New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-11-11
THE TEMPLE BIBLE.
Az EDITION OF THE SCRIPTURES PRE-
PARED BY MANY HANDS

THE TEMPLE BIBLE The Books Of the Bible in in
Various Authors Illustrated l6mo Philadel-
phia: J. B. Lppincott Company.
The plan Of this work may of itself be
counted a piece OF Higher Criticism Of a practi-
cal and considerably convincing sort The com
posite and rather miscellaneous character Of
the collection Of books that call THE Bible
could hardly be exhibited better than by I'M
dertaking Of this nature that cuts the coec-
ton up into its parts and presents each part
under its own symbols and according TO its own
genius. Under such arrangement the theory
that has been esta blishing itself slowly in re-
cent years that the Bible is an evolution rather
than a closely Joined mosaic, is. in a way,
demonstrated effectively. The parts are seen
here, not as adherent and contributory, but
distinct and isolated. If any relation is to OBJ
tain among them it must be thereafter estab-
lshed il must be remembered traditionally,
or il must be inferred from actually apparent
indications The introductions are furnished
without apparent collision among the different
dvines who write them. We not told upon
what principles or for what reasons these par
ticuar men among English Biblical scholars
have been selected for their important tasks In
several cases their emnence and wide reputa-
zion easily answer the question. In others the
American reader viii be liable 20 confess igno-
rance as 70 the dnleteueIl nlIleSS OF the dulIloT
for his work such a work, whatever its abso-
lutte value is likely 10 prove somewhat less ac-
ceptable in the matter of the execution of the
plan, by the tendency apparent to make il
Church Of England product. This is not to de-
preciate the undoubted scholarship of the in
troduction-it is only TO remind the reader that
81 is not a scholarship that has been invoked
upon any distinctly catholic principle, and that
IL does not represent an attempt TO secure the
best from all sources. This will appear when
one has noted that the Scotch and German criti-
cal schools are not represented, and that Amer
scan scholarship has not been directly utilized
at all
Under such a plan as has been followed in
fhe preparation of this edition, opportunity is
obviously afforded for Judging the progress
made, and the substantial agreements reached.
~ Biblical criticism. To be sure, no agreements
have been attempted here and the various
rhors Of these introductions take each his own
view. one has therefore TO look rather for Jhe
snevitable outcropping Of the new critical meth
eds than for the distinct and formulated results.
But 81 is apparent in even the most conservative
OF these introductions that the newer methods
are latent and forceful among all Biblical stu
cents. where the more radical hypothesis
and newer results have not been deinitively
Cepted With all these books any intelligent in
PRODUCTION of their contents TO a modern reader
viii necessarily involve some consideration of
the critical and disputed questions Because
this is so a considers bic weight Of opinion at
taches To the work of so many eminent repre-
sen1atives Of the Church in dealing with these
questions II viii be seen 10y the reader of this
work that the Higher Criticism. called, has
in fact taken its place, not only as d method
hut TO 2 considerable extent in the results that
ii has worked out. II is true that Professor
Sayce. writing upon Genesis and the Rev. DR..
r. Sinker in introducing the book Of Daniel,
strike modified, rather conservative, nearly
reactionary note. But the writer's almost with
out exception point out freely the historical re-
suits by which the cider and traditional views
of authorship and historicity have been dis
placed.
Passing Genesis for the moment we may note
that Dr. A. r.. s Kennedy. who writes upon
Exodus, states without reserve that the main
conclusion of the critics that the Pentateuch is
composite compilation from three older sources
Is accepted hnal' by the scholarship of ,he
church. With equal plainness DR. J. a. Pat
erson who deals with Leviticus declares that
1.-THE composite character of the Pentateuch and
its nou-Mosaic scholarship are now admitted
by almost all Biblical scholars Professor
Sayce. who is perhaps the most eminent living
representative in his special department Of
Biblical archaeology, and who bases his con-
nony OF the inscriptions, says negatively that
as YET, the claim of a Mosaic authorship for the
Pentateuch has not been displaced. But Pro-
fessor Sayce freely uses the methods by which
many scholars conclude that it has been, and
admits many iuterpolated additions and a good
deal OF editing. The Rev. A. r. Davidson has
undertaken TO present the prophecy Of Isaiah
which, next to the Pentateuch. has recently been
debated most among the Hebrew books. He
does not formally advocate the theory Of an
earlier and later Isaiah, but he points out i'm
partially and with much force the evidence
formulated by the modern critics and the
reader is not left in doubt as TO the value of
that criticism nor 10 the view TO be adopted
The New Testament books are treated for the
most part with a similar regard for the move
ments Of modern criticism. The notable excep-
items to this the introductions written bv
the Rev. Canon Bonham. D. D.. Of London 10
the Gospel and Epistles of John and to the
Apocalypse There is here no apparent con-
sciousness, or. rather, there is an apparent en-
tire inconsistencies that the Johannean au-
thorship and the histOricalness Of the Fourth
Gospel have ever been called in question The
modern challenge Of the critics as TO this book
Is left unnoticed, while both these points are
assumed, and have a traditional treatment
in which the writings are analysed and the
spiritual features and functions pointed out
ON the other hand the Very Rev the Dean of
Ely. in careful digest Of the critical results As
10 Matthew and Mark, leaves an impression as
10 their origin and contents substantially ac-
nordant with the latest accepted scholarship.
and the Rev. DR.. NJ. r. Vincent. writing OF the
less disputed Gospel Of Luke, makes use of the