El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-05-24

r WAS under the impression that ad-
vancing knowledge had disclosed
the pecularities of the New Tesla
ment account Of the life Of Jesus of
Nazareth. I thought the results Of
modern Bible criticism and the study
OF kindred themes was part Of the edu-
cation Of the Christian masses and
these, admitting the sOuudness OF de-
ducCTe logic and historical data held
lasr to their saviour but discounted
many stories told about His life and
His death i admit I was mistaken.
i realize that truth cannot eradicate
prejudice The story Of the life sur
1erlng and death Of Jesus is not told
differently TODAY than In decades past
the churches and the masses cling 10
versions recognized as wrong and are
not moved by the newer knoWledSs-
I was forced to this belief last week
when viewing a series OF pictures pOf-
traying the life and death Of the
Christian saviour.
s.WrOue Historical Perspectus."
At least some, seeing these pictures,
are Impressed by a wrong historical
times. not in terms Of modern hlstorl-
cal research but In terms OF reilslous
fanaticiSm. / wish to review some o.
the facts visualized and present not
a Jewish version but an unbiased yer
sion. Ny sainted teacher, isaac u
Wise, said 40 years ago. People Wisn
TO learn what is said about lue new
Testament from the Jewish STANDPOINT
This is a mistake i SPEAK 70 you a. a.
a Jew of the 18th century whose uot-o
is, The world is my country ana LO' =
is my religion whose people are an Oh
Gods children and whose slahl OH
in philosophy, science and crlLlclsln -
as purely objective. and as Tree II rom
every prejudice or bias as long years
Of reading and research and lraNell
make a human being DE wears NJ
secuarian shackels. stands under -
local bias and Obeys no mandates VI
aDv ~srffc7lar school" This is my
position today. I pray that LgnJ may
conquer darkness
Tt ought not be necessary DuJ II
seems absolutely essential TO say.
there is no single CONSECUTIVE ne 80 ~
Jesus in the New Testament me Cos
peIs differ from each oIner ooLn ia
additions and omissions Inc gene
oIOgtes the ministry, the last DAYS anu
the final scenes are told win 5Ies-tel
or less addenda by each Wrlter- Al
popular lives of Jesus are a nerllloA-
ization Of the facts related IN Lhe -Ns@
Testament, Just as these pictures =" n. ~
the story as accepted by the conpil5-
fro ma histriOnic rather rnan historic
viewpoint The first three gOspeiSs
called the synoptic gospels jointly StsS
a general view (synopuc) or the ne
of Jesus The gospel according 20
Holm is generally recognized to De
what the Germans call IenoeAs-
schrift." a book written with purpose
And this purpose is clear II Is an
ATTEMPT of the second century 10 pros
s1--+fse the Roman world. This cOuld
not be done with q story In WnlCL
the Roman played the part o.
of Jesus in full the gospel OF Matthew
oldest attempt at presenting the story
Of Jesus in fun the gospel OF MatheH
stands nearest to JeWlsn ne ~ -
Jewish mode Of thinking; WhlIe lAe
GOSPEL Of Luke is admittedly a colI-
pilatiOn. luke i l-5-) II sse--ec
good TO me also, having Traced the
course of all things accurately ION
the first. to write unto thee IN orQef'
most excellent TheOphlus, Ihat thou
mightest know the certainty concern
ing the things wherein thou vast IN
structed-" CIV 3 and a.
Different Declarations.
The ministry Of Jesus. according 70
John, was about two years, WINE t-e
synoptics make this ministry less ma ~.
one wear. / call attention 10 TINS
DOint simply to show there IS a ul--
ference even about the length o. ser
vice Of the insplrer OF me NeW go -
ment writer's Nor nave llIlle leLSs
TO enter into details about the -ach
of evidence from cOntemporaneOus
writers. Surely one who did such " on
ders and created such a VIVID lLAyL -
sion as the New Testament declares
must have been mentioned BY the
writer's Of the day either in praise or
for blame and SCORING me IeLeI-
ence in JOsephus (AnL XVII, - Is a
sChristian Interpolation" according 70
so conservative a work as the Standard
ssImmacuiate Conception
would not shake the belief Of any %
one who honestly believes In the I'M
maculate conception 50 long as ne
honestly believes this and lives an
honest and upright life, no one can
find fault with him OF her but I'M
rnacuIate conception" is not peculiarly
Christian nor is II q phenomenon pecu-
liar to the origin Of the IoundeI OF
Christianity. 1t is common to the 1olk-
lore of all nations. The reader q
classic mythology the mythology OF
India and Persia has come across IT
quite often. All superior beings must
have a superior origin Iney cdnros
be bound by laws Of natural beings.
Their power over the masses is Que
to the mystic halo surrounding their
origin. And the fact that a spirit not
his own. controlled his acts ana
through him brought healing and
health 10 sufferers is also the recog-
ufEed power of a superior being. HIS
tory records IL ever So socrates was
controlled by his 'daemOn'; MOnaTn-
NapoleOn was led forward by a star,
ssThe WaverinE FAITH
Nor would I enter into a discussion
of the miracles portrayed In these pic
lures. II these alone were shown, IN
order TO strengthen the wavering
faith Of the multitude in strongly
materiaIistis age, I would not notice
them. This would be a legitimate
method Of reTiving faith and as such.
helm in the dissemination Of our duty
to our lOWly fellow man may have
q private opinion upon these matters
but be that what II may, II would
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