The times., 1901-03-10
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The Bible ns Literature.

century. Such book as this would nc
more have been possible in 1850 than a
flying machine. Henry Ward Beecher
who was liberal a clergyman as was
TO be found in the orthodox church, dared
to present his most radical ideas only
in the form Of fiction. and not very good
fiction al that. His novel. Norwood.
embodics some Of them. and though at
the time of its appearance it was con-
sidered somewhat uuOrthojoX. il would
hardly stir a ripple OF disappr0val il
written by the most orthodox clergyman
today.
Or. Abbott has written of the Bible as
literature. pure and simple. and endeav-
ored to show how it came into being. and
why it owed its existence to the Hebrews
rather than to any other ancient race.
in this he has succeeded very well. and
the book viii be a useful one to any per
son busy in religious work. IT may cause
some people to revolutionize their meth
DDS Of studying the Bible, but when they
have thus transformed their ideas they
VIII ind themselves to have a much more
useful working hypothesis than the old
theological potpourri of mysticism. lit
eral Interpretation, and laboriouslv
evolved dogma. In short, this writer has
used common sense mixed with a gen
erous amount Of scientific investigation
and understanding of the subject. and he
treats the Bible in a simple. natural. and
candid way, without demanding any
amazing amount Of reverence or credul-
fly.
Most Of us can remember when the
Bible was regarded as a collection of
texts, all Of equal sacredness and author
ity, and misused accordingly. DR.. Abbott
gives an amusing instance of this He
says:
No. "a judge Judge Of the Supreme Court of
We have the highest possible author
lty for saying Skin for skin yea all
tnat man hath will he give for his
me The next morning the New
YORK Herald commented on this opin-
Ion substantially as follows: We
md that it was the devil who said:
Skin for skin, yea all that a man
hath viii he give for his life +" Now we
Know VINO II is that our Supreme
Court judges regard as the highest
possible authority -
Dr. Abbott first discusses the Bible as
literature, then considers the probable
history Of its creation, then takes I'D the
various books in turn, and in conclusion
deyotes chapter to what he considers
70 be the message Of Israel to the world.
From beginning to end the book will be
interesting, especially to those who have
not studied the subjects therein discussed
50 thoroughly that what the author has
TO say VIII be an old story.
The contradictions IN the biblical his
tory have been fruitful source of con-
tention in and out Of the church.
Dogmatists have based upon them differ
ences in creed which have had tragic re-
suits; skeptics have considered them suf-
fcient reason for doubling the truth Of all
religion. When the Bible is considered as
a human book, these differences manifest
theory Of literal inspiration has to be
either accepted or rejected. On this point
DR.. Abbott has something TO say, and
he has said it so well that it is worth re-
peating and considering;
Thinkers may be roughly divided
into two great types, one Of which
lays emphasis on truth, the other on
organization. The first fixing its at
tention on truth, forgets that to be
efficient IN society truth must be en-
bodied; the second, fixing its atten-
ton on the mediaung organization,
fOrgets the truth which alone can
vitelIZe Il. Men Of the first type, haY-
ing no objective standard. often make
a standard Of their own personal opin-
Ions; indifferent to the cO-OpeIaIlcA
OF their fellOw-meu, and strenuous IN
their own opinion. they refuse to com
promise the latter TO gain the former;
and thus become irreconcllables ana
impTaCticableS. Men of the second
type, overestimaung the force OF num-
bers ID Of authority, and underest-
mating the force inherent IN moral
principles. too readily yield principles
TO gain recruits. They may, indeed,
be quite ready TO sacrifice self TO truth,
but they are too ready 70 sacrifice
truth 10 organization Lacking
standard in themselves, they seek II
IN the body 10 which they have at
tached themselves. IN philosophy the
first type Of man is always a moral
reformer generally an independent,
often a dOctrinaire. His loyalty to his
own convictions is strong; his party
loyalty is slight, The second seeks
TO carry moral reform only 50 far as
he can carry il through political or
ganizauon; he is generally an oppor-
tunist. he sometimes degenerates into
what is called machine politician
in religion the first has faith. but no
creed; he wOrships, but without d
ritual; he is religious, but unchurchly.
When organization meant the Church
Of Rome he was q Protestant. when il
meant the Established Church, Puri-
tan, and when IL meant touEreSa-
uonallSin, tone-outer. The sec
ond is always a churchman, though he
may be a Roman churchman, an An
gican churchman, q Presbyterian
churchmau or Conversational
churchman. He is q defender Of cree6s.
of the esta blished order. of the ancient
tradition. II he SIS inclined 20 re-
form, he VIII not carry reform SO FAR
as 10 break with the traditions of the
past or The recognized authorities Of
his own ecclesiastical organization
in the history OF the world the first is
interested in the progress Of ideas, the
second In the Development Of iustitu-
tiOns is he historian The first
writes tho story Of popular Efe the
second that Of institutional life. John
Richard Green, writing the history Of
the English people, represents the first;
Lord Macaulay, measuring an events
by their relation To Whig principles
and policies, or Lord Clarendon meas
uring them by their relation TO the
Royalist principles and policies. repre-
sents the second
This is not only a remarkably sane and
clear explanation Of the contradictions
and peculiarities of certain biblical
books, it is fairly good hypothesis on
which TO explain good many human
differences Of one sort or another and
cool down some bot-bloodcj condemna-
tions Time was when II would have
been heresy to suggest that religion
might be matter Of temperament: but
DR. Abbott not only suggests il. he says il.
Again, IN the chapter on THE Book of
the Covenant" the author SAYS:
The parallel between a nation and
an individual is "A very familiar one.
at least as old as Plato. The nation
grows as the individual grows. Man
has been described as a bundle OF
habits That is not quite an accurate
description be inherits something
from his forcfathcrs. Then on that
inheritance he begins 70 build char C.
ter Action frequently repeated be
comes q habit; habit long continued
becomes "A second nature: ana this
second nature, the product of nabit
long continued. iucOTDUrateI IA and