SI
STRONGHOLD OF TRUTH
character of the books; and again it is legitimate, vital, and essential, only it requires to be tested. Let us not call any man master, whether ancient or modern, English or German. Let us simply hold ourselves free to look at these things for ourselves. A young man in college once said to me: "How is it that so many clever men accept certain views?" "Why," I said, "there is a fashion in scholarship as well as in socks, and as a rule no one likes to be out of fashion in one or the other." There is a fashion in philosophical thought, in fiction, and indeed in literature generally. Everybody just now is trying to show an interest in the Waverly Novels, because of the recent centenary. They must be in the fashion. What I mean is, that we must not merely follow a fashion, but test things for ourselves, and get the theory that best fits all the facts. There are four ways in which you can test this Old Testament criticism: First, by the history of the Jewish nation and the Old Testament account. Second, you can test it by archreology, and you will find that, during the last sixty years, not a single discovery has done anything except confirm the Old Testament. Third, you can exam ine the books yourself, and you will find thirty times in Leviticus that "the Lord spake unto Moses." And if you look in Deuteronomy you will find it implies, if not mosaic authorship, at least the period of Moses. Then remember our Lord and His Apostles, and how much they valued the Old Testament, and I think you will find that with these four tests it will not be difficult to come to a satisfactory conclusion about Old Testament criti cism. But there is a third aspect, the Highest Criticism. It is sometimes overlooked. Here it is: "To this man will I look, even to the man who is of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word." I now refer to the criticism of the humble soul. You will find that text in Isa. 64 :2. Notice also another text, Heb. 4 :12, "The word of God is a 'critic' of the thoughts and intents of the heart." If the soul of man will allow God's Word to criticise it, and
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