,,chapters ,,of ,,bible ,,study ,,or ,a ,,popular ,,introduction ,,to ,,the ,,study ,,of ,,the ,,sacred ,,scriptures ,,by ,,the ,,rev4 ,,herman ,j4 ,,heuser ,,prof4 ,,of ,,scriptural ,,introduction ,,and ,,exegesis1 ,,st4 ,,charles ,,seminary1 ,,overbrook1 ,,pa4 ,,the ,,cathedral ,,library ,,association #abc ,e4 #ejth ,street ,new ,york #ahie ,nihil ,obstat3 ,d4 ,j4 ,mc,m,a,h,o,n1 ,censor ,librorum4 ,imprimatur3 ,,michael ,,augustine1 ,archbishop of ,new ,york4 ,,copyright ,,by ,,joseph ,h4 ,,mcmahon1 #ahie4 ,,preface4 ,the following pages are printed from notes used in a series of lectures before the ,catholic ,summer ,school of ,america at ,pittsburgh4 ,they are neither an exhaustive nor a scientific exposition1 but are meant as a suggestive introduction1 in popular form1 to the intelligent reading of the ,bible4 ,some of the answers to questions proposed by members of the ,school during the course have been inserted where it seemed most suitable4 ,i take occasion here to express my deep appreciation of the courtesy shown to its visitors by the ,directors of the ,catholic ,summer ,school4 ,their self-sacrificing spirit has secured to the organization the earnest co-operation of many gifted men and women animated by that refined ,catholic feeling which constitutes the highest type of a truly cultured society4 ,nothing could have placed the institution on a firmer basis1 or could better have given it that guarantee of success to which the last session has borne witness4 ,h4 ,j4 ,h4 ,,contents4 ,i4 ,the ,ancient ,scroll ,,ii4 ,strange ,witnesses ,,iii4 ,the ,testimony of a ,confession ,,iv4 ,the ,stones ,cry ,out ,v4 ,heavenly ,wisdom ,,vi4 ,the ,vicious ,circle ,,vii4 ,the ,sacred ,pen ,,viii4 ,the ,melody and ,harmony of the ,vox ,coelestis ,,ix4 ,the ,voice from the ,rock ,x4 ,a ,source of ,culture ,,xi4 ,the ,creation of ,new ,letters ,,xii4 ,english ,style ,,xiii4 ,friends of ,god ,,xiv4 ,the ,art of ,prospecting ,,xv4 ,using the ,kodak ,,xvi4 ,the ,interpretation of the ,image ,,xvii4 ,deus ,illuminatio ,mea ,,xviii4 ,bush-,lights ,,xix4 ,the ,use and the ,abuse of the ,bible ,,xx4 ,the ,vulgate and the ,revised ,version ,,xxi4 ,the ,position of the ,church ,,xxii4 ,mysterious ,characters ,,xxiii4 ,conclusion ,,xxiv4 ,appendix ,,chapters ,,of ,,bible ,,study4 ,i4 ,,the ,,ancient ,,scroll4 ,if a mysteriously-written document were brought to you1 and its bearer assured you that it contained a secret putting you in possession of a great inheritance by establishing your relationship to an ancient race of kings1 of which you had no previous knowledge1 how would you regard such a document8 ,you would examine its age1 the character of the manuscript1 the quality of the paper or parchment2 you would ask how it had come to you1 and by whom it had been transmitted through successive generations before it reached you4 ,and when1 after careful inquiry1 you had established the age and authenticity of the document1 then you would study its contents1 examine the nature of its provisions1 and1 having clearly understood its meaning1 ask yourself3 ,how can ,i carry out the conditions laid down in this testament1 in order that ,i may obtain the full benefit of the generous bequest left by my noble ancestor8 ,it is on similar lines that ,i propose to treat our subject4 ,we shall take up the ,bible just as we would take up any other written work1 requiring1 for the time being1 simply so much faith--no more1 but also no less than we would exact in the fair examination of any other work1 whether of fact or of fiction4 ,when we have assured ourselves that the ,bible is really as old and as truthful a record of history as it pretends to be1 and that it has for it such human testimony as leads us to admit historic facts in general1 we shall occupy ourselves with its contents1 with the influence which this wonderful book1 this ancient testament of our royal ,sire1 exercises upon the heart1 the mind1 the general culture1 by which it leads us to our inheritance1 and enables us to assume our place in our destined home4 ,the ,bible1 looking upon it as a merely human production1 is a collection of documents of various antiquity1 containing historic records of successive generations1 going back to a very remote period4 ,it relates the valiant deeds of valiant men and women1 written either by themselves or by men of their own race4 ,it contains1 furthermore1 a great number of principles1 doctrines1 rules1 and laws for the moral and external government of individuals and communities1 particularly of the families and tribes of the ,hebrew nation4 ,finally1 we find in this ancient scroll certain predictions and prophecies which1 if we can show that they were definitely made long in advance of the events foretold by them1 become a strong argument in favor of the supernatural origin of the work4 ,however1 this last point we shall leave entirely out of view for the present4 ,it is very clear that the book which we have in our hands1 and which we call the ,bible1 or ,the ,book par excellence1 has been printed and reprinted during four hundred years1 in millions of copies1 all of which agree substantially1 not excepting the ,bible of the so-called reformers1 with whom1 on the whole1 we differ rather in the interpretation than in the wording of its contents4 ,there are indeed some disagreements on subjects touching religious doctrines1 which1 whilst very important if we accept the ,sacred ,scriptures as the inspired word of ,god1 hardly count for anything in a merely historical work2 and this is the light in which we regard the ,bible just at present4 ,the ,bibles which are printed to-day are practically and substantially the same as those which were printed four hundred years ago4 ,a great number of copies of first editions in different languages may still be found in public and private libraries4 ,the ,new ,testament version1 from which ,luther principally made his translation1 was an edition by the well-known humanist1 ,erasmus4 ,all the modern ,european translations1 including that made into ,english five hundred years ago by ,wiclif1 had for their original an ancient ,latin version which was employed in the service of the churches1 and of which copies in manuscript1 made over a thousand years ago1 are still extant4 ,one of the oldest uncial ,latin manuscripts is the ,vercelli ,gospels1 attributed to the hand of ,eusebius4 ,the ,corpus ,christi ,college ,library at ,cambridge has a manuscript copy said to have been made by ,st4 ,augustine4 ,of ,greek copies we have a very famous one in the ,vatican ,library1 probably the oldest preserved in the world--about #cej2 another manuscript1 called the ,codex ,sinaiticus1 is in the ,imperial ,library of ,st4 ,petersburg2 and a third1 of nearly the same age 7,,iv4 century71 is the ,codex ,alexandrinus1 at present in the ,british ,museum4 ,manuscripts older than these are wanting1 not only of the ,bible1 but of any other book1 except fragments of writings on parchment and certain manuscripts rescued from ,egyptian tombs1 and papers discovered in the recent excavations of ,herculaneum1 near ,naples1 in ,italy4 ,parchment1 on account of the expensive preparation required to make it suitable material for writing1 was sparingly used by the ancients at any time4 ,they preferred to employ the so-called papyrus1 made of the fibrous pith of a kind of rush growing abundantly in ,egypt1 and brought to ,europe by ,eastern merchants4 ,this1 and other kinds of vegetable fibre from which paper suitable for writing was prepared since the days when ,moses1 as we must presume1 practised the art of writing in the schools of ,egypt1 do not withstand the destructive influence of time4 ,experience proves that the ordinary atmosphere has completely corroded cotton paper of nine hundred years ago2 the same is true of the linen paper made in the time of ,albertus ,magnus and ,st4 ,thomas4 ,those exceptional treasures of ,egyptian papyrus referred to above1 which have been found of late years1 owe their preservation to the fact that they were enclosed in almost air-tight tombs1 in a singularly dry climate2 the same is the case with regard to the manuscripts discovered in ,herculaneum1 which have been kept hermetically sealed by the tight lava-cover from ,mount ,vesuvius for a space of more than seventeen hundred years4 ,however1 among such manuscripts as have been preserved under ordinary conditions1 by far the greatest number are copies1 in various tongues1 of the ,bible1 and some of these carry us back to the fourth century4 ,we have ,bible manuscripts written on paper in ,hebrew1 ,syriac1 ,greek1 ,latin1 in the dialects of the ,copts1 the ,arabs1 the ,armenians1 the ,persians1 the ,ethiopians1 the ,slavs1 and the ,goths1 who were among the earliest nations converted to ,christianity4 ,now all these manuscript ,bibles1 more than fourteen centuries old1 substantially correspond to our ,catholic ,bibles of this day4 ,the early ,christian missionaries who introduced the word of ,god to the pagan nations speaking a strange tongue must have had some uniform source whence to make their translations4 ,so many persons in different parts of the world1 unacquainted with one another's language1 could not1 except by some incredible miracle1 have composed out of their fancy so large a book1 agreeing page for page1 nay1 line for line4 ,they must have had some original at their disposal whence to make a uniform copy4 ,the fact is1 we find that original book in the churches of ,italy1 ,greece1 ,asia1 and ,africa4 ,the apostolic ,fathers speak of it as known to everybody2 they read from it on ,sundays and festivals2 they quote long passages1 and the young candidates for ,holy ,orders are taught1 like the ,hebrew levites of old1 to memorize the psalms and moral books of the ,bible4 ,among these witnesses is ,st4 ,clement of ,koine4 ,according to ,tertullian1 who lived near his time1 he was ordained by ,st4 ,peter the ,apostle2 at any rate1 ,st4 ,paul speaks of him in his ,epistle to the ,philippians4 ,other disciples of the ,apostles were ,st4 ,ignatius1 ,bishop of ,antioch1 ,st4 ,polycarp1 the friend of ,st4 ,john4 ,these are followed by ,st4 ,justin1 who wrote a famous defence of the ,catholic faith called the ,apology1 which he presented to the ,emperor ,antoninus4 ,the latter1 convinced of the young convert's sincerity1 put a stop to the cruel persecutions which were then going on against the ,christians4 ,the ,emperor ,marcus ,aurelius also received a copy of the ,apology from ,st4 ,justin4 ,in this well-known work the ,saint states that the ,gospels1 together with the writings of the prophets1 are publicly read in the assemblies of the ,christians4#a ,he also affirms that they were written in part by the ,apostles themselves and partly by their disciples4 ,this was shortly after the year #ach1 when men were still alive who had conversed with ,st4 ,paul1 and who could well remember the sweet admonitions of brotherly love given by the aged ,st4 ,john1 who tells us that he had seen with his own eyes the things which he writes4#b ,the chain of apostolic writers from ,st4 ,peter to ,st4 ,augustine1 i4e41 from the first century to the fourth or fifth1 bears witness that this wonderful book was used in every ,christian community from the regions of the ,jordan1 whence ,st4 ,justin came1 to the confines of ,spain1 where ,isidore of ,cordova wrote his commentaries2 from the northernmost part of ,dalmatia1 where ,titus had preached the doctrine delivered him by ,st4 ,paul1 to the limit of the ,african desert1 whence one of the oldest ,latin versions of the ,scriptures was brought to ,st4 ,ambrose4 ,it is interesting to be able to cite the testimony of pagan as well as of ,jewish writers concerning the great events which the ,christian ,gospels record4 ,we have the historic fact of ,christ's person and work attested in the ,annals of ,tacitus1 the greatest of ,roman historians1#c who was consul of ,rome in #ig4 ,his statements are corroborated by ,suetonius1 secretary to the ,emperor ,adrian1 by ,pliny1 the ,viceroy of ,bithynia and friend of the ,emperor ,trajan1 by the ,jewish writers ,philo of ,alexandria1 a contemporary of ,christ1 and the historian ,flavius ,josephus1 and by the rabbis who collated the traditions of the ,talmud4 ,all these1 whilst they wrote but briefly of the subject1 bear indirect witness to the belief and to the practice by the earliest ,christians of the ,gospel precepts1 although the books of the ,new ,testament had not at that time been formed into a definite canon4 ,thus the unbroken evidence of the existence of the ,christian ,scriptures goes back to the very time of their first composition4 ,we come to the ,old ,testament4 ,that the ,jews in the time of ,christ possessed a collection of sacred books is recorded on every page of the ,new ,testament1 of whose authentic source there can be no reasonable doubt4 ,there are altogether about two hundred and seventy passages in the ,new ,testament books which are quotations from the ,old ,testament4 ,there are innumerable references in the ,gospels and ,epistles1 and in the early ,christian writers1 to the sacred law of the ,jews1 among whom the first converts were made2 for these converts continued to use the ,mosaic writings and the prophetical books4 ,christ ,himself had beautifully illustrated this practice1 from the first1 in ,his teaching4 ,he came to ,nazareth1 ,st4 ,luke tells us1 where ,he was brought up2 and ,he went into the synagogue1 according to ,his custom1 on the sabbath day2 and ,he rose up to read4 ,and the ,book of ,isaias the ,prophet was delivered unto ,him4 ,and as ,he unfolded the book ,he found the place where it was written3 ,the spirit of the ,lord is upon me1 wherefore ,he hath anointed me2 to preach the gospel to the poor ,he hath sent me2 to heal the contrite of heart4 ,to preach deliverance to the captives1 and sight to the blind2 to set at liberty them that are bruised2 to preach the acceptable year of the ,lord1 and the day of reward4 ,and when ,he had folded the book ,he restored it to the minister and sat down4 ,and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on ,him4 ,and ,he began to say to them3 ,this day is fulfilled this ,scripture in your ears4 ,and all gave testimony to ,him4#d ,any attempt to corrupt the ,old ,testament writings1 or to change and destroy them1 even in part1 became impossible after the ,gospels had been written4 ,it would at once have aroused marked attention among both ,jews and ,christians1 who with equal reverence regarded the ,book as the sacred and inviolable word of ,god1 however mutually hostile their feelings were regarding the interpretation of its meaning4 ,for if ever there existed a document whose authority was sanctioned and whose preservation was guaranteed by the severest laws and most minute precautions1 it was the code of sacred writings known to the ,jews as the ,law and the ,prophets4 ,it was read in every synagogue on the sabbath and festival days4 ,every ,jew above the age of twelve was obliged to repeat certain parts of the ,sacred ,book each day1 morning and night4 ,thrice dispersed among the ,gentile nations1 north1 west1 and south1 the ,jews carried with them the book of the ,law and the ,prophets1 and we find them repeat its sweet words of hope and trust in ,jehovah by the rivers of ,babylon as under the glimmer of the torchlights in the caverns of ,samaria or rocky ,arabia4 ,their faces were forever turning towards ,jerusalem4 ,nay1 when the language of their fathers had ceased to be spoken during generations of enforced exile1 the children still repeated the ,hebrew words of the ,law in the temple1 even though they had versions made for the people by rabbis who were under sacred vow not to change an iota of the ,lord's written word4 ,we have in the present ,hebrew ,bibles some remnant of the traditional care with which the ,jew guarded the letter of the ,law1 whatever might be the spirit in which he interpreted it4 ,in order that the ,sacred ,text might never be tampered with1 even by the addition or omission of a single letter or word1 the scribes were obliged to count the verses1 words1 and characters of each book4 ,they knew by heart every peculiarity of grammatical or phonetic expression4 ,thus the young rabbi must verify that the ,book of ,genesis contains #a1ecd verses2 that the exact middle of the book1 counting every letter from the beginning and from the end1 occurs in chapter xxvii4 #dj4 ,he knew that there were ten verses in the ,scriptures beginning and ending with the letter ,hebrew3 nun 7nun7 7as in ,lev4 xiii4 #i72 two in which every word ends with the letter ,hebrew3 final mem 7mem74 ,the letter ,hebrew3 ayin 7ayin71 in ,ps4 lxxx4 #ad1 is the exact middle of the ,psalter4 ,the letter ,hebrew3 aleph 7aleph7 occurs #db1cgg times1 ,hebrew3 beth 7beth7 #ch1bah times1 ,hebrew3 ghimel 7ghimel7 #bi1ecg times1 and so of every letter in the alphabet4 ,these1 and a thousand other peculiarities which made the corruption of the ,hebrew text an almost absolute impossibility1 were in later ages collected into a glossary called the ,masorah1 which forms a sort of separate commentary to the ,bible4 ,if you open the ,hebrew volume of the ,old ,testament1 just as it is printed to-day1 you will find many of these warnings inserted in the very text4 ,thus at the end of the ,book of ,chronicles we have this sentence3 ,the printer is not at fault1 for the sum total of verses in the whole ,book of ,chronicles is #afej4 ,then1 lest the reader might forget this number1 a verse is attached which contains the letters representing the same number4 ,the verse1 which is taken from the ,i4 ,samuel vi4 #ac1 reads3 ,they saw the ark and rejoiced in seeing it4 ,just as the words ,me,di,ca,l ,v,irtue might stand in ,english for the same number4 ,many other peculiarities in the manner of copying the ,hebrew text have been transmitted for ages without change4 ,thus in the ,book of ,numbers xi4 #a we find the letter ,hebrew3 nun 7nun7 written backward ,hebrew3 reversed nun1 to express more emphatically the meaning of perversity1 mentioned in the verse4 ,in ,job xxxviii4 #ac the letter ,hebrew3 ayin 7ayin7 in the word ,hebrew3 final mem1 yod1 ayin1 shin1 khaf 7reshachim71 ungodly1 is raised above the line1 to indicate how ,god will shake up into the air1 like chaff1 the ungodly of whom the ,prophet speaks4 ,but it is needless to point out in detail all the odd precautions which were invented by the rabbis that they might exercise a most rigorous control over the ,hebrew text2 and although these methods are the results of a later school of ,hebraists1 they go to show the sense of responsibility which the ,jews must always have felt regarding the preservation of the ancient ,testament4 ,even at this day you can hardly discover a substantial departure from the original in the numerous manuscript copies extant4 ,kennicott1 an ,english ,biblical scholar1 brought together five hundred and eighty ,hebrew manuscripts of the ,bible which1 after careful study and comparison1 revealed scarcely any differences of the text4 ,an ,italian1 ,prof4 de ,rossi1 who died in #ahca1 had collected seven hundred and ten manuscripts1 and had seen in various libraries one hundred and thirty-four more1 all of which he examined critically without finding any notable differences4 ,i am speaking1 remember1 of such differences as would affect the historical identity of these manuscript copies with their original4 ,it would be folly to assert that these manuscripts1 which reached the number of over #a1fjj1 are copies made by the same scribes2 for some of them were discovered in ,arabia1 others in old ,jewish settlements in ,china2 one1 the oldest in existence1 as some believe1 was found in a synagogue in the ,crimea1 by a ,jewish rabbi named ,abraham ,firkeowicz4 #a ,apolog41 i4 #fg4 #b ,ep4 ,st4 ,john1 chap4 i4 #a4 #c ,tacit41 ,annal41 xv4 #ch-dd4 #d ,st4 ,luke iv4 #af-bb4 ,,ii4 ,,strange ,,witnesses4 ,if there remained no trace of the original writings of the ,old ,testament books preserved for us in the ,hebrew tongue1 we should still possess very reliable witnesses of ancient date to testify to their existence in substantially the same form in which we have them2 for the children of ,jewish exiles1 who were forced gradually to substitute the language of their conquerors for their mother tongue1 had well authenticated translations for their use in the synagogues4 ,the most remarkable of such translations is the so-called ,greek ,septuagint1 commonly believed to have been made for the ,alexandrian ,library by seventy ,jewish rabbis at the request of ,king ,ptolemy ,philadelphus4 ,we shall have occasion1 later on1 to revert to the significance of this ,greek version4 ,for the present it is only necessary to mention that it was so highly esteemed by the ,jews themselves that they used it for several centuries in their reading to the people1 many of whom understood only the ,greek4 ,even the enemies of the ,jews bear witness to the unchanged character of the oldest portion of the ,hebrew ,bible for centuries before the coming of our ,lord4 ,about the year #ecf ,b4,c41 on the return of the ,jewish exiles from ,babylon1 the ,samaritans1 a mixed race of ,jewish and ,aramaic stock1 sought from the temple authorities at ,jerusalem the privilege of worshipping with the rest of the ,jews in the holy city4 ,this was refused4 ,shortly afterwards one of the priests at ,jerusalem was excommunicated for having married the daughter of a ,samaritan prince4 ,he sought refuge in ,samaria1 and having built a temple on ,mount ,garizim1 induced the people to worship according to the ,mosaic ,law4 ,they were found to possess a copy of the ,pentateuch1 which they had transcribed in ,samaritan characters2 and whilst the ,jews of ,southern ,palestine held no communication with them1 and the ,samaritans on their part looked upon the ,jews as schismatics who had changed the ancient observances of the ,law1 yet both recognized the same sacred code as the rule of their conduct and religion4 ,a copy of this valuable version1 which at a later date was translated into the actual ,samaritan dialect1 was discovered at ,damascus in #afaf1 and has since been printed in several editions at ,paris and ,london4 ,it is of great importance1 as it establishes a perfect accord with the reading of the ,jewish ,hebrew text4 ,these versions1 made at different times1 in places widely apart1 and by men who were decidedly hostile to each other on religious as well as on national grounds1 force us to admit a well-fixed1 universally known1 and trusted original of the books of ,moses2 for where there is a copy there must be something copied from1 just as when we see the well-defined shadow of an object we know that the object itself exists4 ,the antiquity of the ,hebrew ,bible is indeed attested by many no less conclusive arguments than those we have given1 which1 from the historian's point of view1 stamp it as the most important monument of antiquity which we have1 and whose genuine character is proved by the most trustworthy documentary evidence4 ,there is no page of historical account in existence to-day that has such overwhelming testimony in favor of its authentic origin as these books of the ,bible4 ,known by generations as the inviolable law of ,god1 guarded with scrupulous solicitude as their greatest religious treasure1 read sabbath after sabbath in the synagogues1 not alone of ,palestine1 but of ,arabia1 ,assyria1 ,egypt1 ,asia ,minor1 ,greece1 and ,rome--in short1 wherever the sons of ,abraham had been dispersed in the course of more than twenty centuries--who was it1 friend or foe1 that could have dared to change this royal mandate of the ,most ,high to ,his chosen people6 ,if a man were to-day to print a copy of the ,constitution1 or a history of the formation of the ,american ,republic1 introducing some hitherto unheard-of statements1 or omitting some important words or facts1 how long would such imposition remain unnoticed or unchallenged8 ,yet it would be infinitely easier in our times1 and under our conditions1 for such change to pass unnoticed than it would have been among the ,jews4 ,the ,oriental races are intensely averse to anything that threatens to alter their traditions4 ,the customs of the ,eastern peoples to-day are the same as they are described by ,isaias seven hundred years before ,christ1 and the ,jew of ,isaiah's time reflects in every act the manners of another seven hundred years before1 when ,moses describes his people as imitating the domestic virtues and habits of ,abraham's day1 a time which carries us back still another seven centuries4 ,a thousand years make no perceptible change in ,oriental civilization4 ,you may see it every day4 ,take as a ready instance ,algeria1 visited annually by many ,americans1 who go to ,europe by the southern route4 ,it is a coast city1 lying in the full glare of ,european civilization2 nay1 modern life has forced itself upon this town with the captivating aggressiveness of ,french manners1 ,french magnificence1 ,french soldiery1 and a system of commerce which1 within the last sixty years1 has caused the ,european population to outnumber the original ,arab inhabitants of ,algiers by two-thirds4 ,yet the daily and forced contact1 for two whole generations1 between the ,arab and the ,european has produced hardly any change in the habits of the former4 ,the ,mussulman passes through the splendid streets of the ,french portion of the town when necessity urges him1 in silence and with apparent disdain4 ,he prefers his cavern-like habitation1 with small square holes for windows1 and an iron grating instead of glass1 to the spacious and lightsome palaces built by the ,french and ,english colonists4 ,the ,arab woman feels no desire for the pretty vanities of modern fashion1 for the graceful freedom and intellectual intercourse with men2 she conceals her form in the traditional wide robe of the ,east1 with a veil over her head1 a row of shining coins or beads hanging down from the forehead1 and a kerchief over her face hiding all but the gazelle-like eyes4 ,you see in that one city1 open to the constant changes arising from the innumerable relations of travel and commerce1 two worlds of men3 one busy1 fitful1 gay1 and splendidly modern2 the other silent1 immovable1 almost scornful1 and in dwelling and dress1 in manner and language1 just the same as you might have observed them ages ago4 ,such precisely were the people who guarded and delivered to us the books of the ,old ,testament4 ,their religious1 civil1 and domestic practices1 everywhere and at all times of their history1 correspond so perfectly with what we read in any part of this volume that1 even if portions of the ,bible were lost1 we should have the living tradition to witness to the omission1 since we know that the life of the ,hebrew was ever subject to the regulations of the law of ,jehovah1 which was to him the supreme expression of all that is great and good and wise4 ,uniformity of belief and ritual practice1 says the ,protestant ,geikie1#a was the one grand design of the founders of ,judaism2 the moulding the whole religious life of the nation to such a machine-like discipline as would make any variation from the customs of the past well-nigh impossible4 ,a universal1 death-like conservatism1 permitting no change in successive ages1 was established as the grand security for a separate national existence4444 ,for this end1 not only was that part of the ,law which concerned the common life of the people--their sabbaths1 feast-days1 jubilees1 offerings1 sacrifices1 tithes1 the ,temple and ,synagogue worship1 civil and criminal law1 marriage1 and the like--explained1 commented on1 and minutely ordered by the ,rabbis1 but also that portion of it which related only to the private duties of individuals in their daily religious life4 ,and to this day the orthodox ,jew observes the same rites and ceremonies which marked the service of his forefathers1 whether in ,judea or ,samaria1 on the banks of the ,nile under the ,ptolemies1 at ,babylon under the ,seleucides1 or at ,niniveh under ,nabuchodonoser4 ,what event of profane history1 writes the ,abbe ,gainet1 can boast of an unbroken succession of #c1ejj anniversaries such as those of which we have assurance in the history of the ,jews8#b #a ,life of ,christ1 chap4 xvii4 #b ,la ,bible sans la ,bible1 vol4 ,i41 ,etude preliminaire4 ,,iii4 ,,the ,,testimony ,,of ,a ,,confession4 ,the argument of the last chapter leads us to another evidence which points to the historical authenticity of the ,hebrew ,bible4 ,it is plain1 even upon superficial examination of this book1 that it contains1 beside the severest penalties for sin1 the most stinging accusations of infidelity against the people of ,god1 and the most scorching rebukes of their crimes2 it relates the transgressions of their kings and princes and priests2 in short1 it records everything which the ,jewish nation and their rulers must have been anxious to keep silent1 or to mitigate where it was necessary to write it down4 ,every reason of prudence and national self-love must have suggested to them to destroy such records where they existed1 because they made their vaunted glory a story of everlasting shame4 ,compare this historical record of the ,jewish people with the contemporary annals of the ,assyrian1 ,persian1 ,greek1 or ,roman monarchs4 ,these are full of extravagant laudations1 of royal deeds of valor1 of the splendor of their victories over other nations2 whereas the statements of the ,bible are simple1 the narrative of heroic acts and signal divine favors is constantly mingled with incidents deeply self-humiliating for a race that called itself chosen of ,god above all the ,gentiles4 ,the ,jews record numerous defeats1 shameful treacheries1 and errors of their most beloved kings4 ,they rebel1 they commit every crime forbidden by the ,law2 yet whilst they kill the prophets who charge them with ingratitude1 they patiently suffer the record of it all to go into the books which they know will be read to all the people for their shame4 ,they make no attempt to minimize or to excuse themselves to their children1 however much they love the glory of ,israel and the splendor of ,jerusalem as the one nation and city worthy of the most exalted patriotic praise4 ,other nations made themselves a religion in harmony with their passions1 so as to soothe the conscience4 ,but the ,jew finds a law of life given him in the great book of ,moses4 ,he may fall from his ideals1 he may worship idols1 but he never ceases to recognize that this is wrong because it is contrary to the law of ,jehovah4 ,,iv4 ,,the ,,stones ,,cry ,,out4 ,the chain of documentary and circumstantial evidence which points to the preservation1 substantially intact1 of the ,bible as an historic record of the highest possible trustworthiness is completed by the daily increasing store of monuments which are brought to light1 especially in ,palestine1 ,assyria1 and ,egypt4 ,up to the middle of the present century the largest part of our knowledge of the ancient nations was drawn from the ,bible4 ,it was the one great treasure-house wherein the history of the ,east was to be found4 ,we had ,greek and ,roman and some ,egyptian historians1 but their knowledge was confined to their own people1 and needed to be supplemented by the details related in the ,pentateuch1 in ,josue1 ,judges1 ,ruth1 the two ,books of ,samuel1 the ,books of ,kings1 ,paralipomenon1 ,esdras1 ,tobias1 ,judith1 ,esther1 and the ,machabees1 all of which are historical books containing facts1 statistics1 constitutions1 and dynastic lines1 without which profane history would still be a doubtful and barren field of study4 ,but1 lately1 the studious industry of scholarly men has gone over the ground of the old events1 to test with the instruments of historic criticism the veracity1 and1 incidentally1 the authenticity of the ,bible record4 ,aided by the royal munificence of governments and private corporations1 scholars went to search out and examine the monuments of antiquity in those parts where the ,jewish race had dwelt during the periods recounted in the ,bible4 ,they found1 mostly below the earth1 and sometimes beneath the flood-beds of streams and lakes1 traces in stone or clay or metal which pointed to their containing valuable information regarding the ,persian1 ,assyrian1 ,egyptian1 and other nations with whom the ,hebrew people had come in contact4 ,these traces were sometimes in signs and languages not understood or wholly unknown in our learned world1 but with assiduous study the mysteries came1 in course of time1 to be unravelled4 ,the story of these discoveries is in various ways extremely interesting1 and we shall speak of them more in detail later on4 ,besides the primitive inscriptions just referred to1 a number of cities have been discovered which lay buried for many centuries beneath the ground upon which afterwards other races dwelt and built their homes4 ,excavations in ,palestine go1 day by day1 to explain1 where they do not simply corroborate1 the statements of the ,bible4 ,the diggings about the supposed ancient site of ,nineveh1 in ,babylonia1 have unearthed the ruins of an immense library4 ,sir ,a4 ,h4 ,layard1 and subsequently ,mr4 ,george ,smith and ,hormuzd ,rassam1 have brought together a number of clay tablets which open an immense world of ,assyrian and ,babylonian literature1 whose existence was hitherto known only by the indications given in the ,book of ,daniel and other historical portions of the ,bible concerning the conquerors of the ,jews4 ,these discoveries1 as ,mr4 ,a4 ,h4 ,sayce remarks in his ,fresh ,lights from ,ancient ,monuments 7page #ag71 have not only shed a flood of light on the history and antiquity of the ,old ,testament1 but they have served to