The Right Knock Part 21

"Whether Moses or some one else wrote them detracts not the least from the value of the truth they contain, for whatever is true, can not lose its value or be effected by the authors.h.i.+p. This is only one of the many facts that might be produced to show that the Old Testament came in the most natural way, and not at all through a miracle or by miraculous interposition.

"Referring again to the best records we have, we find the books of the New Testament were written from 50 to 175 A. D., thus showing the liability to mistakes, and the reason for many of the discrepencies in the New Testament. That the time between the writing of the oldest and the latest parts of the Bible covered a period of more than a thousand years, should have much significance in our judgment of both the writers and their writings.

"Dr. Heber Newton says: 'We are not to read the Biblical writers as though they were all cotemporaries. They are separated by vast tracts of time. The later writers stand upon the shoulders of their predecessors and see farther and clearer. We are not to view the inst.i.tutions or doctrines of the Bible as though no matter in what period of development of the Hebrew Nation, or of the Christian Church they were found, they were equally authoritative to us.'

"Though the prophets and apostles were inspired, we must remember that they necessarily had to use the language and methods of speech prevalent in their time in giving their divinest revelations to the people. The language was rich with Oriental imagery, strong figures of speech, and allusions to manners and customs of other nations. Unless we understand something of the literature and customs, the religious ceremonies and laws alluded to, we are very much in the dark as to the original meaning.

"For instance, unless we know the custom that prevailed in ancient times of putting the sins of the people, figuratively speaking, into a white cloth, dipping the cloth into blood, tying it to the horns of the scapegoat, and turning the animal loose in the wilderness till the sun, air and rain had bleached it white, we can not appreciate the expression, 'though thy sins be as scarlet, yet shall they be washed white as snow.' Until we realize that the ideas and language as well as the customs and rites of barbarous and ignorant heathendom influence every page of the Bible, we shall not know how much allowance to make for the revelations of the Divine, and the suppositions and possible mistakes of the human. Until we know that the Bible has gone through many hands since its words were first spoken or written, we can not realize the possible loss of its most spiritual meanings.

"Moses, Isaiah, David, John, Paul had the grandest revelations possible to man, experiences not 'lawful to utter,' not possible to clothe in words. The unspeakable can not be put into speech. To attempt it is to color it with finite meanings. To describe the Infinite is but to limit or confine G.o.d.

"When we consider that no very ancient writings have reached us without the marks of many pens; when we consider the impossibility of exact translation, the difficulty of perfect copying all the years before the art of printing, the method of canonizing the books and formulating creeds, we must know that something besides G.o.d's message has come down to us. And yet a message is there notwithstanding.

"Yes, the authors of the Bible were inspired. Whatever of Truth they revealed is infallible, but as men with finite conceptions and abilities, they could not comprehend nor reveal _all_ of G.o.d.

"'G.o.d is the same yesterday, to-day and forever,' and talks to man face to face to-day even as with the immortal Moses.

"'I know that the Bible is inspired, because it finds me at greater depths of my being than any other book,' said Coleridge.

"All candid students of sacred Scriptures agree that there is a spiritual meaning back of the literal. The question with us is, how can we get at this spiritual or esoteric interpretation.

"If you will let the spirit of Truth guide you, it will bless you with keener discernment, and clearer understanding, than has been possible for you heretofore. It is when you look for the spirit of religion that you find it and understand it, and the fact that so much has been said against our Bible as a book, does not and can not detract a particle from its value.

"'There is a light that lighteth every man!' Every one of G.o.d's children has the power to distinguish truth from error, and only needs to a.s.sert that divine privilege of knowing and acknowledging truth in order to to find it.

"Humanity is so under the yoke of traditional opinions that it has not dared think for itself, but the time has come when 'ye shall of yourselves know what is truth,' when each must prove his individual liberty by claiming it. Is not the wisdom to know and understand G.o.d's revelations given to every one who asks, or rather appreciates what he already has?

"There is no reason for depending upon any but the wisdom in ourselves, for searching the meanings of any Scripture. Whatever is true, we shall understand and hold as infallible. That we have a rich storehouse of precious gems, even the most adverse thinkers admit, and above all else we should search for them, prize them, and use them. Study the Bible for the sake of its wonderful and sacred truth, catch the inspiration of its writers, and you will soon discriminate the inspired from the uninspired. With the statements of the true is necessarily more or less error; the Truth we want, the falsity we leave behind. Whatever is good and pure and enn.o.bling is of G.o.d; whatever is evil, erroneous, degrading, is from man's misconception of Him.

"Goethe, who highly valued the Bible, said: 'With reference to things in the Bible, the question whether they are genuine or spurious is odd enough. What is genuine but that which is truly excellent, which stands in harmony with the purest nature and reason, and which even now ministers to our higher development? What is spurious but the absurd and the hollow which brings no fruit.'

"If you do not understand, wait. Do not judge hastily or allow yourself to be biased by the opinions of others. What may seem hard, unreasonable dogma, may later prove but a veil over the sweetest, spiritual truth.

Reverence to read, patience to learn, wisdom to understand--all these we want, and then, more brightly than before shall s.h.i.+ne the sacred diamonds that stud inspired pages.

