Logical
strictness, perfect historic accuracy, systematic arrangement, etc.,
could not be expected in a book of intuitions and bursts of inspiration;
the authors of which seemed often the child-like organs of the power
within. It seemed enough that there should be no wilful mis-statements,
and no errors but those arising from the inevitable conditions to which
all writings are liable. The skeptic who proceeds to peruse the Bible,
expecting it everywhere to be conformable to the highest ideal
standard--that there shall be nothing to perplex his understanding, to
try his belief, or to offend his taste, will be disappointed, and will
either give up his task, or go on in weariness and hesitation. On the
other hand, if he be told to prepare for historical discrepancies, for
staggering statements, for phrases more plain than elegant, and for
sentences of inscrutable darkness, he will be far more likely to come to
a satisfactory conclusion. And the apparent dark spots will only serve
to increase the surrounding splendor. We therefore cry to the skeptic
who purposes to explore the region of revelation; 'We promise you no
pavement of gold; you will find your path an Alpine road, steep, rugged,
with profound chasms below, and giddy precipices above, and thick mists
often closing in around, but rewarding you by prospects of ineffable
loveliness, by gleams of far-revealing light, and delighting you with a
thousand unearthly pleasures.
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