illustrate and explain the language of the ,old ,testament as well4 ,the evidence brought to light by these monuments has left no doubt in the minds of scientific men as to the facts that occurred three and four thousand years ago4 ,we read the inscriptions which bear witness to the work of the ,chaldean king ,nimrod1 to ,zoroaster the ,elamite1 to ,khamu-rabi1 the ,arab of the days of ,moses2 we treasure as of primary historical importance the account of ,herodotus1 who visited ,babylon at the time when ,esdras and ,nehemias1 who were both ministers at the court of ,artaxerxes1 wrote their continuation of the ,book of ,chronicles for the ,jewish brethren in ,palestine4 ,when we read the works of ,tacitus and ,suetonius1 of ,cicero and ,virgil1 all of whom indicate that they had some knowledge of the ,jewish sacred books1#a we entertain no doubt as to their existence or the authenticity of their writings2 yet men under the guise of scientific criticism have sought to cast doubts upon the ,biblical records which have in their favor a documentary evidence a hundred times more accurate and trustworthy than any work of antiquity without exception in the whole range of history4 ,if apologists were silent1 the very stones would begin to cry out in behalf of the authenticity and antiquity of the ,biblical records4 ,every day is bringing this truth into stronger relief4 ,discovery after discovery1 says ,prof4 ,sayce1 has been pouring in upon us from ,oriental lands1 and the accounts given only ten years ago of the results of ,oriental research are already beginning to be antiquated4444 ,the ancient world has been reawakened to life by the spade of the explorer and the patient skill of the decipherer1 and we now find ourselves in the presence of monuments which bear the names or recount the deeds of the heroes of ,scripture4 #a ,cf4 ,hettinger-,bowden1 ,revealed ,religion1 page #aeh4 ,v4 ,,heavenly ,,doctrine4 ,whence but from heaven could men1 unskilled in arts1 ,in several ages born1 in several parts1 ,weave such agreeing truths8 7,dryden1 ,religio ,laici47 ,the ,bible1 regarded as a work of history which offers us proofs of credibility beyond those of any secular work of the same kind1 has in its composition and style a refinement and loftiness of tone far superior to other writings of equal age which have come down to us4 ,the ,jews attributed to these books1 one and all of them1 a character which at once distinguishes them from all other books1 and caused the collection of them to be regarded in their eyes as one individual whole4 ,this distinguishing character was the divine authority of every one of those books and of every part of every book4#a ,this belief of the ,jews was so strong1 so universal1 so unchanging that1 as has already been said1 it pervaded and regulated their entire religious1 political1 and social life during all the eventful centuries of ,israelitish history4 ,that our ,lord knew of this belief1 that ,he endorsed it1 preached and emphasized it repeatedly1 is very evident from the authentic narrative of the ,gospels4 ,expressions indicating this are to be found everywhere in the writings of the evangelists3 ,have you never read in the ,scriptures8 ,he says to the ,scribes in referring to the words of the ,psalmist 7cxvii4 #bb73 ,the stone which the builders rejected1 etc4 7,st4 ,matthew xxi4 #db47 ,again1 a little later on1 ,he charges the ,sadducees who say there is no resurrection3 ,you err1 not knowing the ,scriptures 7,ibid4 xxii4 #bi74 ,in the ,garden of ,olives ,he bears witness to the prophetic character of the ,book of ,isaiah3 ,how then shall the ,scriptures be fulfilled 7,ibid4 xxvi4 #ed78 ,and the historian1 a friend and ,apostle of ,christ1 adds3 ,now all this was done that the ,scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled 7,ibid4 #ef74 ,st4 ,john's ,gospel1 especially1 abounds in references like the foregoing1 which point to the intimate relation between the ,messianic advent of ,christ and the figures of the ,old ,law1 and assure us that the books of the ,prophets1 as well as the accompanying historic accounts of the ,scriptural books generally1 were regarded as the sacred word of ,god1 not only by the ,jews1 but by the disciples of ,christ4 ,this sacred collection was generally spoken of as consisting of three parts1 namely1 the ,law1 the ,prophets1 and the ,psalms4 ,philo and ,josephus1 both trained in the schools of the ,pharisees1 mention the division as one well understood among the ,jews of their time4 ,christ ,himself speaks of the ,sacred ,scriptures1 in different places1 with this same distinction4 ,now the testimony of ,christ1 who proved ,himself to be the ,son of ,god1 and therefore unerring truth1 is explicit in so far as it appeals with a supreme and infallible authority to the ,jewish ,scriptures as to a testimony not human1 but divine4 ,have you not read that which was spoken by ,god8 ,he says1 referring to the ,mosaic ,law in ,exodus iii4 #f 7,st4 ,matt4 xxii4 #ca74 ,many times ,he speaks of the ,scriptures that they may be fulfilled1 thus indicating that they contain that which lay in the future1 and whose foreknowledge must have come from ,god4 ,this testimony of ,our ,lord is strengthened by the interpretation of ,his ,apostles in the same sense4 ,yet although the testimony of ,christ and the ,apostles regarding the fact that the ,books of the ,law and the ,prophets and the ,psalms are divinely inspired1 is very explicit1 we have nowhere a clear statement or a catalogue which might assure us what books and parts of books are actually comprised in this collection of the ,sacred ,scriptures of which our ,lord speaks4 ,christ approves as the word of ,god those writings which were accepted as such among the ,jews of ,his day1 but ,he does not give us any definite security by this general endorsement that every chapter1 every verse1 much less every word of the ,bible1 as we have received it1 is actually inspired4 ,we are not therefore quite sure from the evidence thus far given that the ,old ,testament1 as we have it1 has in every part of it the sanction of ,christ's testimony to its being truly the word of ,god4 ,as to the ,new ,testament1 we know that1 however accurate and trustworthy as a history of the times in which it was composed it may be1 yet it could not have had the explicit approval of our ,lord1 simply because it had not been written and was not completed for about a hundred years after ,his death and glorious resurrection4 ,yet we accept the ,new ,testament as also inspired in just the same authoritative way as we receive the ,hebrew writings of the ,old ,law4 ,and nothing but a divine testimony1 such as that of ,christ1 could assure us sufficiently that in the ,sacred ,scriptures we have the word of ,god4 ,what criterion have we by which to determine precisely what books and parts belong to this collection of ,old ,testament writings of which ,christ speaks as the word of ,god8 ,what authority have we1 moreover1 for believing the entire ,new ,testament inspired1 since it was written after the time of ,christ8 ,if ,luther and other reformers1 so-called1 threw out some portions of the sacred text1 by what standard or criterion were they guided8 ,some have answered that we need not the testimony of ,christ or any other equally explicit proof to determine what parts belong to this collection of writings representing the inspired word of ,god4 ,they hold1 with ,calvin1 that a certain spiritual unction inherent in the ,sacred ,scriptures determines their source1 and produces in the devout reader an interior sensation which gives him an absolute conviction of the truth4 ,but common experience teaches that devout feelings may be produced by books which are not inspired1 nay1 by positively irreligious books1 which appeal to our better sensitive nature in some passages whilst they destroy a proper regard for virtue in others4 ,moreover1 the absolute conviction of the truth to be deduced from the reading of the ,sacred ,scriptures is belied by a similar experience1 since various sects draw opposing conclusions from the same texts4 ,as truth cannot contradict itself1 and as ,christ prayed that ,his followers all be of one mind1 we do not feel safe in admitting mere subjective feeling and judgment as a test of what is ,god's word4 ,therefore we must look for some other criterion4 ,indeed1 if our ,lord wished us to accept the ,sacred ,scriptures1 including the ,new ,testament1 which was written many years after ,his time1 and for a long time was known only to very much separated portions of the faithful1 we may be quite sure that ,he provided a means1 an authoritative and clear method1 which would lead us to an unerring conclusion in regard to what is and what is not the inspired word of ,god4 ,this would be all the more necessary for those who regard the ,bible as the principal rule and source of their faith4 ,it is a well-established historical fact that ,christ taught some new doctrines1 as they were called1 and that ,he gave a commission to ,his followers1 which they repeated and carried out at the sacrifice of their lives4 ,there is no obscurity whatever about certain words and precepts given by our ,lord1 historically recorded by six of ,his ,apostles and by many of ,his disciples who had heard and seen ,him1 who honestly and intelligently believed in ,him1 and who were prepared to die1 and in some cases actually did suffer martyrdom for the assertions they made4 ,he bade them teach all nations the things ,he had taught them4 ,he did not give them a book1 as ,he might have done1 nor did ,he tell them to write books2 for some of the ,apostles never wrote anything2 and of those who did write in later days1 some had actually never seen our ,lord4 ,such is the common belief regarding ,st4 ,paul1 who wrote more than any other of the evangelical writers4 ,st4 ,luke1 in the very opening of his ,gospel1 tells us that he wrote what had been delivered to him by those who were eye-witnesses and ministers of the word4 ,our ,lord did not1 therefore1 give ,his disciples a book1 but ,he was very explicit in making them understand and feel that ,he gave them an unerring ,spirit1 who would be just the same as ,himself1 verily identical with their living ,master and ,teacher1 ,christ1 who would abide with them to the end of time4 ,behold1 ,i am with you all days1 even to the consummation of the world4 ,to the consummation of the world8 ,and were they never to die8 ,were they actually to go1 as some believed of ,st4 ,john1 to perpetuate the kingdom of ,christ1 wandering over the earth until all the nations were converted8 ,not so4 ,they were to deliver ,his doctrine to their successors1 and the ,holy ,spirit1 the ,paraclete1 would watch over it until the end of ages4 ,st4 ,peter would live1 in this sense1 forever1 and all the opposing forces of error1 the mighty gates of hell1 would not overcome that ,spirit any more than they would triumph over ,christ1 who had overcome the world4 ,to ,st4 ,peter ,he said3 ,to thee ,i give the keys of the kingdom of heaven2 ,confirm thou thy brethren4 ,all this was to go on and on1 so that every human creature could come into possession of truth through this unerring ,spirit that presided over the ,christian doctrine4 ,and this perpetual transmission of the ,holy ,spirit1 the ,spirit of ,truth1 who would guide the future teachers and preside over their councils as at the first councils of ,antioch and ,jerusalem1--this perpetual transmission through a body like the apostolic body1 ever living1 ever guarded from error1 ever triumphant amid humiliations1 what else is it but the ,church1 that glorious heritage of ages1 which we recognize through all time in every land1 holding every class and condition with the wondrous power of its unity of doctrine and discipline6 ,now it is this body1 this ever-living and unchanging organism1 this grand apostolic tribunal1 which ,christ established1 and without which ,his mission to men would really have remained incomplete1 that tells us that the things which some of the ,apostles and some of the disciples wrote for our instruction and edification are inspired by the same holy and infallible ,spirit which guided the ,apostles in their oral teaching4 ,not all things were written there1 as ,st4 ,john tells us1 but many things which they had taught1 and which would keep the people1 with whom the ,apostles could not be ever present1 in mind of that doctrine4 ,the written things were not intended to replace the spoken word of doctrinal jurisdiction1 for the evangelical teaching of the spoken word was to go on to the end2 besides1 there were many who could not read1 and many who might listen but would not read4 ,furthermore1 there would be need of a living apostolic tribunal1 since a written doctrine1 like a written law1 is liable to various and sometimes contradictory interpretations4 ,we have constitutions and laws1 but we need judges and courts to decide the meaning and application1 and if it were not that men forget the order of justice1 or are too remote from the centres of jurisdiction1 we should not need any written laws at all4 ,communities may be governed by a wise superior without any written laws1 and in no case does the written law dispense with the necessity of a discretionary living authority4 ,it is quite evident that in the matter of truth ,god wished ,his ,apostles to use all the instruments by which that truth might be safely and rightly communicated1 and thus the written word was added to the living teaching which the ,holy ,ghost was ever to direct and safeguard4 ,i repeat3 ,christ did not give ,his disciples a book1 but a living1 infallible spirit1 abiding with them to the end of time1 as ,he said2 and since the ,apostles were not to remain on earth to the end of the world1 what else could our ,lord have meant but that others would take their place on the same conditions1 with the same prerogatives6 ,that ,he wished and said this is written over and over again in the sacred volume1 and by men who1 if they had held this grand trust only for themselves1 would have had every reason to say so4 ,but they state the contrary4 ,st4 ,peter ordains ,st4 ,paul2 ,st4 ,paul sends ,timothy and ,titus to the new converts on the same conditions1 bidding them to preserve intact the grace that is in them through the imposition of hands4 ,and the successive generations of ,pontiffs who take the place of ,peter and ,paul and ,timothy and ,titus are the grand tribunal for the transmission of ,christ's doctrine4 ,that tribunal1 from ,st4 ,peter down to ,leo ,,xiii41 is the authority3 ,christ having sent them1 even as the ,father had sent ,him1 which tells us that the books of the ,sacred ,scriptures1 such as we have them1 and as they are singly defined in what is called the ,catholic ,canon of ,biblical ,books1 are truly and really the word of ,god1 and were written under the impulsion of the ,holy ,spirit4 #a ,the ,sacred ,scriptures1 ,humphrey4 ,,vi4 ,,the ,,vicious ,,circle4 ,in the preceding chapter it was said that the ,sacred ,scripture of the ,new ,testament contains ,christ's statements according to which ,he founded an ever-living tribunal of doctrine which decided the question of what books are1 and what books are not inspired1 whenever there is any doubt about such books4 ,perhaps you will say3 ,but is this not arguing in a circle--a vicious circle1 as philosophers say8 ,you prove the existence of the ,church as the tribunal to determine what books belong to the ,sacred ,scriptures from the words of the ,bible2 and then you turn about and prove the inspiration of the ,bible from the authority of the ,church4 ,now mark the difference4 ,when in my first argument ,i refer to the ,bible as containing ,christ's statement and the commission given to ,his ,apostles1 ,i am taking the testimony of the ,bible1 not as an inspired or divine book1 but simply as a trustworthy historical record which tells us the fact1 repeated by several eye-witnesses and sincere men1 such as the evangelists and apostolical writers1 that ,christ1 of whose divinity they were convinced1 had said and emphasized the fact that ,he meant to found a ,church4 ,and as that ,church was to have the divine spirit abiding in it1 guiding its decisions1 it came naturally within the province of that ,church to define whether certain books were to be regarded as really inspired by that ,holy ,spirit4 ,thus the ,church placed upon these books the mark and sign-manual of that commission which she had unquestionably received4 ,but ,i am constrained1 for the sake of completing our present aspect of the subject1 to say something on the character and extent of that divine element which ,jews and ,christians recognize when they accept the ,sacred ,scriptures as the word of ,god4 ,,vii4 ,,the ,,sacred ,,pen4 ,we have seen that the ,biblical writings bear the unmistakable impress of a divine purpose4 ,the nature of that purpose is likewise clearly enunciated on every page of ,holy ,writ4 ,man in his fallen condition stands in need of law and example1 of precept and promise4 ,these ,god gives him4 ,we read in ,exodus 7,chap4 iii47 that ,he first speaks to ,moses1 giving him ,his commands regarding the liberation and conduct of ,his people out of ,egypt4 ,later on1 in the desert on ,mount ,sinai1 ,moses spoke1 and ,god answered him 7,chap4 xix4 #ai72 and ,moses went down to the people and told them all 7,ibid4 #be74 ,next we read 7,chap4 xxiv4 #ab7 that the ,lord said to ,moses3 ,i will give thee tables of stone1 and the law1 and the commandments which ,i have written1 that thou mayest teach them4 ,here ,god announces ,himself as the writer of the ,law and the ,commandments1 although we receive them in the handwriting of ,moses4 ,is ,moses a mere amanuensis1 writing under dictation8 ,no4 ,he is the intelligent1 free instrument1 writing under the direct inspiration of ,god4 ,in this sense ,god is the true author or writer of the ,sacred ,scriptures1 making ,his action plain to the sense and understanding of ,his children through the medium of a man whom ,he inspires to execute ,his work4 ,how does this inspiration act on the writer who ostensibly executes the divine work8 ,we answer3 ,god moves the will of the writer1 and illumines his intellect1 pointing out to him at the same time the subject-matter which he is to write down1 and preserving him from error in the completion of his committed task4 ,looking attentively at this definition of ,scriptural inspiration1 a number of questions arise at once in our minds4 ,god moves the will1 enlightens the mind1 and points out the subject-matter which the inspired writer commits to paper4 ,is the writer under the influence of the divine impulsion so possessed by the inspired virtue that he acts without any freedom1 either as regards the manner of his expression or the use of previously acquired knowledge concerning the subject of which he writes8 ,i answer3 ,no4 ,god moves the will of the writer2 ,he does not annihilate it or absorb it1 unless in the sense that ,he brings it1 by a certain illumination of the intellect1 to a conformity with ,his own4 ,hence the manner and method of expression retain the traces of the individuality of the writer1 that is to say1 of his views and feelings as determined by the ordinary habits of life and the range of his previous knowledge4 ,the idea of the divine authorship of the ,sacred ,scriptures by no means requires that the truths which ,god willed to be contained therein could not or should not have been otherwise known to the inspired writers3 ,their use of study1 their investigation of documents1 their interrogation of witnesses and other evidence1 and their excuses for rusticity of style and poverty of language show this only1 that they were not inanimate1 but living1 intelligent1 and rational instruments--that they were men1 and not machines4444 ,they were employed in a manner which corresponded to1 and which became the nature1 the mode1 and the conditions of their being4 ,previous knowledge of certain truths by men can be no reason why ,god should not conceive and will such truths to be communicated by means of ,scripture to ,his ,church4444 ,hence the idea of inspiration does not exclude human industry1 study1 the use of documents and witnesses1 and other aids in order to the conceiving of such truths1 so long as it includes a supernatural operation and direction of ,god1 which effects that the mind of the inspired writer should conceive all those truths1 and those only which ,god would have him communicate4#a ,and herein lies the difference between inspiration and revelation1 the latter being the manifestation of something previously unknown to the writer4 ,the second question1 which naturally occurs in connection with the one just answered1 is whether we are to consider that the words1 just as we read them in the ,bible1 are inspired in such wise that we may not conceive of the sacred text having any other meaning than that to which its verbal expression limits it4 ,there are many reasons why we need not feel bound to accept the theory of literal or verbal inspiration of the ,bible1 although such opinion has been defended by eminent theologians1 who wished thereby to defend the integrity of the sacred volume against the wanton interference with the received text on the part of innovators and so-called religious reformers4 ,in the first place1 the theory of verbal inspiration is not essential to the maintenance of the absolute integrity of a written revelation4 ,that revelation proposes truths and facts1 and whilst the terms employed for the expression of these truths and facts must fit adequately to convey the sense1 they admit of a certain variety without thereby in the least injuring the accuracy of statements4 ,this is applicable not only to single words1 but to phrases and forms of diction1 and to figures of illustration4 ,secondly1 the sacred writers themselves abundantly indicate the freedom which may be exercised or allowed in the verbal declaration of divinely inspired truths4 ,many of them repeat the same facts and doctrines in different words4 ,this is the case even with regard to events of the gravest character1 such as the institution of the ,blessed ,eucharist1 in which there can be no room for a difference of interpretation as to the true sense4 ,st4 ,matthew 7xxvi4 #bf-bh71 for example1 records the act of consecration by ,our ,lord on the eve of ,his passion in the following words3 ,take ye and eat3 ,this is ,my ,body4444 ,drink ye all of this1 for this is ,my ,blood of the new ,testament1 which shall be shed for many for the remission of sins4 ,st4 ,mark 7xiv4 #bb-bd7 writes3 ,take ye4 ,this is ,my ,body4444 ,this is ,my ,blood of the new ,testament1 which shall be shed for many4 ,st4 ,luke 7xxii4 #ai-bj7 says3 ,this is ,my ,body1 which is given for you4444 ,this is the chalice1 the new ,testament in ,my ,blood1 which shall be shed for you4 ,st4 ,paul 7,i4 ,cor4 xi4 #bd-be7 has it3 ,this is ,my ,body1 which shall be delivered for you4444 ,this chalice is the new ,testament in ,my ,blood4 ,these four witnesses cite very important words spoken by our ,lord on a most solemn occasion4 ,st4 ,matthew was present at the ,last ,supper4 ,he wrote in the very language employed by our ,lord1 and we have every reason to believe that he could remember and wished to remember exactly what our ,lord had said on so important a subject1 especially when he1 with the other ,apostles1 was told to do the same act in remembrance of their ,master when ,he should be no longer with them in visible human form4 ,st4 ,mark1 ,st4 ,luke1 and ,st4 ,paul nevertheless vary the expression of this tremendous mystery in all but the words3 ,this is ,my ,body4 ,they drew their knowledge of the form of the institution of the ,blessed ,sacrament from ,st4 ,peter2 at least we know that ,st4 ,peter revised and approved of ,st4 ,mark's ,gospel1#b and ,st4 ,paul and ,st4 ,luke evidently obtained their knowledge of the ,christian faith from a common source1 which the chief of the ,apostles controlled4 ,they had every opportunity to consult ,st4 ,mark1 and there might have been reason for doing so since they wrote in ,greek1 whereas ,st4 ,matthew retained the ,hebrew idiom1 but evidently neither they nor ,st4 ,peter deemed a literal or verbal rendering of the sacramental form essential1 provided the true version of our ,lord's action was faithfully given4 ,furthermore1 the claim of verbal inspiration implies a necessity of having recourse to the original language in which the inspired writers composed their works1 since it is quite impossible that translations can in every case adequately render the exact meaning conveyed by an idiom no longer living4 ,but the necessity of referring to the ,hebrew1 ,chaldee1 or ,greek text in order to verify the true sense of an expression would place the ,bible beyond the reach of all but a few scholars1 for whose exclusive benefit the generally popular style of the ,bible forbids us to think they were primarily intended4 ,finally1 we have the indication by writers of both the ,old and ,new ,testaments that what they wrote was not conveyed to them by way of dictation1 but that the divine thought conceived in their own minds was rendered by them with such imperfections of expression as belonged wholly to the human element of the instrument which ,god employed1 and could in nowise be attributed to the ,holy ,ghost1 who permitted ,his revelation to be communicated through channels of various kinds and degrees of material form4 ,thus the writer of the sacred ,book of ,machabees 7,,ii4 ,mach4 ii4 #bd1 etc47 apologizes for his style of writing4 ,st4 ,paul 7,i4 ,cor4 ii4 #ac2 ,,ii4 ,cor4 xi4 #f7 gives us to understand that his words fall short of the requirements of the rhetorician1 but that he is satisfied to convey the doctrine of the ,spirit4 #a ,vid4 ,the ,sacred ,scriptures2 or1 ,the ,written ,word of ,god4 ,by ,william ,humphrey1 ,s4 ,j4--,london1 ,art and ,book ,co41 #ahid4 #b ,clement ,alex4--,euseb41 ,h4,e41 ,,ii4 xv4 #a2 ,,vi4 xiv4 #f2 ,,xx4 clxxii4 #eeb4 ,also ,hieron41 ,de ,vir4 ,ill41 ,,viii4 xxiii4 #fba1 etc4 ,,viii4 ,,the ,,melody ,,and ,,harmony ,,of ,,the ,,vox ,,coelestis4 ,but1 you will say1 whilst it is plain that we need not adhere to the text of ,holy ,writ so strictly as to suppose that each single word is the only exact representation of the thought or truth with which ,god inspired the writer1 it seems difficult to see where you can draw the line between the teaching of ,god and its interpretation by man who is not bound by definite words4 ,in other words1 if verbal inspiration is not to be admitted1 how far does inspiration actually extend in the formation of the written text8 ,i should answer that inspiration extends to the truths and facts contained in the ,bible1 absolutely2 that it extends to the terms in which these truths and facts are expressed1 relatively4 ,the former cannot vary2 the latter may vary according to the disposition or the circumstances of the writer4 ,it may be allowable to express this distinction by a comparison of ,biblical with musical inspiration4 ,taking music1 not as a mechanical art1 but as an expression of the soul1 or1 as ,milton puts it1 of ,strains that might create a soul1 we distinguish between the conception of the melody and its accompaniment of harmonious chords4 ,the former constitutes1 so to speak1 the theme1 the truth1 or motive of the artistic conception1 which the composer seizes under his inspiration4 ,when he goes to communicate the expression of this musical truth or melody through the instrument he at once and instinctively avails himself of the chords which1 by way of accompaniment1 emphasize the musical truth which his soul utters through the instrument1 according to the peculiar nature or form of the latter4 ,these chords of the accompaniment are not the leading motive or truth of his theme1 but they are equally true with it4 ,they may vary1 even whilst he uses the same instrument1 but the melody must ever observe the exact distances between the sounds in its finished form1 and cannot be altered without changing the motive of the piece4 ,the inspiration of the ,sacred ,text offers an analogy to that of the artist musician4 ,the divine melody of truths and facts is definitely communicated to the inspired composer of the ,sacred ,books4 ,sometimes he sings loud and with strong emphasis1 sometimes he barely breathes his heavenly tones1 yet they are no uncertain notes2 they allow of no alteration1 addition1 or omission4 ,but in the accompanying chords he takes now one set1 now another1 remaining in the same clef1 ever true to the melody1 yet manifold in the variety of expressing that truth4 ,even the seeming discords1 which1 taken by themselves1 look like errors1 prove to be part of the great theme2 when rightly understood they are but transition chords which prepare us for the complete realization of the succeeding harmony into which they resolve themselves4 ,,ix4 ,,the ,,voice ,,from ,,the ,,rock4 ,does the ,church indorse the definition of ,scriptural inspiration which has been given in the two preceding chapters8 ,the ,church has said very little on the subject of the inspiration of the ,sacred ,scriptures1 but enough to serve us as a definition and as an expression of its limitations4 ,the ,councils of ,florence and ,trent simply state that the ,sacred ,scriptures1 having been written under the inspiration of the ,holy ,ghost1 have ,god for their author4 ,how much may be deduced from this was made clear by the late ,vatican ,council 7,constit41 de ,fide1 cap4 ii471 which holds that the ,church regards these books 7enumerated in the ,tridentine ,canon71 as sacred and canonical1 not because1 having been composed through the care and industry of men1 they were afterwards approved by the authority of the ,church1 nor simply because they contain revealed truth without error1 but because they were written under the inspiration of the ,holy ,ghost in such a way as to have ,god for their author4444#a ,by this definition two distinct theories of inspiration are censured as contrary to ,catholic teaching4 ,the first is that which has been called subsequent inspiration1 according to which a book might be written wholly through human industry1 but receiving afterwards the testimony of express divine approval1 might become the written word of ,god4 ,this teaching is not admissible inasmuch as it excludes the divine authorship of the ,scriptures4 ,a second theory condemned by the above clause of the ,vatican ,council as untenable on ,catholic principles is that which is called negative inspiration4 ,its defenders hold that the extent of the divine action in the composition of the ,sacred ,scriptures is limited to the exclusion of errors from the sacred volume4 ,this would restrict the value of the truth revealed in the ,bible to a mere exposition of human knowledge containing no actual misstatements of fact4 #a ,see on this subject ,p4 ,brucker's recently published work ,questions ,actuelles d',ecriture ,sainte1 par le ,r4 ,p4 ,jos4 ,brucker1 ,s4 ,j43 ,paris1 ,victor ,retaux1 which treats admirably this part of our subject4 ,x4 ,a ,,source ,,of ,,general ,,information ,,and ,,culture4 ,among the many interesting letters which ,st4 ,jerome has left us there is one to ,laeta1 a noble lady of ,rome1 regarding the education of her little daughter1 ,paula4 ,an aunt of the child was at the time in ,bethlehem1 where1 amid the very scenes where our ,lord was born1 she studied the ,holy ,scriptures in the ,hebrew and ,greek tongues1 as was then the habit of educated ,christian ladies4 ,st4 ,jerome would have the child ,paula trained in all the arts and sciences that could refine her mind and lead it to its highest exercise in that singularly gifted nature4 ,to this end he bids ,laeta cultivate in the child an early knowledge of the ,sacred ,scriptures4 ,with a touching simplicity the aged ,saint enters into minute details of the daily training1--how the childish hands are to form the ivory letters1 which serve her as playthings1 into the names of the prophets and saints of the ,old ,testament2 how later she is to commit to memory1 each day1 choice sayings1 flowers of wisdom culled from the sacred writers1 and how1 finally1 he ,transcriber's note3 she8 is to come to the ,holy ,land and learn from her aunt the lofty erudition and understanding of the ,bible1 a book which contains and unfolds to him who knows how to read it rightly all the wisdom of ages1 practical and in principle1 surpassing the classic beauty of those renowned ,roman writers of whose works ,st4 ,jerome himself had been once so passionately fond that they haunted him in his dreams4 ,it must not be supposed1 however1 that the judgment of so erudite a man as ,st4 ,jerome in placing the study of the ,sacred ,scriptures above all other branches of a higher education was based upon a purely spiritual view4 ,he realized what escapes the superficial reader of the inspired writings3 that they are not only a library of religious thought1 but1 in every truest sense of the word1 a compendium of general knowledge4 ,the sacred volumes are a code and digest of law1 of political1 social1 and domestic economy2 a book of history the most comprehensive and best authenticated of all written records back to the remotest ages2 a summary of practical lessons and maxims for every sphere of life2 a treasury of beautiful thoughts and reflections1 which instruct at once and elevate1 and thus serve as a most effective means of education4 ,that this is no exaggeration is attested by men like the pagans of old1 who1 becoming acquainted with the sacred books1 valued them1 though they saw in them nothing of that special divine revelation which the ,jew and ,christian recognize4 ,we read in history how1 nearly three hundred