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PART I.

RATIONALISM AND THE BIBLE.

CHAPTER I.

INTRODUCTORY.

T

HE present age is one of intense mental

activity; the human intellect is incessantly engaged in probing the foundations of all things, human and divine; no received opinion, however sacred, is allowed to remain unquestioned, and every weak joint in the armour of truth is the mark for a thousand arrows.

That most precious of all gifts to humanity—the Christian religion-stands in the forefront of the battle; around it rages a violent storm of controversy, the most powerful artillery of the human mind assails it on every vulnerable point; whether

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on the side of historical criticism, physical science, or psychology, it is attacked with consummate skill, and the minds of the faithful are perplexed by the subtle objections of the adversaries. In former ages the anti-Christian controversy was conducted in a coarser fashion. The infidelity of Paine and Voltaire was revolting to spiritual minds, and though it supplied plausible arguments against Christianity to those who were already hostile, it was comparatively innocuous to true believers. A different and more deadly warfare is waged in the present day. An affected admiration of Christ and His teaching is paraded alongside of arguments which would sap His authority, and undermine all reverence for Holy Scripture. A weak, emasculated mixture, called Christianity, is substituted for the sacred utterance of the oracles of God, and mankind are told they may select this or reject that at their fancy, and construct each for himself a theory of religion to which the name of Christ is appended for decency's sake. There are of course endless modifications of the programme. Some schools of theosophists admit more than others. Some revere the person of Christ, and allow that

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