11. I next learned that there were differences of opinion among critics
and divines as to whether certain books ought to have a place in the
Bible or not. In my father's Bible there were several books called the
Apocrypha. Some of these were very interesting. I used to read them with
a great deal of pleasure. And large portions of others, especially those
called _The Wisdom of Solomon_, and _Ecclesiasticus_, seemed as good, as
true, and as beautiful as anything in the Book of Proverbs. My parents
however told me, that those books were not to be put on a level with
the other books of the Bible,--that there was some mystery about their
origin, and that there was some doubt whether they were really a part of
the word of God.
12. I afterwards learnt though, that they were regarded as part of God's
word by the Catholics, and I continued to read large portions of them
with much satisfaction and profit.
13. I also learnt from Adam Clarke and others, that there had been
doubts in the minds of some of the ancient Christians with regard to the
right of some of the Epistles and of the Book of Revelation to be
admitted as parts of the Bible. And I afterwards found that the Book of
Revelation was excluded from the Bible by the Greek Church, and by
Luther as well:--and that Luther had but little regard for the Epistle
of James, one of the finest portions of the whole Bible as I thought.
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