years before our ,lord1 ,ptolemy ,philadelphia1 the most cultured of all the ,egyptian kings1 and founder of the famous ,alexandrian ,university1 which for centuries outshone every other institution of learning by the renown of its teachers1 sent a magnificent embassy to the ,high-priest ,eleazar at ,jerusalem to ask him for a copy of the ,sacred ,law of the ,jews4 ,so greatly did he esteem its possession that he offered for the right of translating the ,pentateuch alone six hundred talents of gold 7#egf1jjj71 and liberty to all the ,jewish captives in his dominion1 to the number of about #aej1jjj 7some historians give the number at #ajj1jjj1 others at #bjj1jjj74 ,there exists a spurious account1 ascribed to ,aristeas1 one of ,ptolemy's ministers1 who is said to have accompanied the royal embassy to ,jerusalem for the purpose of urging the king's request4 ,according to this story1 which is in form of a letter written by ,aristeas to his brother ,philocrates1 six rabbis1 equally well versed in the ,hebrew and ,greek languages1 were selected by the high-priest from each of the twelve tribes4 ,the seventy-two rabbis were invited to the palace of the king1 who1 whilst entertaining them for some time1 publicly asked them questions relating to civil government and moral philosophy1 so that by this means he might test their knowledge and judgment4 ,many of these questions1 curious and quaint1 have been preserved1 and are intended to show the wisdom of ,ptolemy and his desire to raise his government to a high level of moral and political perfection4 ,among the guests who were present at the king's table we find ,demetrius ,phalereus1 the famous librarian1 ,euclid1 the mathematician1 ,theocritus1 the ,greek poet philosopher1 and ,manetho1 the ,egyptian historian1 together with other equally learned and illustrious scholars and literary artists4 ,later on the seventy-two translators1 according to the same tradition1 which has come to us through some of the old ecclesiastical writers1 were brought to the island of ,pharos1 where they went to work in separate cells1 undisturbed and living according to a uniform rule1 until the entire work of translation had been accomplished4 ,then the results were compared1 and it was found that the translations of all agreed in a wonderful manner1 and the ,jews accepted it as a work done under the special protection of ,jehovah4 ,whatever we may hold as to the accuracy of the above account and its pretended origin1 it is certain that the story was current before the time of ,christ1 it being credited by ,philo1 who repeats it in his ,life of ,moses1 and by ,josephus1 as well as by ,st4 ,justin ,martyr and others of the early ,christian ,fathers4 ,all agree that the ,septuagint translation was made about the time of ,ptolemy1 and that the ,jews of ,alexandria and ,palestine held it in equal veneration as a faithful copy of the ,mosaic books1 whilst the pagans regarded it in the light of a wonderfully complete code of laws--civil1 domestic1 and moral4 ,reference has already been made to the ,sacred ,scriptures as constituting the oldest and best-authenticated record of ancient history4 ,from it we draw the main store of our information regarding the beginnings of human society in the ,eastern countries of ,mesopotamia1 early ,chaldea1 ,assyria1 ,persia1 ,arabia1 and ,egypt1 all of which are grouped around the common centre1 ,palestine1 where the principal scenes of the ,old and ,new ,testament narrative are laid4 ,but it is not only in the departments of history and geography that the ,bible represents the most extensive and reliable source of information hitherto open to the student of mental culture4 ,the sacred books1 although never intended to serve a purely scientific purpose1 have within recent years become recognized indicators which throw light upon doubtful paths in the investigation of certain scientific facts4 ,sir ,william ,dawson1 one of the leading investigators of our day1 has lately published his ,lowell lectures1 in which he shows how science at last confirms and illustrates the teaching of ,holy ,writ regarding geology and the creation of man4#a ,similar conclusions are being daily reached in different fields of scientific research1 and the words of ,jean ,paul regarding the first page of the ,mosaic record1 as containing more real knowledge than all the folios of men of science and philosophy1 are proving themselves true in other respects also4 ,we may be allowed to cite here from ,geikie's ,hours ,with the ,bible the testimony of the late ,dr4 ,mc,caul1 who gives us a legitimate view of the latest results of science as compared with the ,mosaic record of the ,bible4 ,moses1 he says1 relates how ,god created the heavens and the earth at an indefinitely remote period1 before the earth was the habitation of man3 ,geology has lately discovered the existence of a long prehuman period4 ,a comparison with other ,scriptures 7i4e41 those written after the ,pentateuch1 or ,mosaic account7 shows that the heavens of ,moses include the abode of angels and the place of the fixed stars1 which existed before the earth3 ,astronomy points out remote worlds1 whose light began its journey long before the existence of man4 ,moses declares that the earth was or became covered with water1 and was desolate and empty3 ,geology has found by investigation that the primitive globe was covered with a uniform ocean1 and that there was a long azoic period1 during which neither plant nor animal could live4 ,moses states that there was a time when the earth was not dependent on the sun for light or heat2 when1 therefore1 there could be no climatic differences3 ,geology has lately verifed this statement by finding tropical plants and animals scattered over all places of the earth4 ,moses affirms that the sun1 as well as the moon1 is only a light holder3 ,astronomy declares that the sun is a non-luminous body1 dependent for its light on a luminous atmosphere4 ,moses asserts that the earth existed before the sun was given as a luminary3 ,modern science proposes a theory which explains how this was possible4 ,moses asserts that there is an expanse extending from earth to distant heights1 in which the heavenly bodies are placed3 ,recent discoveries lead to the supposition of some subtile fluid medium in which they move4 ,moses describes the process of creation as gradual1 and mentions the order in which living things appeared3 plants1 fishes1 fowls1 land animals1 man3 ,by the study of nature1 geology has arrived independently at the same conclusion4 ,whence did ,moses get all this knowledge8 ,how was it that he worded his rapid sketch with such scientific accuracy8 ,if he in his day possessed the knowledge which genius and science have attained only recently1 that knowledge is superhuman4 ,if he did not possess the knowledge1 then his pen must have been guided by superhuman wisdom 7,aids to ,faith1 p4 #bcb74 ,some years ago much ado was made by certain sceptics about the chronology of the ,bible1 as if the discrepancies of a few figures could undo the manifest authenticity of the vast store of facts vouched in the grand collection of ,biblical books4 ,these discrepancies are being gradually explained4 ,it may be that we err in properly understanding the ,oriental habits of counting genealogies1 or that the method of the first transcribers led to inaccuracy1 despite the care used in the copying and preservation of the text4 ,when we remember that ,hebrew signs1 very closely resembling each other1 denote often great differences1 clear enough1 no doubt1 at first1 but becoming indistinct in the course of time1 we cannot wonder that some words and expressions present to the ordinary reader a mystery1 or even seeming contradiction4 ,it is not necessary to understand the ancient tongue in order to realize this fact4 ,in the first place1 the similarity of ,hebrew characters which represent great numerical differences must have easily led to errors by the copyists1 which caused difficulty to the later transcribers unless they had a reliable tradition to correct the mistake4 ,thus the letter ,hebrew3 ,beth 7,beth7 represents two1 whilst ,hebrew3 ,kaph 7,kaph7 represents twenty4 ,by placing two small dots above either of these two characters you multiply them by a thousand1 ,hebrew3 ,beth with two dots representing two thousand and ,hebrew3 ,kaph with two dots twenty thousand4 ,the letter ,hebrew3 ,vav 7,vav7 is equivalent to six1 another letter very like it in form1 ,hebrew3 ,zayin 7,zayin71 is seven1 whilst both of these characters represent a variety of meanings3 oftenest ,hebrew3 ,vav 7,vav7 is a copula1 at other times it stands at the beginning of a discourse1 or introduces the apodosis1 or is simply an intensive1 or adversative2 sometimes it is prefixed to a future tense1 and turns it into an imperfect1 etc4 ,again1 there are special reasons why certain combinations of letters stand for numerals1 contrary to the ordinary rule4 ,thus fifteen is expressed by ,hebrew3 vav1 tet#if1 instead of ,hebrew3 tav1 vav1 he1 yod1 because the name of ,god commences with the latter characters ,hebrew3 7,jehovah71 etc4 ,furthermore1 many of the signs used as numerals had fixed symbolical significations1 and were not meant to be taken as literal quantities4 ,moreover1 in all the old ,hebrew writings the consonants only are expressed4 ,thus it happens that the same written characters may denote different things1 sometimes contradictory1 unless living tradition could supply the true signification4 ,thus the word ,hebrew3 resh1 kaf means son 7,ps4 ii4 #ab71 or it may be an adjective signifying chosen 7,cant4 vi4 #i71 or1 again1 clear 7,cant4 vi4 #aj71 or empty 7,prov4 xiv4 #d74 ,besides these primary meanings it stands for corn or grain1 for open fields or country1 for a pit1 for salt of lye 7vegetable salt71 and for pureness4 ,the true signification in each passage is not always clear from the context1 and critics are frequently at a loss to divine the sense intended by the writer4 ,but whilst these discrepancies and obscurities are a momentary source of distraction1 they arouse not only zeal for the study of the sacred languages1 by which means philological mysteries are frequently cleared up1 but they give us often an insight into the wonderful genius of the ,semitic languages1 with their peculiar imagery1 which associates ideas and feelings apparently wholly distinct from each other according to the use of modern terms4 ,the last-made reflection suggests another advantage1 in an educational point of view1 which the study of the ,sacred ,scriptures opens to those who possess sufficient talent and opportunity for its pursuit4 ,i mean the power of thought and reflection which comes with the study of a foreign language4 ,there are portions of the ,old ,testament which we cannot rightly read and understand without some knowledge of the tongue in which they were originally written4 ,this is one of the several reasons which the ,church has for not sanctioning1 without certain cautions1 the indiscriminate reading of the ,sacred ,scriptures in the form of translation4 ,let me give you a very good authority for this4 ,about the very time when ,ptolemy ,philadelphus1 of whom ,i have spoken in the beginning1 sent to ,jerusalem in order to procure the ,greek translation of the ,thorah1 or ,hebrew law 7,pentateuch71 a holy ,jewish scribe was inspired to write one of the later ,scriptural books4 ,it appears that ,he was among the seventy learned scribes who had been sent by the ,high-priest to ,alexandria for the purpose of making the translation for the king1 and that afterwards1 whilst still there1 he composed the sacred book known as ,ecclesiasticus4 ,this book he wrote in the ,hebrew tongue4 ,many years after1 a grandson of this inspired writer1 who is called ,jesus son of ,sirach1 came upon the book and resolved to translate it into ,greek1 in order that it might be read by many of his brethren in the foreign land1 who no longer spoke the ,hebrew language1 though they believed in the law of their forefathers4 ,to this translation he wrote a short preface which1 though it does not belong to the inspired portions of the text1 has been preserved and is found in our ,bibles4 ,let me read it to you1 because it demonstrates the truth of what ,i have just said1 namely1 that our understanding of the ,bible is rendered difficult when we are obliged to depart from the original language in which it was written4 ,the younger ,jesus ,sirach1 who spoke both the ,hebrew and ,greek tongues equally well1 at a time when they were still living languages1 writes as follows about the translation of his grandfather's work3 ,the knowledge of many and great things hath been shown us by the ,law and the ,prophets1 and others that have followed them1 for which things ,israel is to be commended for doctrine and wisdom2 because not only they that speak must needs be skilful1 but strangers also1 both speaking and writing1 may by their means become most learned4 ,my grandfather ,jesus1 after he had much given himself to a diligent reading of the ,law and the ,prophets1 and other books that were delivered to us from our fathers1 had a mind also to write something himself pertaining to doctrine and wisdom2 that such as are desirous to learn and are made knowing in these things may be more and more attentive in mind1 and be strengthened to live according to the ,law4 ,i entreat you1 therefore1 to come with benevolence1 and to read with attention1 and to pardon us for those things wherein we may seem1 while we follow the image of wisdom1 to come short in the composition of words3 for the ,hebrew words have not the same force in them when translated into another tongue4 ,and not only these1 but the ,law also itself1 and the ,prophets and the rest of the books1 have no small difference when they are spoken in their own language4 ,for in the eighth and thirtieth year coming into ,egypt1 when ,ptolemy ,euergetes was king1 and continuing there a long time1 ,i found these books left1 of no small and contemptible learning4 ,therefore ,i thought it good and necessary for me to bestow some diligence and labor to interpret this book2 and with much watching and study1 in some space of time1 ,i brought the book to an end1 and set it forth for the service of them that are willing to apply their mind1 and to learn how they ought to conduct themselves1 who purpose to lead their life according to the ,law of the ,lord 7,prologue to ,ecclesiasticus74 #a ,meeting-place of ,geology and ,history1 #ahid4 ,fleming ,h4 ,revell ,co41 ,new ,york4 ,,xi4 ,,the ,,creation ,,of ,,new ,,letters4 ,it is a fact not generally known or realized that if it were not for the ,bible some of the richest and most beautiful languages of antiquity would now be entirely lost to us2 nay1 more1 there are whole nations who would in all probability never have had a written language or literature except for the ,bible4 ,of the ancient ,semitic tongues only two remain living languages1 that is1 the ,arabian1 and1 in a modified form1 the ,syrian4 ,the ,chaldee1 the ,samaritan1 the ,assyrian1 the ,phoenician1 the ,ethiopia are dead and would hardly be known to us except for the remnants of them which we trace through the sacred books of the ,scripture4 ,we have no relic of the ,hebrew tongue but the ,bible2 and this language1 with all its wondrous musical forms1 its strange capacity of eliciting and expressing the deepest feelings of the human heart1 and its charming touches of ,oriental genius1 would be entirely dead outs1 if we had not the ,bible4 ,our own ,english tongue bears the traces of another written language1 now entirely dead1 but which was actually created by the study of the ,bible4 ,i mean the ,gothic1 of which no other written document exists to-day except some portion of the ,holy ,scriptures translated by ,ulfilas in the fourth century4 ,when he came as a missionary among the ,goths he found them ignorant of the art of writing4 ,in order to ,christianize the rude people he invented for them an alphabet1 gathered their children into ,christian schools1 and taught them to write and to read4 ,the first book1 and the last1 too1 of that once powerful race was a ,bible4 ,when the ,goths had died out in the ninth century1 their written copy of the inspired word of ,god still continued to live1 and we can trace in our unabridged dictionaries to-day the original meaning of many a ,saxon word by reference to this solitary copy of a part of the ,sacred ,scriptures4 ,what has been said of the ,gothic is equally true of the written language of the ,armenians 7for whom the anchorite ,miesrop devised an alphabet and translated the ,bible72 also of the ,slavonic nations 7for whom ,,ss4 ,cyril and ,methodius made an alphabet and ,bible translation72 and others--races who1 like our own ,indian tribes1 lived only long enough as representatives of a separate language to learn the rudiments of ,christianity4 ,all this must convince us that those who have the required means should seek to master one or several of the ,biblical languages1 since the ancient tongues1 less subject to the caprice of political changes than those of later ages1 open to the mind avenues of original thought and sentiment which modern literature and education have not been capable of retaining without them4 ,you will say that it is impossible for most1 or perchance nearly all of you to give yourselves to the study of ,hebrew or ,greek or ,latin in order to gain that profit from the intelligent reading of the ,bible which it yields to the man of learning4 ,very well2 if so1 the fact of our deficiency must caution us in reading and rashly interpreting according to our fancy what can only be determined by the wisdom of those who act the legitimate part of divinely-appointed judges4 ,as in the ,old ,law the ,high-priest and the great council of the ,sanhedrin were the infallible interpreters of the divine decrees1 so the ,church1 which is the continuation and perfection of the ,synagogue1 completes the ,messianic mission by interpreting for each succeeding generation the meaning of the inspired words written in the sacred volume4 ,,xii4 ,,english ,,style4 ,but there still remains for all of us the reading of the ,english ,bible1 with the aids of interpretation which render it intelligible for a practical purpose1 and in so far as it is an expression of the natural moral law4 ,this of itself contributes very largely to the perfection of our use of the mother tongue4 ,for it is always true of this sacred book1 as ,dryden says1 that in 444 ,style1 majestic and divine1 ,it speaks no less than ,god in every line2 ,commanding words6 whose force is still the same ,as the first fiat that produced our frame4 7,dryden1 ,relig4 ,laic41 i4 #aeb47 ,yes1 its frequent reading helps much to the formation of good ,english4 ,this is not simply fancy1 but the verdict of those who have experienced and proved the benefit of frequent use of the ,bible as a means of fashioning and improving a beautiful style of ,english writing4 ,some years ago ,mr4 ,bainton1 a lover of ,english literature1 requested the best of living writers to give their opinion as to what class of reading had most contributed to their attaining the elegance or force of beauty for which their writings were generally admired4 ,to the surprise of many it appeared in the answers that the reading of the ,bible was considered the secret of a charming style1 even by authors who wrote in that lighter1 sparkling vein which seems so remote from the gravity and solidity of the sacred books4 ,to give one example of this let me quote the words of ,mr4 ,w4 ,s4 ,gilbert1 the author of the delightful ,bab ,ballads1 and a long series of light operas and sparkling plays4 ,after referring to the advantage of studying the ,english of the late ,tudor and early ,stuart periods1 he adds3 ,but for simplicity1 directness1 and perspicuity1 there is1 in my opinion1 no existing work to be compared with the historical books of the ,bible4 ,mr4 ,marion ,crawford1 much read of late1 and criticized for fostering a faulty ideal1 but whose vigorous expression1 power of analysis1 and correct delineation of character will hardly be denied by any one capable of judging1 gives his ideas of attaining to good ,english style in the following words3 ,the greatest literary production in our language is the translation of the ,bible1 and the more a man reads it the better he will write ,english4 ,he adds3 ,i am not a particularly devout person1 though ,i am a good ,roman ,catholic1 and ,i do not recommend the ,bible from any religious reason4 ,i distinctly dislike the practice of learning texts without any regard to the context4444 ,but if we were ,english ,brahmans1 and believed nothing contained therein1 ,i should still maintain that the ,bible should be the first study of a literary man4 ,then the great poets1 ,shakespeare1 ,milton1 etc4 ,i have quoted ,mr4 ,crawford because he is not merely a good ,english writer1 but a real scholar1 familiar with many languages1 classic and modern1 and therefore all the better qualified to judge of our subject4 ,there are1 of course1 instances in the ,bible when the grammatical rules of ,brown and ,murray forbid satisfactory parsing4 ,the reason of this is the natural wish of the translators1 anxious to preserve the literal form of the original1 not to sacrifice accuracy to the nicety with which they might round their phrases4 ,they were intent alone upon truth2 and it is precisely in this element that eloquence finds its first and most powerful incentive4 ,beauty of language has two sources of inspiration4 ,one is that of truth1 which arouses in the heart a love lifting the mind with a burning enthusiasm into the regions of all that is fair and chaste and grand2 and the language of him who has mastered it assumes the sound and form of these lofty emotions4 ,there is indeed another source of inspiration4 ,it is that from which emanates the brilliant but ephemeral beauty of the literature of the day4 ,it is not love of unchanging truth1 but the captivating passion of the hour1 which1 as someone has said1 acts upon the brain like the foaming grape of ,eastern ,france--pleasant to the sense of taste1 yet sending its subtle fumes to the brain1 and stealing away the judgment4 ,truth in literature possesses a power of eloquence of which fiction is but a shadow at best1 varying in size1 and dwarfed or magnified in proportion as it approaches and recedes from the object which occasions it4 ,,xiii4 ,,friends ,,of ,,god4 ,and with this study of truth there is added to knowledge and power and beauty of expression another vital element1 which gives these acquisitions an infinite value3 ,i mean the gift of wisdom as distinct from knowledge4 ,read the ,sapiential book of ,solomon1 and mark what he there says4 ,he had learnt all things that human industry could suggest1 but the science of things earthly was as nothing to the wisdom which1 as he says1 went before me2 and ,i knew not that it was the mother of all4 ,and when he had learnt wisdom in listening to the breathing of that sacred voice whose words he recorded for our instruction1 he describes it as a sacred fire of genius1 holy1 one1 manifold1 subtle1 eloquent1 active1 undefiled1 sure1 sweet1 loving that which is good1 quick1 which nothing can oppose1 beneficent1 gentle1 kind1 steadfast1 assured--a breath of the power of ,god--making friends of ,god1 and prophets1 for ,god loveth none but him that dwelleth with wisdom--more beautiful than the sun 7,sap4 vii4 #bb-bi74 ,surely1 it makes us friends of ,god and prophets4 ,but not only this4 ,it keeps high ideals before us1 and we become like to the things we love4 ,look on ,abraham1 whom the ,arab calls even to this day by no other name but ,el ,khalil ,allah--that is1 the friend of ,god--chosen the father of a holy race whence eventually was to spring the ,messias2 look on ,moses1 the meekest of men1 as he is called in ,holy ,writ1 or on ,david1 the man according to ,god's own heart2 look on the later prophets1 whose words set the nations aflame1 and made kings tremble who had never felt fear of men or ,god4 ,we see ,jeremiah1 the youth at ,anathoth1 gentle1 sensitive1 yielding1 yearning for peace and love1 averse by nature from strife and controversy1 stepping forth at the urging of motives such as speak to each of us from these pages of the ,bible4 ,boldly he announces the judgments of ,god to his faithless people4 ,during that long ministry of forty years1 says ,geikie1 no personal interest1 comfort1 or ease1 no shrinking from ridicule1 contumely1 or hatred1 could turn him from the task imposed upon him1 with awful sanctions1 by the lips of the ,eternal ,god4#a ,or take the noble women with whose lofty virtue the inspired writers fill the sacred volumes1 and whose names some of the books bear4 ,there is the sacred ,book of ,ruth1 she who is called friend or lover in the ,hebrew tongue1 fair image of filial affection as she walks beside the aged ,noemi along the weary roads north from ,moab1 to conduct her mother to her native land4 ,there1 at noon and eve1 we see her scan the fresh-mown fields for the gleanings which the law of ,moses allowed the poor1 in order that she might honorably keep the humble home of her widowed parent4 ,another sacred book we have which bears the name of ,judith1 the woman who1 strengthened in the loyal love of her father's nation1 by valiant deed set herself to defend the children of ,israel from ignominious captivity4 ,in the ,book of ,esther we have the history of her whose name signifies myrtle1 symbol among the ,jews of joyous gratitude4 ,full of that modest wisdom of which ,ecclesiasticus tells us that it walketh with chosen women 7i4 #ag71 her influence is typical of that which the ,virgin ,queen1 fair ,mother of the ,christ1 in later day did exercise upon the children of ,eve4 ,ah1 truly1 the word of ,god on high is the fountain of wisdom1 and her ways are everlasting commandments 7,ecclesiastic474 ,but it would be a lengthy task to point out all the details of manifold utility in the intellectual and practical1 as well as the moral order1 which come from the study of the ,sacred ,scripture4 ,we have seen in a limited measure what it does for history1 for language1 for the science of government1 for the development of general knowledge1 and the cultivation of a graceful and vigorous style in writing4 ,these books hold the key to true wisdom4 ,all ,scripture1 writes ,st4 ,paul to the young bishop ,timothy1 whom he himself had taught from the day he took him to himself as a boy at ,lystra1 all ,scripture1 inspired by ,god1 is profitable to teach1 to reprove1 to correct1 to instruct4 ,yet there are those1 the same ,apostle says1 who1 always learning1 never attain to the knowledge of truth 7,,ii4 ,tim4 iii4 #g74 ,why8 ,because they do not study rightly4 #a ,geikie1 ,hours ,with the ,bible1 v4 #acd4 ,,xiv4 ,,prospecting4 ,man is the perfection of creation1 the mind is the perfection of man1 the heart is the perfection of the mind1 says ,st4 ,francis de ,sales4 ,our aim is to become perfect in mind and heart1 in character and disposition4 ,books are the readiest means of study to this end4 ,they are at our command at all times4 ,when we have discovered a beautiful thought1 a strong chain of reasoning1 which1 whilst convincing1 attracts and leads us into the domain of truth1 however partial1 we ponder it and make it our own1 and we feel stronger in the permanent possession of it4 ,we desire truth1 and we look for it in books1 mostly4 ,yet we may be anxious for knowledge1 and worry or dream out our days in a course of reading without gaining any real advantage from it4 ,perhaps we fail in the proper choice of books1 or else we do not observe the right method in reading and study4 ,yet it is impossible for most men to go in search of and test everything that is labelled truth4 ,is there no remedy provided against the danger of oft going wrong in order to find the right8 ,yes4 ,god has given us a compendium of everything that fosters true knowledge and wisdom in a book consigned to the direction of an old1 experienced1 and wise teacher4 ,that book is the ,bible1 and the teacher is the ,church of ,christ4 ,in the book we find a store of great truths1 of all that is beautiful and ennobling1 an infallible manual in the school of human perfection1 which leads us so high that1 having mastered its contents1 we touch the very gates of heaven1 where we may commune with the ,creator of wisdom and of all that our souls are capable of knowing4 ,there are many who are thoroughly convinced of this4 ,they believe that the ,bible is the most perfect book on earth1 that it is the book of books1 as it has been called from time immemorial2 for the word ,bible means simply a book1 the book of all others by excellence1 as if there were none so worthy of study1 and none which could not be dispensed with rather than this4 ,and so it is4 ,it contains all knowledge worthy of the highest aspirations and of the exercise of the best talents4 ,yet1 as a traveller in search of fortune may pass over seemingly barren tracts of desert land or mountain ridge1 which treasure beneath the surface richest mines of gold1 and caverns of splendid crystal and rarest marble1 so the reader of the sacred books1 in search of knowledge1 may wearily tread along the paths of ,bible truths1 his eye bewildered by endless repetitions of precepts and monotonous scenes and seemingly uninteresting facts1 unconscious of what wealth and beauty lie beneath him4 ,and the reason of this listless and tiring sense in scanning over the pages of this book1 which has from the first captivated the admiration of the noblest minds of every race and age1 is the lack of sufficient preparation4 ,the traveller looks for mines of gold and diamonds1 but he has never learnt the art of prospecting4 ,he stumbles over the heavy1 dark ore1 and the clods of metallic sand1 and his feet toil along the path lined with pebbles that1 if polished1 would rival the stars of heaven1 but they are a hindrance to him1 for he does not know that or how he should examine and utilize their precious contents4 ,he requires the previous training of the prospector1 the sharp eve of the skilled mining master1 and the unwearied courage to go down to examine the often crude-looking stones4 ,without these qualities he not only fails in his attainment of wealth1 but becomes discouraged and even sceptic of its existence4 ,in other words1 there are certain essential conditions required upon which depends the acquisition of that excellent knowledge which the ,scriptures contain for every sphere of life4 ,they are conditions which affect us in our entirety as men--,i should say as the images of ,god1 in whose likeness we were created4 ,sin has tarnished this image1 and we are to restore it to its original beauty by correcting it4 ,our model is ,god ,himself4 ,the ,bible is the text-book containing the image of this ,model1 drawn by ,himself1 and ,he has provided the preceptor to explain the various meanings of lines1 lights1 and shadows1 and the use of the instruments which must be employed in completing the process4 ,it is a little tedious1 as all art training is in its beginning4 ,sometimes we copy with tracing-paper1 and of late the kodak has done much to help us by the aid of photography4 ,,xv4 ,,using ,,the ,,kodak4 ,you know that through the art of photography a perfect picture of an object may be produced by the action of light upon a smooth and sensitive surface4 ,the light reflected from the object which is to be photographed enters through a lens into the dark chamber of the camera1 and makes an impression upon the plate which is rendered sensitive by a film of chloride 7or nitrate7 of silver4 ,to produce a good picture1 therefore1 three things are principally required3 #a4 ,a faultless sensitized plate on which the reflection of the object is to be made2 #b4 ,a concentrated light2 that is1 the rays must enter the camera through a lens1 but be excluded from every other part2 #c4 ,the right focus2 that is to say1 you must get the proper distance of your object in order to preserve the just proportions between it and its surroundings4 ,the same requisites may be applied to ourselves when we wish to image in our souls the object of divine truth1 which is identical with ,god4 #a4 ,the sensitive plate of our hearts and minds must be clean1 without flaw1 so as to admit the ray of heavenly light1 and let it take hold upon its surface4 ,a tarnished mirror gives but a blurred and imperfect reflection4 ,just so the mind occupied with the follies and vanities of worldliness1 the heart filled with the changing idols of unworthy attachments1 is no fit surface for the delicate impressions of those chaste delineations of truth which are nothing else but the image of ,god in the human soul4 ,to ,his likeness we were created1 and to ,his likeness we must again conform ourselves by a right study of truth4 #b4 ,next1 in order to obtain a correct impression of the sublime truth contained in the sacred volumes1 we must concentrate our lights4 ,that is to say1 we must read with assiduity1 must study with earnestness1 and also with prayer1 to obtain the light of the ,divine ,spirit who caused these pages of the ,bible to be traced for our instruction--for1 as one of our greatest ,english writers1 though not a ,catholic1 has beautifully said3 ,within that awful volume lies ,the mystery of mysteries6 ,happiest they of human race ,to whom ,god has granted grace ,to read1 to fear1 to hope1 to pray1 ,to lift the latch and force the way2 ,and better had they ne'er been born1 ,who read to doubt1 or read to scorn4#a ,this implies that all side-lights which may distract the mind from this concentrated attention and reverend attitude should be excluded4 ,to read the ,sacred ,scriptures in a flippant mood1 or even in an irreverent posture1 and without having previously reflected on the fact that it is ,god's word1 is to lessen immeasurably one's chance of profiting by the reading4 ,the ,mahometan or ,jew in the ,east reverently lifts each piece of paper or parchment which he finds upon the road1 for fear that it might contain the name of ,allah or ,jehovah1 and be profaned by being trodden under foot4 ,we owe no less to the inspired word of ,god1 above all if we would gain the key to its intelligence4 ,the concentration into a focus is obtained through a perfectly-shaped1 convex lens4 ,now this lens1 which is capable not only of bringing into one strong point all the scattered rays of light1 but under circumstances gathers the particles to intensity of heat producing a flame1 is that centre of the affections commonly termed the heart4 ,there is a tendency among those who seek intellectual culture to undervalue this quality of the heart1 which nevertheless contains the secret power of generating supreme wisdom4 ,we are considering true wisdom1 not superficial1 exclusively human wisdom1 which is the very opposite1 and which debases man to a mere repository of facts and impressions1 like an illustrated encyclopedia1 or makes of him a shrewd egotist1 whose cleverness we may admire as we admire the antics of a dancing serpent without wishing to come in contact with its slimy body or its poisonous fangs4 ,as in human things1 says ,pascal1 we must first know an object before we can love it1 so in divine things1 which constitute the only real truth at which man can worthily aim1 we must love them before we can know them1 for we cannot attain to truth except through charity4 ,in all our studies and pursuits of knowledge1 says ,watts1 let us remember that the conformation of our hearts to true religion and morality are things of far more consequence than all the furniture of our understanding and the richest treasures of mere speculative knowledge4 ,if it be true that nothing is so powerful to form truly grand characters as meditation on the word of ,god and on ,christian truths1 then we must suppose an inclination1 a love for the lofty ideals which ,christianity sets before us4 ,to whom has the root of wisdom been revealed8 asks that wise and noble old rabbi1 son of ,sirach2 and he answers3 ,god has given her to them that love ,him4 ,if the wise man in the sacred book tells us that wisdom walketh with chosen women1 may we not assume that it is because woman enjoys the prerogative of those qualities of heart which make her counsels so often far surer than the carefully pondered reasons of men8 ,if the fear of the ,lord is the beginning of wisdom1 is not charity or love its consummation8 ,blessed is the man that shall continue in wisdom4 ,with the bread of life and understanding ,god's fear shall feed him1 and give him the water of wholesome wisdom to drink1 and 444 shall heap upon him a treasure of joy and gladness1 and shall cause him to inherit an everlasting name4 ,but 444 foolish men shall not see her3 for she is far from pride and deceit4444 ,say not3 ,it is through ,god that she is not with me1 for do not thou the things that ,he hateth 7,eccles41 ch4 xiv4 and xv474 ,but there is no need of multiplying these sayings of ,god4 ,the knowledge we seek here is the knowledge which comes from the ,divine ,spirit1 source of all science as of all goodness and beauty4 ,what the fruits of that spirit are we are told by ,st4 ,paul3 ,charity1 joy1 peace1 patience1 etc42 and we know how the ,apostle of the ,gentiles1 who had learnt much in many schools1 at the feet of ,gamaliel and in the halls of the ,greek philosophers1 valued these fruits of wisdom above all the doctrines of men4 ,catholics are fortunate in this1 that they may gain from the study of the ,bible that purest light of wisdom which is only partially communicated to those who find no way1 through the sacraments1 of cleansing their souls1--that mirror in which ,god's image can show clearly only when it is polished and purified from the dust-stains of our earthly fall4 ,whatever opportunities for thorough study of the ,bible we may have1 there can be no doubt that this is one of the most important conditions for its proper and fruitful appreciation1 because the intelligence is always warped by sin4 ,a correct knowledge of our faith1 as the primary rule of our conduct1 is1 of course1 supposed4 ,we cannot understand the written word of ,god unless we have become accustomed to the language ,he speaks to the heart1 and that language is taught in our catechisms and textbooks of religion4 ,some need less of this knowledge than others1 so far as the difficulties and controversies of religion are concerned4 ,the ,bible is a book of instruction for all1 and hence the preparatory knowledge required varies with the mental range and ability1 and the consequent danger of doubts and false views of each individual4 ,a child knows the precepts and wishes of its parent often by a look or gesture1 without receiving any explicit instruction1 because love and the habit of faith supply intelligence4 ,others require a certain amount of reasoning to move their hearts to the ready acceptance of divine precepts4 ,this reasoning is supplied by the study of popular theologies1 of which we have a good number in ,english4 #c4 ,lastly1 we must not only get a right glass1 a good lens1 but we must likewise get the right focus for our picture4 ,we must know the distance of our objects and their surroundings1 the lights and shades1 the coloring1 natural and artificial4 ,in other words1 we must become familiar with the circumstances of history1 the dates1 the places1 the customs and laws1 national and social1 which throw light upon the meaning of the incidents related in the ,sacred ,scriptures1 and which often aid us in the interpretation of passages mysterious and prophetic4 ,hence we have to give some attention to1 and study what we can1 of the ancient records and monuments brought to light by the archaeologist and the historian4 ,we must likewise inquire into the origin1 history1 authority1 purpose1 and general argument of each of the inspired books4 ,all this is the object of what is called ,introduction to the ,study of the ,sacred ,scriptures1 and is nothing else but a becoming and essential preparation for the right use of the ,bible4 ,ah1 may our understanding ever read ,this glorious volume which ,god's wisdom made1 ,and in that charter humbly recognize ,our title to a treasure in the skies6 #a ,scott1 ,the ,monastery1 c4 xii4 ,,xvi4 ,,the ,,interpretation ,,of ,,the ,,image4 ,the ,bible is not only a text-book which leads us to the acquisition of the highest of arts--that of fulfilling the true purpose of life--but it is itself1 as has already been suggested1 a work of fairest art inasmuch as it contains a perfect delineation of the divine ,beauty drawn by the sovereign ,artist ,himself4 ,now true art needs1 as a rule1 an interpretation2 for the outward form which appeals to the senses may have its deeper and real meaning disguised beneath the figure1 so as to be understood only by the finer perceptions of the intellect and heart4 ,take1 for example1 a canvas such as ,millet's popular picture entitled ,the ,angelus4 ,it is a small1 unpretentious-looking work1 representing a youth and a maid in a fallow field1 a village church in the distance1 all wrapt in the gloom of eventide4 ,ask a child looking at the picture what is the meaning of it1 and it will probably answer3 ,two poor people tired of work4 ,ask a countryman1 without much education1 and he will say3 ,two poor lovers thinking of home4 ,but to the poet who has perchance dwelt in some village of fair ,southern ,france1 and knows the simple habits of devotion among the peasant folk1 the picture will awaken memories of the sound of the ,angelus3 ,ave ,maria1 blessed be the hour1 ,the time1 the clime1 the spot where ,i so oft ,have felt that moment in its fullest power ,sink o'er the earth1 so beautiful and soft1 ,while swung the deep bell in the distant tower1 ,or the faint dying day-hymn stole aloft1 ,and not a breath crept through the rosy air4 ,and the reflecting1 devout ,catholic will see in that picture even more than the thoughts it suggests to the poet4 ,it will speak to him of the angelic salute to a ,virgin fair at ,nazareth2 it will touch a chord of tender confidence and hope in the ,madonna's help and sympathy2 it will arouse a feeling of gratitude for the mystery of the ,redemption4 ,and all this difference of judgment arises from the varying degrees of intelligence and knowledge with which we approach the image4 ,now the ,sacred ,scriptures present just such a picture1 only larger1 more comprehensive1 truer1 deeper1 containing all the fair delineation of ,god's own image1 the pattern according to which we are to correct the same divine likeness in our souls1 spoiled somewhat and blurred by sin4 ,let us look at the outline4 ,there are words and a fact4 ,in the words truth is enunciated1 in the fact those words are exhibited as being a divine utterance4 ,in their literal meaning the word affects us just as a picture would at first sight4 ,in the one case we have a precept or an incident or a scene in the life of our ,lord2 in the other case we have an act of prayer or a scene from the daily life of ,french peasants4 ,but just as in the picture we may1 by reason of artistic and spiritual culture1 recognize not simply an ordinary scene of peasant life1 but a poetic thought1 or a practical moral lesson calling for imitation1 or1 finally1 a mystery of religion1 so in the ,sacred ,scriptures we may see below the literal sense one that is internal1 hidden1 and in its character either simply figurative1 or moral1 or mystically spiritual4 ,an old ecclesiastical writer has given us a ,latin hexameter which suggests these various senses in which the sacred text may at times be understood3 ,litera gesta docet1 quod credas allegoria2 ,moralis quid agas1 quo tendas anagogia4 ,an example of the four different senses 7namely1 the literal1 the allegorical1 which appeals to our faith1 the moral1 and the mystic7 in which a word or passage of ,holy ,writ may be interpreted is offered in the term ,jerusalem4 ,if we read that they went up to ,jerusalem every year1 we understand the word ,jerusalem to represent the chief city of the ,hebrews1 situated on the confines of ,judah and ,benjamin4 ,if we happen upon the passage of ,st4 ,john where he says3 ,i1 ,john1 saw a holy city1 the new ,jerusalem1 coming down out of heaven from ,god2 444 behold the tabernacle of ,god with men1 and ,he will dwell with them1 we know that this new ,jerusalem on earth can be no other than the ,church1 where ,god has ,his tabernacle1 dwelling with men4 ,the word is used allegorically1 that is to say1 it appeals to our faith2 to the internal1 not to our external sense4 ,again1 the word ,jerusalem may be used in the sense which its etymology suggests without reference to any city4 ,etymologically it consists of two words1 signifying foundation and peace4 ,a rabbi might1 therefore1 bid his disciples to strive to build up ,jerusalem1 meaning that they should seek to lay solid foundations of peace by conforming their lives to the law of ,jehovah4 ,this would give the word ,jerusalem simply a moral signification4 ,finally1 the word is used as a synonyme for heaven1 as in ,apoc4 xxi4 #aj3 ,and ,he took me up in spirit1 444 and ,he showed me the holy city ,jerusalem1 444 having the glory of ,god4 ,here we have the term in its anagogical sense1 that is1 referring to the future life4 ,without entering into the various figures of speech with which the language of the ,hebrews abounds1 let me suggest some points which must be observed in order that the true sense of the ,sacred ,scriptures may not escape us so as to mislead the mind4 ,for the discovery of the literal sense we must1 of course1 be guided by the rules of ordinary grammatical construction4 ,where this proves insufficient we must have recourse to the idiomatic use of language1 the habits of speech1 which prevailed among the ,hebrews or those with whose utterances or history we are concerned4 ,this is very important in order that we may get a right understanding of the expressions employed4 ,as an instance of misconception in this respect may be cited the words of our ,lord to ,his holy ,mother at the nuptials of ,cana1 which literally sound like a reproof1 yet are far from conveying such a sense in their original signification4 ,the like is true of the use of certain comparisons which to our sense seem rude and cruel1 yet which were not so understood in the language in which they were originally spoken or written4 ,thus when our ,lord said to the ,canaanitish woman who followed ,him in the regions of ,tyre and ,sidon that it is not right to give the bread of the children to dogs1 ,he seemed to spurn the poor mother1 who prayed ,him for the recovery of her child1 as a man spurns a cur4 ,yet such is not the sense of the expression1 which hardly means anything more than what we would convey by outside of the pale of faith4 ,besides the usage of speech peculiar to a people or district or period of time1 we must have regard to the individuality of the writer4 ,his subjective state1 his temperament1 education1 personal associations1 and habits of thought and feeling necessarily influence the style of his writing4 ,thus in the letters of ,st4 ,paul we recognize a spirit which the forms of speech seem wholly inadequate to contain or express4 ,he writes as he might speak1 impatient of words4 ,his thoughts seem often disconnected2 he omits things which he had evidently meant to say1 and which the hearers might have supplied from the vividness of the image presented1 but which become obscure to the reader who only sees the cold form of the written page4 ,there is no end of parenthetical clauses in his discourses2 often he begins a period and leaves it unfinished4 ,sometimes there appears a total absence of logical connection in what he intends for proofs and arguments2 then1 again1 there is a wealth of imagery1 which suggests the quick sense and power of comparison peculiar to the ,oriental mind1 but slow to impress itself on the ,western nations4 ,all this makes it necessary to study ,st4 ,paul rather than to read him1 if one would understand the ,apostle4 ,of this ,st4 ,peter shows himself conscious when he writes that certain things in the ,epistles of ,st4 ,paul are hard to be understood1 which the unlearned and unstable wrest1 as they do also the other ,scriptures1 to their own destruction 7,,ii4 ,pet4 iii4 #af74 ,another element which contributes to the right interpretation of the ,sacred ,text is the knowledge of what may be called the historical background of a passage or book4 ,this includes the various relations of time1 place1 persons addressed1 and other circumstances which exercise an influence upon the material1 intellectual1 and moral surroundings of the writer4 ,accordingly1 different parts of the ,sacred ,scriptures require different treatment and different preparation on the part of the reader4 ,thus to comprehend the full significance of the ,book of ,exodus we must study the geographical and ethnographical condition of ,egypt4 ,for a right understanding of the ,book of ,daniel we should first have to become acquainted with the history of ,chaldea and ,assyria1 especially as lit up by the recent discoveries of monuments in the ,east4 ,the ,canticle of ,canticles presupposes for its just interpretation a certain familiarity with the details of ,solomon's life during the golden period of his reign4 ,the ,letters of ,st4 ,paul1 in the ,new ,testament1 reveal their true bearing only after we have read the life of the ,apostle as it is described in the ,acts2 and so on for other parts of the ,sacred ,history4 ,finally1 a proper understanding and appreciation of the inspired books depend largely on our realization of the proximate scope and purpose1 the character and quality1 of the subject treated by the sacred writer4 ,the ,bible is a wondrous combination of historic1 didactic1 and prophetic elements4 ,each of these goes to support or emphasize the other1 but each of them has its predominant functions in different parts of the grand structure4 ,hence we may not judge a prophecy as we judge the historical narrative which introduces and supports it2 we may not interpret in its literal sense the metaphor which is simply to convey a moral lesson to the mind4 ,,xvii4 ,,deus ,,illuminatio ,,mea4 ,the subject-matter of the ,bible obliges us1 however1 to apply not only the various cautions and methods of interpretation which are required for the understanding of the classics generally1 but it exacts more4 ,the ,sacred ,scriptures1 as a grand work of art1 have not only a human1 but primarily a divine conception for their basis4 ,hence it does not suffice to have mastered the meaning of the words and the outline of the subject1 or the individual genius and human ideal of the writer who acted merely as the instrument executing a higher inspiration4 ,we must enter into the conception of the divine mind4 ,if the principal and all-pervading motive of the great ,scriptural composition is a religious one1 it stands to reason that it can be comprehended only when judged from a religious point of view4 ,now the divine mind is so far above us that we can reach it only if ,god ,himself brings it down to us4 ,he has to descend1 to lift the veil from ,his immensity1 not by opening to us1 before the time1 those sacred precincts which eye hath never seen1 but by emitting a ray of light to clear up our darkness1 to give us a glimpse of the awful splendor which vibrates in those celestial realms where light and sound and warmth of eternal charity mingle in the sweet harmony of the divine ,beauty whose tones speak now to our senses in separate forms4 ,god descends to our humility to interpret ,his own image4 ,first ,he came in human form1 and told us all the things we were to believe and do4 ,then ,he sent the ,paraclete1 and under ,his direction men of ,god taught the same things4 ,then they wrote them1 or1 as ,st4 ,john tells us1 some of them4 ,the ,paraclete veils ,himself1 as our ,lord had announced to ,his ,apostles1 in the ,church1 whose divinely constituted earthly chief was to be ,peter--to the end of time4 ,the ,church1 therefore1 founded by ,christ1 and an ever-living emanation of the incessant activity of the ,holy ,spirit1 although necessarily speaking to men through men1 is the first and surest interpreter of the purpose and meaning of each and every part of ,holy ,writ4 ,and because ,god cannot contradict ,himself it follows that every truth of the written word must correspond with every truth of the spoken word4 ,in doubtful cases1 therefore1 as to the meaning of a word or text in the ,sacred ,writings1 we have recourse to the supreme1 divinely-guided judgment of the ,church4 ,her doctrines1 defined1 are the first and most important criterion of ,scriptural truth4 ,but the ,church has not defined every expression of truth1 though she holds the key to all truth4 ,she points to the light which illumines our night2 she declares the stars whence that light issues directly or by reflection2 but she does not always indicate where the rays of the one body begin to mingle with those of the other1 or what precise elements determine the motion or stability of each4 ,only when there are conflicts or threatened disturbances of the centres of attraction and repulsion she reaches out her anointed hand1 informed with the magic power of her ,creator and founder1 and directs the courses of bodies that otherwise would clash unto mutual destruction4 ,hence the freedom of investigation allowed the ,catholic student of the ,scriptures is limited only by the rules of faith taught by the same divine ,teacher who watches over the spoken and written revelation alike4 ,and as1 in cases where we have not the express command of a superior1 we interpret his will by his known desires and views in other respects1 so in the interpretation of those parts of ,holy ,writ regarding the meaning of which we have no definite expression in the doctrinal code of the ,church1 we follow the analogy of faith2 which is manifest from the general consent of the ,christian ,fathers and ,doctors1 and from the teaching of learned and holy commentators4 ,these we may safely follow in all doubtful cases1 that is to say1 where there is no evidence to show that they were mistaken1 either through want of certain sources of information or proofs which we have at our command presently1 or because they accepted the views of their time and people1 feeling that any departure from the received tradition would make disturbance1 and fail of its intended good effect4 ,it is safe to say that the conditions of one age and the modes of thought and feeling of one generation are not a just standard by which to judge the conditions and views of another age or generation4 ,this is an important fact to remember for those who are inclined to look in every part of the ,sacred ,scriptures for a verification of the sentiments which they feel1 and of the views and opinions of things which they hold4 ,,xviii4 ,,rush-,,lights4 ,there is a method of interpreting the ,bible which1 although it affords a temporary satisfaction to the heart1 is misleading to the mind4 ,i mean private interpretation in the sense in which it is generally practised and defended by our ,protestant brethren4 ,to take a good photograph you must have sunlight2 candles1 gas1 even electric lights1 unless they be flash-lights1 which don't suit all purposes of accurate reproduction1 will not accomplish it4 ,for vegetable growth you need sunlight2 artificial light will give neither healthy fruit nor even color to the plant4 ,so it is with the divine image traced in the ,sacred ,scriptures4 ,we cannot reproduce it in our souls by any earthly light4 ,now human judgment is an earthly light1 because it is constantly influenced by feelings1 prejudices1 attachments1 and partial views of things4 ,some of us accept an opinion because it suits our conditions of life1 is agreeable to our sense of ease or vanity1 relieves us from certain responsibilities to ,god and our neighbor which a severer statement of the case would exact4 ,others endorse a view because it is held by a person whom they love or respect4 ,others1 again1 maintain an opinion because it is contrary to the one held by a person whom they dislike4 ,and there is a vast number of people who take a view simply because it is the first that presents itself to them1 and they are as well pleased with it as with others which they don't know4 ,it must be remembered1 moreover1 that man is not naturally inclined toward the right4 ,the world loves darkness since its eyes were hurt by the wanton effort to see ,god and to be like ,him in a way which was against ,his law4 ,amid this darkness1 intellectual and moral1 which surrounds man1 and which for the moment pleases him because it relieves him of a strain1 we need a guide4 ,we must follow a leader who knows all the ways and enjoys the full light of heaven4 ,the defence in favor of private interpretation of the ,bible usually rests in the assumption of ,god's goodness1 who must needs furnish an inward light to man lest he go wrong in his search after truth4 ,but ,god's goodness gives you a guide1 well accredited with testimonials from ,himself1 against whose efficiency the inward light compares like a rush-light against the sun4 ,the red cross of the ,alpine ,club marks the safe passage down the rocky mountain paths of ,switzerland4 ,we recognize the stones which are landmarks because they bear the conventional sign of an authorized body of mountaineers4 ,they lead our way1 and we follow without hesitation4 ,but if the mark of the red cross of the ,alpine ,club were not visible1 if we had to trust to the inward light or to our instinct to guide us1 we should run the risk of losing our way and lives1 though the stones which marked the path of former travellers are still there4 ,nor does it seem according to the divine wisdom to give man a written law and then to leave him to ,himself for its interpretation4 ,no other written law was ever given under such conditions by or to man4 ,it would frustrate the fundamental purpose of any written law to allow the individual to interpret it1 because it would lead to contradictions and confusion1 which it is the very object of laws to prevent4 ,that the divine ,law1 in its written form1 is no exception to this rule is proved from the effects of the theory of private interpretation1 which have grown into a history of many sects1 conscientiously protesting one against the other because of the inferences which each draws from the one sacred code of ,christian law and doctrine4 ,thus the written word of ,god would frustrate its own manifest purpose1 nay1 give occasion to a thousand justifications of separation and hostility1 which its fundamental canon1 charity in the union of ,christ1 expressly forbids4 ,what other conclusion1 therefore1 remains than to accept the warning of ,st4 ,peter1 ,prince of the ,apostles1 who1 speaking of the reading of the ,sacred ,scriptures1 wishes the converts to understand this1 first1 that no prophecy of ,scripture is made by private interpretation1#a because the holy men of ,god spoke1 inspired by the ,holy ,ghost 7,,ii4 ,pet4 i4 #bj1 #ba74 ,and this disposes1 in the mind of the sincere ,christian1 of all the theories of interpretation advanced by rationalist and naturalist philosophers1 who render their arguments a trifle more consistent than ,protestants by denying from the outset the divine inspiration of the ,sacred ,scriptures4 #a ,the ,protestant 7,king ,james7 version of this passage reads3 ,that no prophecy of the ,scripture is of any private interpretation4 ,the late revision of the ,new ,testament omits the word any4 ,,xix4 ,,the ,,use ,,and ,,the ,,abuse ,,of ,,the ,,bible4 ,revelation and a ,church are practically identical4 ,revelation and ,scripture are not4#a ,though revelation is necessary to guide the human mind1 prone to error1 and to sustain the human will1 weak by reason of an hereditary fall1 we have seen that the ,bible is but one channel of that revelation1 and that a complementary1 secondary one4 ,it neither contains all revealed truth1 nor can the truth which it contains be clearly and completely understood without the guidance of an intelligent interpretation4 ,a teacher of any science or art may give a book into the hands of his pupils to serve as a text1 as a reminder of his precepts1 as a compend of his methods and practice2 but no book1 no matter how perfectly written1 will make us dispense with the teacher4 ,the education1 in any direction1 which rests upon the sole use of books is essentially defective and misleading4 ,this is eminently true of the ,bible as a text or guide in the acquisition of the highest of arts1 the profoundest of sciences1 which leads us to the recognition of absolute truth1 with an ever-increasing apprehension1 because its scope is immeasurable1 eternal4 ,the teacher of revelation1 in its first and most important signification1 is ,christ4 ,he is the central historical figure1 announced to man immediately after his fall in ,paradise foreshadowed by the prophets in the ,jewish ,church1 and completing ,his mission in the ,christian ,church4 ,as the ,holy ,ghost animated the prophets to foretell ,him1 and the priests of the synagogue to announce ,him in the ,old ,law1 so the ,holy ,ghost animates the ,church to continue ,his work in the ,new ,law4 ,as books were written by the prophets of old to perpetuate the remembrance of what ,jehovah had spoken through them to ,his people regarding the coming of the ,messias1 so books were written by the ,apostles and disciples of the ,new ,law to perpetuate the remembrance of what that ,messias had said and done1 and of what ,he wished us to do4 ,but as the old written ,law was not to be a substitute for the commission of teaching and guiding the people through the ,jewish ,synagogue1 so neither was the new written ,law intended to be a substitute for the commission of teaching and guiding those who seek salvation through ,christ4 ,the ,bible alone1 as we have already seen1 cannot satisfy us in such a way as to supply the full reason for our faith in ,christ's teaching4 ,for this we have a ,church to whom ,christ1 as ,god1 gave a direct commission1 without adding a book1 or an express command to write a book4 ,but a book was written1 written under the guidance of the divine ,spirit1 who had been promised to the ,church whenever it would speak1 whether by word of mouth or by epistle and written gospel4 ,and that book1 though not containing all truth1 contains truth only4 ,therefore it is useful1 as ,st4 ,paul says1 ,,ii4 ,tim4 iii4 #af3 ,all ,scripture inspired of ,god is profitable to teach1 to reprove1 to correct1 to instruct in justice1 that the man of ,god may be perfect1 furnished to every good work4 ,the use1 then1 of the ,bible is to teach1 to instruct in justice1 primarily2 to make man perfect1 furnished to every good work4 ,mark the twofold term3 to teach and to instruct2 both teaching and instruction to serve the one end--to make a perfect man1 furnished to every good work4 ,that the principal purpose and scope of ,scripture is to teach the truths of religion has been demonstrated in a former chapter4 ,i have here only to add that1 as an instrument of ,apologetics1 and in discussion with ,protestants who admit the divinity of ,christ and the inspired character of the ,sacred ,scriptures1 reference to the teachings of the ,bible plays a very important part4 ,whether we are defending our faith against misrepresentation1 or desirous of convincing other sincere and open minds of the justness of the claims which the ,catholic ,church makes as the only true representative of ,christ's divine mission to teach the nations1 the ,bible is a safe and commonly recognized meeting-ground for a fair discussion of the subject4 ,even when we have to speak of religion with practical infidels1 who read the ,bible1 or have some knowledge of its contents1 that book will serve us as a powerful weapon of defence and persuasion4 ,few intelligent men or women of to-day1 especially if they are earnest1 and have a real regard for virtue and truth1 though they may consider them as mere gifts of the natural order1 fail to recognize that ,christianity is a power for good1 and that ,christ1 its ,author1 is and ever will be the great teacher of mankind1 in whose true following man becomes better1 nobler1 and happier4 ,to illustrate this fact1 we may be permitted to quote at some length from an article by ,baron ,von ,huegel in a recent number of the ,dublin ,review 7,april1 #ahie74 ,speaking of ,christ1 he cites from various writers1 as follows3 ,thus ,ernest ,renan1 sceptical even to his own scepticism1 addresses him and says3 ',a thousand times more living1 a thousand times more loved1 since thy death than during thy passage upon earth1 thou wilt become the corner-stone of humanity1 to such a point1 that to blot out thy name out of the world would be in very truth to shake its very foundations4'#b ,john ,stuart ,mill1 who tells us of himself3 ',i never lost faith1 for ,i never had it1' proclaims at the end of his long life's labors3 ',whatever else may be taken from us by rational criticism1 ,christ is still left2 a unique figure1 not more unlike all his predecessors than all his followers1 even those who had the direct benefit of his personal teaching4 ,it is no use to say that ,christ in the ,gospels is not historical1 and that we know not how much of what is admirable has been superadded by the tradition of his followers4 ,for who among his disciples or their proselytes was capable of inventing the sayings ascribed to ,jesus1 or of imagining the life and character revealed in the ,gospels8 ,certainly not the fishermen of ,galilee1 as certainly not ,st4 ,paul1 whose character and idiosyncrasy were of a totally different sort2 still less the early ,christian writers1 in whom nothing is more evident than that the good which was in them was all derived1 as they always professed that it was derived1 from the higher source4'#c ,even so purely ,deistic a critic as ,abraham ,kuenen declares3 ',the international religion which we call ,christianity was founded1 not by the ,apostle ,paul1 but by ,jesus of ,nazareth1 that ,jesus whose person and whose teaching are sketched in the ,synoptic ,gospels with the closest approximation of truth4' ',the need of ,christianity is as keen as ever4 ,it is not for less but for more ,christianity that the age cries out4 ,even those many who do not identify ,christianity with the ecclesiastical form in which they themselves profess it1 and who have no confidence that the world will necessarily conform to them--even these may be at peace4 ,the universalism of ,christianity is the sheet-anchor of their hope4 ,a history of eighteen centuries bears mighty witness to it2 and the contents of its evidence and the high significance they possess are brought into the clearest light by the comparison with other religions4 ,we have good courage then4'#d ,so advanced a critic and sensitively loyal a ,jew as ,mr4 ,claud ,montefiore tells us3 ',some of the sayings ascribed to ,jesus have sunk too deep into the human heart1 or shall ,i say into the spiritual consciousness of civilized mankind1 to make it probable that any religion which ignores or omits them will exercise a considerable influence outside its own borders4 ,it may be that those who dream of a prophetic ,judaism1 which shall be as spiritual as the religion of ,jesus1 and even more universal than the religion of ,paul1 are the victims of a