The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-03-15
NEARING INGERSOLL.
DR.. Lyman Abbot Leaves Little of the
Bible to the Believer.


New York, March 1.-THE Rev. Dr.
Lyman Abbott, in Plymouth church,
Brooklyn, last night preached a ser
mon summarizing his recent lectures on
the Bible, in which he stated that many
of the books in the Old Testament were
collections of traditions and parallels.
Biblical scholars" said DR.. Abbott,
may be divided into two classes and
they approach the Bible from widely
different directions. First, there is the
traditional, or historical school of crit
les, whom will call the traditionalists.
Second, there is the scientific, or liter
airy school, whom 1 shall call scientists.
THE traditionalist says Christ and
his disciples did not set the Old Tesla
ment aside No, he did not undertake
to do so. That was not his mission. He
refers to the books of the Old Testa-
ment, but passes by the question of
their authorship He does not vouch
quoted portions of the Old Testament
against the ra bbiS.
I should not in the least hesitate
here, in this pulpit to say 'Aesop's Fa-
all here will know scholars hold that
Aesop did not write all the fables, but
collected them. So Christ. in quoting
from or referring to the books of the
Old Testament, merely used the names
given to them by tradition.
when the scientist finds in the Bible
story which, if he found it in Greek
literature, he would unhestitatingly call
folk lore, he also calls that Bible story
folk lore. If he finds in the Bible a
tale of wondrOus adventure (Jonah and
the Whale). which seems plainly to be
simply satirical and imaginative, he
calls it satirical and an imaginative
tale.
In Genesis the scientist finds certain
tales respecting the flood, the fall of
man and the creator. Then the scien-
fist goes to the Assyrian tablets writ
ten thousand years before the time
of Moses, and he finds analogous stor-
les of the fall, the flood and the creator.
Then he goes to history and finds the
Hebrews once dwelt in Assyria. Hence
he draws the logical conclusion the He
brews borrowed these stories from the
Assyrians.
THE scientist turns to the book of
the law-Leviticus-and finds signs and
evidences that the laws were not all
promulgated in one epoch, but repre-
sent a steady growth.
The old laws required sacrifices. But
the prophets decried sacrifices and the
best men were living in open regard of
the old laws The old law was that
only the priest could go into the holy
Of holes, in the temple, but in another
place the young Samuel was described
S making his bed in the holy of hol-
les. God himself appeared to be disre-
garding his own commands.
The scientist comes to Isaiah It is
a vexed question if Isaiah was written
by one or two or more persons. In the
second Isaiah is a reference to Cyrus,
the Great, and hence the scientist con-
have been written 100 years before Cy-
rus the Great was BORN,
Spiritual contradictions also throw
light on old testament authorships
Now in the fifth chapter of Isaiah-the
first Isaiah-he calls Israel a vine that
has brought forth no fruit, and is DOOM
ed The language is easy to understand
If judah is still in the holy land but is
to be conquered and carried to Babylon
in captivity. In the fourth chapter of
Isaiah he says to Judah: Comfort we,
fr7Sr AfNc-
understand this if Judah is actually in
captivity in Babylon.
And so Isaiah is spiritually incon-
sistent-at least to the scientific study
of the Bible. 3at-
There is nothing striking and revolu-
tionary in these results of scientific BIZ
Bile criticism. Some scholars have been
too little bound by the traditions and
some have been too much bound.
My own position is that of conserva-
tism among the scientific or literary
students.
THE method of scientific criticism I
have described to you is now pursued
at Cambridge university, England and
at Oxford, and in this country at Union
Theological Seminary, Yale Theological
school, the Theological Seminary of
the Free Church, the Episcopal Divinity
school at Philadelphia, at Cambridge
Mass, at Auburn Presbyterian Semina-
~ and at the Chicago Presbyterian
Seminary.
by this method of Biblical criticism
it has been found that there are in the
Old Testament SO separate books, divid-
ed into three general classes: History,
bellies letters, prophecy or preaching.
THE historical books number II and
run from Genesis to Esther, inclusive.
They are composed out of pre-existing
material. There are two histories of
the same event-Chronicles and Kings
the first giving history enthusiastically
and the second prOphetically. In the
lists are two historical romances set
off by themselves-Ruth and Esther.
They are based on a historic fOunda ton
but are written with a free imaginary
pen. There are two books of the cove
nant-EXodus and Deuteronomy
In these historical books are quota
tions from at least II still more an
cient books, of which no other traces
now remain. In these historical books
there is folk lore, as for instance, the
stories of Samson.
This modern scientific investigation
and criticism of the Bible'' he said.
teaches US all the better way to God
We have heard, all of us, many SER
mons on the text: Search the Scrip
lures
Here DR.. Abbott stopped and there
was an interval of profound silence,
during which the preacher looked
straight at the congregation, and all
eyes were bent ON him.
But Christ" he resumed in low, clear
tones, did not say, Search the Scrip
lures