The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-03-01

articles concerning Higher Criticism
taken from The Nation. They re-
mind one of that famous controversy
| between Bickerstaff, "magnum ilIud
Angliae sidus'', and Partridge. In 1-0s
Swift, in ridicule of the pretensions of
almanac makers, published under the
name Of Bickerstaff his sham "Predic-
tons for the year 1708'', one of the
predictions being the death Of John
Partridge on March %, I70s. Par
fridge was well known prophet of
the time, whose book was called 'Mer-
linus Liberatus, by John Partridge.
Sudden in Physick and Astrology.'' In
April Swift published an account of
Partridge's death. Later appeared
"Bickerstaf Detected" bv John
Partridge, an attempt to turn the joke
against Swift, who reparteed in an
ironical paper 1.-The vindication of
Isaac Bickerstaff" Q709).
Partridge really lived till IT'S. and
there is an epitaph 10 him in Mortlake
Churchyard.
1t is our modernists' methods of
augmentation which recall to nv mind
Swift s huge joke. Let me quote at
some length from the "Vindication,,
Says Swift With my utmost en-
deavors l have not been able to trace
above two objections ever made
against my last year s prophecies: the
first was of a Frenchman who was
pleased to publish to the world thai
the Cardinal de Noailles was still alive
Notwithstanding the pretended proph-
ecy of Monsieur Biquerstaffe; but
how far Frenchman, papist, and an
enemy IS TO be believed in his own
cause, against an English Protestant
who is true to the government, [ shall
leave to the candid and impartial
reader.
1.-The other objection is the unhappy
occasion Of this discourse, and relates
to an article in my Predictions. which
foretoid the death Of Mr. Partridge to
happen on March 80, 170s This he
is pleased to contradict absolutely in
the almanac he has published for the
present year, and in that ungentleman-
~ manner pardon me the EXPRESSION
as / have above related In that work
he very rodndly asserts that he SIS
not only now alive, but was likewise
alive upon that very Goth of March
had foretold he should die This is
the subject of the present controversy
between us; Without entering
into criticisms of chronology about the
hour of his death, / shall only prove
that Mr.. Partridge is not alive. And
my first argument is this: about a
thousand gentlemen having bought his
almanac for this year, merely to find
what he said against me, at every line
they read, they would lift I'D their
eyes, and cry out betwixt rage and
laughter, they were sure no man alive
ever writ such damned stuff as this
Neither did | ever hear that opinion
disputed, So that Mr.. Partridge lies
under dilemma, either Of disowninp
his almanac, or allowing himself to be
no man alive. Secondly: Death is de-
1ned by all philosophers, a separation
II the soul and the body. Now it is
certain that the poor woman who has
pest reason to- know, has gone about
-or some time into every alley in the
leighborhood, and sworn to the gossips
hat her husband had neither life nor
soul in HIM. Therefore, if an min
5ormed carcase walks still about and
$ pleased to call itself Partridge. Mr..
does not think himself in
my way answerable for that. Neither
las the said carcase any right to beat
he poor boy who happened to pass
" 1t in the street, crying, "a full
md true account of DR.. Partridge s
Ieath, &c.
The rest of the arguments is well
worth to be read also, but it would
axe too much space quoting them all.
The worthlessness of Swift's aron-
nents is selfevident; they helped him !
owever to kill metaphoricallv his adj
ersary and perhaps shortened his
1aterial life as well. Modernists blush
ot to make use of similar arguments
With the utterly vain hope of obtain
ng similar results. There is no here
fter, they shout; Religion is dead: :
That shall we put in its place, that .
he social order founded on it, NAV not
e overthrow entirely? Ye people,
Why do you 60 to church? Why do .
GU allow yourselves to be hampered .
y the dogmas and moral restrictions
t by-gone faith2 Christ is dead, :
'hrlstianity is dead! We have done
way with all that.
The apostles of unbelief are so loud
louthed and confident, they lay down =
Nth such an assurance, what thew :
lain to be the discoveries of science.
hat many poorly balanced mind. :
lany man of little faith is set a
Quilting and ceases perhaps to prac-
Use his religion.
But against. the Church they never :
Fill prevail. For this we have the
romise of Christ: "Thou art Peter :
nd upon this rock | will build nv l
'hureh and the gates of he'll shall not {
revail against it.
Eighteen hundred and seventv-six :