CONVICTION THAT MANY PROBLEMS OF THE HIGHEST INTEREST AS TO THE ORIGIN AND RELATION OF THE CONSTITUENT
B
OOKS ARE INSOLUBLE
. B
UT THE STUDENT
,
IN ANY CASE
,
MUST NOT APPROACH THE INQUIRY WITH THE
ASSUMPTION
SANCTIONED THOUGH IT MAY HAVE BEEN BY TRADITIONAL
USE
THAT
G
OD MUST HAVE TAUGHT
H
IS PEOPLE
,
AND US THROUGH
H
IS PEOPLE
,
IN ONE PARTICULAR WAY
. H
E MUST NOT PRESUMPTUOUSLY STAKE THE INSPIRATION AND THE DIVINE AUTHORITY OF THE
O
LD
T
ESTAMENT ON ANY FOREGONE CONCLUSION AS TO THE METHOD AND SHAPE IN WHICH THE RECORDS HAVE COME DOWN TO US
. W
E HAVE MADE MANY GRIEVOUS MISTAKES IN THE PAST AS TO THE CHARACTER AND THE TEACHING OF THE
B
IBLE
. T
HE EXPERIENCE MAY STAND US IN GOOD STEAD NOW
. T
HE
B
IBLE IS THE RECORD
,
THE INSPIRED
,
AUTHORITATIVE RECORD
,
OF THE DIVINE EDUCATION OF THE WORLD
. T
HE
O
LD
T
ESTAMENT
,
AS WE RECEIVE IT
,
IS THE RECORD OF THE WAY IN WHICH
G
OD TRAINED A PEOPLE FOR THE
C
HRIST
IN MANY PARTS AND IN MANY MODES
,
THE RECORD WHICH THE
C
HRIST
H
IMSELF AND
H
IS
A
POSTLES RECEIVED AND SANCTIONED
. H
OW THE RECORD WAS BROUGHT TOGETHER
,
OUT OF WHAT MATERIALS
,
AT WHAT TIMES
,
UNDER WHAT CONDITIONS
,
ARE QUESTIONS OF SECONDARY IMPORTANCE
. W
E SHALL SPARE NO EFFORT IN THE ENDEAVOUR TO ANSWER THEM
. E
VERY RESULT WHICH CAN BE SURELY ESTABLISHED WILL TEACH US SOMETHING OF THE MANNER OF
G
OD
'
S WORKING
,
AND OF THE MANNER IN WHICH
H
E PROVIDES FOR OUR KNOWLEDGE OF IT
. A
T THE SAME TIME WE MUST REMEMBER THAT
,
HERE AS ELSEWHERE
, H
IS WAYS IN THE FULFILMENT OF
H
IS COUNSEL ARE
,
FOR THE MOST PART
,
NOT AS OUR WAYS
,
BUT INFINITELY WIDER
,
LARGER
,
AND MORE VARIED
. A
ND WHEN WE STRIVE TO REALISE THEM ON THE FIELD OF LIFE
,
WE MUST BEAR OURSELVES WITH INFINITE PATIENCE AND REVERENCE AS SCHOLARS IN
C
HRIST
'
S
S
CHOOL
,
SCHOLARS OF A
H
OLY
S
PIRIT
, W
HO IS SPEAKING TO US AS
H
E SPOKE IN OLD TIME
.
W HATEVER ELSE MAY BE OBSCURE , THE MAIN OUTLINES OF THE HISTORY OF I SRAEL APPEAR TO BE UNQUESTIONABLE ; AND IT IS OF THE GREATEST MOMENT FOR US AS C HRISTIANS TO STRIVE , AS WE MAY , TO ENTER INTO THE SPIRIT OF J UDAISM ; TO STUDY IT NOT AS A STEREOTYPED SYSTEM BUT AS AN ADVANCING MANIFESTATION OF THE L IVING G OD ; TO SEE IN IT EXAMPLES AND TYPES OF THE VARIOUS MODES IN WHICH G OD DEALS WITH H IS PEOPLE ; TO RECOGNISE FROM THE MANIFOLD FORTUNES OF H IS KINGDOM IN OLD TIME THAT H E APPLIES , ENFORCES , INTERPRETS , IN NEW AND UNEXPECTED WAYS , WHAT H E HAS ONCE GIVEN ; TO LEARN SOMEWHAT BETTER , FROM AN APPREHENSION OF THE PROPHETIC WORK , THAT H E CHOOSES H IS OWN INSTRUMENTS FREELY , THAT H E SPEAKS THROUGH THE CONFLICTS OF SOCIAL AND POLITICAL LIFE , THAT THE ORGANISATION WHICH H E HAS ESTABLISHED FOR THE DUE FULFILMENT OF H IS SERVICE DOES NOT LIMIT THE MANNER OF H IS OPERATION , THAT H E PROVIDES FOR PROGRESS AS WELL AS FOR ORDER , OR ( MAY WE NOT SAY ?) THAT H E PROVIDES FOR PROGRESS BECAUSE H E PROVIDES FOR ORDER .
I F WE REGARD J UDAISM IN THIS WAY , THE HISTORY OF C HRISTIANITY ITSELF WILL BE QUICKENED FOR US WITH A NEW LIFE . W E SHALL HAVE BEFORE OUR EYES WHAT IS REALLY BY ANTICIPATION A DIVINE COMMENTARY UPON ITS MOST PERPLEXING PASSAGES . A CTS OF FAITHLESSNESS AND APOSTASY IN THE HISTORY OF THE C HURCH , SELF - WILLED DIVISIONS , PREMATURE SETTLEMENTS OF PRACTICE OR DOCTRINE , WILL APPEAR AT ONCE MORE SIGNIFICANT AND , FOR THOSE WHO INHERIT THE BURDEN WHICH THEY IMPOSE , MORE ENDURABLE . T HE RECORD OF THE HISTORY OF I SRAEL IS A CONCRETE PHILOSOPHY OF HISTORY . I F WE READ ITS MEANING WE SHALL BE BETTER ENABLED , AND THEN ONLY TRULY ENABLED , TO LOOK