e
essential _value_ of the Book. Absolutely nothing, unless thereby its
[honesty] truthfulness can be set aside.

'If error were _cunningly interspersed_ with truth in the Bible, the
case would be different. But it is _not_ so. The Book, as a whole, and
as it stands, is wholesome and useful; each portion of it has its proper
place, and is adequate to fulfil its appointed end. But everything in
the Book does not take hold alike on the heart and conscience. It may be
very interesting, as indeed it is, to trace on the map the various
journeyings of St. Paul, or the wanderings of the children of Israel in
the wilderness; to note a hundred designed coincidences, etc. Yet all
this may be done without the slightest moral or spiritual benefit to the
man who does it. And, of course, all this may be left undone by others
without the slightest spiritual loss or disadvantage.'

The following may be our own.

The great thing is to use the Scriptures as a means of instruction in
religious truth and Christian duty, and as a means of improvement in all
moral excellence and Christian usefulness.

Set the doctrine of Scripture inspiration too high, and people, finding
that the Scriptures do not come up to it, will conclude that the
doctrine is false,--that the Scriptures are not inspired,--that they do
not differ from other books,--that divine revelation is a fiction,--that
religion is a delusion,--and that the true philosophy of life and of the
universe is infidelity. And the Scriptures do _not_ come up to the
doctrine of inspiration held by many. It is impossible they should. _No_
book written in human language _can_ come up to it. What they say an
inspired book _must_ be, no book on earth ever was, and no book ever
will be. And infidels see it, and are confirmed in their infidelity. And
others see it and become infidels. And Christians argue with them and
are overcome. And others are perplexed and bewildered, and obliged to
close their eyes to facts, and though they cling to their belief, they
are troubled with fears and misgivings as long as they live.

If men would be strong in the faith, and strong in its defence, they
should accept nothing as part of their creed but what is strictly true.

There are passages which speak of the sun smiting men by day, and there
is one at least which speaks of the moon smiting men by night, and both,
for any thing I know, may be literally true. But suppose it were proved
that neither the sun n