Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-07-05
IGNORANCE OF THE BIBLE.

IGNORANCE or THE BIBLE.
One Of the stories that are told by
Reverend CD gentlemen Of some Of the
SAT- Lake churches. 10 order to throw
dlscredIt upon the Mormon Church Is
sbat related in the Sunday school con-
ventlon on Monday by Mr Hugh NC
Creery to the effect that there are 'ten
thousand Mormon children IN Utah who
IL asked would name Joseph Smith as
the only man who had lived without
SHINING" This falsshood appears to
have been founded upon the alleged re-
port OF a colloquy between a denom-
national Sunday school teacher and one
VI nar pupils. The question, It is said
was "who was the only perfect man
that ever liyed?' and the answer was,
"Joseph Smith"
There Is no evidence that such a con-
versation ever took place. II It ala Ii
would form no justification FOR the
broad assertion, made by Mr. McCreery
chat ten thousand Mormon" children
would give similar answer to the same
question. We do not think that the
minister who told that tale for travel
srs. which we are Informed Is one OF
hls fayorlte anecdotes, believes Il him
self. and certainly he must be densely
ignorant In regard to Mormon" Sunday
schools n he really thinks that Nor
mon" children are Grained In such a
notion,
We refer 20 this subject again, be-
cause Of the proofs that have been pub
llshed concerning the deplorable lack Of
knowledge concerning the Bible which
has been exhibited, not merely by juve-
niles IN christian" Sunday schools, but
by young men and women IN some Of
the leading colleges Of the East the
students being from communities sup
posed to excel In general intelligence
and the fathers OF whom are lawyers
preachers, doctors, business men aud
Farmers"
We refer 10 an article In the Century
Tor May Cor authority on this matter
II Is entitled Significant Ignorance
About the Bible" The writer Is Dr.
Charles +. Thwing president Of the
Western Reserve University. He sub
mltted some poetry containing Bible
illusions TO members Of the Freshman
class, and subsequently 20 hfty-one
young ladies' IN the Freshman class at
woman'a college. The young men and
young women were Of the average col
lege age Of twenty. The percentage Of
correct answers was less than forty
three for the men and a little more
than forty-nIne Tor the women.
The New York sun published the
following as a study Of the answers
given to Dr. Thwlngs questions.
"Of the IS students TO whom the ex.
animation paper was submitted. o quar-
~ hAAAW AiNNAAAAm w NlAN NINMM on
thorns or Of the mama. about 30
Dr. Thwlng gives the exact numbers In
each case-c0uld not explain the strik-
ing OF the rock, or the angel that
Wresued with Israel or Jacobs ladder
about 40 could not recall the story of
Esau, or that Of Ruth, or the mark Of
Cain. OF the angel seated Ia the vacant
tOmb CuuOusly enough an OF the girls
INT HnTNn fatfIA HaIl al.
and all but ten about the serpent. while
twenty-five men out OF thIrty-f0ur
Knew nothing OF either Hegeklah's
shadow foored seyenty-dye of The
eighty five. Jonah's g0urd stumped
siXty-six, while Joshua's moon and
Peters sheet numbered sixty victims
each.
Some amazing examples Of wrong
answers are glven' lscarI0t means the
cross on which Christ was crucIded.
Aimath@an Joseph was Chr.sts faith
err and several ten OF his coat OF
many coiors Ruth was 'grIeylng for her
children ana Jonahs gourd is an ale
fusion To the emesis of Jonah 10y the
Whale.. one OF many Ingenious efforts
70 make the whale story with which
an seemed familiar. ht in with the
unknown gourd.
Suppose such Ignorance Of Bible sub.
fleets had been displayed by one puuu
Of Mormon Sunday school even If
St were in child of tender years. what
an opportunity would have been afford.
ed for pious romancers OF the McCreery
stripe. 10 parade It before the world
as sample Of Mormon Sunday
school teachIng' It should De observed
however that The child who IS said TO
have answered Joseph smith" TO The
query about the only perfect mar. was
INTERCEPTED. as the story goes IN
'Denom.natonal Sunday School NOT
O Mormon institution.
The reasoning which jumu.d 90 the
conclusion that because a child I'm
Seciarian Sunday school gave that
answer when questioned. therefore t.7
thousand children IN Mormon suD6av
schools would make a similar blurdar
may be consouant with the logic learned
by The preacher who told the story
but ordinary thinkers win rank
It with the argument by
which a horse-chesnut IS made 20 ap.
Gear as a chestnut horse.
We do MOI draw the inference from
the statements OF Dr ThwInp bat
many millions of ihe young men ana
women OF Christian communities I'm the
United States are involved In The
depths Of Ignorance OF the Bible. hut
on Mr. McCreery.s theory that would
De The rational conclusion. We are of
me opinion that there are a great many
'h'idren 90 the secJarian Sunday
schools 10 this State who are Tar less
familiar with Bible subjects than ls the
average Mormon" Sunday school