The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-05-04
The Bible - y "
~ ~ - as Literature.


Prof Richard G. Mouton, of the University of Chi
cage the author of several hooks literary criticism
the editor OF the Modern Readers Bible appreeatve
student of Biblical literature and has often paid tribute
both in written word and public speech the literary
beauty Of the Bible He maintains however that this lit
erary beauty exists rather in spite Of than because Of
the authorized translation Too much be said of
that version he declares so far its language concerned
its dignity of diction, force and felicity Of expressions
rhythmic flow and wealth OF imagery; literature in
strcter is in the old version conspicuous by its
absence" He continues Tin the Independent April 10Y;
The fault lay, with the translators but with the
attitude of their are to Holy Scripture All through the
centuries of rabbincal and medieval doctors highest
truth conceived series OF isolated propositions
and the translators labored make verse thing
beauty But the result of good sayings
literature cut into lenghswith the beauty of poem
but of scrap book. If sick to desire his
nurse read to him. and the picking up Shakes
peare TO commence at the last OF the fourth act
of The Tempest and to read the second
of the first of Two Gentlemen of Verona the sick
would have feast OF Language and style, but should
not call it literary exercise And this illustration is
fair sample Of what may happen to man without his
versions"
The Bible is appreciated literature, declares Prof
Moulton, only when the different parts of are read
their literary form and He says further
IF ask ourselves what is by Greek English
French Latin literature the will be in each
the number of dramas, epcs lyrics, essays his
tories philosophical orstorica discussions in Greek,
English, French or Latin languages IT, then to
claim the Bible literature, the
tents Of Holy Scripture are made Of dramas epies
essays histories philosophical and oratorcal discussions
OF all these, most themor special literary
like these And such is the fact only It is hidden from
readers by the unterary form our Bibles
printed Even casual observation will suggest that job
and the Song OF Solomon dramatic But besides these
large parts Of the prophetic books involve dialogue and
underlying movements chouss of old and Of jewellers
priests and husbandmen answer one another in
Joel in modern oratorio We have elsewhere dia-
ogues between God and the prophet the and
the saved have changing and vision melting into
surface uniform narrative from Genesis Esther proves
upon examination be varying literary forms
work Of history set off by brilliantly told stories of
parares judges prophets the history and the story making
quite different demands the literary attitude Of the
reader In the older versions difficult recognize
the psalms as verse IN bloe printed with view to
literary structure only psalms but large parts pro-
phetic wisdom books would appear in elaboe rhythmic
forms deghtng the reader with play OF stanza strophe
Nor is it question OF pleasure only; literary form is
leading factor in Interpretation The false appearance
uniformity given in popular versions to Eccesiases has led
Solomon When in its is clear that
only the first of the five essays has any association with
Solomon and further that he is made the author
the imaginary hero Of the search for wisdom armouss
who concerned only with historical questions depreciae
St Matthew the least historic Of the Gospels When
scripture is read in ITS literary divisions It is seen that
Matthew is the least historic only because he the
phiosoPhc Of the eyangeists his gospel being the app
cation OF wisdom literature 70 the teachings OF Jesus and
the evolution Of the kingdom Of heaven upon earth
Finally the Bible is only literature but "a litera-
ture In order illustrate the significance of this
ment, Professor Moulton makes a comparison:
The Koran is literature and is said be sublime in
style by those who appreciate Arabic submy No one
would call the Koran literature for consists only OF
single literary the outpoung of single author But
within the bounds of our Bible we have some six different
books the product of almost many different writer's
ing from many different and exhibiting examples Of
almost all Literary types Some of the books Hebrew
Greek but the Hebrew books stand apart the
rest OF Hebrew literature the Greek books from the rest
of Greek literature and all form the accumulation
works in all languages which these cauonica books have
called forth Thus, iu survey OF the whole worlds civil
lizaton the Bible stands a literature ia itself And IT
differs from all other complete craurc in the fact that
ITS completeness is spiritual unity There is an mdefy
ing framework OF hstory-the history of tic people OF