Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-08-20
Teachers Association Continued
Its Session Today in Col.
Iegiate institute.
BIBLE INTERPRETATION.
Subject Treated Upon By Prof T. T.
Day in the Third Lecture OF
The Course.

The Presbyterian Teachers associa-
ton continued It's session today. In the
Collegiate institute, opening With de-
yotlonal service. conducted by Rev.
T. NJ Keuseff. This was followed by
the third lecture In the course on Bible
Interpretation. by Prof T. T. Day Of
san Francisco The latter lectured on
the historical method Of Interpretation.
He explained the relation OF the meth
cd 20 the organic principle, and how
every organism has history. The
method teaches how God has worked.
He gave Israel king 10 prepare for
that phase OF development, which re-
suited I'm the coming OF Christ as the
king. The appointment Of king does
not exclude the theocatlc ideal In
fact. the kingship was one OF the means
by which the theocracy was estab-
lished. The historic method OF In
depreciation Is based on an organic
principle and grows up out OF II. The
church has a history that runs back
beyond the Christian era. The Bible
is the record OF an important stage In
human history. but not Of the whole
life OF the organism. II gives a BIZ
ography Of the hopes and struggles OF
a great people The historic method
inquiries into The conditions under
which this life was lived: but II leaves
things as II finds them-each stage as
Il was We can't change the course
Of development. The aim Of the his
torical method Is 20 give an exact
knowledge OF the meaning Of a pass
age rs determined by the time, place
and conditions Of original utterance.
The lecturer cautioned his hearers
against interpreting Old Testament
passages by specifically consulting the
New Testament. which was written so
much later He also showed how the
Old Testament was eminently for chill
dren. II was written IN the child
hood OF the world and its easily I'M
derstood narratives and stories have
ever been the delight OF children. The
lecturer referred 10 the mistake OF
putting children OF seven years Of age
to studying the Pauline eplstles when
the Old Testament stories would be far
better suited 70 them. He evidently
aid not think much Of the way the les.
son helps are got mp, as they do not
consider the needs OF children, and slur
over interpretations that often are OF
the highest value. Then q passage
should be considered as 20 whether IL
is a parable. a metaphor. or a state
ment OF actual fact. The passage rela-
tive 10 the crushing OF the head Of the
serpent by the seed % the woman. as
shown 10 be the Illustrative OF the final
triumph Of mankind over the forces Of
evil. The idea OF the devil and Satan
being really the serpent was bred into
the story by human Imagination. The
narrative does not say the devil was
On that serpent. and Il Vas very prob
able that the writer had In mind the
serpent az the best representation he
could think Of as symbolical OF evil
Questions as % the application OF the
serpent story 10 the human hatred of
snakes occasioned considerable meIri-
ment.
Prof Day spoke this afternoon again
on studies on Personal Work" under
which he grouped the catechizlng OF
Sunday school pupils, methods on IN
struotlon, how TO approach the indl-
vidual, studying the individual, estab-
fishing confidence and securing will
ingness 10 converse, speaking with the
inquirer alone, presenting 90 the in
quirer ~ fundamental principles. az
hrming the duty Of repentance and
self-surrender and leaving the soul
with God The address on The Nor
mon Problem" IL given elsewhere IN
this issue OF the News II was By
Rev. y. z. Clemenson Of Logan. who
was followed by Rey. j. K. McGnllvray
with a talk ON "Our Sunday school
work and this evening. al 8 .. M,
Mr.. Clemensen will speak on THE So
luton Of the Mormon Problem"