Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-14
OLD TESTAMENT CONVEYS
|MPER|sHABLE MESSAGE
Christ, Says DIR. Bowie, Did Not
Treat 1t as Final Nor as
InfaIIible.
HE SUPERSEDED OLD LAWS
Higher Criticism, Applied to Old
Testament in Sermon at st. Paul's
Church-Wil Preach Next Sunday
on the New Testament.

!
That Christ did not treat the Old
Testament rs final or infallible. but as
an imperishable message from God to
man, which His own life should enforce
and CONFIRM, was brought out by Rev.
w. Russell Bowie, D. D., rector OF st.
Paurs Church. last night in the con-
tinuatiop of his series of sermons on
the Interpretation OF the Bible. DR..
Bowie took as his subject, 1.-THE Old
Criticism
DR.. Bowie took as his text the sew
enteenth verso OF tho fifth chapter of
st. Matthew, think not that came
to destroy the law or the prophets I
came not to destroy, but to fulnl." and
!, parts of the twenty-f1rst and twenty
second verses, "Ye have heard that 1t
was said to them of the old time, but
l say unto you"
In substance, DIR. Bowie said:
These words. all from Jesus's Ser
mon on the Mount, indicate what was
the attitude Of Jesus to the Old Tesla
ment. Plainly, 1t had two aspects. In
the first place, Jesus considered the
Old Testament to contain imperishable
messages from God to men which His
! own life should enforce and confirm
But on the other hand, He treated the
Old Testament as neither final nor in
| fallible. In this Sermon on the Mount.
! He repeatedly quotes commands from
the Old Testament law. and then goes
on to supersede them by His own larger
| principles. Thus and thus was said by
tho men of old time by the writer's Of
the Old Testament books, but 1 say
! unto you He said,' that which should
transcend the former law.
A REVELATION OF GODS
| MEANING IN HUMAN LIFE
Exactly this judgment ought to
guide the higher criticism. and does
! guide the ablest and most reverent of
Its representatives. The higher criti-
cism finds In the Old Testament a
revelation of Gods meaning for human
life which is of imperishable worth.
! But 1t also holds, after the example of
Jesus that the Old Testament Is SUD-
| ject to n spiritual analysis which re-
veals that not everything In 1t is Of
| permanent spiritual authority.
| lust what the value OF the Old Tes-
| lament Is we begin to realize best
| when we remember that Gods primary
/ revelation was not In the book. 1t was
| In life--the life Of which the book is
an expression. From among the peo-
| pies OF the East there arose one peo-
| pie with capacity for spiritual un-
Outstanding, which was unique. To
| the heart and mind OF that people
J that people of Israel-tke Spirit of God
communicated Its messages. But that
| communication was gradual.
I'm the earlier ages, IsraeIs concep-
! tion Of God and of Gods will was
confused with many Of the fierce and
| primitive beliefs and impulses which
belonged to those times. Jael could
drive nail into the temple of the
1aa 49, =
into her tent under the false pretense
of friendly shelter, and Deborah, the
prophecies, could sing Of 1t as n glo-
rious service rendered to Israel and
to Israers God Samuel could hew
King Agag in pieces and think he did
1t by Gods command. The Psalmist
could pray that he might dip his foot
| In the blood Of his enemies, and could
| think II reasonable to expect that God
would grant him his petition.
OLD TESTAMENT GIVES
| EXAMPLES OF GREAT LIVES
Together with these primitive and
| imperfect elements in the Old Tesla
| ment. we have Its other and immortal
glories-the examples of great souls.
| like Moses and David and Elijah, the
! prophets the exquisite beauty Of many
l. OF the psalms. and the record of the
! whole transcending fact of a nation,
which. In spite OF many blunders and
shortcomings, was making Its quest for
God the supreme purpose of its soul.
The spiritual value of the Old Tesla
ment ia measured by the spiritual value
OF the life that his behind It's several
books. The inspiration OF the Old
Testament is largely a question OF the
measure in which the life 1t expresses
was actually inspired. There Is no evil
dence that God made the writer's Of 1t
infallible in matters OF history or sci
ence or moral judgments either, any
more than He made Moses or Samuel
or David infallihle and perfect In their
lives. What He did do was to inspire
nation. and particularly it's great
and heroic souls, so to aspire and, on
the whole, SO to live that the record of
1t is full OF imperishable help and
stimulus-full. in this vital sense. OF in
spiration-for men and women who
seek guidance in godly living In this
or any other age"
On next Sunday night Dr. Bowie will
preach on The New Testament in the
Light OF the Higher Criticism"
GERMAN CRUISER