Religious Discussions.
--A letter from
Nassau, in the Charleston
Courier gives some information about literary matters in
England, in which is included the following:
‘
By far the most important subject is that of the alleged revolution in progress in
England relative to the belief in the historical authenticity of the
Bible.
Over a year ago a series of powerful articles were published in book form, entitled "Essays and Reviews," in which the accuracy of the historical portions of the Old Testament were severely criticised.
The strict constructionists took alarm.
Numerous replies appeared, and the authors of "Essays and Reviews" were called before the
Ecclesiastical Court to answer the charge of heresy.
To the surprise of many the accused were acquitted and according to the Westminster, the
Court laid down the principle that "the clergy of the
Established Church are not chilged to maintain every part of the
Bible as an infallible record of past history, and every word as the sacred utterance of the spirit of God"
In the midst of the confusion created by this decision has appeared the first volume of "The
Pentateuch and Book of Joshua critically examined." by
Rev. William Colenso Bishop of Natal.
The author takes the ground boldly that the Pentateuch is not reliable as a historical record, and that it was not written by
Moses.
He places its authorship at a date considerably posterior to the events it recites.
The
Westminster emphatically agrees with the
Bishop, and the whole is discussed, with the conclusion that the intellectual world is about to take the
Bible as an expression of men's ideas of God's will, rather than an expression of the will of God himself.
’