Arizona republican., 1903-11-20
CONCERNING BIBLE TRUTH
Striking Views as Shown of the Bishop
 in Wakefieild's Criticisms

It may come as a surprise to many churchmen that an Anglican bishop should pay a public tribute to the work of Charles Darwin, and frankly state as an elementary truth that the B ble is not infallible.
 This is what the Bishop of Wake field did in an address at Leeds, on the teaching of the Bible to children in the light of modern criticism.
 His Lordship recognized the possi- bility of offending the susceptibilities of some of his hearers, but explained that such wounds as he might inflict would be the wounds of friend. Some people," he added, need wound ing before the will awaken and take a proper view of the Bible"
 Many of'the questions asked by chill dren revealed to parents and teachers that they themselves had no really sufficient answer to give, and they were obliged to put the questions aside.
 Three courses were open to them. Like many devout but well-informed persons they might shut their eyes and leave alone all that did not harmonize with their old preconceived views about Holy Writ. Or they might give up their faith, and say that modern science had exploded the Bible. that the Christian religion was thing of the past, Between these two was the third and the true cOurse-to inquire into these things.
 First the nature of inspiration ought to be understood Scriptural inspira- tion was not a verbal. mechanicaal, absolutely accurate and infallible in ! ration-not an inspiration of pens. but of men who stamped their own characters upon their writings-men who were not free from mistakes. but who were led by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost to embody in their writings revelation of God and the offer of i salvation to men in Christ. For centuries it was believed that every part of Scripture was equally in spired-texts had been twisted and | tortured into meanings and fixed in- terpretations as absurd as the Jewish cabbala. Even educated people had found it a great relief to be told such elementary truths as these:
 The Bible is not infallible.
 The Bible is not necessarily litera' and exact.
 It is not a scientific textbook | The books were not necessarily writ ten by the authors whose names they bear.
 These names have absolutely no au- thority, except old tradition of the Jewish race.
 The old chronology was not inspired
 The dates of the ordinary Bible arc no guide to the dates of the books.
 The world was not created 4,O04 years before Christ.
 Many of the books are composite, anC some embody older records like flint in chalk formations; others are b! more than one author, and still others are admittedly compilations of vari lous historical and traditional accounts
 Once we realized these facts and un derstood the great purpose of inspira tion, we should lose the paralyzini and crippling fear of answering truth fully the direct questions of children.
 Scientifically and morally (his lord ship continued) there had been a grea revelation since the days of the lewis writers. Charles Darwin had place not only scientific but also religion thought upon an altogether firme basis. while the progressive mora revelation was shown by the fact tha the ancient Jews allowed slavery, DO lygamy and many things which W should never think of permitting to day.
 The imprecatory clauses in tn fit for public worship and he would b