And this is what many defenders of the Bible do. And this is one great
cause both of the increase of infidelity, and of the confidence of its
disciples.
It is impossible to prove the doctrine of the divine inspiration of the
Bible, as that doctrine is defined by many religious writers. It is not
true. And those who attempt to prove that the Bible is such a book, as
these false theological theories of divine inspiration would require it
to be, must always be beaten, in a fair fight, with an able and
well-informed infidel opponent. The man who contends that the Bible is
all that certain old theories of inspiration require it to be, fights
against plain facts, and even his friends will often see and feel that
he has not succeeded. He may say a many fine things, a many good things,
a many great things, a many glorious things about the Bible, and they
may all be true: and he may say a many bad things, a many horrible
things against infidelity, and they too may be true. And his friends may
see and feel that, on the whole, he is substantially right, and that the
infidel is essentially wrong. They may see and feel that on the
Christian side is all that is good, and true, and holy; and that on the
infidel side is a world of darkness and depravity, of horror and
despair.
Pages:
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366