The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-04-19

Since the days of the Apostles it
has been the general belief of Christians
that the so-called Books of Moses had
Moses for their author During the
past century an infidel school of Bible
critics has arisen in Germany, who
deny that Moses wrote these books,
and claim that they are a compilation
made from the writings of unknown
persons living between the time of
David or Solomon and the Babylonian
exile. According to this view the
earliest parts of the so-called Books
of Moses were written about six hun
dred and the rest about nine hundred
years after Moses. Moreover, these
critics claim that, for the most part,
the so-called Books of Moses contain
myths, far-fetched traditions, imagi-
nary genealogies, unreliable stories
and fabricated laws and ceremonial
rules.
These are the views that are now
adays taught in many universities and
institutions of higher education, and
spread broadcast among the reading
public by books, periodical publica-
tions and newspapers. The religious
press has here an important mission
to fulfill, namely, to counteract the
spread of these infidel views.
Sources Of Modern Views.
Before examining these theories
more in detail, it may be well to con-
slider the sources whence they sprang.
After Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth
had established the Church of England
Gradually, out of the general religious
confusion, arose the Deists under the
leadership of such men as Count Cher
bury (f1648), Shaftesbury (f1703),
Collins (f1725), and Chubb CHAD.
The Deists rejected all specifically
Christian doctrines. Some of them adj
mitted the existence of God others,
as the followers of Collins and Chubb,
considered Him a being without con-
seriousness, or the life of nature. The
Deists, of course, rejected all miracles
and the supernatural character of the
Bible. Deism became very influential
in England and even today seems
to be "the practical religion" of a
great many Englishmen.
About the time when Deism arose
in England, the religious condition OF
France was deplorable The scandal
Gus example of the court, of great
part of the nobility and of many higher
ecclesiastics, Brought widespread con
tempt on religion. Out of this i'm
moral morass rose such men as Vol
taire, Rousseau, Bayle, La Metric and
a great number of writer's whose gen
eral principle was, "Ecrasey Fin
fame" Destroy infamous Christian
ity." The French infidels had i'm
ported many of their views from the
Deists of England
From France the spirit of English
Deism and French infidelity gradually
spread to northern Germany, where
King Frederic II of Prussia and Duke
August II of Saxony Ct 1889, were
ardent admirers of the leading French
infidels Berlin and Leipzig became
Iu0 great LITERARY CCALA GO WnCASC LIZ
| fidel literature was spread throughout
northern Germany.
In some of the leading universities
of northern Germany infidelity found
hospitable home, and it was in such
centres that the much-vaunted higher
criticism of the Bible had it's origin
and development.
Miracles Do Not Occur.
J. G. Eichhorn Ct 1920, who is call.
ed "The Father of Modern Higher
Criticism of the Bible" professor at
Jena and afterwards at Goettingen,
tried to rid the Bible of miracles
Miracles do not happen" was the
widely accepted doctrine. He ad.
vanced "the new theory" that the
miracles recorded in the Bible were
only edifying accounts of ordinary
events" Thus the smoke and flames
which in Moses day were seen on
Mount Sinai were merely caused by a
fire started by Moses ito assist the
imagination Of the people" Other
miracles were explained away in sim.
| liar manner.