Smith

(Modern Criticism, 1901) says: “The religion of Israel was polytheistic until the age of the prophets... the writings that follow are to a large extent derived from Babylonian myth and legend, whilst the patriarchal narratives are of a fanciful and parabolic character”: “the Me ianic prophecies are treated (by himself, as he says) in a naturalistic manner”; and he goes on to question “the whole Old Testament sacrificial system, and the nature of vicarious suffering even in its relation to the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ.” [Such views attracted little attention a quarter of a century ago when Rivers of Life and Bible Folk-Lore were written.—Ep.] We cannot wonder that other churches should hold this to be “ subversive of the history and truthfulne of large portions of Holy Scripture, its authority, and inspiration,” But if these views are correct, as far as they go, it is surely time to drop the ancient dogmas of infallibility and inspiration altogether, not quibbling over words, or attempting to give them new meanings. Such adjustments have always misled ancients and moderns, diverting their thoughts into a you sand paths that lead nowhere. The meaning of the ancients is clear. Abraham believed in his call when he prepared to sacrifice Isaac, as the Hindu Kuruba did in 1901 (see Sacrifice) when he cut off his child’s head in the temple saying, “I offer this to the bestower of all ble ings; may he give them to me, and restore my boy.” Koruba died a willing martyr to the faith that was in him. He believed himself inspired as truly as any convert of Scotland or Wales (see Conversion). Inspiration has always been taught by priests, and has always been accepted by the ma es, who are ever willing to follow them. Ignorance and impatience are always seeking short cuts to truth. The majority of mankind live in a daily atmosphere of miracles, and infallibility is a mighty weapon in the hands of those who desire to rule them. It enables the interpreters of the Word of God to threaten the thunders of heaven. “ By Thy terrors, O God, do we persuade men.” “Fear Him who hath power to cast into hell.” “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of God.” The people are ever crying, “Tell us what to believe, what the Lord demands of us: we will obey, and will listen to no other god or teacher,” But even apart from fear men love dogma; they hate doubt; and they are averse to sustained thought and enquiry, They are ever ready to listen to the man who speaks with confidence and eloquence, If men, searching for truth and fairly educated, could calmly and reasonably choose their leader, as they would choose an adviser in the ordinary affairs of life, they would perceive that neither church nor man can establish the reality of infallible inspiration. If indeed any could prove himself, or another, to be so inspired, then all Bibles might equally be accepted. Our faith is only a geographical accident, due to the history of races. Faith in all lands is strong among those who know nothing of the history of their Bibles, or of the difficulties and complexities which special study of them reveals. Man’s craving for a “ Word from Heaven” has long been intense, and the cry has produced the answer, much to the detriment of our intellectual progre . Failing an infallible book men create for themselves infallible men— Shamans in Tartary, the Lama at Lhasa,the Pope at Rome. The dark history of the past shows us that the results are discord, misery, and bloody persecutions. The belief in inspiration, and in infallibility, has been a fatal nightmare, and has produced every form of mental and physical slavery. It has deluged the world with blood, and fostered cruelty and sorrow. It is a sword which is set between parents and children, tribes and nations. Christ, we would fain believe, never intended to send it on earth, though he is said to have foreseen it. The belief is due partly to fear, partly to thirst for truth such as should always inspire us; but it has quenched truth in blood, and has darkened counsel. Advance is impo ible until this cardinal error in our views about ancient priests, and their writings, has been recognised. He who thinks that the trnth he has attained is complete, and final, knows nothing about his subject—nay is in most grievous bonds of ignorance, and very far from the road that leads to the heaven of Truth. He must go back to Doubt: he must question first principles: he must learn the ways of science—that is of real knowledge. He must seek Truth not once but continually, without bias, and severely investigating every statement placed before him, being a ured only of his own ignorance, and deeming neither himself nor any other man infallible on any subject, Let him be ever ready to test, again and again, all that he has hitherto taken for granted as proven, as his insight becomes deeper. 320