delusion4'#e ,so largely naturalistic a critic as ,julius ,wellhausen writes of our ,lord's teaching and person3 ',the miraculous is impossible with man1 but with ,god it is possible4 ,jesus has not only assured us of this1 but he has proved it in his own person4 ,he had indeed lost his life and saved it1 he could do as he would4 ,he had escaped the bonds of human kind and the sufferings of self-seeking nature4 ,there is in him no trace of that eagerness for action which seeks for peace in the restlessness of its own activity4 ,the completely super-worldly standpoint in which ,jesus finds strength and love to devote himself to the world has nothing extravagant about it4 ,he is the first to know himself1 not simply in moments of emotion1 but in completest restfulness1 the child of ,god2 before him no one so felt or so described himself4' ',jesus not only prophesies the kingdom of ,god1 but brings it out of its transcendence on to earth2 he plants at least its germ4 ,the new times already begin with him3 the blind see1 the deaf hear1 the dead arise4 ,everywhere he found spaciousness for his soul1 nowhere was he cramped by the little1 much as he put forward the value of the great2 this we should do1 and not leave that undone4 ,he was more than a prophet2 in him the word had become flesh4 ,the historic overweightedness1 to which the ,jews were succumbing1 does not even touch him4 ,a unit arises in the dreary mass1 a man from among the rubbish which the dwarfs1 the rabbis1 had heaped up4 ,he upsets the accidental1 the caricature1 the dead1 and collects the eternally valid1 the human divine1 in the focus of ,his individuality4 ,ecce homo1 a divine wonder in this time and this environment4' ,such being the view of religiously disposed persons outside of the ,catholic ,church regarding the ,new ,testament teaching of ,christ1 it would seem easy at first sight to convince them of the ,catholic doctrine by reference to the words of ,christ and the ,gospels1 which contain explicit1 if not complete testimony in behalf of the ,catholic teaching4 ,there is one difficulty in the way of this1 and that is that ,protestants themselves distrust the meaning of the ,new ,testament words except in so far as it expresses their own feelings4 ,the principle of private interpretation necessarily leads to this one-sided view4 ,a hundred persons appeal to the one ,book as an infallible expression of ,god's will and truth4 ,now1 some of these infallible expressions manifestly contradict one another as ,protestants interpret them4 ,yet the consequences of such contradictions are vital1 and involve eternal life or death4 ,take the doctrine of baptism by water as essential to salvation1 according to the reading of some ,protestants2 yet the ,quaker1 no less sincere than his ,baptist neighbor1 and claiming a special inward light1 consciously neglects baptism1 holding that the teaching of the ,new ,testament is only meant in a spiritual sense4 ,equally awful in their consequences are the two contrary doctrines regarding the ,eucharistic presence of ,christ as declared in the ,new ,testament1 one believer drawing the conclusion that he must adore ,god under the veil of bread1 the other equally convinced from the same ,scriptures that such a view is sheer idolatry1 and that there is nothing divine under the appearance of bread4 ,this appeal to private judgment makes most ,protestants sceptical if you attempt to prove to them ,catholic doctrine from the ,new ,testament2 and unless you can first convince them that the ,church has a greater claim to declare the sense of the ,bible than any private individual1 they will consider their opinion of its meaning and purpose just as good as yours4 ,but it is different if you appeal to the ,old ,testament for a confirmation of ,catholic doctrine4 ,and ,i would strongly urge this method for various reasons4 ,every ,protestant will admit that the ,old ,testament is not only inspired and divine in its origin1 but that in its historic expression1 even the deutero-canonical portion1 contains the application of its meaning and purpose4 ,in other words1 that ,god not merely gave the ,israelites a law1 but also shows us how ,he meant them to interpret that law in their lives--domestic1 social1 and religious4 ,here1 therefore1 we have little need1 or even opportunity1 for private interpretation as to ,god's meaning4 ,that meaning becomes clear from the action of ,his people4 ,at the same time it is also clear and generally admitted that the ,old ,testament is a foreshadowing of the ,new ,law1 hence that the doctrines and practices of the ,christian ,church have their counterpart in the ,old ,law4 ,protestants readily agree to this1 in proof of which fact ,i may be allowed to quote ,prof4 ,robertson ,smith3 ,christianity can never separate itself from its historical basis1 or the religion of ,israel2 the revelation of ,god in ,christ cannot be divorced from the earlier revelation on which our ,lord built4 ,indeed1 the history of ,israel1 when rightly studied1 is the most real and vivid of all histories2 and the proofs of ,god's working among ,his people of old may still be made1 what they were in time past1 one of the strongest evidences of ,christianity4#f ,dr4 ,a4 ,b4 ,bruce in his ,apologetics1 #ahib1 p4 #cbe1 says3 ,the ,bible1 instead of being a dead rule1 to be used mechanically1 with equal value set on all its parts1 is rather a living organism1 which1 like the butterfly1 passes through various transformations before arriving at its highest and final form4 ,we should find ,christ in the ,old ,testament as we find the butterfly in the caterpillar4#g ,hence if you can show to the average intelligent ,protestant that a doctrine or practice distinctively of the ,catholic ,church prevailed in the ,jewish ,church1 you have established an a priori argument for its reasonableness4 ,this applies particularly to such doctrines and practices as ,protestants condemn or censure in the ,catholic ,church from a mere habit of not finding them in their own churches1 or from some prejudice nourished by bigotry of early teachers1 or by the popular literature of the anti-,catholic type4 ,i only mention such topics as ,indulgences1 ,confession1 the ,infallibility of the ,pope1 ,celibacy of the clergy and religious1 and such like4 ,now all these things existed in the ,old ,law1 not so completely developed as in the ,christian ,church1 but sufficiently pronounced to establish a motive of credibility for their existence in the ,church of ,christ4 ,thus we have the reasonableness of the practice of ,confession plainly indicated in the ,mosaic times3 ,and the ,lord spoke to ,moses1 saying3 ,say to the children of ,israel1 when a man or woman shall have committed any of all the sins that men are wont to commit1 and by negligence shall have transgressed the commandment of the ,lord1 and offended1 they shall confess their sin1 and shall restore the principal itself1 and the fifth part over and above1 to him against whom they have sinned 7,num4 v4 #f-g2 also #ac-ad74 ,the ,infallibility of the ,pope finds its perfect counterpart in the oracular responses given by the ,jewish high-priest when he wore the ,urim and ,thummim in his breastplate1 which covers the precise ground of ,papal decisions regarding faith and morals1 the breastplate being called the rational of judgment1 doctrine1 and truth 7,see ,exod4 xxviii4 #cj2 ,levit4 viii4 #h2 ,num4 xxvii4 #ba2 ,deut4 xxxiii4 #h1 etc474 ,as to the practice of virginity1 we know that it existed among the ,jews1 as an exceptional condition2 but as such it had the sanction of ,god4 ,thus the ,prophet ,jeremias receives the command of virginity from ,jehovah directly3 ,and the word of the ,lord came to me1 saying3 ,thou shalt not take thee a wife2 neither shalt thou have sons and daughters in this place 7,jer4 xvi4 #b74 ,thus practical arguments1 of which ,i can here only indicate a few1 may be found for each and all of the usages of the ,catholic ,church4 ,and any censure of the latter will cast its reflection upon the ,jewish dispensation1 of which ,god was ,himself the ,author and ,guardian4 ,for if ,god sanctioned ceremonies in worship1 and infallibility in the high-priest1 and virginity in the ,prophet whom ,he selects for a special mission1 and confession1 with penance and the obligation of restitution1 why should ,protestants think it so strange to find us practise the same things which have the seal of divine approbation6 ,thus they may be inclined more readily to accept the more explicit arguments in favor of ,catholic doctrine and discipline as given in the ,new ,testament1 which is but the fulfilment of the types suggested in the ,old ,law4 ,it is hardly necessary for me to point out in this connection the advantages of being able to disabuse ,protestants of the impression that ,catholics do not honor the ,bible as the word of ,god4 ,those who1 as ,protestants1 do not recognize any other source of divine revelation than the written word are1 of course1 obliged to occupy themselves wholly and entirely with its study1 whilst ,catholics look upon that same written word1 not with less reverence1 but with less consciousness of having to rely upon it as the only symbol and exponent of their faith4 ,if we refuse on general principles to have the ,bible read to our ,catholic children in a public school from a ,protestant translation1 it is simply because the admission of such a practice implies an admission of a ,protestant principle1 and might leave a wrong impression upon our children as to the value of the true version of their religion4 ,the ,protestant translation of the ,bible contains a great deal of truth1 but some errors which we cannot admit in our teaching4 ,to give it to our children in the schools is something like planting a ,southern flag upon some public institution of the ,united ,states4 ,some may say it is better than none1 because it begets patriotism1 and as there is no difference in the two flags except the slight one of a few stars and stripes1 most people might never notice it4 ,but we know that if they did notice it1 it would create considerable disturbance1 because it implies something of disloyalty to ,old ,glory4 ,for a like reason ,catholics often refuse to kiss the ,protestant ,bible in court4 ,they prefer simply to affirm4 ,and in this they are perfectly right1 although to attest one's willingness to tell the truth on such occasions is not supposed to be a trial of one's faith1 and hence it does not involve anything of a denial of ,catholic truth4 ,but ,i must pass on to one or two illustrations to show in what fields the ,bible is not to be used4 ,for though it furnishes most apt means for imparting a knowledge and inciting to the further study of history1 languages1 the principles of government and ethics1 together with the development of a graceful and withal vigorous style of ,english writing1 yet there are limits to its use in some directions4 ,thus the ,bible cannot be considered as replacing the exact sciences4 ,we are quite safe always in affirming that the ,bible never contradicts science2 that where it does not incidentally confirm the results of scientific research it abstracts from the teaching of science4 ,its language relating to physical facts is popular1 not scientific4 ,there is no reason to think that the inspired writers received any communication from heaven as to the inward workings of nature4 ,they had simply the knowledge of their age1 and described things accordingly4 ,leo ,,xiii4 in his recent ,encyclical on the study of the ,sacred ,scriptures strongly reiterates this doctrine1 advanced by many ,doctors of the ,church1 namely1 that the sacred writers had no intention of initiating us into the secrets of nature or to teach us the inward constitution of the visible world4 ,hence their language about the firmament1 and how the sun stood still1 as we still say the sun rises4#h ,if1 then1 we are confronted with some statement by scientists affirming that there is a scientific inaccuracy in the ,bible1 we have no remark to make but that the ,bible was not meant to be a text-book of exact science4 ,if it is urged that there are contradictions between the ,bible and science1 then the case demands attention4 ,we know that truth cannot contradict itself2 but we know that we may err in apprehending it1 and that science may err in its assumptions of fact4 ,hence in the matter of ,biblical ,apology1 when dealing with science1 it is of the first importance that we render an exact account to ourselves of what science affirms and of what the ,sacred ,scripture affirms4 ,it is important to note here the distinction which ,p4 ,brucker points out2 namely1 what science affirms1 not what scientists affirm4 ,the latter often mingle conjecture1 more or less probable1 with the definitely ascertained results of scientific experiment2 they often accept as facts certain observations and plausible conclusions which are not always deduced from legitimate premises nor in a strictly logical method4 ,the human mind is always prone to accept the plausible for the true1 the appearance of things for their substance1 the general for the universal1 the part for the whole1 or the probable for the proved4 ,this is demonstrated by the history of scientific hypotheses in nearly every department of human knowledge4 ,in the next place1 we must be quite sure to ascertain what the ,sacred ,scriptures affirm4 ,apologists place themselves in a needlessly responsible position when1 in the difficult task of determining a doubtful reading of the ,sacred ,text1 they assume an interpretation which may be gainsaid by scientific proof4 ,the teaching of ,st4 ,augustine and ,st4 ,thomas on this subject is that we are not to interpret in any particular sense any part of ,sacred ,scripture which admits of a different interpretation4 ,and here ,leo ,,xiii4 in his ,encyclical gives us an important point to consider when he says that the defenders of the ,sacred ,scriptures must not consider that they are obliged to defend each single opinion of isolated ,fathers of the ,church4#i ,there is a difference between a prudent conservatism and a timid and slavish repetition of time-honored views4 ,also between an intelligent advance of well-founded1 though new views1 and an excessive temerity1 which rashly replaces the tradition of ages by the suggestions of new science4 ,hence any attempt to prove that the statements of the ,bible imply in every case exact conformity with the latest results of scientific research is a needless and1 under circumstances1 a dangerous experiment2 for although there are instances where 7as in chap4 i4 of ,genesis7 the ,bible statements anticipate the exactest results of scientific investigation by many centuries1 yet it is not and need not be so in all instances4 ,yet whilst we may not consider ,moses as anticipating the investigations of a ,newton1 a ,laplace1 or a ,cuvier1 there are cases where the natural purpose and context of the sacred writers develop an exact harmony with the facts of science of which former ages had no right conception4 ,such are the creation by successive stages1 the unity of species1 and origin of the human race1 etc4 ,but these facts are not proposed as scientific revelations4 ,in all important questions as to the agreement of the ,bible with the results of scientific research we may have recourse with perfect confidence to the living teaching of the ,church2 where she gives no decision there we are at liberty to speculate1 provided the results of our speculation do not conflict with explicit and implied doctrines of truth1 that is to say1 they must be in harmony with the general analogy of faith4 ,there is one other topic which ,i would touch upon in speaking of the use and abuse of the ,bible2 it is a view which the late ,oliver ,wendell ,holmes is supposed to have advocated4 ,the author of ,the ,professor at the ,breakfast ,table believed that it would be advantageous if the ,bible were1 as he terms it1 depolarized1 that is to say1 if the translations or versions made from the originals were put in such form as to appeal to the imagination and feelings of the present generation by substituting modern terminology and figures of speech for the old time-honored words of ,scriptural comparisons4 ,the aim would be1 as ,i understand it1 to do for the written word of ,god what the ,salvation ,army leaders are attempting to do for nineteenth century ,christianity in general4 ,in answer to this suggestion it may be said that the attempt has been made in various ways1 and seemingly always without result for the better4 ,as we have versions of ,st4 ,paul's ,epistles in ,ciceronian ,latin1 so we have had travesties of the ,gospels intended to popularize the moral maxims they contain4 ,if it is question of making the ,bible accessible to the people for the purpose of getting them to read it1 devices of this kind may succeed to a degree with those who look for novelty4 ,as to its essential form1 the ,bible is popular1--appeals to all minds and conditions4 ,this is proved by the experience of centuries1 in every clime and among all races4 ,those parts which do not directly appeal to a popular sentiment are of a nature to forbid depolarization as above suggested1 since in changing them they would necessarily lose their identity1 the inherent proofs of their origin1 and their underlying mystic and spiritual meaning4 ,so far as they were written1 the truths contained in the ,bible were to serve all time4 ,to change their form is to tamper with the spirit of a divine language1 which1 although it comes to us in human sounds1 variable according to nationality and time and place1 still has an unction1 a breath of heaven accompanying it which would vanish as the perfume vanishes from the transplanted flower4 ,there are some truths1 some ideas and feelings1 which cannot be expressed in popular fashion without losing their essential qualities4 ,one might urge the same reasons in behalf of painting the old ,greek statues1 because the common people would find it possible to admire them if gaudy coloring helped their imagination to interpret the action of the figures in marble4 ,some things in the ,bible were not written for all1 and appeal only to refined and spiritual minds4 ,others can be easily understood and assimilated1 and there are preachers commissioned to make attractive and intelligible that which of itself does not appeal to the rude4 ,there is such a thing as accommodating the words of the ,sacred ,scripture for the purpose of impressing a truth by analogy1 and of the use of this method we have beautiful illustrations in the writings of the ,fathers and in the ,offices of the ,breviary4 ,but the sense by accommodation1 as it is called by writers on hermeneutics1 does not take liberties with the ,sacred ,text itself in the manner suggested by the advocates of depolarization4 ,for the rest there is a difference1 there always will be a difference1 between the qualities that call upon the senses and attract1 perhaps1 the larger circle of admirers1 and that choicer spirit which reaches the soul4 ,you cannot substitute one for the other2 their domain is widely apart1 though they may use the same instrument4 ,one tunes his facile lyre to please the ear1 ,and win the buzzing plaudits of the town2 ,the other sings his soul out to the stars1 ,and the deep hearts of men4 ,you cannot depolarize1 without destroying1 ,dante1 or ,milton1 or any of our great poets2 no more can you depolarize the great masterpiece of the ,bible4 ,let us take it as we receive it under the guardianship of the ,church4 ,its apparent imperfections are like the surroundings and exterior of its ,founder3 a scandal to the ,greek1 a stumbling-block to the ,jew1 because they could not realize that a ,god was hidden in the imperfect guise of poor flesh4 ,what we consider imperfections to be remedied in the ,bible were recognized by the ,apostles1 and by the chief of them1 ,st4 ,peter1 who writes1 ,,ii4 ,pet4 iii4 #af3 ,our dear brother ,paul1 according to the wisdom given him1 has written to you2 as also in all his ,epistles2 in which are certain things hard to be understood1 which the unlearned and unstable wrest1 as they do also the other ,scriptures1 to their own destruction4 ,here was room for depolarization1 yet ,st4 ,peter did not take it in hand1 neither should we desire scholars of perhaps greater knowledge but less wisdom to do so4 #a ,humphrey1 ,the ,sacred ,scriptures1 l4c4 #b ,vie de ,jesus1 #ahfd1 p4 #dbf4 #c ,three ,essays on ,religion1 #ahgd1 p4 #beh4 #d ,hibbert ,lectures1 #ahhb1 pp4 #aif1 #aig4 #e ,ibid41 #ahib1 p4 #eea4 #f ,the ,old ,testament in the ,jewish ,church1 #ahib1 p4 #aa4 #g ,see ,dublin ,review1 article cited above4 #h ,see ,humphrey1 ,the ,sacred ,scriptures2 also ,questions ,actuelles d'-,ecriture ,sainte1 by ,brucker1 ,s4 ,j4 #i ,see ,appendix4 ,,xx4 ,,the ,,vulgate ,,and ,,the ,,revised ,,protestant ,,version ,,of ,,the ,,bible4 ,in instituting here a comparison between the two approved and typical ,english ,versions of the ,bible as in use among ,catholics and ,protestants respectively1 ,i have no intention to be aggressive or polemic4 ,as from the first we have taken what may be called the common-sense point of view in judging the ,bible as an historical work1 which verifies its claims to be regarded as an organ communicating to us divine knowledge1 so we proceed to make a brief suggestive examination of two ,english ,bibles3 one found in the homes of ,catholics1 the other in those of our ,protestant friends and neighbors1 many of whom believe with all sincerity that among the various doubts and difficulties of life they can consult no truer guide than that sacred volume4 ,taking the two volumes as a whole1 and considering only their general contents1 there is but little difference between them4 ,i compared them in a former chapter to the two ,american flags of ,north and ,south3 viewed in themselves1 these are both of the same origin1 copied from the same pattern1 and emblems1 both1 of ,american independence4 ,though they differ only in some detail that might escape the superficial observer1 they nevertheless represent very widely different principles1 for which the men of the ,south as of the ,north were willing to stake their lives4 ,they might meet in friendly intercourse in all the walks of daily life1 but if you ask a ,union soldier to carry the ,southern flag1 he will say3 ,no2 for though it looks very much like my own1 there is a difference1 and that difference constitutes a vital principle with me4 ,catholics have to make much the same answer when told that they might accept the ,protestant ,bible in their public relations with those who do not recognize the ,catholic ,church4 ,the ,catholic ,church has the old ,bible1 as it came down the ages1 complete and without changes4 ,she has no reason to discard it1 and she has good reason not to accept another ,bible1 though its ,english be sweeter and its periods fall upon the ear like the soft cadences of ,southern army songs4 ,we cannot sing from its tuneful pages1 because it represents the principle of opposition to its original source and parent-stock1 and no union can be effected except by the elimination of that principle4 ,catholics claim that their ,bible1 in point of fidelity to the original--and this is the essential point when we speak of a translation of such a book--,catholics claim that their ,bible1 in point of fidelity to the original1 is as superior to the ,protestant ,english ,bible of ,king ,james as it is1 we admit1 inferior in its ,english4 ,the translators of the ,catholic ,version considered it a lesser offence to violate some rules of grammar than to risk the sense of ,god's word for the sake of a fine period4#a ,what proof have we for such a claim8 ,i answer that we have the strongest proof in the world which we could have on such a subject outside of a divine revelation1 namely1 the admission on the part of the guardians and translators themselves of the ,protestant ,bible4 ,now1 when ,i say guardians and translators of the ,protestant ,bible1 ,i do not mean merely the testimony of a few great authorities in the past or present who may have expressed their opinion as to the faults and defects of the latest ,english ,protestant translation4 ,that would not be fair4 ,but ,i mean that the history itself of ,protestant translations made since the days of ,king ,james1 not to go back any farther1 is a standing argument of the severest kind3 ,first1 against the correctness of the ,protestant ,english ,versions2 and1 ,secondly1 for the correctness of the ,catholic ,english ,version4 ,for if we compare the first ,protestant ,english ,version 7which departed considerably from the received ,catholic text of the ,vulgate7 with all the succeeding revisions made at various times by the ,english ,protestants1 we find that they have steadily returned towards the old ,catholic ,version4 ,this is not only an improvement as an approach to the ,catholic teaching1 but it is also a confession1 however reluctantly made1 of past errors on the part of former ,protestant translators4 ,at the time of their separation from the ,catholic ,church the reformers1 so-called1 had to give reasons for their defection4 ,they found fault with one doctrine or another in the old ,catholic ,church1 such as the supremacy of the ,roman ,pontiff1 the jurisdiction of bishops1 the ,holy ,sacrifice1 celibacy1 confession1 etc4 ,to justify the rejection of these doctrines they must appeal to some authority3 if not to the ,pontiff1 then to the king1 or to the ,bible1 or to both simultaneously4 ,but though the king might favor their novelties of doctrine inasmuch as they relieved his conscience of the reproach of disobedience to the ,pontiff1 who knew but one law of morals for the prince and the peasant1 the ,bible as hitherto read was against them4 ,now1 ,luther had given distracted ,germany an example of what might be done in the way of whittling down the supernatural1 and eliminating some of the irksome duties imposed by the old ,church4 ,he had made a new translation of the ,bible1 threw out passages1 nay1 whole books1#b which did not meet his views1 and added here and there a little word which did admirable service by setting him right with a world that for the most part could neither read ,hebrew nor ,latin nor ,greek1 and trusted him for a learned translator4 ,in similar fashion an ,english translation had already been attempted by ,wiclif about #achj1 and almost simultaneously by ,nicolas of ,hereford4 ,there existed in ,england at the time of ,luther an edition of the ,scriptures called the great ,bible4 ,it was ,catholic up to its fourth edition1 that of #aeda4 ,then1 as is generally supposed1 it was revised by the ,elizabethan bishops in #aejh1 and in #afaa1 after a more lengthened revision1 it appeared as a ,king ,james ,authorized ,version4 ,since then various revisions and corrections of this ,bible have been printed1 each succeeding one eliminating some of the previous errors4 ,mr4 ,thomas ,ward has made up an interesting book called ,errata--the truth of the ,english translations of the ,bible examined1 or a treatise showing some of the errors that are found in the ,english translation of the ,sacred ,scriptures used by ,protestants against such points of religious doctrine as are the subject of controversy between them and the members of the ,catholic ,church4 ,dr4 ,ward's book embraces a comparison between the ,catholic ,english translation and the various ,protestant versions up to the year #afhc1 for since then no changes were made in the ,english ,protestant ,bible called the authorized version until #ahga1 when the work of a new revision1 published between #ahha-he1 was undertaken1 which is not included in ,dr4 ,ward's ,errata4 ,why was this last revision made8 ,was not the ,king ,james version of #afaa1 for the most part1 beautiful ,english8 ,as to the rest1 was it not for every ,protestant an absolute1 infallible rule of faith8 ,the language was good1 the truth still better2 what need1 then1 was there to revise8 ,the revisers of #ahha tell us that the language of the old ,english version could be improved1 and that they meant to improve it4 ,the older translators1 they say1 seem to have been guided by the feeling that their version would secure for the words they used a lasting place in the language2 444 but it cannot be doubted that the studied avoidance of uniformity in the rendering of the same words1 even when occurring in the same context1 is one of the blemishes in their work4 ,but are the changes of language or expression all that the reviewers of this infallible text-book aim at8 ,no4 ,listen to what ,dr4 ,ellicott in the ,preface to the ,pastoral ,epistles says3 ,it is vain to cheat our souls with the thought that these errors are either insignificant or imaginary4 ,there are errors1 there are inaccuracies1 there are misconceptions1 there are obscurities1 not1 indeed1 so many in number or so grave in character as some of the forward spirits of our day would persuade us2 but there are misrepresentations of the language of the ,holy ,ghost2 and that man who1 after being in any degree satisfied of this1 permits himself to bow to the counsels of a timid or popular obstructiveness1 or who1 intellectually unable to test the truth of these allegations1 nevertheless permits himself to denounce or deny them1 will1 if they be true1 most surely at the dread day of final account have to sustain the tremendous charge of having dealt deceitfully with the inviolable ,word of ,god4#c ,so this book1 the infallible voice of ,god revealing ,his ways1 this sole rule of faith for millions of ,englishmen1 and by which millions had lived and sworn and died during more than two centuries1 had to be revised1 not only as to the form1 but in the matter also4 ,two committees were formed1 about fifty of the members being from ,england1 thirty from ,america--,presbyterians1 ,baptists1 ,methodists1 etc4 ,cardinal ,newman and ,dr4 ,pusey were invited1 but declined to attend4 ,mr4 ,vance ,smith1 a ,unitarian1 a distinguished scholar1 but certainly no ,christian1 received a place in the ,new ,testament committee4 ,these gentlemen set to work in earnest to revise the ,word of ,god and settle the ,bible of the future4 ,they had to consider the advance made in textual criticism represented by ,lachmann1 ,scholz1 ,tregelles1 ,tischendorf1 and ,drs4 ,westcott and ,hort4 ,they labored ten years and a half1 as ,dr4 ,ellicott assures us1 with thoroughness1 loyalty to the authorized versions1 and due recognition of the best judgment of antiquity4 ,one of their rules1 expressly laid down for their common guidance1 was to introduce as few alterations as possible into the text of the authorized version4 ,how many corrections1 think you1 were made in the ,new ,testament alone8 ,about #bj1jjj1 of which fifty per cent4 are textual1 that is #i to every five verses of the ,gospels1 and #ae to every five in the ,epistles4 ,besides these changes1 which must be a shock to many an ,english ,protestant who has accustomed himself by long reading of the ,bible to believe in verbal inspiration1 there are a number of omissions in the ,new ,revised ,text which in all amount to about #dj entire verses4 ,it appears1 then1 that the ,king ,james ,bible of some years ago has not been as most ,protestants of necessity claimed for it--the pure1 authentic1 unadulterated ,word of ,god4 ,and if not1 what guarantee have we that the promiscuous body of recent translators1 however learned1 withal not inspired1 have given us that pure1 authentic1 unadulterated ,word of ,god8 ,let us glance over a few pages of the ,new ,testament to see of what nature and of what importance1 from a doctrinal point of view1 are the changes made by the late revisers of the ,authorized 7,protestant7 ,version4 ,in the first place1 they have acknowledged the reading of ,i4 ,cor4 xi4 #bg1 regarding communion under one kind1 by translating the ,greek ,greek3 gamma by or1 and not by and1 an error which had been repeated in all the ,protestant translations since #aebe1 and which gave rise to endless abuse of the ,catholic practice of giving the ,blessed ,sacrament to the laity under only one species4 ,whosoever shall eat the bread or drink the cup is the reading in the ,greek as well as in the ,latin ,vulgate1 and nothing but theological fear or partiality1 as ,dean ,stanley expressed it1 could have warranted this mistranslation1 which may be found in all the editions of #aebj1 #aech1 #aefb1 #aejh1 #aegg1 #aegi1 #afaa1 etc4 ,but this is only one of many acts of justice which the learned revisers have done to ,catholics by restoring the true reading2 they have given us back the altar which1 together with the ,holy ,sacrifice and confession and celibacy1 had become obnoxious to the reformers4 ,we now read1 ,i4 ,cor4 x4 #ah1 that those that eat the hosts are in communion with the altar1 where formerly they were only partakers of the temple4 ,having restored the ,catholic practice of ,holy ,communion under one kind1 and likewise the altar1 we are not surprised that the overseers of the ,king ,james version should have become bishops1 as in ,acts xx4 #bh1 although a good many of the overseers have been left in their places1 possibly because the elders 7,acts xv4 #b2 ,tit4 i4 #e2 ,i4 ,tim4 v4 #ag and #ai1 etc47 have not yet become priests1 as they are in the ,rhemish 7,catholic7 translation4 ,however1 the elders are likely to turn out priests at the next revision1 because they are not only ordained1 but also appointed1 whereas in the old ,english revisions of #aefb and #aegi they were ordained elders by election in every congregation1 which is still done in ,protestant churches where there are no bishops1 and even in some which have overseers with the honorary title