The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-07-06
Sunday School
Lesson
for
July Z.

INTRODUCTION The lesson for the 23rd OF
June rertained 10 that part Of the vision ot John
in Patmos in which he saw the new heaven and
the new earth which is 10 he the contamination
Of the divine purpose. Today We turn back to
the beginning Of this worlds history. John was
the seer Of the future, Moses Of the past. The
latter was doubtless helped by the patriarchs,
who may have handed down from generation TO
generation possibly in writing as some think,
more likely by tradition. what was oommunl.
Gated by the spirit OF God to the first man or
TO some Of his earlier descendants. IL Is be-
lieved by Dr. Murphy, professor Of Hebrew IN the
University Of Belfast, that this account oi erea'
tion formed part of an earlier Bible from which
Moses copied and with which men OF other ma
tions may have been familiar while few mod.
crn critics who have not been able to impress
the people with their theories, contend that this
passage, together with other parts Of Genesis,
may be regarded as folk lore destitute of historic
value, hut worthy place in our book because
of certain truths contained therein.
DIFFICULTIES. The Interpretation Of this
chapter has been attended by much difficulty,
because men have endeavored TO explain it in
the light Of current science. In this way there
has been read into it at one time what conhicted
with later conclusions, and the unbelieving have
| made much out of the lack Of harmony. Where.
| as the only trouble lay in setting human opinion
| Of one time against human opinion OF another
| time Take illustrations I. some were troubled
| because ligth was created before the sun. Later
| II was found that light docs not all emdnate
| from the sun, and might therefore prccede IT..
| .. The word armament conveys the idea Of some.
| thing material and permanent, and it was thought
the notions of the sncicnts had crawled in here.
| But this was the fault Of the translators who
| used this English word to meet their ideas.
The Hebrew word means oXpanse, the region occu
| pied by the atmosphere. 3. The sun and moon
| are mentioned as IL produced the fourth day,
| leaving the impression that the earth existed
before them. Whereas, the text says no such
| thing. II is simply stated that the luminaries
were appointed for times and seasons. They ex.
listed from the beginning.
| CHAOS.-In n single sentence Vese y, the
| fact is stated that the heaven and earth were
crcatcd-thcy were not eternal. In this statement
| are included all the worlds in space. Attention
| is then limited TO the globe on which We live.
| Moses docs not give an astronomical account,
| except as the other bodies are related 10 this.
| lie makes special mention ~ the fact that the
| earth was without form and void in a chaotic
state. destitute Of life az the time Of which he
| began to write. He does not say how it came
| to be so. There is an intmaton that it was
not always in that condition. for the verb trans
| lated was in the past perfect tense and might
| properly be rendered had become. That is 10 say
that the earth passed through changes prior tc
| the time Of Moses writing. that possibly up
hcavsls occurred through the ages until it became
an irregular and confused mass from which al
| life had persisted, over which darkness reiPncd
| At that point Moses began and showed how the
globe was set in order and prepared for man.
| TIME-onc OF the most prominent features o
| record. therefore