Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1917-04-30

Christ OF Latter Day Saints:
This mornings discourse includes
study of some very peculiar texts
which arc found in the bible.
Before coming to the first one
want each one of you to answer 4
certain question.
rhe question is this: Did Jesus
Christ bear Witness among men OF
the divine nature of his own mission
Did ne testify concerning this him
self or leave NJ that testimony en-
tirely to others? Every one of you
must agree that Jesus did testify of
himself That is correct He did of
himself bear witness OF the divine ma
ture of his mission to the world.
Many others also testified in his
behalf. But now what will we do
with this text in st. John 5:321? IF
bear witness myself. my witness is
not true" As an example of the
many places where the scripture
shows that Jesus testified Of his own
mission note these readings: Il am
come in my Fathers name and We
receive me not: If another shall come
in his own name, him We will receive.
verse 49, Also this: Search the
scriptures, for IN them We think We
have eternal life and they are they
WHICH testify Ol me.
For had We belieV ed Moses, We
would have believed me. Cor he wrote
Of me- And the Father himself,
which hath sent me- hath borne wit
ness OF me-" All these statements in
the same chapter. and then this one
"lsO With is sc glaringly contradic-
tory: III ! bear witness of myself,
my witness is not true" Ny purpose
in directing attention to these Pc
culiar and ntradictory texts is that
| may Introduce g superior transla-
ton Of the scripture which upon this
point reads: If | hear witness of
myself. yet my witness is true. Ii
does not take a profound scholar. Of
master of languages to see ct a
glance which Of these two renditions
is the most harmonious Some Obiec-
tor may protest that the eXoct text
of the holH scripture must never De
questioned in the least as to correct
ness or authenticity.
Replying to such objection | would
ask which of the many TRANSACTIONS
of the bible and of the numerous
readings OF the same shall we accept
as the one of unquestioned authority
Have any of the translators Of gem
orally accepted versions Of the scrip
lures claimed perfection. or divine
inspiration for their work? When
King James, King of England, ire
land and France gave his support for
the translation of the bible from the
original sacred tongues into the Eng
fish language. did he invest those
men with supernatural powers? Those
translators claimed no more than
scholarly ability ard in Some Of theiI
scrupulous tenacity in clinging tt
-,-hi Ior hi
seemed to impose they have evident
ly sacrificed much of the real sense
and spirit upon the altar of phrase
and form.
We are inclined to claim more fol
the accuracy of the bible history, and
/ the correctness Of its translation thar
the facts and circumstances will war
rant; and more than there is any
authority from God to support. Thi:
| is not to minimize the greatness OF
| this the greatest Of books, but Il
/ SLY that to miss the mark OF the eX
! act truth by going to the extreme
right hand from it for a mile, i!
| equally as had as tn miss the sam'
mark by gninS TO the left extreme 70
another mile
The exact truth, not being eithe
exaggerated or diminished has create
value to the student and to the seek
or for salvation than all the mixture
II part ruth and part error ever con
| coeted. Here is another test from
| the King james Version which seem
n little peculiar. and which stand
alone in its Inconsistency having n
qualifying context
Neither shalt thou countensnCe
poor man in his cause" EXODUS 23::
BY the ordinary use Of the tern
"countenance." as for example: d
not countenance evil doeTs this tex
is made to command that we shoul
not have anything to DO with a poe
man. in the way Of helping MIN c
oncoura SinS him in the least.
Thou shalt not countenance a poo
man in his cause" That would b
4 very acceptable text to people {
wealth who regard the poor as so in
feF:or to themselves that they woul
not conference them in any soci,
intercourse whatever. Those who fe'
themselves TO be born to natural Go
given superiority above the poo
might find great religious cousola
ton in such a text as this, ii take
to mean lust as it reads; and Il
concione of the oDpressors Of Il
POOR if pricked al times, might fin
ease thereby. Put such an interprt
tation cannot of course be accepted
not because of what it says. but
spite of what it says, ana becaus
to accept such an interpretaotic
would be out OF harmony with ever
revealed truth. The foxes ha'
holes and tho birds OF the air haN
nests but the Son of man hath II,
where to lay his head" Pertainir
10 this worldsgoods. Jesus was poo
man, but most worthy to be counti
nanced by the mightiest of eartl
nobility. The translation which
have before me, and which is cxclu
lively published by this church. is Il
product of latter day inspiration al
revelation from God, TIE source of q
light and truth, and upon the q,e
ticn of not countenancing the po,
man reads us follows: Meth
shalt thou countenancc a wicked ma
in his cause
Do Unto Others as We WouId Til
They Should do Unto You
But what about this from the Kii
James bible? ''Ye shall not eat
anything that dieth of itself: tn,
shalt give it unto the stranger that
in thy gates, that he may eat it;
thou nayest sell il unto the allie
fer thou art q holy people unto Il
Lord thy God."-Deut 14:21.
Take this exactly as it reads al
1t makes il to appear that the LORD
people art too holy to eat anythil
that dies Of itself. but that they won
be justified in selling animals viii
had died Of some disease 20 the
neighbors. How would that wo
here in Arizona? Suppose a farm
here should undertake to sell hd
that had died of cholera to his neig
nors. He would be sent 10 the Flo
enee prison: AMI yet that scriptu
would excuse him if ne would ent