QUESTIONS OF THE HOUR

Evening Star, Issue 19662, 15 September 1927, Page 4

QUESTIONS OF THE HOUR

' THE BIBLE AHO CRITICISM The subject of Dr Pettit’s third lecture. delivered at Knox Church last evening, was ‘The Bible and the Searchlight of Modern Criticism.’ Mr K. A. Jloscvcar presided over a good attendance. Tiie lecturer stated that the Bible in these days was being subject to the most terrific assault which had ever been made against it. Tho way Darwinism captured tho imagination of tho scientific world was one ol tlm most remarkable pages in human history. ]'t was equalled only by the way the higher critical theories were sweeping the field in theological circles. 'They had seen that the'evolutionary philosophy had won its triumphs in spite of the fact that Nature gave no evidence of its truth.. Just in tho same way the higher critical theories were purely speculative, and when brought to the test of historical facts, unearthed by tho spade of tho arclueologist, had moved to ho utterly unreHable. The history of modern destructive criticism revealed, the fact Dial, one of the aims of the German critics was to present Christianity in a iorm which would be acceptable to the modern mind. Here they saw that it erred in its fundamental principle, for “the natural man rcceivoth not the thin,'is of the, spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they arc spiritually discerned.” The critics set out to firing the Word of God to the bar of human reason, rejecting that which they canid not understand.

The amazing fact was that the higher critic did not realise the falsity of the subjective methods of reasoning, by which lie. was constantly arriving at false conclusions. About HoOAstruc wrote Ins work entitled ‘Conjectures Regarding tho Original Memoirs in the Book of Genesis.’ -He noticed that in parts of tho record “ Elohim ” was used in the name of the Deity, and in other portions “Jehovah.” He made the plausible suggestion that two diflerent writers must have been at work in the record, and assumed that those portions containing the name “Jehovah” were written by one man. and those containing the name “ Elohim ” hv the other. This astounding theory had become the basis of a. great deal of critical speculation. and critics had attempted in the n;ost IVinLiMie way to split up the writings of the Pentateuch and assign them In as many as twenty-two different authors, all'unknown. /The critics had failed to see tho wonderful truth so evident in the Divine record that the Spirit of God hud guided tbo writers to use in different massages the particular name which set forth the particular attribute of the Divine Being which was being displayed. The higher critic began with atallibio Christ—a Christ of his own imagination—and if ho was logical he ended in Agnosticism. _ The Christian began with an infallible Christ, and from His hands received the Scriptures which “cannot ho broken.” The Lord Jesus Christ bore unmistakable witness to tbo plenary inspiration of tho Old Testament when Ho said; “’think not that I am come to destroy the law nr tho prophets. 1 -nil coins to fiestroy hut to fulfil, for verily I say unto you till heaven and earth pass one ]ot or one tittle shall in no wise puss from the bw till all be fulfilled ” Ho Who was the Truth could not fulfil that which was false; hence He placed His imprimatur upon the whole of_ tho Old Testament. Tho higher critical t.icories could be maintained only bv the process of donving the trustworthiness of tho Ron of God. Who declared that Ho was “tho faithful and true witness.” Ultimately it was a conflict nt authorities. It was Christ nr the critics. It was a choice between Divnji and human authority. The truth or tho Old Testament Scriptures, ff the higher critics were right the prophets and the apostles were liars and impostors. In that case, He Who said “Whatsoever I speak therefore even ns (he Father said' unto mo so 1 speakhad placed His imprimatur upon a lie. On every hand His truth was being denied and His testimony sot aside bv those wlio claimed to bo exponents or Christianity. Ho was saying to-each one; “Will ve also go away I • Might Christ give them grace to respond: “Lord, to whom shall wo/m? Thou hast the words of eternal life,”