of bishop4 ,as to the celibacy question1 the revisers have not thought fit to endorse it by translating ,greek3 adelphen gynaicha a woman1 a sister2 but they adhere to the old wife1 as ,beza1 in his translation1 makes the ,apostles go about with their wives 7,acts i4 #ad74 ,in the matter of confession we have got a degree nearer to the old ,catholic version and practice likewise4 ,the ,protestant reformers had no sins to confess2 they had only faults4 ,hence they translate ,st4 ,james v4 #af by confess your faults4 ,but the revisers of #ahha found out that these faults were downright sins1 and so they put it4 ,accordingly we find that the ,apostles have power literally to forgive sins1 whereas formerly1 the sins being only faults1 it was enough to have them remitted1 which means a sort of passive yielding or condoning on the part of the overseers in favor of repentant sinners1 but did not convey the idea of a sacramental power binding and loosening in heaven as on earth4 ,our dear ,blessed ,lady also receives some justice at the hands of the new translators4 ,she is not simply highly favored as in the times of ,king ,james and ever since1 but now is endued with grace1 though only in a footnote4 ,it was expected1 says an anonymous writer in the above cited article of the ,dublin ,review1#d that the revisers1 in deference to modern refinement1 would get rid of 'hell' and 'damnation1' like the judge who was said to have dismissed hell with costs4 ',damnation' and kindred words have gone4444 ,a new word1 ',hades1' ,pluto's ,greek name1 has been brought into our language to save the old word 'hell' from overwork4 ,the ,rich ,man is no longer in 'hell1' he is now 'in ,hades2' but he is still 'in torment4' ,so ,hades must be ,purgatory1 and the revisers have thus moved ,dives into ,purgatory1 and ,purgatory into the ,gospel4 ,dives will not object2 but what will ,protestants say8 ,an important change has been introduced in their treatment of the ,lord's ,prayer4 ,protestants1 for over three hundred years1 have concluded that prayer with the words3 for ,thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever4 ,these words were to be found in ,st4 ,matt4 vi4 #ac according to the ,protestant text4 ,they were certainly wanting in ,st4 ,luke xi4 #b1 who also gives us the words of the ,our ,father with a very slight change of form4 ,catholics were reproached for not adding the 'doxology1' which proved to be a custom in the ,greek ,catholic ,church1 very much like our use of the ,glory be to the ,father1 and to the ,son1 etc41 at the end of each psalm recited or sung at ,vespers4 ,examination showed that the phrase for ,thine is the kingdom1 etc41 was to be found principally in versions made by and for the ,catholics of the ,greek ,church1 and this explained how the same had crept into the copyists' ,greek version4 ,this fact is recognized at length in the late revision where the words are omitted from the text of ,st4 ,matthew1 whilst a footnote states that many authorities1 some ancient1 but with variations1 add3 'for ,thine is the kingdom and the glory forever4' ,the ,american revisers had made a number of very sensible suggestions1 which would have brought the new ,protestant version of the ,bible still nearer to the old ,catholic translation of ,rheims and ,douay2 but their voice was not considered weighty enough1 and ,mr4 ,vance ,smith openly blames the ,english committee on this score1 saying that they have not shown that judicial freedom from theological bias which was certainly expected from them4 ,on the other hand1 the ,american revisers showed their national spirit and liberality to a degree which must have horrified the orthodox members of the ,anglican ,community4 ,the ,americans suggested the removal of all mention of the sin of heresy--heresies in their eyes being only 'factions4' ,they desired also that the ,apostles and ,evangelists should drop their title of ,saint1 and be content to be called plain ,john1 and ,paul1 and ,thomas4 ,this resulted1 no doubt1 from their democratic taste for strict equality1 and their hatred of titles even in the kingdom of heaven4#e ,after all this the principle of faith in the ,bible alone became somewhat insecure1 and we find the revisers making a silent concession on this point by allowing something to the ,catholic principle of a living1 perpetually transmitted tradition4 ,st4 ,paul1 who speaks of the altar and of bishops1 and who allows ,communion under one kind1 and who had no wife1 and wanted none 7,i4 ,cor4 vii471 praises the ,corinthians1 not simply for keeping his ordinances1 as in the time of ,king ,james1 but for keeping the traditions as he had delivered them to the ,greek churches before he found opportunity to write to the ,corinthians4 ,there is one other point of difference between the ,catholic and ,protestant ,bibles to which it is instructive to call attention4 ,it is in regard to the writing of proper names1 especially in the ,old ,testament4 ,thus where we in the ,catholic ,bibles have ,nabuchodonosor for the king of ,babylon1 son of ,nabopollassar1 the ,protestant version has ,nebuchadnezzar2 where we have ,elias and ,eliseus1 the ,protestant version has ,elijah and ,elisha1 and so forth regarding many ,hebrew names of persons and places4 ,you will ask whence the difference1 and which is right8 ,the difference arises from the fact that the ,protestant ,version follows the present ,hebrew text of the ,bible1 whilst the ,catholic ,version follows the ,greek4 ,which is the safer to follow on such points as the pronunciation of proper names--the ,hebrew or the ,greek8 ,you will say the ,hebrew1 but it is not so4 ,the old ,hebrew writing had1 as ,i mentioned before1 no vowels4 ,hence it could not be read by any one who had not heard it read in the schools of the rabbis4 ,some six centuries after our ,lord1 certain ,jewish doctors who were called ,masorets1 anxious to preserve the traditional sounds of the ,hebrew language1 supplied vowels in the shape of points1 which they placed under the square consonants1 without disturbing the latter4 ,hence the present vowel system in ,hebrew1 or1 in other words1 the present pronunciation of ,hebrew according to the reading of the ,bible1 is the work of men who relied for the pronunciation of words on a tradition which carried them back over many centuries1 that is1 from the time when ,hebrew was a living language to about six hundred years after ,christ4 ,it is not difficult to imagine how in such a length of time the true pronunciation may have been lost or certainly modified in some cases2 for though the ,hebrew words were there on the paper1 written in consonants of the old form1 the pronunciation of the vowels must have been doubtful if resting on tradition alone1 since the ,hebrew had already ceased to be a living language for many centuries4 ,in the meantime1 the true pronunciation of the ,hebrew proper names could have been preserved in some of the translations made long before the ,masoretic doctors supplied their vowel points4 ,one of these translations from the ,hebrew is the ,greek ,septuagint4 ,it was made1 as we have seen1 in the time of ,ptolemy1 i4e41 some two and a half centuries before ,christ4 ,the learned ,jews who made this translation knew perfectly well how the ,hebrew of their day was pronounced1 and we cannot suppose that they would mutilate the proper names of their mother tongue in the translation into ,greek which1 possessing written vowels1 obliged them to express the full pronunciation of the persons and places which they transcribed4 ,accordingly1 we have two sources for our pronunciation of ,hebrew proper names3 one which dates from about the sixth or seventh century of the present era1 when the ,hebrew had become a dead language2 and another1 made about nine hundred years earlier by ,jewish rabbis1 who spoke the language perfectly well1 and who could express the pronunciation of proper names accurately because they wrote in a language which had written vowels1 and with which they were as conversant as with their own1 the ,hebrew4 ,furthermore1 we have other versions1 made long before the ,masoretic ,doctors invented their vowel-points in order to fix the ,hebrew pronunciation as they conceived it4 ,among these is the ,latin ,vulgate which1 like the ,greek of the ,septuagint1 should give us the correct pronunciation--because it was made by ,st4 ,jerome1 who had studied the ,hebrew and ,chaldee in ,palestine under a ,jewish rabbi4 ,he knew1 therefore1 the pronunciation of the ,jews in his day 7#cca-dbj71 and there was no reason why he should not give it to us in his several different translations1 whilst there might have been some cause why the ,masoretic ,jews who lived two or three centuries later should dislike to accept either the ,greek or the ,latin versions for an authority1 because both versions were used and constantly cited by the ,christians as proof that the ,messiah had come4 ,incidentally1 the late archeological finds confirm this4 ,thus the name of ,nabuchodonosor 7,,iv4 ,kings xxiv4 #a7 7,protestant1 ,nebuchadnezzar71 mentioned above as an example1 reads in the cuneiform inscription of the ,assyrian monument ,nebukudursur1 which is evidently the same form of vowel pronunciation as that employed in the ,catholic version4 ,in comparing the two versions thus far little has been said as to the peculiar character or merits of the ,english ,catholic version commonly called the ,vulgate ,english or ,douay ,bible4 ,but the main purpose of the present chapter has been attained by the necessary inference which the reader must have drawn1 namely1 that the old ,catholic version is the more faithful1 and that1 after all1 the ,bible is not a safe guide without a ,church to guard its integrity and to interpret its meaning4 ,but let me say just a word about the ,vulgate4 ,the ,catholic ,vulgate is practically the work of ,st4 ,jerome1 and our ,english ,catholic edition is made as literally as may be from this ,latin ,vulgate1 diligently compared with the ,hebrew1 ,greek1 and other editions in divers languages4 ,the copies1 most in use now1 were made from an edition published by the ,english ,college at ,rheims in #aehb1 and at ,douay in #afji1 revised by ,dr4 ,challoner4 ,the need of a new revision has been recognized1 and an effort to supply the want was made by the late ,archbishop ,kenrick1 whose translation was recommended by the ,council of ,baltimore in #aheh1 although it has not been generally adopted4 ,however1 the changes to be made in the translation of the ,catholic ,bible in ,english cannot be very numerous nor affecting doctrines defined by the ,church2 nor is any accidental change of words or expressions so vital a matter to the ,catholic mind as it must be with those who have but the ,bible as their one primary rule of faith4 ,so far ,protestant revisions have done ,catholics a service in removing by successive corrections one error after another from the reformed ,bible1 thus demonstrating the correctness of the old ,vulgate2 but they have also led ,protestants to reflect seriously1 and to realize that the ,bible only principle is proved to be false and dangerous4 ,they must see that the ,scripture is powerless without the ,church as the witness to its inspiration1 the safeguard of its integrity1 and the exponent of its meaning4 #a ,cf4 a paper on the subject of the ,new ,revision in the ,dublin ,review1 #ahha1 vol4 ,,vi41 ser4 iii4 #b ,these books have been mostly retained in the ,protestant ,bible under the name of ,apocryphal1 i4e41 not inspired4 ,the ,church accepts and defines their inspiration1 and in this is supported by the strong testimony of apostolic tradition4 #c ,pastoral ,epistles1 p4 #ac4 #d ,vol4 ,,vi41 ser4 iii4 #e ,dublin ,review1 l4c4 ,,xxi4 ,,the ,,position ,,of ,,the ,,church ,,in ,,the ,,present ,,state ,,of ,,the ,,scientific ,,controversy ,,regarding ,,the ,,bible4 ,in one of the old churches of ,wales you may see the ,ten ,commandments written upon the wall1 and beneath them the following inscription1 the meaning of which1 it is said1 had for a long time remained a mystery to the people3 ,p ,r ,s ,v ,r ,y ,p ,r ,f ,c ,t ,m ,n1 ,v ,r ,k ,p ,t ,h ,s ,p ,r ,c ,p ,t ,s ,t ,n4 ,some one supplied the key to the interpretation by suggesting the letter ,e4 ,then everybody read the lines1 and the old folks told their children1 who inform the casual visitor that the strange letters plainly mean3 ,persevere ye perfect men1 ever keep these precepts ten4 ,the inscription in the old ,welsh church is a good illustration of the old text of the ,bible1 which had no vowels1 no division of words and sentences4 ,god gave the key to its meaning through an intelligent interpreter1 and the men of learning supply the divisions--even in this sense that they sometimes dispute the place where to insert and where to omit the ,e4 ,the original obscurity has induced many to study the ,bible1 and the grand result of this study in our day has been to lead the great majority of scientific men1 whether they are believers in the divine origin of the ,book or not1 to the conclusion that it is1 to say the least1 an historical monument of the highest antiquity1 the contents of which have come down to us in that genuine and authentic form which is claimed for it2 that is to say1 that it has not been tampered with or falsified to such an extent as would render its statements materially other than they were from the beginning4 ,tischendorf1 one of the leading ,biblical text critics in recent times1 allows indeed some #cj1jjj variations for the ,new ,testament alone in the different manuscripts of which we possess any trace4 ,although these variations are on the whole very slight1 so as not to affect the genuineness of the ,scripture documents1 they establish the fact that we do not possess the text of the ,bible in the literal form in which the inspired writers originally wrote it down4 ,whatever changes have crept into the text of the ,bible1 through inadvertence of copyists or defective translations into other languages1 it is a settled fact among ,catholic divines that they do not affect the moral and dogmatic teaching of the ,catholic ,church4 ,they regard either purely historical incidents or scientific facts1 neither of which are the object of the doctrinal definitions or moral teachings of the ,church4 ,they are the proper subject for the study of human reason and investigation4 ,hence philological science may very becomingly occupy itself with the verbal criticism of the language and thought of the ,bible4 ,but the ,catholic ,church1 as a teacher of religious truth1 has an interest in these studies of verbal criticism in so far only as they may become a help or a hindrance to her legitimate activity of preaching and preserving the truth of ,christianity4 ,as a rule1 the ,church anticipates the dangerous issues arising from the misuse of such studies by deliberately defining not only the right use of the instruments employed for the purpose of criticism1 but also what she herself deems the subject-matter lying outside of the domain of such criticism4 ,thus1 in a negative way1 she points out the field for the exercise of theories1 or rather she defines the lines beyond which speculation may not safely go4 ,the ,church would have no end of tasks if she undertook to defend her position against the continuously proposed hypotheses by which any chance comer might venture to challenge her veracity or authority4 ,most theories are ephemeral2 two1 succeeding each other1 are often mutually destructive4 ,prof4 ,h4 ,l4 ,hastings in his ,higher ,criticism tells us that since #ahej there have been published #gdg theories1 known to him1 about the origin and authenticity of the ,bible4 ,of these #gdg theories he counts #fjh as now defunct1 and as the ,professor wrote several years ago1 we may assume that nearly all of the remaining #aci are dead by this time1 although a few new ones have come in to take their place for a day4#a ,what1 then1 is the position of the ,catholic ,church1 as limited by positive definition1 with regard to the text of the ,bible1 by which she limits the aggressiveness of ,biblical criticism8 ,the ,catholic ,church gives us a very ancient and well-attested text of the entire ,bible in the ,latin tongue1 and in virtue of her commission to teach1 which includes the right and duty to appoint the text-book for that teaching1 she says3 ,the sacred ,council of ,trent1 believing that it would be of great advantage to the ,church of ,god to have it known which of the various ,latin editions of the ,bible is to be held authentic1 hereby declares that the ancient edition commonly known as the ,vulgate1 which has been approved by the long-standing use of ages in the ,church1 is to be considered as the authentic ,bible for official uses of teaching 7,trent1 vi4 #ab74 ,you notice that the ,council of ,trent does not say that the ,vulgate corresponds exactly to the literal original text1 nor that it is the best of all known translations4 ,the ,council states only1 but states explicitly1 that the ,vulgate edition of the ,bible is a reliable source of the written revelation in matters of faith and morals4 ,and the reason which the ,council alleges for this preference of the ,vulgate over other editions is its constant use for centuries in the ,church2 in other words1 that it represents the best tradition of the received text-form of the ,sacred ,scriptures4 ,but the definition of the ,council implies not only that the contents of the ,vulgate in their entirety are reliable and authentic1 but that each of its statements is authentic in its dogmatic contents1 since the whole ,vulgate1 i4e41 in all its parts1 is said to constitute a medium or instrument of official teaching in the ,church4 ,the declaration of the ,council is regarding the ,latin ,vulgate2 hence all translations must conform to its text1 that is to say1 the corrected text of #aeib1 called the ,clementine recension4 ,it is noteworthy that1 whilst the ,church points out a text which is to be the official pattern in her liturgy and in the defence of ,catholic teaching regarding faith and morals1 she does not define anything regarding other texts or versions of the ,bible4 ,neither the ,hebrew nor the ,greek texts are mentioned1 although the ,church gives to them1 and the ,coptic1 ,syrian1 and ,armenian versions1 an implied approbation by tolerating their liturgical use in the ,oriental churches4 ,what the ,church has defined1 therefore1 regarding the ,vulgate is this3 ,it has declared its dogmatic integrity4 ,this implies that the contents of the ,vulgate give in their entirety and in their details a reliable version of the inspired text as an instrument of teaching ,catholic truth and morals4 ,from a scientific point of view the ,vulgate enjoys the advantage of being the oldest of all the ,scriptural versions4 ,in the ,old ,testament it represents a text more ancient than the ,hebrew of the ,masoretic doctors4 ,the ,new ,testament is likewise older than the oldest ,greek text extant1 as ,lachmann in his critical edition has demonstrated4 ,moreover1 its composition is the result of the best scientific apparatus of early ,christian times1 which ,st4 ,jerome possessed in a phenomenal degree1 both as to his person and also as to the circumstances in which he was placed4 ,finally1 it has an historical support of unequalled superiority1 inasmuch as it has been from the beginning the means of ,christianizing the nations of ,europe4 ,all this is being verified1 not only by textual critics1 but by the more recent discoveries in the study of ,christian paleography4 ,such is the position in which scientific research finds the ,church4 ,the multiform theories about the ,bible1 and the various possible senses of its words and passages1 only affect her in a limited degree4 ,catholic apologists are obliged to deal with these theories so far only as they affect the positive teaching of the ,church in faith and morals1 although the analogy of faith demands that the ,catholic scientist test his opinions by weighty tradition and approved practice4 ,whilst the dogmatic integrity of the ,sacred ,scriptures is thus secured1 the examination of the critical integrity of individual parts leaves a wide field open to ,catholic ,biblical students4 ,the work done by non-,catholic scholars who have examined the ,bible1 either to bring out the verbal meaning of its text1 or to verify some historical or philological hypothesis1 is astounding4 ,catholic students owe a great debt to the first gleaners in this field2 for though we have neither felt impelled to look for the rule of our faith in the ,bible exclusively1 nor always been inclined to accept the dicta regarding the literal sense of so sacred a document from the professors of philological discipline1 we have incidentally profited by all these searchings4 ,they have illustrated the excellence of our faith1 both as a system and as a moral principle4 ,they have thrown light upon problems of exegesis4 ,all the doctrines and practices of the ,catholic ,church have found their confirmation in the analysis of ,biblical terms as the result of textual criticism4 ,the words of the ,bible have been thrown into the crucible1 and the gold of ,catholic doctrine has been the outcome--purer1 brighter1 more refined1 and still weighty4 ,each verified theory regarding the sense of old forgotten ,hebrew terms has received the impress of ,catholic approbation1 and served to give the doctrine of the ,church a more ready currency4 ,scientists1 often reluctantly1 are pointing out golden opportunities for ,catholic students4 ,it does not come within our present scope to speak of the various methods employed by the science and art of ,biblical criticism1 nor to retail the separate results to which the inquiry into the authenticity 7,higher ,criticism7 and the integrity and purity of the text 7,lower ,criticism7 has led4 ,the history of the ,new ,testament1 which is the best witness to the authenticity and integrity of the ,old ,testament books1 provided we admit the divinity of ,christ1 which in its turn rests upon the strongest historic evidence1 has received an immense amount of confirmatory argument in numerous discoveries of ancient documents4 ,within the last forty years have been found1 among other valuable writings1 the famous ,codex ,sinaiticus by ,tischendorf 7#ahei71 one of the oldest ,greek texts of the ,bible4 ,in #ahge ,archbishop ,briennios found in ,constantinople the ,,ms4 ,epistles of ,clement of ,rome1 which not only confirm the apostolical writings and evangels as being received in the ,church of his day1 but furnish the oldest liturgical prayer and sermon of post-apostolic times4 ,another document of the same character1 in ,latin1 was discovered by ,morin in #ahic4 ,next we have the celebrated ,diatessaron of ,tatian1 the oldest gospel harmony in existence1 which1 known to ,eusebius1 but lost in the meantime1 was recovered lately1 with a parallel manuscript found in ,egypt1 and published last year in ,english4 ,this takes us back to the time of ,st4 ,justin4 ,another most important find is the ,,ms4 of the so-called ,teaching of the ,twelve ,apostles4 ,the document was discovered by ,briennios1 and published in #ahhc4 ,it throws much light on the ecclesiastical discipline of the early ,christian ,church 7about ,a4,d4 #abj71 speaks of the written ,gospels1 etc4 ,another valuable ,,ms4 7,syriac7 was found in #ahhi by ,professor ,harris4 ,it is the ,apology of ,aristides1 brought from the convent of ,st4 ,catharine on ,mt4 ,sinai1 and dates about the year #adj1 as it is addressed to the ,emperor ,hadrian1 and offers him the ,christian ,scriptures to read4 ,i pass over a host of other important finds of the same nature1 of unquestioned authenticity1 which carry us back to the apostolic age4 #a ,see ,hettinser's ,apologie1 ,preface xi4 ,,xxii4 ,,mysterious ,,characters4 ,whilst ,biblical criticism and constantly increasing discoveries of new treasures1 such as we mentioned in the last chapter1 are adding their approving light to the ancient and unchanged traditions of the ,catholic ,church regarding the ,bible and its exegesis1 the finds of archeology are confirming the statements of the ,bible1 especially the ,old ,testament history1 with an accuracy which forces even the infidel scientist to bear witness to the historical truth of the inspired records4 ,a century ago ,biblical antiquity received its side-lights1 for the most part1 from rabbinical literature1 and from newly-discovered methods of interpreting those classics which dealt with the ,oriental world incidentally4 ,but in modern times an immense literary field has been opened by the discovery of ancient monuments in ,egypt1 ,assyria1 ,babylonia1 ,syria1 ,asia ,minor1 ,palestine1 and the surrounding countries4 ,these monuments place us in position to trace the condition of these nations to very remote periods1 and give us a key to the explanation of the ,biblical documents4 ,extraordinary labor1 coupled with all-sided knowledge1 a refined method of observation1 and untiring patience1 have made it possible to read the hieroglyphics and the so-called cuneiform inscriptions4 ,it is interesting to trace the gradual progress by which definite results were attained in deciphering certain inscriptions whose language was entirely unknown to any living man4 ,i may be allowed to give here an illustration1 taken from ,mr4 ,sayce's excellent little work1 ,fresh ,lights on ,ancient ,monuments1 in which he describes the manner of unravelling the mysterious threads of the old ,persian script3 ,travellers had discovered inscriptions engraved in cuneiform1 or1 as they were also termed1 arrow-headed1 characters on the ruined monuments of ,persepolis and other ancient sites in ,persia4 ,some of these monuments were known to have been erected by the ,achaemenian princes--,darius1 the son of ,hystaspes1 and his successors--and it was therefore inferred that the inscriptions also had been carved by order of the same kings4 ,the inscriptions were in three different systems of cuneiform writing2 and1 since the three kinds of inscription were always placed side by side1 it was evident that they represented different versions of the same text4 ,the subjects of the ,persian kings belonged to more than one race1 and1 just as in the present day a ,turkish pasha in the ,east has to publish an edict in ,turkish1 ,arabic1 and ,persian1 if it is to be understood by all the populations under his charge1 so the ,persian kings were obliged to use the language and system of writing peculiar to each of the nations they governed whenever they wished their proclamations to be read and understood by them4 ,it was clear that the three versions of the ,achaemenian inscriptions were addressed to the three chief populations of the ,persian empire1 and that the one that invariably came first was composed in ancient ,persian1 the language of the sovereign himself4 ,now this ,persian version happened to offer the decipherer less difficulties than the two others which accompanied it4 ,the number of distinct characters employed in writing it did not exceed forty1 while the words were divided from one another by a slanting wedge4 ,some of the words contained so many characters that it was plain that these latter must denote letters1 and not syllables1 and that consequently the ,persian cuneiform system must have consisted of an alphabet1 and not of a syllabary4 ,it was further plain that the inscriptions had to be read from left to right1 since the ends of all the lines were exactly underneath one another on the left side1 whereas they terminated irregularly on the right2 indeed1 the last line sometimes ended at a considerable distance from the right-hand extremity of the inscription4 ,the clue to the decipherment of the inscriptions was first discovered by the successful guess of a ,german scholar1 ,grotefend4 ,grotefend noticed that the inscriptions generally began with three or four words1 one of which varied1 while the others remained unchanged4 ,the variable word had three forms1 though the same form always appeared on the same monument4 ,grotefend1 therefore1 conjectured that this word represented the name of a king1 the words which followed it being the royal titles4 ,one of the supposed names appeared much oftener than the others1 and1 as it was too short for ,artaxerxes and too long for ,cyrus1 it was evident that it must stand either for ,darius or for ,xerxes4 ,a study of the classical authors showed ,grotefend that certain of the monuments on which it was found had been constructed by ,darius1 and he accordingly gave to the characters composing it the values required for spelling ',darius' in its old ,persian form4 ,in this way he succeeded in obtaining conjectural values for six cuneiform letters4 ,he now turned to the second royal name1 which also appeared on several monuments1 and was of much the same length as that of ,darius4 ,this could only be ,xerxes2 but if so1 the fifth letter composing it 7r7 would necessarily be the same as the third letter in the name of ,darius4 ,this proved to be the case1 and thus afforded the best possible evidence that the ,german scholar was on the right track4 ,the third name1 which was much longer than the other two1 differed from the second chiefly at the beginning1 the latter part of it resembling the name of ,xerxes4 ,clearly1 therefore1 it could be nothing else than ,artaxerxes1 and that it actually was so was rendered certain by the fact that the second character composing it was that which had the value of r4 ,grotefend now possessed a small alphabet1 and with this he proceeded to read the word which always followed the royal name1 and therefore probably meant 'king4' ,he found that it closely resembled the word which signified 'king' in ,zend1 the old language of the ,eastern ,persians1 which was spoken in one part of ,persia at the same time that ,old ,persian1 the language of the ,achaemenian princes1 was spoken in another4 ,there could1 consequently1 be no further room for doubt that he had really solved the great problem1 and discovered the key to the decipherment of the cuneiform texts4 ,but he did little further himself towards the completion of the work1 and it was many years before any real progress was made with it4 ,meanwhile1 the study of ,zend had made great advances1 more especially in the hands of ,burnouf1 who eventually turned his attention to the cuneiform inscriptions4 ,but it is to ,burnouf's pupil1 ,lassen1 as well as to ,sir ,henry ,rawlinson1 that the decipherment of these inscriptions owes its final completion4 ,the discovery of the list of ,persian satrapies in the inscription of ,darius at ,naksh-i-,rustem1 and above all the copy of the long inscription of ,darius on the rock of ,behistum1 made by ,sir ,h4 ,rawlinson1 enabled these scholars independently of one another to construct an alphabet which differed only in the value assigned to a single character1 and1 with the help of the cognate ,zend and ,sanskrit1 to translate the language so curiously brought to light4 ,the decipherment of the ,persian cuneiform texts thus became an accomplished fact2 what was next needed was to decipher the two versions which were inscribed at their side4 ,but this was no easy task4 ,the words in them were not divided from one another1 and the characters of which they were composed were exceedingly numerous4 ,with the assistance1 however1 of frequently recurring proper names1 even these two versions gradually yielded to the patient skill of the decipherer2 and it was then discovered that while one of them represented an agglutinative language1 such as that of the ,turks or ,fins1 the other was in a dialect which closely resembled the ,hebrew of the ,old ,testament4 ,the monuments found almost immediately afterwards in ,assyria and ,babylonia by ,botta and ,layard soon made it clear to what people this dialect must have belonged4 ,the inscriptions of ,nineveh turned out to be written in the same language and form of cuneiform script2 and it must therefore have been for the ,semitic population of ,assyria and ,babylonia that the kings of ,persia had caused one of the versions of their inscriptions to be drawn up4 ,this version served us a starting-point for the decipherment of the texts which the excavations in ,assyria had brought to light4 ,in this way results which stood the test of severe criticism were obtained until the most difficult inscriptions have become a comparatively open book to the historian of to-day4 ,thus it has come about that1 as ,prof4 ,ira ,price says3 ,since #ahej the ,old ,testament has been gradually appearing in the ever-brightening and brighter light of contemporaneous history4 ,the new light now pours in upon it from all sides4 ,it is the one history made rich by that of all its neighbors4 ,israel is the one people whose part in the drama of ancient nations is just beginning to be understood4444 ,the cuneiform letters discovered at ,tel el-,amarna in ,egypt1 in #ahhg1 have opened up new territory in the fifteenth century1 ,b4,c4 ,they are despatches and official communications sent by a large number of rulers1 kings1 and governors1 mainly of countries and provinces and cities of ,southwestern ,asia1 to the king of ,egypt4 ,these documents disclose a marvellously advanced stage of development1 intellectually1 politically1 and socially1 among the people who were soon to be ,israel's nearest neighbors4 ,they formed the early background of ,israel's settlement in ,canaan1 and prepare us for no surprises in ,israel's growth4 ,in fact1 we see that ,joshua and his army actually settled in a land of cities and fortresses1 already containing many of the elements of civilization1 but sadly reduced by internal and external warfare4 ,the labor of the excavator in the ,biblical countries1 such as the unearthing of the immense library of brick tablets in the neighborhood of ,nineveh1 and the result of new discoveries which the ground of ,palestine1 so long and strangely neglected1 promises to yield1 widen the field of ,biblical research immensely1 and from it all we may with perfect assurance look for fresh arguments in behalf of the authenticity and substantial integrity of the ,sacred ,scriptures4 ,at the same time the interpretation of many of its passages1 now obscure1 will become clearer in the light of contemporary history4 ,surely this is a hopeful sign1 and should encourage us in the study of the ,bible1 which is on so many accounts a source of intellectual pleasure1 of abiding peace of heart1 and of that high moral refinement which comes from contact with noble minds4 ,there are none better on earth than the sacred writers--men who walked and spoke with ,god1 and whose living contact we may enjoy in the participation of that celestial inspiration which breathes through their writings4 ,,conclusion4 ,the foregoing chapters are nothing more than a brief illustration of the principles laid down by the ,sovereign ,pontiff1 ,leo ,,xiii41 in his ,encyclical ,letter ,on the ,study of the ,sacred ,scriptures4#a ,the careful reading of this ,letter must convince us how important a part the study of the ,bible has always played in the ,church4 ,the conclusions of ,leo ,,xiii4 are not of yesterday1 nor does he claim them as of his own invention4 ,he cites the ,fathers and ,doctors of the ,church1 and the ,decrees of ,councils1 from ,antioch to ,trent and the ,vatican1 as witnesses to the fact that all ,catholic teaching rests upon the ,sacred ,scriptures as one of the two great foundation stones which support the grand archway leading into the domain of divine truth4 ,god1 in order that ,he may reveal ,himself to man1 sends ,his messengers1 the ,prophets and the ,apostles1 to announce with living voice ,his promises and ,his judgments2 then1 as if to confirm their mission for all time to come1 ,he bids them take a letter1 written by ,himself1 and addressed to the human race on its pilgrimage afar from its fatherland 7,encycl474 ,that letter is the ,holy ,scripture4 ,to understand and to explain it there is always required the 'coming' of the same ,holy ,spirit who was to abide with the ,church4 ,and she1 by her admirable laws and regulations1 has always shown herself solicitous that the celestial treasure of the ,sacred ,book 444 should not be neglected 7,ibid474 ,if men have grown remiss at any time in the use of that heavenly gift1 it cannot be said that the ,church failed to keep before them its admirable utility4 ,she has arranged that a considerable portion of it should be read1 and with pious mind considered by all her ministers in the daily office of the sacred psalmody4 ,for centuries past the solemn promise of every ordained priest throughout the ,catholic world to recite each day the ,hours of the ,breviary testifies to the constant practice of not only reading1 but meditating a fixed portion of the ,scriptures1 so that under this strictest of his priestly obligations he has practically completed the entire sacred volume within the limit of each ecclesiastical year4 ,she has strictly commanded that her children shall be fed with the saving word of the ,gospel1 at least on ,sundays and on solemn feasts4 ,if these laws and this practice receive a fresh impulse from the ,sovereign ,pontiff in our day1 it is because there have arisen men who teach that the ,sacred ,scriptures are the work of mere human industry1 that they contain only fables1 which have no claim to be respected as coming from ,god4 ,they deny that there is any such thing as divine revelation1 or inspiration1 or ,holy ,scripture at all4 ,they see in these histories only forgeries and falsehoods of men4444 ,the prophecies and the oracles of ,god are to them either predictions made up after the event1 or forecasts formed by the light of nature4 ,the miracles and manifestations of ,god's power are not what they profess to be1 but are either startling effects which are not beyond the force of nature1 or else mere tricks and myths4 ,the ,gospels and apostolic writings are not1 they say1 the work of the authors to whom they are assigned 7,ibid474 ,to confute these errors ,leo bids us engage voice and pen4 ,in the limited space allowed us we have only been able to indicate the arguments which prove the historical authenticity and the essentially divine character which points to the true origin of the ,sacred ,text1 and at the same time to lead the earnest student into the way of reading with pleasure and profit the grandest of all written works4 #a ,litterae ,encyclicae1 ,providentissimus ,deus1 ,nov4 #ag1 ,a4,d4 #ahic4 ,,the ,,end4 ,,appendix4 ,encyclical ,letter of ,leo ,,xiii4 ,,on ,,the ,,study ,,of ,,the ,,sacred ,,scriptures4 ,to ,our ,venerable brethren1 all ,patriarchs1 ,primates1 ,archbishops1 and ,bishops of the ,catholic ,world1 in grace and communion with the ,apostolic ,see4 ,,leo ,p4 ,p4 ,,xiii4 ,,venerable ,,brethren1 ,health and ,apostolic ,benediction4 ,the ,god of all ,providence1 who in the wondrous counsel of ,his love raised the human race in its beginning to participation of the divine nature1 and afterwards delivered it from universal guilt and ruin1 restoring it to its primitive dignity1 has1 in consequence1 bestowed upon man a singular safeguard--making known to him1 by supernatural means1 the hidden mysteries of ,his divinity1 ,his wisdom1 and ,his mercy4 ,although in divine revelation some things are comprehended which are not beyond the reach of human reason1 they are made the objects of revelation in order that all may come to know them with facility1 certainty1 and freedom from all error4 ,it is not1 however1 on this account that revelation can be said to be absolutely necessary2 but because ,god of ,his infinite goodness has ordained man to a supernatural end4 ,this supernatural revelation1 according to the belief of the universal ,church1 is contained both in unwritten ,tradition and in written ,books4 ,these are called sacred and canonical because1 being written under the inspiration of the ,holy ,ghost1 they have ,god for their author1 and as such have been delivered to the ,church4 ,this belief has been perpetually held and professed by the ,church with regard to the ,books of both ,testaments4 ,there are well-known documents of the gravest character1 coming down to us from the earliest times1 which proclaim that ,god1 who spoke first by the ,prophets1 then by ,himself1 and thereafter by the ,apostles1 composed the ,canonical ,scriptures4 ,these are divine oracles and utterances--a ,letter1 written by our heavenly ,father1 and transmitted by the sacred writers to the human race on its pilgrimage afar from its fatherland4 ,if1 then1 such and so great is the excellence and the dignity of the ,scriptures that ,god ,himself has1 as the author of them1 composed them1 and that they treat of ,god's deepest mysteries1 counsels1 and works1 it follows that the branch of sacred theology which is concerned with the defence and interpretation of these divine books must be most excellent and in the highest degree profitable4 ,now ,we1 who by the help of ,god1 and not without fruit1 have by frequent letters and exhortation endeavored to promote other branches of study1 which seemed well fitted for advancing the glory of ,god and contributing to the salvation of souls1 have for a long time cherished the desire to give an impulse to the most noble study of the ,sacred ,scriptures1 and to impart to it a direction which is suitable to the needs of the present day4 ,the solicitude of the ,apostolic office naturally urges1 and even compels ,us1 not only to desire that this grand source of ,catholic revelation should be made more safely and abundantly accessible to the flock of ,jesus ,christ1 but also to prevent it from being in any way violated1 on the part either of those who impiously and openly assail the ,scriptures1 or of those who are led astray into fallacious and imprudent novelties4 ,we are not ignorant1 indeed1 ,venerable ,brethren1 that there are ,catholics not a few1 men abounding in talent and learning1 who do devote themselves with alacrity to the defence of the ,divine ,books1 and to making them better known and understood4 ,but while giving to these men the commendation which they deserve for their labor and the fruits of it1 ,we cannot but earnestly exhort others also1 from whose skill and piety and learning we have a right to expect the very best results1 to give themselves to the same most praiseworthy work4 ,it is ,our wish and fervent desire to see an increase in the number of approved and unwearying laborers in the cause of ,holy ,scripture2 and more especially that those whom ,divine ,grace has called to ,holy ,orders should1 day by day1 as is most meet1 display greater diligence and industry in reading1 meditating1 and explaining it4 ,among the reasons for which this study is so worthy of commendation--in addition to its own excellence and to the homage which we owe to ,god's word--the chief reason of all is the manifold benefit of which it is the source4 ,this we know will flow therefrom on the most certain testimony of the ,holy ,ghost ,himself1 who says3 ,all ,scripture1 inspired of ,god1 is profitable to teach1 to reprove1 to correct1 to instruct in justice1 that the man of ,god may be perfect1 furnished to every good work4 ,that such was the purpose of ,god in giving the ,scriptures to men is shown by the example of ,christ our ,lord and of ,his ,apostles4 ,he who obtained authority by miracles1 merited belief by authority1 and by belief drew to ,himself the multitude1 was accustomed in the exercise of ,his ,divine ,mission to appeal to the ,scriptures4 ,he uses them at times to prove that ,he was sent by ,god1 and that ,he is ,god4 ,from them ,he draws arguments for the instruction of ,his disciples and the confirmation of ,his doctrine4 ,he vindicates them from the calumnies of objectors4 ,he quotes them against ,sadducees and ,pharisees4 ,he retorts from them upon ,satan himself1 when he impudently dares to tempt ,him4 ,at the close of ,his life ,his utterances are from ,holy ,scripture4 ,it is the ,scripture which ,he expounds to ,his disciples after ,his resurrection1 and during all the time till ,he ascends to the glory of ,his ,father4 ,faithful to ,his precepts1 the ,apostles1 although ,he ,himself granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands1 nevertheless used with the greatest efficacy the sacred writings1 in order to persuade the nations everywhere of the wisdom of ,christianity1 to break down the obstinacy of the ,jews1 and to suppress the outbursts of heresy4 ,this is manifest in their discourses1 especially in those of ,st4 ,peter4 ,these were almost woven from sayings of the ,old ,testament1 which made in the strongest manner for the new dispensation4 ,we find the same thing in the ,gospels of ,st4 ,matthew and ,st4 ,john1 and in the ,catholic ,epistles4 ,most remarkably of all is it to be found in the words of him who boasts that he learned the law at the feet of ,gamaliel1 in order that1 being armed with spiritual weapons1 he might afterwards say with confidence3 ,the weapons of our warfare are not carnal1 but mighty unto ,god4 ,let all1 therefore1 especially the novices of the ecclesiastical army1 understand how much the divine ,books should be esteemed1 and with what determination and reverence they should approach this great arsenal of heavenly arms4 ,those whose duty it is to handle ,catholic doctrine before either the learned or the unlearned will nowhere find more ample matter or more abundant exhortation1 whether on the subject of ,god1 the supreme and all perfect ,good1 or of the works which display ,his glory and ,his love4 ,nowhere is there anything more full or more express on the subject of the ,saviour of the human race than that which is to be found throughout the ,bible4 ,st4 ,jerome has rightly said ignorance of the ,scripture is ignorance of ,christ4 ,in its pages ,his ,image stands out as it were alive and breathing2 diffusing everywhere consolation in trouble1 encouragement to virtue1 and attraction to the love of ,god4 ,as regards the ,church1 her institutions1 her nature1 her functions1 and her gifts1 we find in ,holy ,scripture so many references1 and so many ready and convincing arguments1 that1 as ,st4 ,jerome again most truly says3 ,a man who is thoroughly grounded in the testimonies of the ,scriptures is a bulwark of the ,church4 ,if we come to moral formation and to discipline1 an apostolic man finds in the sacred writings abundant and most excellent aid1 precepts full of holiness1 exhortations framed with sweetness and force1 shining examples of every kind of virtue1 and1 finally1 the promise of eternal reward1 and the threat of eternal punishment1 uttered in weightiest terms1 in ,god's name and in ,god's own words4 ,this peculiar and singular power of the ,scriptures1 springing from the inspiration of the ,holy ,ghost1 adds to the authority of the sacred orator1 fills him with apostolic liberty of speech1 and communicates to him a forcible and convincing eloquence4 ,those who infuse into their speech the spirit and strength of the ,word of ,god speak1 not in words only1 but in power also1 and in the ,holy ,ghost1 and in much fulness4 ,hence those preachers are foolish and improvident who1 in preaching religion and proclaiming the precepts of ,god1 use no words but those of human science and human prudence1 trusting to their own reasonings rather than to those that are divine4 ,their discourses may be glittering with lights1 but they must be cold and feeble1 for they are without the fire of the utterance of ,god4 ,they must fall far short of that power which the speech of ,god possesses4 ,the ,word of ,god is living and effectual1 and more piercing than any two-edged sword2 and reaching unto the division of the soul and the spirit4 ,all the more far-seeing are agreed that there is in the ,holy ,scriptures an eloquence that is marvellous in its variety and richness1 and that is worthy of the loftiest themes4 ,this ,st4 ,augustine thoroughly comprehended1 and this he has abundantly set forth4 ,it is confirmed also by the best of the preachers of all ages4 ,they have gratefully acknowledged that they owed their repute chiefly to assiduous familiarity with the ,bible1 and to devout meditation on the truths which it contains4 ,the ,holy ,fathers well knew all this by practical experience4 ,they never cease to extol the ,sacred ,scripture and its fruits4 ,in innumerable passages of their writings we find them applying to it such phrases as--an inexhaustible treasury of heavenly doctrine1 or an overflowing fountain of salvation1 or as fertile pastures and most lovely gardens1 in which the flock of the ,lord is marvellously refreshed and delighted4 ,let us listen to the words of ,st4 ,jerome1 in his ,epistle to the cleric ,nepotian3 ,often read the divine ,scriptures2 yea1 let holy reading be always in thy hand2 study that which thou thyself must preach4444 ,let the speech of the priest be ever seasoned with ,scriptural reading4 ,st4 ,gregory the ,great1 than whom no man has more admirably described the functions of the pastors of the ,church1 writes in the same sense3 ,those1 he says1 who are zealous in the work of preaching1 must never cease from study of the written word of ,god4 ,st4 ,augustine1 however1 warns us that vainly does the preacher utter the word of ,god exteriorly unless he listens to it interiorly4 ,st4 ,gregory instructs sacred orators first1 to find in ,holy ,scripture the knowledge of themselves1 and then to carry it to others1 lest in reproving others they forget themselves4 ,this had already1 after the example and teaching of ,christ ,himself1 who began to do and to teach1 been uttered far and wide by an apostolic voice4 ,it was not to ,timothy alone1 but to the whole order of the clergy1 that the command was addressed3 ,take heed to thyself and to doctrine2 be earnest in them4 ,in doing this thou shalt save both thyself and them that hear thee4 ,for the saving and for the perfection1 both of ourselves and of others1 we have at hand the very best of aids in the ,sacred ,scriptures1 and most abundantly in the ,book of ,psalms4 ,those alone will1 however1 find it who bring to the divine oracles not only a docile and attentive mind1 but a habit also of will which is both pious and without reserve4 ,the ,sacred ,scripture is not to be regarded like an ordinary book4 ,dictated by the ,holy ,ghost1 it contains matters of the most grave importance1 which in many instances are difficult and obscure4 ,to understand and to explain them there is always required the coming of the same ,holy ,spirit2 that is to say1 ,his light and ,his grace4 ,these1 as the ,royal ,psalmist so frequently insists1 are to be sought by humble prayer1 and to be preserved by holiness of life4 ,it is in this that the watchful care of the ,church shines forth conspicuously4 ,by her admirable laws and regulations she has always shown herself solicitous that the celestial treasure of the ,sacred ,books1 so bountifully bestowed upon man by the ,holy ,spirit1 should not lie neglected4 ,she has arranged that a considerable portion of them should be read1 and with pious mind considered by all her ministers in the daily office of the sacred psalmody4 ,she has ordered that in cathedral churches1 in monasteries1 and in convents of other regulars1 which are places most fit for study1 they shall be expounded and interpreted by capable men4 ,she has strictly commanded that her children shall be fed with the saving word of the ,gospel at least on ,sundays and on solemn feasts4 ,moreover1 it is owing to the wisdom and the diligence of the ,church that there has always been1 continued from century to century1 that cultivation of ,sacred ,scripture which has been so remarkable and which has borne such ample fruit4 ,and here1 in order to strengthen ,our teaching and ,our exhortations1 it is well to recall how1 from the first beginnings of the ,christian religion1 so many who have been renowned for holiness of life and for sacred learning have given their deep and most constant attention to ,holy ,scripture4 ,if we consider the immediate disciples of the ,apostles1 ,st4 ,clement of ,rome1 ,st4 ,ignatius of ,antioch1 and ,st4 ,polycarp--or the ,apologists1 such as ,st4 ,justin and ,st4 ,irenaeus1 we find that in their letters and in their books1 whether in defence of the ,catholic faith or in commendation of it1 they draw faith and strength and unction mainly from the word of ,god4 ,when there arose1 in various ,episcopal ,sees1 catechetical and theological schools1 of which the most celebrated were those of ,alexandria and of ,antioch1 there was little taught in those schools but what consisted in the reading1 the unfolding1 and the defence of the divine written word4 ,from these schools came forth numbers of ,fathers and of writers whose laborious studies and admirable writings have justly merited for the three following centuries the appellation of the golden age of biblical exegesis4 ,in the ,eastern ,church1 the greatest name of all is ,origen4 ,he was a man remarkable alike for quickness of genius and for persevering labor4 ,from his numerous writings and his immense work of the ,hexapla almost all who came after him have drawn4 ,others who have widened the field of this science may also be named4 ,among the more excellent1 ,alexandria could boast of ,clement and ,cyril2 ,palestine1 of ,eusebius and the other ,cyril2 ,cappadocia1 of ,basil the ,great and the two ,gregories1 ,nazianzen and ,nyssene2 and ,antioch1 of ,st4 ,john ,chrysostom1 in whom skill in this learning was rivalled by the splendor of his eloquence4 ,in the ,western ,church there were many names as great3 ,tertullian1 ,cyprian1 ,hilary1 ,ambrose1 ,leo the ,great1 ,gregory the ,great2 most famous of all1 ,augustine and ,jerome4 ,of these two the former was marvellously acute in penetrating the sense of ,god's word1 and most fertile in the use that he made of it for the promotion of ,catholic truth4 ,the latter has received from the ,church1 by reason of his pre-eminent knowledge of ,scripture and the greatness of his labors in promoting its use1 the name of the ,great ,doctor4 ,from this period1 down to the eleventh century1 although biblical studies did not flourish with the same vigor and with the same fruitfulness as before1 they nevertheless did flourish1 and that principally through the instrumentality of the clergy4 ,it was their care and solicitude that selected the most fruitful of the things which the ancients had left behind them1 placed these in digested order1 and published them with additions of their own--as did ,isidore of ,seville1 ,venerable ,bede1 and ,alcuin1 among the most prominent4 ,it was they who illustrated the sacred pages with glosses1 or short commentaries1 as we see in ,walafrid ,strabo and ,anselm of ,laon1 or who expended fresh labor in securing their integrity1 as did ,peter ,damian and ,lanfranc4 ,in the twelfth century many took up with great success the allegorical exposition of ,scripture4 ,in this ,bernard is easily pre-eminent4 ,his writings1 it may be said1 are ,scripture all through4 ,with the age of the scholastics there came fresh and fruitful progress in the study of the ,bible4 ,that the scholastics were solicitous about the genuineness of the ,latin version is evident from the ,correctoria ,biblica1 or list of emendations1 which they have left behind them4 ,they expended1 however1 more of their study and of their industry on interpretation and on explanation4 ,to them we owe the accurate and clear distinction1 such as had not been given before1 of the various senses of the sacred words2 the weight of each word in the balance of theology2 the division of books into parts1 and the summaries of the various parts2 the investigation of the purpose of the writers1 and the unfolding of the necessary connection of one sentence with another4 ,no man can fail to see the amount of light which was thus shed on the more obscure passages4 ,the abundance of their ,scriptural learning is to be seen both in their theological treatises and in their commentaries4 ,in this ,thomas of ,aquin bears the palm4 ,when ,our predecessor1 ,clement ,v41 established chairs of ,oriental literature in the ,athenaeum at ,rome1 and in the principal ,universities of ,europe1 our students began to labor more minutely on the original text of the ,bible1 as well as on the ,latin version4 ,the revival amongst us of ,greek learning1 and1 much more1 the happy invention of the art of printing1 gave the strongest impetus to the study of ,holy ,scripture4 ,in a brief space of time innumerable editions1 especially of the ,vulgate1 poured from the press1 and were spread throughout the ,catholic world2 so honored and loved were the divine volumes during that very period against which the enemies of the ,church direct their calumnies4 ,nor must we forget how many learned men there were1 chiefly among the religious orders1 who did excellent work for the ,bible between the dates of the ,councils of ,vienne and ,trent4 ,these men1 by employment of modern means and appliances1 and by contribution of their own genius and learning1 not only added to the rich stores of ancient times1 but prepared the way for the pre-eminence of the succeeding century--the century which followed the ,council of ,trent4 ,it then seemed almost as if the great age of the ,fathers had returned4 ,it is well known1 and ,we recall it with pleasure1 that ,our predecessors from ,pius ,,iv4 to ,clement ,,viii4 caused to be prepared the celebrated editions of the ,vulgate and the ,septuagint1 which1 having been published by the command and authority of ,sixtus ,v4 and of the same ,clement1 are now in common use4 ,at this time1 moreover1 were carefully brought out various other ancient versions of the ,bible1 and the ,polyglots of ,antwerp and of ,paris1 most important for the investigation of the true meaning of the text4 ,there is not any one ,book of either ,testament which did not find more than one expositor1 nor is there any grave question which did not profitably exercise the ability of many inquirers4 ,among these there are not a few--more especially of those who made most study of the ,fathers--who have made for themselves names of renown4 ,from that time forward the labor and solicitude of our students have never been wanting4 ,as time has gone on1 eminent scholars have carried on biblical study with success4 ,they have defended ,holy ,scripture against the cavils of rationalism with the same weapons of philology and kindred sciences with which it had been attacked4 ,the calm and fair consideration of what has been said will clearly show that the ,church has never failed in any manner of provision for bringing the fountains of the ,divine ,scripture in a wholesome way within reach of her children1 and that she has ever held fast and exercised the guardianship divinely bestowed upon her for its protection and glory4 ,she has never1 therefore1 required1 nor does she now require1 any stimulation from without4 ,we must now1 ,venerable ,brethren1 as ,our purpose demands1 impart to you such counsels as seem best suited for carrying on successfully the study of biblical science4 ,we must1 in the first place1 have a clear idea of the kind of men whom we have to oppose1 their tactics and their weapons4 ,in earlier times the contest was chiefly with those who1 relying on private judgment and repudiating the divine tradition and the teaching authority of the ,church1 held the ,scriptures to be the one and only source of revelation and the final appeal in matters of ,faith4 ,now1 we have to meet the ,rationalists1 the true children and heirs of the older heretics4 ,trusting in their turn to their own judgment1 they have rejected even the scraps and remnants of ,christian belief handed down to them from their fathers4 ,they deny that there is any such thing as divine revelation1 or inspiration1 or ,holy ,scripture at all4 ,they see in these histories only forgeries and falsehoods of men4 ,they set down the ,scripture narratives as stupid fables or lying tales4 ,the prophecies and the oracles of ,god are to them either predictions made up after the event1 or forecasts formed by the light of nature4 ,the miracles and manifestations of ,god's power are not what they profess to be1 but are either startling effects which are not beyond the forces of nature1 or else mere tricks and myths4 ,the ,gospels and apostolic writings are not1 they say1 the work of the authors to whom they are assigned4 ,these detestable errors1 whereby they think to destroy the truth of the divine ,books1 are obtruded on the world as the peremptory pronouncements of a newly-invented free science4 ,this science1 however1 is so far from final that they are perpetually modifying and supplementing it4 ,there are some of them who1 notwithstanding their impious opinions and utterances about ,god and ,his ,christ1 the ,gospels1 and the rest of ,holy ,scripture1 would fain be regarded as being theologians and ,christians and men of the ,gospel4 ,they attempt to disguise under such names of honor their rashness and their insolence4 ,to them we must add not a few professors of other sciences who approve and sustain their views1 and are egged on to attack the ,bible by intolerance of revelation4 ,it is deplorable to see this warfare becoming from day to day more widespread and more ruthless4 ,it is sometimes men of learning and judgment who are assailed2 but these have little difficulty in standing on their guard4 ,the efforts and the arts of the enemy are chiefly directed against the more ignorant masses of the people4 ,these men diffuse their deadly poison by means of books and pamphlets and newspapers4 ,they spread it by means of addresses and of conversations4 ,they are found everywhere4 ,they are in possession of numerous schools for the young1 wrested from the guardianship of the ,church4 ,in those schools1 by means of ridicule and scurrilous jesting1 they pervert the credulous and unformed minds of the young to contempt of ,scripture4 ,should not these things1 ,venerable ,brethren1 stir up and set on fire the heart of every ,pastor1 so that to this knowledge1 falsely so called1 may be opposed the ancient and true science which the ,church1 through the ,apostles1 has received from ,christ1 and that the ,sacred ,scriptures may find champions that are strong for so great a struggle8 ,let our first care1 then1 be to see that in ,seminaries and ,academical foundations the study of ,holy ,scripture is placed on such a footing as both the importance of it and the circumstances of the time demand4 ,with this view1 that which is of first importance is a wise selection of professors4 ,teachers of ,sacred ,scripture are not to be appointed at hap-hazard out of the crowd4 ,they must be men whose character and fitness have been proved by great love of1 and long familiarity with1 the ,bible1 and by the learning and study which befits their office4 ,it is of equal importance to provide in due time for a continuous succession of such teachers4 ,it will be well1 wherever this can be done1 to select young men of promise1 who have studied their theology with distinction1 and to set them apart exclusively for ,holy ,scripture1 affording them time and facilities for still fuller study4 ,professors thus chosen and appointed may enter with confidence on the task that is set before them4 ,that they may be at their best1 and bear all the fruit that is possible1 there are some other hints which ,we may somewhat more fully set before them4 ,at the commencement of a course of ,holy ,scripture1 let the professor strive earnestly to form the judgment of the young beginners1 so as to train them equally to defend the sacred writings and to penetrate their meaning4 ,this is the object of the treatise which is called ,introduction to the ,bible4 ,here the student is taught how to prove its integrity and authority1 how to investigate and ascertain its true sense1 and how to meet and refute all captious objections4 ,it is needless to insist on the importance of making these preliminary studies in an orderly and thorough way1 in the company and with the aid of ,theology4 ,the whole of the subsequent course will rest on the foundation thus laid1 and will be luminous with the light which has been thus acquired4 ,next1 the teacher will turn his earnest attention to that most fruitful branch of ,scripture science which has to do with interpretation4 ,therein is imparted the method of using the word of ,god for the promotion of religion and of piety4 ,we are well aware that neither the extent of the matter nor the time at disposal allows every single ,book of the ,bible to be separately studied in the schools4 ,the teaching1 however1 should result in a definite and ascertained method of interpretation4 ,hence the professor should at once avoid giving a mere taste of every ,book1 and the equal mistake of dwelling at too great length on merely a part of some one ,book4 ,if most schools cannot do what is done in the larger institutions--that is1 take the students through the whole of one or two ,books continuously1 and with some considerable development--yet at least those parts which are selected for interpretation should be treated with some fulness4 ,in this way the students may be attracted1 and learn from the sample that is set before them to love and read the rest in the course of their after lives4 ,the professor1 following the tradition of antiquity1 will use the ,vulgate as his text4 ,the ,council of ,trent has decreed that in public lectures1 disputations1 preaching1 and exposition1 the ,vulgate is the authentic version2 and this is the existing custom of the ,church4 ,at the same time1 the other versions which ,christian antiquity has approved and used should not be neglected1 more especially the more ancient ,,mss4 ,although the meaning of the ,hebrew and the ,greek is substantially rendered by the ,vulgate1 nevertheless1 wherever there may be ambiguity or want of clearness1 the examination of older tongues1 to quote ,st4 ,augustine1 will be of service4 ,in this matter we need hardly say that the greatest prudence is required1 for the office of a commentator1 as ,st4 ,jerome says1 is to set forth not that which he himself would prefer1 but that which his author says4 ,the question of readings having been1 when necessary1 carefully discussed1 the next thing is to investigate and expound the meaning4 ,the first counsel to be here given is this3 that the more our adversaries strive in the contrary direction1 so much the more solicitously should we adhere to the received and approved canons of interpretation4 ,hence1 while weighing the meanings of words1 the connection of ideas1 the parallelism of passages1 and the like1 we should by all means make use of external illustrations drawn from other cognate learning4 ,this should1 however1 be done with caution1 so as not to bestow on such questions more labor and time than that which is spent on the ,sacred ,books themselves1 and not to overload the minds of the students with a mass of information which will be rather a hindrance than a help4 ,the professor may now safely pass on to the use of ,scripture in matters of ,theology4 ,here it must be observed that1 in addition to the usual reasons which make ancient writings more or less difficult to understand1 there are some which are peculiar to the ,sacred ,books4 ,the language of the ,bible is employed to express1 under the inspiration of the ,holy ,ghost1 many things which are beyond the powers and scope of human reason--that is to say1 divine