It is about as necessary to understand the things that prevent us from the investigation that would acquaint us with the word of God, as to know the things that will help, for even while we may be availing ourselves of assistance, we may be injured by many things that will so modify the favorable forces that we shall get but little benefit from them. We wish to know, therefore, the things that will hinder, as well as the things that will assist us to understand the word of the Lord.

      SEC. 16. A DESIRE TO PLEASE THE WORLD.

      (1.) It is not meant to say that all desire to please the world is wrong; indeed, we are required to please our neighbor for his good. No real man of God can have any interest in offending. For when we have offended the world, we have lost our power with them to do good, at least to a degree.

      (2.) But it is the inordinate desire to please the world that hinders a right interpretation. Many men have been decoyed from the truth by popular applause. They have said something that sounded like heresy, and it received the approbation of persons of means and standing, and, desiring more approval, they ventured on more and graver utterances of the same kind. If they did not absolutely run away into heterodox woods, they at least climbed up [36] to the top of the orthodox gate-post, and gave a longing look in that direction. And for that look they received a benefit. And then with vanity on the one hand and flattery on the other, all sorts of doctrines have been preached, to tickle itching ears, and bring the rounds of applause for which a vain heart palpitates. To such men the word of God may never have been very precious, but the honor that comes from men continually lessens their feeling of loyalty to divine authority, until they are willing to preach anything, true or false, if it will only give them favor with the people. They become willing to sell their pulpit, and themselves also, to the highest bidder. And the bid from the ungodly becomes a bribe to blind them to the truth.

      SEC. 17. THE BIBLE MADE THE PROPERTY OF THE PRIESTHOOD.

      (1.) This has been one of the great faults of the Catholic Church. In the decision of their councils, that the laity of the church should not read that book, lest they should reach wrong views, they have left it entirely to the control of those whose especial business it has been to furnish the people with a knowledge of heaven's will. This enables them to establish a monopoly of interpretation. So that, to the people, the Bible is not the book itself; but the meaning of the book, as interpreted by the priesthood, is to them the Bible. All the restraints are thus removed from these men, and they are at liberty to interpret the Bible in that way that will best suit their purposes. This kind of power is always dangerous, as well in this respect, as in any other.

      If, in answer to this, it shall be said that only the more ignorant of the membership of that church are thus prohibited, and that many of them are at liberty to [37] read the Bible, and that they are encouraged to do so, I am willing to grant that such is the case in some places, and especially of late. But this does not remove the correctness of our position nor the justness of our charge. Much has been done in opposition to the thought that the common people can understand the word of God; and in this way it has been kept from their hands.

      (2.) Our Protestantism is an improvement, perhaps, but not such an improvement as will give us any particular cause of boasting. The creeds that are in use have been made a long time, at a time when knowledge was lower and prejudices were higher than at present. And yet in the light of these catechisms we have been compelled to conduct our investigations. So it has not been, even to Protestants, so much, "What does the Bible say on the subject?" as, "What does the creed or catechism say?"

      (3.) There, has descended to us a kind of reverence for authority found in great names, that is very hurtful. These authorities have been canonized by us, and are not to be disturbed. This is partly because of superstition from which we are not yet free, and partly from laziness that makes us willing to accept statements, rather than look for the truth ourselves. In this way errors are handed down from one generation to another, for centuries, without having been suspected of being untrue. Some great man has made a hasty statement, which, at the time, he intended only to be understood as a kind of guess, and then it has been copied by one after another, till a dozen or twenty scholars can be quoted as holding that view; and this will be evidence enough for the faith of all the rest, for centuries to come.

      (4.) It is not intended to encourage disrespect [38] for candor and learning. Authors may be used as aids in study of the Scriptures, as well as in the study of any thing else, but it should be remembered that nothing but the word of God will do as a guide for the faith and practice of His people. We should accept of the assistance of these great men in getting that knowledge, but nothing more. Reformations have been checked, and really prevented, by too much reverence for the reformers. They have had but a single truth which they have urged before the world. That they saw with great clearness. On many other points they have been weak, like other men. But their admirers have stereotyped them as the sum of all intelligence, and refused to have any view of theirs called in question. This has resulted in making these men the standard of doctrine, and preventing the world from learning anything else than what they learned under the most difficult circumstances.

      SEC. 18. USING THE BIBLE TO PROVE DOCTRINES, IS A GREAT SOURCE OF MISUNDERSTANDING.--The Bible is not a book with which to prove doctrines; it is the doctrine itself. Almost anything can be proven to the man who wants to find the proof. It leads to a wrong use of the Scriptures, so that, instead of searching them for whatever they may contain, the doctrines have been first assumed, and then the Bible is compelled into some sort of recognition of the position. (See Dogmatical Method.)

