The Fundamentals - 1917: Vol.1

56 The Fundamentals But, as the higher critics contradict the testimony of all the Hebrew historic documents which profess to be early, their e th r e c o r ry iti m cis ig m ht h b a e s tt s e o r m b e e ti c m al e l s ed b t e h e e n " c u a n ll h ed isto th ri e c " v d ie o w cu ." me T nt h a e ry hi h g y h ­ pothesis." But as all schools of criticism and all doctrines of inspiration are equally hospitable to the supposition that the biblical writers may have consulted documents, and may have quoted them, the higher criticism has no special right to this e ti r tle c . rit W icis e m m " u a st s f t a h ll e b v a e c r k y , t b h e e s r t ef a o t re o , u u r po d n isp th os e a n l, a a m n e d " u th p e on hig th h e definition of it as chiefly an inspection of literary productions in order to ascertain their dates, their authors, and their value, as they themselves, interpreted in the light of the hypothesis of evolution, may yield the evidence. "ASSURED RESULTS" OF THE HIGHER CRITICISM. I turn now to ask what the higher critics profess to have found out by this method of study. The "assured results" on which they congratulate themselves are stated variously. In this country and England they commonly assume a form less radical than that given them in Germany, though sufficient!:;> s o t r a o r u tl s in d g em an a d nd de f s o t r ru t c h t e iv e e v t id o e a n r c o e u s, se w v h i i g c o h r , o a u s s w pr e ot s e h s a t ll an se d e, a h v a i v g e not been produced and cannot be produced. The less startling form of the "assured results" usually announced in England i a t n y d in A t m h e e r s i e ca co m un ay tri b e e s. ow Y in et g it to sh th o e ul b d ri b g e ht n e o r ti l c ig ed ht th o a f t C t h h r e i r s e tia a n r e higher critics in this country and England who go beyond the principal · German representatives of the school in their zeal for the dethronement of the Old Testament and the New, in so far as these holy books are presented to the world as the very Word of God, as a special revelation from heaven. duc T e h u e s f t o o llo th w e in m g o s r t e at m em od en er t a f te ro f m or Z m en o o f s* th m e a " y as s s e u r r v e e d to res in u t l r ts o " *Page 205. 1

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