STRONGHOLD OF TRUTH
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in the minds of a great many, is that the best scholarship of our time is bringing the New Testament books back to the first century. Speaking generally, Harnack and quite a number of English and German scholars are pushing back the books of the New Testament to that time at which they have always been held by the Church of Christ to have origin ated. Secondly, the New Testament is credible; that is, it is worthy to be believed. There are many things that are genuine, but not credible. Many works of fiction are gen uine, but not credible. The Shepherd of H ermas, which is the work of the John Bunyan of the second century, is perfectly genuine, but not credible. So the New Testa ment is not only genuine, but is worthy of our belief. Why? First, because of the unblemished character of the witnesses. If we examine them, we shall find their char acters stand all the tests we can apply. Next, because of the agreement of the facts of the New Testament with the facts of Christianity in the world. Here is Christian ity today, with its ordinances of Baptism, the Lord's Day, and the Lord's Supper, all independent of the New Testament, and in existence at least thirty years before the New Testament was written; and yet when the New Testament and they are compared, there is an entire agreement between these facts of Christianity in the world and the truths recorded in this Book. Then, third, the contents of the New Testament do nothing but good. This is another proof of their credi bility. And I would say to those critics of the Bible who accuse it of mendacity, that they should drink of its springs, and they will find in its beneficent draughts of grace and truth that which will assure them of its cred ibility. Truth Unearthed Again, the explorations of Palestine, Egypt, and Baby lon go to confirm the truth of the Bible, Old and New Testaments. During the last sixty years there have been many archrealogical researches, . and not one has gone
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