      SEC. 19. MYSTICISM.--Spiritualizing the word of the Lord.--Instead of regarding it as a sensible communication from the God of heaven, it is turned into a kind of Samson's riddle, and made to say almost anything except that which it meant to say. (See Mystic Method.)

      SEC. 20. MAKING THE BIBLE MERELY A BOOK OF [39] WONDERS.--The disposition manifested in this does not differ greatly from that which guides in the Mystic Method. And yet it is so treated by many persons who have not the slightest idea that they are influenced by like motives and feelings. It is treated as a kind of mental and spiritual museum--a box of curiosities. Men who search for quaint texts, and Sunday-school teachers who have their scholars searching for some strange question, are constantly contributing to that kind of disregard for the word of the Lord, though they do not intend it. The school is asked to tell how many times the word girl occurs in the Bible, or what was the name of David's mother, or what man had twelve toes; and the energies and time of the scholars are taken up with such incidentals, to no profit.

      SEC. 21. READING WITHOUT INTENDING OR EXPECTING TO UNDERSTAND IT.

      (1.) Reading from a sense of duty, or simply to have it to say that they have read it through. I have known persons who regarded it a duty to read the Bible through once a year, and having done this for a number of years in succession, they seemed quite fond of telling about it. This exercise will be something better than a pilgrimage to Mecca, but as a means of becoming acquainted with the Scriptures, it is very poor. If we should read any other book in this way, we would not be expected to know much of its contents. The mind must be fixed upon the thought and purpose of the work, with the intent of knowing what they are; and no more should be read than is understood, or at least partially digested.

      (2.) The Bible is read irregularly and without any system.--This is quite common in family worship. One time it is a Psalm; at another, it is a chapter from the [40] Gospels, or one from the Prophets. Something, of course, may be learned in this way, but not very much. Like the reading mentioned before, it leaves nothing except that which sticks to the mind of its own accord. It comes from the want of method, which will be more fully discussed in another place. (See Chapter on Methods.)

      (3.) Reading only favorite Scriptures.--This is pardonable, to a degree, in a hobbyist. A man who has a particular hobby to ride, may be expected to know but little of the Scriptures outside of the round of texts that can be made to harmonize with his doctrine. These he has thoroughly committed--at least, he has the places well marked, and quite well worn. Now and then I find a Bible owned by one of these men, and it is worn out at his favorite texts, and perfectly new everywhere else. But there are many others who treat their Bibles much in the same way. They have their favorite, chapters, which they read-again and again to the neglect of other and equally weighty Scriptures. If any other study should be pursued in this way, no one would expect anything to be gained by the effort. If a student should come into school and study only the chapters and sections in his book which he preferred, he would know but little more at the conclusion than at the beginning of his studies.

      There are a great many hindrances, which we will not now name, of the same kind. But let this suffice. Anything that will prevent thorough and continued study, will prevent knowledge, to the full extent of its influence. Whether we read hurriedly or slowly is a small matter, for each has some advantages; but the reading that is not pondered, is nearly worthless. [41]

      SEC. 22. INTERPRETING FROM SINISTER MOTIVES. (1.) This is frequently done to save property.--Being found in the possession of goods that it is not right for us to have, we begin to excuse ourselves by some peculiar theory on that subject. Then the mind is drawn out in the defense, not simply of the theory, but of the property which the theory protects. We did not first advocate slavery in this country, and then seek the slaves. The property came into our possession, we could scarcely say how. And rather than to let the servants go, the Bible was brought into the defense of the institution. Legislators make laws to shield themselves in the possession of property, and many interpret law for personal gain, or for protection in the business which they know to be ruinous to the people. Of course they will quote and apply the Scriptures in the same way. Many, perhaps, do no intentional wrong in the matter. They have simply permitted themselves to become blinded by their own interests. This desire for security in their business and property, colors all their interpretations and vitiates all their exegesis.

