La Junta tribune., 1909-11-27

that brings the matter criticised and
used into new order ana cl, arness,
and reveals the structure and meth
cd OF the material Such criticism
Is always TO le welcomed. fer II gives
appreciation to the subject under dis.
cussion, So far as the Bible is con.
cerned, criticism has produced new
valuation of scripture and has given
the Bible an influence which will con.
tribute TO the moral health of the
world Whatever influence the Bi-
In the past-and 1t has been a great
influence-its influence In the future
Will De vastly increased by the new
point OF view which criticism has es.
tabhshed. AS unitarians We prize
the Bible as the most valuable of
human literature - literature dealing
with the spiritual experience of man
kind-the high water mark of inspir-
alton Is reached in some OF this lit
erature. 1t is still inspiring. 1t quick.
ems the noblest sentiments of human
consciousness. Its power of inspira-
ton is continuous. II is literature.
however. of an ancient time II is in
settings that are archaic. Not only
the words. but the thoughts need
adapting 10 the conditions of today
There is great difference between
adapting modern conditions TO Bible
though, and adapting Bible thoughts
to modern conditions. II there be
any revelation and inspiration II Is
cortMuous-they come through the
language and condition OF every age.
God, 10 we think. never spoke He
brew or Greek, 10 the exclusion OF
any other language. Truth In regard
TO religion Is note confined TO any
tongue. The revelations and inspi-
rations Of God are not given In words
God does not write books nor engraye
sentences upon stone. lie speaks
now as ever to the spirit. the mind.
the consciousness OF persons. and
men have to invent and formulate
expressions In their own human
terms.
Possibility Of Error.
There is no infallible use of Ian.
guage. Much less Is there any trans
lation OF words which will infallIbiy
transfer a thought from one language
10 another. King James translation
OF the Bible was made at time when
there was unusual power and skill
In the use OF English, and It's diction
may never be excelled. but neyerthe.
less II was no, infalible. and I, was
In many cases unequal to giving ex'
preston to the original thought. be.
cause the thought was not sensed
at that time.
. The old manuscripts OF Bible
books written In Greek have no sep.
aration Of words or sentences, but
are continuous lines Of letters with.
out . break. The translators had to
/ break the lines into words and SEN
tences. and they did not always
agree In the divisions. Then II was
long afterwsrd bro.:en up into chap
ters In = very arbitrary way. and
then Into verses In \ much more
arbitrary way. Then head lines were
given TO the chapters with great
freedom. head lines which indicated
not 70 much the contents OF the
chapter ~ the theological use Ia
which II could be- put.
To know these things does no, lead
TO any depreciation Of the Bible. but
II increases the understanding and
gives . better valuation to the scrip
,ure. To 20 step farther and to
learn that certain verses and passages
have been introduced into the text
In an artificial way, added TO Il b,
later mind. with n Wow to MAKE
II more usAbie. this does not decrease
the value Of tho Bible, but rathoI
adds TO Il. because It is another mari
by which to measure tho humanity o
tho book. We can only come 10 !
full appreciation Of this book whci
We recognise Il y the product o
men.
The Words es Men.
TO eAli Il "ths word Of Ood." Cal
st bess - bvt . figure Of speech. r
call = ~ words q oel y . pss