THE HIGHER CRITICISM: THE GREATEST APOSTACY OF THE AGE. By D. K. Paton. London: Passmore & Alabaster, 4 Paternoster Buildings.
A correspondent has kindly sent us a copy of this little work, and we have read its 78 pages with great pleasure and interest. The author is a Presbyterian, and as far as we can gather, a Presbyterian whose views are sound, not only upon the inspiration of the Scriptures, but also upon the fundamental doctrines concerning sin and salvation. This work is an able exposure of the Higher Criticism. It is written in a clear vigorous style and as a popular treatise on the subject, the best that has yet appeared. The author begins by pointing out that the conclusions of the Higher Critics are practically the same as those held by infidel writers in the past, such as Bolingbroke, Voltaire, and Tom Paine. The only difference is that these men took up the consistent attitude of antagonism to Christianity as a whole, while the modern critics continue within the pale of the professing Church and profess to receive its doctrines. A quotation from the Theological works of Paine shows that this infidel in 1795, held the view that there must have been two authors to the prophecy of Isaiah, a delusive opinion that has got great popularity at the present time by the work on Isaiah of Professor G. A. Smith, F.C. College, Glasgow. Our author then goes on to show that the Higher Critics in their treatment of the Old Testament write in direct contradiction to the testimony of Christ, who spoke of that book as the infallible Word of God. To prove this, a quotation is given from “Studies in Theology,” by the Rev. James Denney, D.D., of the Free Church, Broughty Ferry, who was elected the other day by the Assembly to the chair of Theology in Glasgow. “Referring to the opening chapters of Genesis, which contain the account of the Creation and the Fall, this writer (Dr. Denney) declares these chapters to be neither science nor history,” but “myth,” and he explicitly thus writes:—”The plain truth, and we have no reason to hide it, is, that we do not know the beginning of man’s life, of his history, of his sin.” And again he says:—”We do not know the beginnings of man’s life on historical evidence, and we should be content to let them remain in the dark till science throws what light it can upon them.” On the other hand, it is shown that in Matthew xix. 4-6, the Lord Jesus referred to passages in the first and second chapters of Genesis where “the beginnings of man’s life” are recorded as the words of God. We have only touched upon a few things in the book, but there is much more in it worthy of note. Our correspondent says, he believes, all the ministers in this country have had a presentation copy, and we hope they will digest it well. It would be also most desirable that it should be largely circulated among the people, and none of our readers should, if possible, lack a copy.