"We refer again to what Dr. Newton says in his grand essay on the Right Critical use of the Bible: 'Successive generations of men, struggling with sin, striving for purity, searching after G.o.d, have exhaled their spirits into the essence of religion, which is treasured in this costly vase.

"'The moral forces of centuries devoted to righteousness are stored in this exhaustless reservoir of ethical energy. At such cost, my brothers, has Humanity issued this sacred book. From such patience of preparation has Providence laid this priceless gift before you. In such labor of articulation--spelling out the syllables of the message from on high, through mult.i.tudinous lives of men dutifully and devoutly walking with their G.o.d, does the Spirit speak to you, O, soul of man. Say thou: 'Speak, Lord; thy servant heareth!'"

"Thank G.o.d, Marion has at last found the key to the Bible," murmured Mr.

Hayden, as he finished the letter.

CHAPTER XXII.

"Not in Jerusalem alone, G.o.d hears and answers prayer, Nor on Samaria's mountain lone, Dispenses blessings there.

But in the secrecy of thought, Our silent souls may pray; Or round the household altar brought, Begin and close the day."

--_James Montgomery._

Grace was busily engaged with "Hypatia." She felt for the first time she could bring out the peace and reposeful strength of character Kate had thought so sadly lacking, and one afternoon, a few days after the memorable walk, she sat down to her work with a pleasurable antic.i.p.ation of bringing out her ideal. As she put the touches here and there that changed the expression, now adding to this feature, now taking from that, she was thinking of the changes needed in herself, and wondering how or by what process they would be wrought by the invisible Artist.

She was mixing some paint on her palette, when a rap was heard at the door. Before she had time to say or do anything, in walked Mrs. d.y.k.e with a timid little woman who came in like a martyr, but one resolved to die at her post if necessary. Grace was too astonished to speak for an instant, then rising, she put down her palette, wiped her hands and went forward with an invitation to the ladies to be seated.

"Is this Miss Turner?" began Mrs. d.y.k.e, with a critical glance about the apartment, and then at Grace.

"No, madam, Miss Turner is not in. She generally returns about five, but to-day--"

"Very well, we can come again, for it is very important business. Are you the young woman who lives with her?" asked Mrs. d.y.k.e, as she seated herself with deliberate dignity. "This is Mrs. Linberger, and we have called as the church committee to look after Miss Turner's soul," she continued, waving her hand majestically toward her companion-in-arms.

"Indeed," gasped Grace, bowing slightly toward Mrs. Linberger, and coughing a little as she put her handkerchief to her mouth to hide a smile.

"She belongs to our church, and we have heard she is being led astray by this blasphemous kind of healing," pursued Mrs. d.y.k.e, looking severely at Grace from under her thick grey veil which hung like a lowering cloud just above her eyes. "Mr. Narrow requested me and Mrs. Linberger to call and examine into the matter. I hope _you_ don't encourage such wickedness, young woman?"

"Certainly I am at enmity with any kind of wickedness, but I am not aware of any particular wickedness in Christian Healing," replied Grace, bracing herself for the storm she saw brewing.

"What! you don't see anything wrong in such awful heresy!" exclaimed Mrs. d.y.k.e, again pus.h.i.+ng her veil up, and looking with horrified eyes, first at Grace, then at Mrs. Linberger. "Perhaps you don't understand about it," she added, softening a little as she settled back in her chair.

"I must confess I know but very little about it, but what I do know only increases my desire to know more," said Grace, flus.h.i.+ng, as she sat down in the nearest chair.

"Let me warn you not to read or hear another word about it then, for it will simply be the means of worse than death to you," continued Mrs.

d.y.k.e, raising her finger solemnly.

"It destroys the most important doctrines in the Bible, even taking away the belief in the devil and h.e.l.l," added Mrs. Linberger, speaking for the first time.

"Yes; they even deny there ever was a devil or that there ever will be any future punishment. Just think of it," reiterated Mrs. d.y.k.e. "I guess they will see, some time!" she added with a sort of steely satisfaction.

"Do you really believe they lay aside all future punishment?" asked Grace, willing to waive the application to herself, and anxious to hear Mrs. d.y.k.e's views.

"Yes, they say there is no evil and no devil, so of course there is no need for punishment."

"But do they not regard the devil as Jesus did, after all?" asked Grace, again pursuing her advantage.

"U-m, well, Jesus recognized him and talked to him, telling him to get out, and he often referred to the everlasting punishment," added Mrs.

d.y.k.e again, with a solemn face.

"But, he did not mean a literal fire, did he, when He spoke of everlasting punishment?"

Mrs. d.y.k.e was the catechized instead of the catechizer, and it was an unaccustomed _role_, but she bore it like a soldier.

"Of course he did; several places in Matthew he described the lot of the wicked, and referred to the danger of h.e.l.l-fire. Haven't you studied the Bible, Miss Hall?" suddenly turning to look straight at Grace with some severity.

"I am very much interested in it, Mrs. d.y.k.e, but when I read that 'G.o.d's mercy endureth forever,' and that 'Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil,' I am inclined to think there must be some mistake about the dreadful wrath that is to last forever," calmly replied Grace.