Rationalists, "never
claimed such extraordinary functions as those with which orthodox
believers would now clothe them."

Toellner, a theological professor in Frankfort-on-the-Oder, wrote very
fully on inspiration, and his work was held in great repute by many of
the Rationalists who were inclined to supernaturalism. He held that the
will, the matter, the words, and the order of both the matter and the
words, might be objects of inspiration. But there are several degrees of
inspiration. Some books were written without inspiration of any kind,
and were only confirmed by God. In the Old Testament, Moses might have
been directed to a choice of subjects, and his memory might have been
strengthened. So of the Psalms and Prophecies. There is no such thing
as inspiration of the historical books. It cannot be determined what
degree was employed in the New Testament. In the Acts there was nothing
more than natural inspiration. Luke and Mark were approved by the
apostles, hence their writings may be received. Morus held that
inspiration was sometimes only the inducing to write; sometimes an
admonition to do so; sometimes revelation; and sometimes only a guarding
from error.[40] Granting the Rationalistic denial of inspiration, we
have no solid ground for any portion of the Bible. We find, therefore,
that after this view had become prevalent the popular mind attached no
importance to God's revealed will. Interpolations were imagined at every
point of difficulty. Schroeckh gives a sketch of the deplorable state of
opinion on inspiration, when he says, "Inspiration was given
up--interpolations in Scripture were believed to exist. In the oldest
and partly in more recent history, instead of historical facts these
writers saw only allegories, myth, philosophical principles, and
national history. Where appearances of God and the angels, or their
immediate agency, are related, nothing was seen but Jewish images or
dreams. The explanation of all biblical books was pursued on new
principles. The _Song of Solomon_ was not mystical. The _Revelations_
contained no prophecy of the fortunes of the church."

Bitter indeed must have been the emotions of the devout Christian on
seeing the departure of inspiration from the opinions of the theological
leaders of that day. Infinitely more exquisite must have been his pain
than was that of the poet, who, sighing for the haunted and credulous
days of olden time, said:

"The intelligible forms