Instability and Inconsistency)
of Modern Biblical Criticism Something About the Superior A irs ancTSatisfiecl Self Assurance o f the Critics By REV . JA M E S L A W S O N
1912 and 1913. He wrote me: “ I see you are still going on the same way,” etc. He then told me that he was not, but that he was as far as possible the other way. He thought our whole sys tem of Bible teaching should be entire ly altered, and particularly our Sunday School lessons. In reference to my pamphlet I asked him to point out one inaccurate or unscriptural statement, but in his reply to my letter he did not attempt to do so. I again urged it, but could not prevail upon him to com ply with my request. My “ advanced” young friend also told me he would not now read a book that was more than ten years old. (Of course I do not suppose he included or excluded the Bible.) I wrote him that he made a great mistake. From his standpoint he should not read a book more than five years old; and better to read none more than one year old; but better still, wait till next year and see what the exponents of Modern Thought will have to say. No use learn ing and then unlearning. The Higher Critics of today would not think of say-' ing what they said ten years ago. Many of the “ assured results” of the critical study of ten years ago are now so fully disproved that anyone making any pre tense to scholarship would blush to be thought ignorant enough to believe them. Just about ten years ago I heard one of our critics— since then college principal— make the oft-repeated state ment that Moses did not write the Pentateuch. When asked how he knew, he said that the art of writing was not then known! And when asked at what time writing began to be practiced, he
ERE it not such a serious matter one might feel amused at the superior airs and satisfied self-assurance of many of our modern critics. Many of them, in deed, are so “ advanced”
that they attach more importance to the views of some modern writers than the teaching of sacred Scripture. Indeed I have seen them smile when a brother of the “ old fogy” class has proved his point by quoting a passage of Scrip ture! The Bible, to them, is far from being what it was to John Wesley or to each and all of the fathers of Meth odism. Its divine authorship and au thority are no longer unquestioned. And any passage of Scripture that happens to stand in the way of their “ advanced thought” is at once relegated to the ever-increasing list of passages that have.been mistranslated or of doubtful origin and authority; or if its genuine ness be established, then the judgment of the writer or the source of his in formation is questioned in order to rob the passage of its divine authority. When traveling in the Holy Land nearly eight years ago, my most inti mate traveling companion was appro- bationed for our ministry in one of our western conferences. At that time he was a firm believer in the Bible as un derstood by orthodox Methodists. He told me that however far I might go against “ Higher Criticism” he would go farther. Since then he has attended one of our western colleges and' is now an extremist just the other way. Some time ago I sent him my little pamphlet on the Fernley Lectures of
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker