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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


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