New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-23
CRITICAL METHODS VICIOUS.
DIR. BEHRENDS REPLIES TO DR. ABB
Bolts QUOTATIONS.
HE SAYS THE Use OF HIS SERMON BY PLYM-
OUTFITS PASTOR WAS DELICIOUS PIECE
OF EDITORIAL DEXTERITY. AND
THAT THE ESSENTIAL POINT

WAS NOT CITED.
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir The prominence given to my name In your
report of DR. Lyman Ab5ott's sermon on Canticles
last evening prompts me 10 ask the favor OF
brief comment. am perfectly willing 10 be Judged
by my sermon OF 1889. The Interpretation there
set forth at length, and which DR.. Abbott seems
to have adopted, is not q new one III Is as oiu
as the fifth century, and is found In complete out
line as early as the thirteenth century | am glad
that DR. Abbott and can and do agree on some
things In fact, We agree upon many more things
than differ and our present emphatic diner-
ences have not disturbed personal relations IN
the slightest degree. But notice that so far as
your report OF his sermon goes. he is silent on the
question Of the authorship OF the famous song ana
the date OF It's composition. That part of my lss
sermon he does not quote. and that part Is the
one where the critical lines of battle are drawn.
maintained the Solomolic authorship OF Cantices.
The critics whom DR. Abbott follows deny thh'
Solomon composed IL; but I'm trying to do that they
expose the general weakness or their logic Inc
reasons for rejecting the traditional view. In this
instance would have appeared so arbitrary and
tenuous that | doubt whether even the Plymouth
audience could have been satisfied with them the
use of my sermon is really delicious piece OF edl,
toral dexterity, over which | nave had my qu'e'
laugh. ,- 81, orr,o,s NJ,
inspiration. and the doctrine of inspiration - hVs
under debate. To appeal to Views on INSPIRATION -
10 Inaugurate a new discussion. Inspiration simply
afirms that God has spoken through prokhets ana
problem is theological, not critical. Inc high ,h
critics many of them, profess to entertain hisn
views of inspiration and they insist that theology
and criticism must be kept apart. Dr. Abbott n hs
undertaken 10 present his critical views on thc
structure, the authorship. the date and the meg
rity of the sacred writings and IN doing 50 ne mas
followed the leadership OF those VINO REGARD tntIn;
in large part. as deliberate Inventions uhnis'oI,ai
rials' and even with deliberate forgery. 1t may be
that such views may be held and taught without
injury the inspiration and the authority OF thee
Bible IL may be that God can convey HIS nina
10 us In the form OF fiction. and even or forgery, as
well as in plain historical narrative. The critical
question is whether He has done So and the pre-
sumption certainly would be against the theory.
There can be no proper Omparison between Cantcles
md Jonah Cancles does not profess to bea narrative
il is poem of love- whether the aegorcal or typical
or naturai Interpretation be adopted The only crit-
am prepared 10 maintain the traditional view. which
ascribes It 10 Solomon. Perhaps DR.. Abbott does
but, II he does. he parts company with his former
guides The Internal and the external evidences for
the early date of Canticles no better than those
makes late In appearance. And while Canticles does
not profess to be narrative. Jonah is such on It's
very face and throughout Its structure; $1,000.
1t Is the critical posuates of Dr.. Abbotts course
OF sermons and the conclusions built upon them. 10
which most strenuously object as demnr 10 posi-
tive statements matters which are under debate
and TO ingenious terms and phrases which provoke
merriment and tomake his opponents ridiculous
The handling OF Scripture is serious work. Both
sides are entitled to fair statement especially when
popular audiences addressed. Such fair and COM
piete statement has not. in my Judgment been given;
and upon purely critical questions especially in the
discussion the Penateuch, positions have been
taken and conclusions adopted which cannot help
regarding, with such light as have, as unwarranted
by the evidence as contradcted by the facts and
thoroughly demorazing 10 faith. And in saying this
DR.. Abbott personally, 10 his theological views
bu, 10 his critical postulaes and methods The lat
ter: in my deliberate Judgment are thorSnghy
No sc Brookyn-ave. Brooklyn. Feb. % 1897.