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The Bible in the Critic’s DenBy Earle Albert Rowell (1917)
The few Bibles of the Medieval Ages were chained, and few had access to them. It was then considered beyond the understanding of the common people. Now the "advanced" man would mutilate it, and bury it under the hypotheses of "profound learning." Nevertheless, whether chained, mutilated, or buried, it will do its God-appointed work; "for no word from God shall be void of power." Luke 1: 37, A. R. V.Cast off the roots and branches of ‘Christian Skepticism’ and return, oh return to the old paths, the safe way of faith and obedience.“Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.” Jer 6:16.IntroductoryA GREATER crisis confronts the religious world today than confronts the civil. The civil is for a time; the religious deals with eternity. This is not saying that the kind and character of civil government are not important. They are. But the principles which have eternal issue in character are infinitely more important. For many centuries, the Bible has been considered by the Christian church, nominally at least, the standard or test by which all creeds should be measured, all moral conduct judged. That there has been wide diversion from the standard, and perversion of its teaching, goes without saying; but the nominal standard has been held, the Bible exalted, as the very citadel of faith and morals. Now the citadel is under bombardment. The holy standard is under fire. Moral rule of conduct, atonement, miracle, and resurrection are under the dissecting knives of learned doctors of theology, professed friends of the Christian religion. Formerly infidelity was outside the pale of the church. Now its proponents are men in canonicals, who have taken sacerdotal vows as shepherds in the flock of God. The author of this little book was himself once an infidel. He did not then know the Bible or its Giver. He had read and studied works of infidelity to confirm his non-belief. Interested and eager, yet he found no rest, no satisfaction. When he came to see divinity in the Word, righteousness and life the central aim and purpose of the Book, Christ Jesus, Saviour and Friend, vicarious Sacrifice and coming King, he gave himself to the militant army of faith, and against the false theories which would undermine the confidence, guide, and hope, of humanity. Needless to say that much more could be written, has been written; but publishers and author have deemed best to give a small work a large circulation rather than a more pretentious volume a limited sale. This book is sent forth with the prayer that it may confirm the faith of the believing, and turn from the darkness of doubt those who feel themselves slipping from the foundation of God's eternal verities. THE PUBLISHERS CONTENTS |