mysteries and many matters which are related to them4 ,there is sometimes in such passages a fuller and a deeper meaning than the letter seems to express or than the laws of hermeneutics indicate4 ,moreover1 the literal sense itself frequently admits other senses1 which either illustrate dogma or commend morality4 ,it must therefore be recognized that the sacred writings are wrapt in a certain religious obscurity1 and that no one can enter into them without a guide4 ,god has so disposed it that1 as the ,holy ,fathers teach1 men may investigate the ,scriptures with greater ardor and earnestness1 and that what is attained with difficulty may sink more deeply into the mind and heart4 ,from this also1 and mainly1 men may understand that ,god has delivered the ,scriptures to the ,church1 and that in reading and treating of ,his utterances they must follow the ,church as their guide and teacher4 ,st4 ,irenaeus long since laid it down that where the ,charismata of ,god were placed1 there the truth was to be learnt1 and that ,scripture is expounded without peril1 by those with whom there is apostolic succession4 ,his teaching1 and that of other ,fathers1 is embraced by the ,council of the ,vatican which1 in renewing the decree of ,trent1 declares its mind to be this--that in matters of faith and morals1 which belong to the building up of ,christian doctrine1 that sense is to be considered the true sense of the ,sacred ,scripture which has been held and is held by our ,holy ,mother the ,church1 whose place it is to judge of the true sense and interpretation of the ,scriptures2 and therefore that it is permitted to no one to interpret the ,sacred ,scripture contrary to this sense1 or contrary to the unanimous consent of the ,fathers4 ,by this law1 most full of wisdom1 the ,church by no means prevents or restrains the pursuit of biblical science4 ,she1 on the contrary1 provides for its freedom from error1 and greatly advances its real progress4 ,a wide field lies open to any teacher1 in which his hermeneutical skill may exercise itself with signal effect and for the welfare of the ,church4 ,on the one hand1 in those passages of ,scripture which have not as yet received a certain and definitive interpretation1 such labors may1 in the sweetly ordered providence of ,god1 serve as a preparation for bringing to maturity the judgment of the ,church4 ,in passages already defined1 a private doctor may do work equally valuable1 either by setting them forth more clearly to the commonalty of the faithful1 or more learnedly before the learned1 or by defending them more powerfully from adversaries4 ,wherefore the first and most sacred object of the ,catholic commentator should be to interpret those passages which have received an authentic interpretation--either from the sacred writers themselves1 under the inspiration of the ,holy ,ghost 7as in many places of the ,new ,testament71 or from the ,church1 under the assistance of the same ,holy ,spirit1 whether by her solemn judgment or by her ordinary and universal authoritative teaching--in that identical sense1 and to prove1 by all the resources of learning1 that sound hermeneutical laws admit of no other than that interpretation4 ,in the other passages the analogy of faith should be followed1 and the ,catholic doctrine1 as authoritatively proposed by the ,church1 should be held as the supreme rule4 ,since the same ,god is the author both of the ,sacred ,books and of the doctrine committed to the ,church1 it is clearly impossible that any teaching can by legitimate interpretation be extracted from the former which shall in any respect be at variance with the latter4 ,hence it follows that all interpretation is unfounded and false which either makes the sacred writers disagree one with another1 or is opposed to the doctrine of the ,church4 ,the professor of ,holy ,scripture1 therefore1 amongst other recommendations1 must be well versed in the whole of ,theology1 and deeply read in the commentaries of the ,holy ,fathers and ,doctors1 and the best of other interpreters4 ,this is inculcated by ,st4 ,jerome1 and still more by ,st4 ,augustine1 who thus justly complains3 ,if there is no branch of teaching1 however humble and easy to learn1 which does not require a master1 what can be a greater sign of rashness and pride than to refuse to study the ,books of the divine mysteries by the help of those who have interpreted them8 ,other ,fathers have said the same1 and have confirmed it by their example4 ,they endeavored to acquire understanding of the ,holy ,scriptures1 not by their own lights and ideas1 but from the writings and authority of the ancients1 who in their turn1 as we know1 received the rule of interpretation in direct line from the ,apostles4 ,the ,holy ,fathers1 to whom1 after the ,apostles1 the ,church owes its growth--who planted1 watered1 built1 fed1 and nourished it--are of supreme authority whenever they all interpret in one and the same manner any text of the ,bible as pertaining to doctrine of faith or morals4 ,their unanimity clearly evinces that such interpretation has come down from the ,apostles as a matter of ,catholic faith4 ,the opinion of the ,fathers is also of very great weight when they treat of these matters in their capacity of private teachers2 not only because they excelled in knowledge of revealed doctrine and in acquaintance with many things useful for the understanding of the apostolic ,books1 but also because they were men of eminent sanctity and of ardent zeal for the truth1 on whom ,god bestowed a more ample measure of ,his light4 ,the commentator1 therefore1 should make it his care to follow in their footsteps with reverence1 and to avail himself of their labors with intelligent appreciation4 ,he must not1 however1 on that account consider that it is forbidden1 when just cause exists1 to push inquiry and exposition beyond what the ,fathers have done--provided he religiously observes the rule so wisely laid down by ,st4 ,augustine3 not to depart from the literal and obvious sense1 except where reason makes that sense untenable or necessity requires4 ,this is a rule to which it is the more necessary to adhere strictly in these times1 when the thirst for novelty and unrestrained license of thought make the danger of error most real and proximate4 ,neither should those passages be neglected which the ,fathers have understood in an allegorical or figurative sense1 more especially when such interpretation is justified by the literal sense1 and when it rests on the authority of many4 ,this method of interpretation has been received by the ,church from the ,apostles1 and has been approved by her own practice1 as her liturgy attests4 ,the ,holy ,fathers did not thereby pretend directly to demonstrate dogmas of faith1 but used it as a means of promoting virtue and piety1 such as1 by their own experience1 they knew to be most valuable4 ,the authority of other ,catholic interpreters is not so grave4 ,since1 however1 the study of ,scripture has always continued to advance in the ,church1 their commentaries also have their own honorable place1 and are serviceable in many ways for the refutation of assailants and the unravelling of difficulties4 ,it is1 moreover1 most unbecoming to pass by1 in ignorance or contempt1 the splendid works which our own scholars have left behind them in abundance1 and to have recourse to the works of the heterodox1 and to seek in them1 with peril to sound doctrine and not seldom with detriment to faith1 the explanation of passages on which ,catholics have long ago most excellently expended their talents and their labor4 ,although the studies of the heterodox1 used with prudence1 may sometimes be of use to the ,catholic interpreter1 he should nevertheless bear well in mind this repeated testimony of the ancients1--that the sense of the ,sacred ,scriptures can nowhere be found incorrupt outside the ,church1 and that it cannot be delivered by those who1 being destitute of the true faith1 only gnaw the husk of ,scripture and never reach its marrow4 ,most desirable it is1 and most essential1 that the whole course of ,theology should be pervaded by the use of the ,divine ,scripture1 which should be1 as it were1 the soul thereof4 ,this is what the ,fathers and the greatest theologians of all ages have professed and practised4 ,it was chiefly out of the sacred writings that they endeavored to proclaim and establish the ,articles of ,faith and the truths which are their consequences4 ,it was in them1 together with divine tradition1 that they found the refutation of heretical error1 and the reasonableness1 the true meaning1 and the mutual relation of the truths of the ,catholic faith4 ,nor will any one wonder at this who considers that the ,sacred ,books hold such a pre-eminent position among the sources of ,revelation that without the assiduous study of them ,theology cannot be rightly treated as its dignity demands4 ,although it is right and proper that students in academical institutions and schools should be chiefly exercised in acquiring a scientific knowledge of dogma by means of reasoning from the ,articles of ,faith to their consequences1 according to the rules of approved and solid philosophy1 nevertheless a grave and learned theologian will by no means overlook that method of doctrinal demonstration which draws its proof from the authority of the ,bible4 ,theology does not receive her first principles from other sciences1 but immediately from ,god through ,revelation4 ,and therefore she does not receive from other sciences as from superiors1 but uses them as her inferiors and her handmaids4 ,it is this view of doctrinal teaching which is laid down and recommended by the prince of theologians1 ,st4 ,thomas of ,aquin4 ,he also shows--such being the essential character of ,christian ,theology--how a theologian can defend his own principles against attack4 ,if the adversary1 he says1 do but grant any portion of the divine revelation1 we have an argument against him4 ,against a heretic we can employ ,scripture authority1 and against those who deny one article we can use another4 ,if our opponent rejects divine revelation altogether1 then there is no way left to prove the ,articles of ,faith by reasoning4 ,we can only solve the difficulties which are raised against the faith4 ,care must be taken1 then1 that beginners approach the study of the ,bible well prepared and furnished2 otherwise1 just hopes will be frustrated1 or perchance--and this is worse--they will unthinkingly risk the danger of error1 and fall an easy prey to the sophisms and labored erudition of the rationalists4 ,the best preparation will be a conscientious application to philosophy and theology under the guidance of ,st4 ,thomas of ,aquin1 and a thorough training therein--as ,we ,ourselves have elsewhere shown and prescribed4 ,by this means1 both in biblical studies and in that part of ,theology which is called ,positive1 they will pursue the right path and make solid progress4 ,to prove1 to expound1 to illustrate ,catholic doctrine by the legitimate and skilful interpretation of the ,bible is much2 but there is a second part of the subject of equal importance and of equal laboriousness1--the maintenance in the strongest possible way of the fulness of its authority4 ,this cannot be done completely or satisfactorily except by means of the living teaching authority of the ,church herself4 ,the ,church1 by reason of her wonderful propagation1 her shining sanctity1 and her inexhaustible fecundity in good1 her ,catholic unity1 and her unshaken stability1 is herself a great and perpetual motive of credibility1 and an unassailable testimony of her own divine mission4 ,but since the divine and infallible teaching authority of the ,church rests also on the authority of ,holy ,scripture1 the first thing to be done is to vindicate the trustworthiness of the sacred records at least as human documents4 ,from this can clearly be proved1 as from primitive and authentic testimony1 the divinity and the mission of ,christ our ,lord1 the institution of a hierarchical ,church1 and the primacy of ,peter and his successors4 ,it is most desirable1 therefore1 that there should be many members of the clergy well prepared to enter upon a contest of this nature1 and to repulse the attacks of the enemy1 chiefly trusting in that armor of ,god which is recommended by the ,apostle1 but at the same time not unacquainted with the more modern methods of attack4 ,this is beautifully alluded to by ,st4 ,john ,chrysostom4 ,describing the duties of priests1 he says3 ,we must use our every endeavor that the 'word of ,god may dwell in us abundantly4' ,not merely for one kind of light must we be prepared1 for the contest is many-sided1 and the enemy is of every sort4 ,they do not all use the same weapons1 nor do all make their onset in the same way4 ,it is needful that the man who has to contend against all should have knowledge of the engines and the arts of all4 ,he must be at once archer and slinger1 commandant and officer1 general and private soldier1 foot-soldier and horseman1 skilled in sea-fight and in siege4 ,unless he knows every trick and turn of war1 the devil is well able1 if only a single door be left open1 to get in his ferocious bandits and to carry off the sheep4 ,the sophisms of the enemy and the manifold strategy of his attack ,we have already touched upon4 ,let ,us now say a word of advice on the means of defence4 ,the first means is the study of ,oriental languages and of the art of criticism4 ,these two acquirements are in these days held in high estimation4 ,the clergy1 by making themselves more or less fully acquainted with them1 as time and place may demand1 will the better be able to discharge their office with becoming credit4 ,they must make themselves all things to all men1 always ready to satisfy every one that asketh them a reason for the hope that is in them4 ,hence it is most proper that professors of ,sacred ,scripture and theologians should master those tongues in which the ,sacred ,books were originally written4 ,it would be well that ,church students also should cultivate them1 more especially those who aspire to academic degrees in ,theology4 ,endeavors should be made to establish in all academic institutions--as has already been laudably done in many--chairs of the other ancient languages1 especially the ,semitic1 and of subjects connected therewith1 for the benefit principally of those who are destined to profess sacred literature4 ,these latter1 with a similar object in view1 should make themselves well acquainted with and thoroughly exercised in the art of true criticism4 ,there has arisen1 to the great damage of religion1 an artificial method1 which is dignified by the name of the higher criticism4 ,it pretends to judge of the origin1 the integrity1 and the authority of every ,book from internal indications alone4 ,it is clear1 on the other hand1 that in historical questions1 such as the origin and the handing down of writings1 the witness of history is of primary importance1 and that historical investigation should be made with the utmost care4 ,in this matter internal evidence is seldom of great value1 except by way of confirmation4 ,to look upon it in any other light will be to open the door to many evil consequences4 ,it will make the enemies of religion much more bold and confident in attacking and endeavoring to destroy the authenticity of the ,sacred ,books4 ,this vaunted higher criticism will resolve itself into the reflection of the bias and the prejudice of the critics4 ,it will not throw on the ,scriptures the light which is sought1 or prove of any advantage to doctrine4 ,it will only give rise to disagreement and dissension1 those sure notes of error1 which the critics in question so plentifully exhibit in their own persons4 ,seeing that most of them are tainted with false philosophy and rationalism1 it must lead to the elimination from the sacred writings of all prophecy and all miracle1 and of everything else that lies outside the natural order4 ,in the second place1 we have to contend against those who1 abusing their knowledge of physical science1 minutely scrutinize the ,sacred ,books1 in order to detect the writers in a mistake1 and so to vilify the books themselves4 ,attacks of this kind1 bearing as they do on matters of experience of the senses1 are peculiarly dangerous to the masses1 and also to the young1 who are but beginning their literary studies4 ,the young1 if they lose their reverence for divine revelation on any one point1 are but too easily led to give up believing in revelation altogether4 ,it need scarcely be pointed out how the science of nature1 just as it is so admirably adapted to show forth the glory of the ,great ,creator1 provided it be rightly taught1 so1 if it be perversely imparted to the youthful intelligence1 it may prove most fatal in destroying the principles of true philosophy1 and in the corruption of morality4 ,hence to the professor of ,sacred ,scripture a knowledge of natural science will be of the greatest service in detecting and meeting such attacks upon the ,sacred ,books4 ,there can never1 indeed1 be any real discrepancy between the theologian and the physicist1 as long as each confines himself within his own lines1 and so long as both are careful1 as ,st4 ,augustine warns us1 not to make rash assertions1 or to assert that which is not known as if it were really known4 ,if dissension should arise between them1 here is the rule1 laid down by ,st4 ,augustine for the theologian3 ,whatever they can really demonstrate to be true of physical nature1 we must show to be not contrary to our ,scriptures4 ,whatever they assert in their treatises which is contrary to these ,scriptures of ours1 that is1 to ,catholic faith1 we must either prove it1 as well as we can1 to be entirely false1 or at all events we must1 without the smallest hesitation1 believe it to be so4 ,to understand how just is the rule here formulated we must remember1 first1 that the sacred writers1 or1 to speak more accurately1 the ,holy ,ghost1 who spoke by means of them1 did not intend to teach men those things 7that is to say1 the essential nature of the things of the visible universe7--things which are in no way profitable unto salvation4 ,the sacred writers did not seek to penetrate the secrets of nature4 ,they rather described and dealt with things in more or less figurative language1 or in terms which were commonly used at the time1 and terms which in many instances are in daily use at this day1 even amongst the most eminent men of science4 ,ordinary speech primarily and properly describes that which falls under the senses4 ,somewhat in the same way the sacred writers--as the ,angelic ,doctor reminds us--went by what sensibly appeared1 or put down that which ,god1 speaking to men1 signified in a way which men could understand1 and to which they were accustomed4 ,the strenuous defence of the ,holy ,scripture1 however1 does not require that we should equally uphold all the opinions which every one of the ,fathers1 or which subsequent commentators have set forth in explaining it4 ,it may be that1 in commenting on passages where physical matters are in question1 they have sometimes expressed the ideas of their own times1 and have thus made statements which in these days have been abandoned as unfounded4 ,in their interpretations1 therefore1 we must carefully note that which they lay down as belonging to faith1 or as intimately connected with faith1 or that in which they are unanimous4 ,in those things which do not come under the obligation of faith1 the ,saints were at liberty to hold divergent opinions1 even as we ourselves are1 says ,st4 ,thomas4 ,in another place he says most admirably3 ,when philosophers are agreed upon a point1 and that point is not contrary to faith1 it is safer1 in my opinion1 neither to lay down such a point as a dogma of faith1 even though it is perhaps so presented by the philosophers1 nor to reject it as against faith1 lest we thus give to the wise of this world an occasion of despising the doctrine of the faith4 ,the ,catholic commentator1 although he should show that those facts of natural science which investigators affirm to be now in these days absolutely certain are not contrary to ,scripture rightly explained1 must nevertheless always bear in mind that much which has been held as proved and certain has afterwards been called in question and rejected4 ,if writers on physics travel outside the boundaries of their own department1 and carry their erroneous teaching into the domain of philosophy1 let them be handed over by the theological commentator to philosophers for refutation4 ,the principles here laid down will apply to cognate sciences1 and especially to history4 ,it is a lamentable fact that there are many men who with great labor make and publish investigations on the monuments of antiquity1 the manners and institutions of nations1 and other illustrative subjects1 and whose chief purpose in all this is too often to try to find mistakes in the sacred writings1 and so to shake and weaken their authority4 ,some of these writers display not only extreme hostility1 but also great unfairness4 ,in their eyes a profane book or an ancient document is accepted without hesitation4 ,scripture1 if they can only find in it a suspicion of error1 is set down with the slightest possible discussion as being entirely untrustworthy4 ,it is true1 no doubt1 that copyists have made mistakes in the text of the ,bible4 ,this question1 when it arises1 should be carefully considered on its merits4 ,the fact1 however1 is not to be too easily admitted1 but only in those passages where the proof is clear4 ,it may also happen that the sense of a passage remains ambiguous4 ,in this case1 sound hermeneutical methods will greatly aid in clearing up obscurity4 ,it is absolutely wrong1 however1 and it is forbidden1 either to narrow inspiration to certain parts only of ,holy ,scripture1 or to admit that the sacred writer has erred4 ,the system of those who1 in order to rid themselves of these difficulties1 do not hesitate to concede that divine inspiration regards matters of faith and morals1 and nothing beyond them1 because 7as they wrongly think7 in a question of the truth or falsehood of a passage we should consider not so much what ,god has said as the reason and purpose which ,he had in mind in saying it1 cannot be tolerated4 ,all the books which the ,church receives as sacred and canonical were written wholly and entirely1 with all their parts1 at the dictation of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,so far is it from being possible that any error can co-exist with inspiration1 inspiration not only is essentially incompatible with error1 but it excludes error as absolutely and necessarily as it is impossible that ,god ,himself1 the ,supreme ,truth1 can utter that which is not true4 ,this is the ancient and unchanging faith of the ,church4 ,it was solemnly defined in the ,councils of ,florence and of ,trent4 ,it was finally confirmed and more expressly formulated by the ,council of the ,vatican4 ,these are the words of that ,council3 ,the ,books of the ,old and of the ,new ,testament1 whole and entire1 with all their parts1 as they are enumerated in the decree of the same ,council 7,trent71 and as they are contained in the old ,latin ,vulgate edition1 are to be received as sacred and canonical4 ,the ,church holds them as sacred and canonical1 not because1 having been composed solely by human industry1 they were afterwards approved by her authority1 nor only because they contain revelation without error1 but because1 having been written under the inspiration of the ,holy ,ghost1 they have ,god for their ,author4 ,hence we cannot say that1 because the ,holy ,ghost employed men as ,his instruments1 it was these inspired instruments who1 perchance1 have fallen into error1 and not the primary ,author4 ,by supernatural power ,he so moved and impelled them to write--,he was so present to them--that all the things which ,he ordered1 and those things only1 they first rightly conceived1 then willed faithfully to write down1 and finally expressed in adequate words and with infallible truth4 ,otherwise1 it could not be said that ,he was the ,author of the whole of the ,sacred ,scripture4 ,such has always been the persuasion of the ,fathers4 ,therefore1 says ,st4 ,augustine1 since they wrote the things which ,he showed and said to them1 it cannot be said that ,he did not write them4 ,his members executed that which their ,head dictated4 ,st4 ,gregory the ,great maintains3 ,most superfluous it is to inquire who wrote these things2--we loyally believe the ,holy ,ghost to be the ,author of the ,book4 ,he wrote it who dictated it to be written4 ,he wrote it who inspired its execution4 ,it follows that those men who maintain that an error is possible in any genuine passage of the sacred writings1 either pervert the ,catholic notion of inspiration1 or make ,god ,himself to be the ,author of error4 ,so emphatically were all the ,fathers and ,doctors agreed that the divine writings1 as left by the hagiographers1 are entirely free from all error1 that they labored earnestly1 with no less skill than reverence1 to reconcile one with the other those numerous passages which seem to be at variance--the very passages which in great measure have been taken up by the higher criticism4 ,the ,fathers were unanimous in laying it down that those writings1 in their entirety and in all their parts1 were equally from the divine afflatus1 and that ,god ,himself1 speaking through the sacred writers1 could not set down anything that was not true4 ,the words of ,st4 ,augustine to ,st4 ,jerome may sum up what they taught3 ,on my own part1 ,i confess to your charity that it is only to those ,books of ,scripture which are now called canonical that ,i have learned to pay such honor and reverence as to believe most firmly that no one of their writers has fallen into any error4 ,if in these ,books ,i meet with anything which seems contrary to truth1 ,i shall not hesitate to conclude either that the text is faulty1 or that the translator has not expressed the meaning of the passage1 or that ,i myself have not understood it4 ,but with all the weapons of the best of arts1 fully and perfectly to fight for the holiness of the ,bible is far more than can be looked for from the exertions of commentators and theologians alone4 ,it is an enterprise in which we have a right to expect the co-operation of all ,catholic men who have acquired reputation in other branches of learning4 ,as in the past1 so at the present time the ,church is never without the graceful support of her accomplished children4 ,may their services to the ,faith ever grow and increase6 ,there is nothing which ,we believe to be more needful than that truth should find defenders more powerful and more numerous than are the enemies whom it has to face4 ,there is nothing which is better calculated to imbue the masses with homage for the truth than to see it joyously proclaimed by learned men who have gained distinction in some other faculty4 ,moreover1 the bitter tongues of objectors will be silenced4 ,at least they will not dare to insist so shamelessly that faith is the enemy of science when they see that scientific men1 of eminence in their own profession1 show towards the faith most marked honor and reverence4 ,seeing1 then1 that those men can do so much for the progress of religion on whom the goodness of ,god has bestowed1 together with the grace of the faith1 great natural talent1 let such men1 in this most savage conflict of which the ,scriptures are now the object1 select each of them the branch of study which is best adapted to his circumstances1 and endeavor to excel therein1 and thus be prepared to repel with effect and credit the assaults on the word of ,god4 ,it is our pleasing duty to give deserved praise to a work which certain ,catholics have taken in hand--that is to say1 the formation of societies1 and the contribution of considerable sums of money1 for the purpose of aiding certain of the more learned in the pursuit of their study to its completeness4 ,truly1 an excellent method of investing money6 ,it is an investment most suited to the times in which we live6 ,the less hope of public patronage there is for ,catholic study1 the more ready and the more abundant should be the liberality of private persons4 ,those to whom ,god has given riches will thus use them to safeguard the treasure of ,his revealed doctrine4 ,in order that such labors may prove of real service to the cause of the ,bible1 let scholars keep steadfastly to the principles which we have in this ,letter laid down4 ,let them loyally hold that ,god1 the ,creator and the ,ruler of all things1 is also the ,author of the ,scriptures--and that therefore nothing can possibly be proved1 either by physical science or by archeology1 which can be in real contradiction with the ,scriptures4 ,if apparent contradictious should be met with1 every effort should be made to meet them4 ,theologians and commentators of solid judgment should be consulted as to what is the true or the most probable meaning of the passage in discussion4 ,adverse arguments should also be carefully weighed4 ,even if the difficulty is not after all cleared up1 and the discrepancy seems to remain1 the contest must not be abandoned4 ,truth cannot contradict truth4 ,we may be sure that some mistake has been made1 either in the interpretation of the sacred words1 or in the polemical discussion itself4 ,if no mistake can be detected1 we must then suspend judgment for the time being4 ,there have been objections without number perseveringly directed against the ,scriptures for many a long year4 ,these have been proved to be futile1 and they are now never heard of4 ,interpretations not a few have been put on certain passages of ,scripture 7not belonging to the rule of faith or morals71 and these have been rectified after a more careful investigation4 ,as time goes on mistaken views die and disappear4 ,truth remaineth and groweth stronger for ever and ever4 ,wherefore1 as no one should be so presumptuous as to think that he understands the whole of the ,scriptures--in which ,st4 ,augustine himself confessed that there was more that he did not know than that which he did know--so1 if one should come upon anything that seems incapable of solution1 he must take to heart the cautious rule of the same holy ,doctor3 ,it is better even to be oppressed by unknown but useful signs than to interpret them uselessly1 and thus to throw off the yoke of servitude only to be caught in the nets of error4 ,as regards those men who pursue the subsidiary studies of which ,we have spoken1 if they honestly and modestly follow the counsels and commands which ,we have given--if by pen and voice they make their studies fruitful against the enemies of the truth1 and useful in saving the young from loss of faith--they may justly congratulate themselves on worthy service to the ,sacred ,writings1 and on their having afforded to the ,catholic religion that aid which the ,church has a right to expect from the piety and from the learning of her children4 ,such1 ,venerable ,brethren1 are the admonitions and the instructions which1 by the help of ,god1 ,we have thought it well1 at the present moment1 to offer to you on the study of the ,sacred ,scriptures4 ,it will now be for you to see that what ,we have said be held and observed with all due reverence1 that so we may prove our gratitude to ,god for the communication to man of the words of ,his wisdom1 and that all the good results which are so much to be desired may be realized1 especially as they effect the training of the students of the ,church1 which is matter of ,our own great solicitude and of the ,church's hope4 ,exert yourselves with glad alacrity1 and use your authority1 and your persuasive powers1 in order that these studies may be held in just regard1 and that they may flourish in the seminaries and in the educational institutions which are under your jurisdiction4 ,may they flourish in the completeness of success1 under the direction of the ,church1 in accordance with the salutary teaching and the example of the ,holy ,fathers1 and the laudable traditions of antiquity4 ,as time goes on1 let them be widened and extended as the interests and glory of the truth may require--the interests of that ,catholic ,truth which comes down from above1 the never-failing source of the salvation of all peoples4 ,finally1 ,we admonish with paternal love all students and ministers of the ,church always to approach the sacred writings with the most profound affection of reverence and of piety4 ,it is impossible to attain to a profitable understanding thereof unless1 laying aside the arrogance of earthly science1 there be excited in the heart a holy desire for that wisdom which is from above4 ,in this way the mind which has once entered on these sacred studies1 and which has by means of them been enlightened and strengthened1 will acquire a marvellous facility in detecting and avoiding the fallacies of human science1 and in gathering and utilizing solid fruit for eternal salvation4 ,the heart will then wax warm1 and will strive with more ardent longing to advance in virtue and in divine love4 ,blessed are they who examine ,his testimonies2 they shall seek ,him with their whole heart4 ,and now1 filled with hope in the divine assistance1 and trusting to your pastoral solicitude--as a pledge of heavenly graces and in witness of ,our special good will--to all of you1 and to the clergy1 and to the whole flock which has been intrusted to you1 ,we most lovingly impart in our ,lord the ,apostolic ,benediction4 ,given at ,st4 ,peter's1 at ,rome1 the #ahth day of ,november1 #ahic1 the sixteenth year of ,our ,pontificate4 ,,leo ,,pp4 ,,xiii4