The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-09-20
which rests upon the purity Of any

which rests upon the purity Of any
classical text.
But in so far as this text Is the rec
ord OF human activities spread out
| through ages, inasmuch as II Is the
product of human industry or OF in
| spiration working through human in
| telligences. II is subject to discussion
along the critical lines to which all
other records must submit. We are
to evaluate the record in proportion as
| it's truth Is supported by its congruity
1t may be supported by external cor
roboratlon. 1t may be disputed from the
! like source; such criticism In of sec
| ondary Importance in this investigation
| by reason OF the fact that all external
records stand as the work OF man alone,
while this canon is surrounded by the
| postulate that It alone is OF divine ORR
gin. Avoiding the theological pitfalls
| into which exterior criticism would
lead the scholar research has found Its
best line of investigation in the cr!ti-
cism Of these texts through the mes MS
OF internal congruity.
The various theories have been as
sembled by Prof. kttel in most care
full synopsis, the arguments for each
are shrewdly set forth and the objec-
lions equated Herewith with the def
mite analysis which We seldom find out
side IA judicial decision handed down
/ in civil matters by court OF last re-
sort We may not here venture upon
the discussion of a theme so reconcile.
II should suffice to note In brief con-
spectus the modern argument as to the
sources OF the sacred canon and as to
the several influences which have been
/ . too 80 "a,
carefully preserved tcrtus receptus.
The books OF the Old Testament,
wherewiSh should be included much and
probably all OF the accessory material
which Protestant scholarship has re-
moved from common use and set aside
in the Apocrypha. are deemed the prod
uct OF "A final recension given at the
time when the temple ritual had ar
rived mt its summit OF literary finish
and the several orders Of temple SER
wants had become a group OF scholars.
This recenslon is named the prlestly
revision, IT applies to the Law. TO the
Prophets and 10 the Histories as we'll
as to the books which are best explained
as essays In philosophy, In drama and
in erotlc poetry Assuming the estab-
llshment OF this priestly revision, every
argument shows that It must have
taken place in the reconstruction OF the
Jewish theocracy after the return from
the Babylonian exile.
In this volume the learned author
deals only with the Hexateuch, n com
FACTION Of the story Of creation, VI tho
history OF the patriarchs. OF the exodus
and wilderness journey. OF the law
wherewith the Jewish State was pre-
pared TO enter upon the possession Of
the land of Palestine. After making
every allowance for the priestly revision
n much later age the inconRruities
long recognized In the Hexateuch open
a path for the dissection OF sources
from which the text has been assembled
Segregated by reference to the name OF
God the most ancient texts are two,
the Jahvist and the Elohist. This source
distinction appears In the creation
story and runs in an interlacing thread
through the whole Of the Pentateuch
It Is clearly marked in the patriarchal
record. the duality OF the Abraham
, saga, the Jacob saga and the very
puzzl!ng Joseph saga, 1t is readily re-
covcrable In the record Of Moses. Still
more minute examination tends to d.
vide each of these records: we seem to
recognize several Jahvist authors and
several Eloh!st authors, perhaps indi.
vidual schools Of the sacred rites. Nor
docs this dichotomy complete the
sources Of the Pentateuch. In the reign
Of Josiah n book of the Law was dis
covered by Hilkiah the priest and
passed to the king through the hands
, Of Shaphan the scribe In this episode
II Is sought to discover and identify the
primitive book of Deuteronomy and tC
ser apart the later accrctions from other
hands. The scheme of dissection is by
no means so clear as that which yields
tho Jahvist and Elohist texts but it i,
meeting with no little favor amons
Biblical critics and has been found OF
value IN establishing the dcuteronomiC
i, fragments scattered through the boob
uf Joshua.