The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-01-26

or not by the free caprice Of the writer,
| historic errors and express no local or
| personal passions the Bible would prob
ably fare Ill at our hands But II. on
| that there may we'll be a revelation in
| spite OF errors and passions and deliber-
ate human. composition. II only II be
true record Of the inner experiences or
great souled persons wrestling with the
crises OF their rate, then the verdict
Mould be much more dayors6e You see see
are insufficient for determining the value;
and the best adopts Of the higher criu-
e,s% sb the seyeG
II Is one OF the most difficult things for
us 10 see in the religious life that the
quite another. That one is purely a mat
tortoal judgment while the other. IS
matter OF worth and the judgment Is
spiritual judgment.
HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION.
The authorship and historical value OF
the Pentateuch is a matter for historical
investiga tion and the historian is the only
man who has a right to decide upon the
question. The spiritual value OF the Pen
tateuch is not a thing to be settled by the
historian but by the spiritual man.
He does decide II and he decides IL
finally apart from the question whether
Moses or some other man or set OF men
composed It,
To quote again from Prof. James: LET
us play fair In this whole matter and be
quite candid with ourselves and with the
facts When we think certain states OF
mind superior to others, is IL ever because
OF what we know concerning their or
ganic antecedents? No, II Il always for
two entirely different reasons. 1t is either
because we take an immediate delight
In them, or else IL Is because we believe
them to bring Us good consequential
fruits OF life"
What Prof. James says in relation TO
our thoughts applies 10 our judgment up
on the other things that enter into our
lives We do not base our Friendship
unless we are foolish, upon the origin,
but upon the character OF the man. We
do not call a man 10 the position of chief
executive because his ancestors sailed on
the Mayhower or because his great great
grandfather was first mate on the good
ship sailed by Adrian Black
OUR DEAD IMMoRTALs
II we had proceeded OIL this basis the
list OF our dead immortals would not in
clude the names of Lincoln or Mckinley.
We do not read the Divine Comedy be-
cause Dante wrote II. We delight 10
honor the Florentine exile because in
stress and storm he produced the immor-
tai poem. Shall we cease TO fight with
the brave Acnllles dDQ no longer 20 Win
Ulysses In his wanderings because lit-
erary critics question the Homeric au-
thorship OF the Iliad and Odyssey?
Who carved out the perfect form OF the
Venus de Milo? That Praxitees did IL is
only guess. Shall We cease TO admire
II until critics have reached a decision? |
The common sense of humanity answers
these questions and gives honor where
honor is due apart from origin and en-
tirely independent OF the sanction OF |
history. The authority OF these things is |
due and due alone to their worth and |
value. |
This criterion Is not accepted in the |
realm OF religion. The Roman Catholic |
church has shifted the ground of its au-
thority now here, now there.
ITS SOLE CLAIM.
Today II bases It's sole claim upon the |
sta atement OF Jesus TO Peter. Thou art |
Peter and on this rock will ! build my |
church" Its claim 10 being the ark of |
it's claim 10 pardon sins. TO /
save men from the depths of purgatory.
place. TO lift them out OF hell, is based on
the authenticity OF the words OF Jesus TO
Peter. The Protestant church found in |
the Bible a new source OF authority. II |
substituted book for a church The
ground OF its authority over men was
lbunu IN It's tNdtl anu lTulH ne
Bible was proved 10 be true as a whole
on logical grounds
Then men began TO study its facts. |
Whatever those facts were they were de-
rided upon as true since they were parts
of an authoritative whole. As a recent
writer says: Reason was granted the
extra ordinary capacity OF discovering
that the Bible is true before knowing
what 1t contains; yet, in the same breath
there was asserted reasons extraordinary
IN capacity OF dealing with the detailed
contents on their own account.
Reason could say that the whole Bible
r. true, but IL could not apply the ordi-
nary tests OF accuracy TO a single state
nent or fact contained therein.
No wonder that as Bruce declares, the
very word authority as employed in the
sphere Of religion. has become an offence
% the friends OF truth and freedom"
IDENTICAL IN SPIRIT.
The Protestant position when seen I'm
is true light is identical I'm spirit with |
he Roman Catholic position. 1t ia in
Iced derived from Rome The starting
,oint OF the Protestant position IL the au-
horship OF the various books II is as |
| whole true because written by inspired
nen.
The Pentateuch is true because Moses
vrote II. Romans is true and has bind |
ng force in thought and life because
written by St Paul. In other words tho
uthority ascribed to the Bible and the
Iuthorty ascribed - the Roman Cath
lie church is az authority based on
heir origin.
] mention this IN no spirit ~ attack
" condemnation. / only want 20 point
'ut TO YOU the contrast between the
ource OF authority IN religion and the ,
ource OF authority IN all the other |
pheros OF life. The Bible I'm the hands
u the friends gets its authority on the ,
asis of it's origin ana art and literature |
nd friendship and love exercises their ,
uthority over Us through their intrinsic ,
gorth ,
Yet In spite of tho tradition az the
hurch and the teaching Of ages IL Ia
orced upon the preacher ~ today. n he
esires TO he honest. 10 assert that that
the basis ~ the authority NJ the Bible.
he church and the commands " religion
: whole The spiritual Judgment
assed upon the Bible the church and