Iniallible Word OF Truth.

Editor Of The Times:
Sir.-The Holy Bible IS Gods revealed
Will TO man. AS "all Scripture is by in
SEPARATION" infallibilty Is assured. No
ar, can jeOpardize The life Of the Book
OF books. But il is not essential to one $
complete faith In the Scriptures that he
subscribe TO the doctrine Of verbal M
SEPARATION. II seemed 10 me zeal without
knowledge. when 1 heard the declara-
ton from a pulpit on am occasion that it
there was a single mistranslatiOn in the
Bible this fact would vitiate the entire
book. For myself 1 am quite content with
King James version. but / think my bro
Their "Layman' need nave no fear OF
the bad results be apprehends from min
isters expressed preference for dli-
ferent translation than that appearing
IN the English or authorized revision OI
what / suppose may properly be termed
an Interchangeable proposition. Ior tA-
ample. IL a preacher should prefer the
rendering land seeing the multitude lie
Jesus) went up on ihe mountain, IN
stead Of up Into" tle mountain 90
not see that the statement OF fact IS az
all interfered with. And as TO accepting
verbatim IL ad literafim. II possible, and
within the pale OF intellectual conviction.
the INTERPRETATION of either the King
James version or the revised version
who is 10 be the jud-a OF the 'possiDili-
ty" and the criterion or lntelleclual
conviction"
In arraigning the "conccited' minis
tiers for their prtsumns 10 substitute
their intCrpretatiC MS fur those VINO ousnt
10 have known what they were uolhs,
etc. does not my brother unconsclously
commit the same cd under lie says,
speaking Of the into the water IN con-
nection with the baptism OF the Eunucll'
1T is 20 be presumed mat these IeFls-
ers weighed carefully The import the po-
tentiality Of the result or the enect or the
4 "A i
would have on the mind or the reader, as
10 the manner, the method or baptism
used or employed on this occasion. Anu
now mark. And If tiey interpreted llis
incident by the Hight sled upon theiI SUI
iect by ST. John. "a chapter ana -5u verse,
we imagine they were perfectly consist
ent and iustifable in giving their mean.
ing 10 the word els as mo ihste"u ~
simply In" But per contra, II they u.u
not interpret this incident by the inter-
pretatiOn OF the light shed on TINS verse
as il appears 10 "layman, Would not De
logically imagine these same reEiseia
were perfectly inconsistent ana uAJusu-
fable? II not why NOT o,..,,,-,o-,,
"Layman." doubtless an exemplary
Christian and scholarly gentleman W
IDENTIFY arrives at the erroneous cohciu-
sion that the Eunuch was Immersed, ana
from his point OF view ne cannot see nov
q contrary view can Doe helu. IN cViiiilioi'
with large number oI peVpie, aile i aoi,f
4
OF whom as a class viii not De ulsputtu'
hold with equal urmuess and satisfaction
"a different view The eight shed upon
this subject OF the Lunuchs baptlsm ln
John Sd and I'D. IS simply tnat Jolh
also was baptiZing ODD Ehol HeaI ~ 80,
lem because there was much water lleIe
and they came and were baptized
faU TO see the sNult' this sheds on tne
Eunuch's baptism and the alsPIteu ~
10" IL didn't re0uire "mucn wafer lot
Philip and the Euuuch 10 go INTO
certain water. They could nave gone
into" the water II 81 was B, a1le.'-iil.t "a"
inch in depth. Nor does the IvCoIu So a.,
that John required Ilu-.l 4eri,ed ~
baptizing purposes. AS crowns HoSNtu ~
his baptism in that country Whele 'Ne't
was not a superahundance or W4ter, l.
would not be unnatural Tor the pau
to seek q locality where the ihultl."D.
could be supplied with requisite 49, 49,.
| OF water FOR the use OF ui'" ass"
| 1t is not we'll TO draw absolute cohclusloll
1 iron, prero.ifions Vre context must DE
considered. Nor is there any danger ol
those reoDle making shlpNreck OF lntl
J faith. who confidently deny Lll nun
INTERPRETATIONS as TO the sequence vI Wy
into from a failure % lntelisehtiy US
| tinguish between the circumstances ~
| Tenant upon tne plclu'i - a.,
not fail 10 believe that CHi.'. 80. ~
| into heaven While preterrlns. loi o. -
| 10 think that when He went up INTO 'H'
mountain that lie was on tns noun .,,,
! tain side rather than literally IN the eartn
Baptism with water IS ueciueu1 .
stronger inferential arslile1sss - "''N
sion than in water is for dlp2lns.
Men honestly differ IN thelr coiic'. .,,i,,
but may be affectionate Dlv ,t'iteriht ny.
/ thelcss, and / sircerely su,'.lI,, ~
self. 4 BROTHER Ia Man
Richmond Va April j. itji.