always determine
correctly just what parts are literal and what figurative; and how to
interpret the figures? But the answer came as quickly as the question:
This is just what I am here to learn, and before I am thru I will
doubtless know it all! Some time after this a discussion arose among
the divinity students, about the doctrines of inspiration--as to
whether the Bible was literally and verbally inspired, word for word,
or was merely an inspiration of ideas, the writers being left to write
their "inspirations" in their own language and manner. My idea had
always been that of the former, that the Bible was inspired word for
word, just as it reads. But I found the more progressive and better
educated class among both students and professors had abandoned this
idea, and accepted the doctrine of the inspiration of ideas only. It
was strange to me that God could not have dictated the words as easily
as the ideas, and thus have made sure of their correctness. But it set
me to thinking. I had never had any doubt about the inspiration of the
Bible, yet I could give no reason for it, except that I had always been
told so. Now as progress and education were going to compel me to
revise my opinions about the _manner_ of inspiration, I began to wonder
what evidence we really had that the Bible was inspired at all. I
really had no doubts about the fact. I supposed, of course, the
evidence existed _somewhere_, but that they had never been specifically
pointed out to me; and I wanted to know just _what_ and _where_ they
were. I confided my inquiries to a senior student in whom I had great
confidence. He told me the devil was whispering doubts in my ear and I
should not listen to him! That there could be no possible doubt about
the _fact_ of inspiration; that this question had been definitely and
finally settled over eighteen hundred years ago by the wisest and best
men of the world, and there had never been a shadow of a doubt about it
since; that the evidences of inspiration of ideas instead of verbal
inspiration were found in the many different styles and manner of
writing found in the Bible itself as represented by the different
writers. But as to the fundamental fact of divine inspiration itself,
there had never been a shadow of a doubt! So I accepted the new idea
of inspiration and said "Get thee behind me, Satan," and after that for
many years I did not permit myself to doubt the fact of inspiration.
Yet occasi