      (2.) A wish to do as we please; to continue our customs, or begin new ones which we prefer.--Many men to-day are in the condition of the prophet Balaam; they are very anxious to do and say whatever the Lord may direct, provided the Lord will direct them to do and say the things they prefer. When Judah heard that his daughter-in-law had played the harlot, he was so indignant that he wished her to be burned; but when she showed the cane and the bracelets, which he had left with her, there was a wonderful modulation in the tone. In the days of Christ, the Pharisees and lawyers were ready to lay grievous burdens on the shoulders of others, [42] but they were not willing to touch one of them with even a little finger. The rules they would make for others were strict, but those they would make for themselves would be quite different. So it has ever been with the world. I knew a man who had a hobby on marriage. He was of the opinion that no man could marry twice without being a polygamist--in heaven, if not on the earth. His wife might die, but that had nothing to do with it; if he married again he would be guilty of polygamy. You could not talk with him five minutes without having his hobby brought out and made to canter in your presence. But his wife died, and in less than a year from that time his theology changed on that point. Almost anything that men want to do, they can find some text of Scripture that will sound like giving it support. And it is exceedingly difficult to make any man see that he has been preaching that which is not true. He has posed before the people on that subject, and is not willing to incur the humiliation of saying, "I was wrong, and my opponents were right." The question, "How religiously dishonest can an honest man be?" is hard to answer. Whether this is the right way to state it or not, may be doubted; but one thing is certain--a man's wishes will blind his mind to the truth, if they happen to be on the contrary side. During the last war, good men would read the same dispatches, and reach opposite conclusions from them. During a political campaign they will do the same. We should be as far above such prejudice as possible.

      (3.) Sectarianism is responsible for much of the wrong interpretation that prevents the world from knowing the truth.--The desire to be with the successful party, furnishes a strong temptation to use the Scriptures so that [43] the party shall be approved. Indeed, the love of party will develop genius in its maintenance. In political matters, it is not strange that men will bend the truth for party purposes, and interpret all facts according to the interests involved. But that good people will i do this in matters of salvation, seems out of place. If we were listening to such a statement for the first time, we would not be willing to accept the charge without a wide margin on which to write exceptions. But facts are stubborn things; the world does very frequently subordinate the truth to the interests of sectarian preferences. It is possible for well-meaning people to be blinded by these things. They get into an argument, and are put to the worse; and, being sure that their position is correct, and yet not being able to make it appear, they are ready to seize any passage that can be made to do even temporary service. In their sober moments they would say that the interpretation of the passage in hand was not the correct one; but not seeing what else to do at the time, they give that exegesis to push back the opponent till they can have time to cast about for something better to say. But for the sectarian prompting, nothing of the kind would have occurred. Prompted by their love for their party, or, perhaps, what is worse, their hatred for the opposite one, they become willing that the word of God shall be misrepresented for the time. They find themselves in the heat of battle, and, anything then to win-at least, to prevent defeat. This interpreting the Bible for party ends is one of the greatest hindrances of to-day, to a correct knowledge of the revelation of God to men. How to avoid this, and yet retain the parties, is difficult to say. About all that we are now warranted in saying is, that it is needful to [44] put everything out of the mind but the desire to know the truth of God when we open His book. Let go, as far as possible, everything of self and sect, and free the mind and heart from every wish or interest that may, in any way, prevent the knowledge of the word and will of the Lord.

      (4.) Moral or practical atheism.--This is the disposition to do as we please about divine things. There is a feeling of indifference as to what God may have said on the subject. Men are ready to conclude that it matters little whether they do God's way or not. In their opinion, it will do well enough to obey the Lord in His commands, but it is not essential. If they do not prefer to do the Lord's way, He will accept them while they do their way. These persons may believe that there is a God; they may believe that He is the author of the Bible; but it has not entered their minds that it makes any particular difference whether they do His will or not. This is practical atheism. Like the Samaritans of old, they fear the Lord and serve other gods. With such views of the authority of Jehovah, it is not possible to have any correct understanding of the Scriptures. Everything is vitiated by such heedlessness:

      SEC. 23. THIRST FOR DISTINCTION: DESIRE TO BE KNOWN AS PERSONS OF LEADING THOUGHT.

      Whatever of desire there may be to do good, by bringing out the meaning of the word of God, is certainly laudable. Or if there be a wish to excel in this effort to benefit the world, it is to be allowed and encouraged; but when the ambitious mind has only in view the exaltation of self, the exegete comes to stand in the way of every other effort than that which he is making, and his thirst for distinction even prevents the acceptance [45] of the plain and simple truth of the gospel. Scientists do this, sometimes, and stop all investigation respecting everything on which they have pronounced. Lest they should not be regarded as the end of all wisdom, they go to work to destroy every hypothesis that, in any way, seems to call in question any position which they have taken. So do these, for the purpose of maintaining a reputation for independence of thought, adopt anything and everything that promises to bring them to public view. One man was capable of finding all the ordinances of the church in the book of Job. And all the quaint or curious things from first to last, have come from this desire for leadership. Hence they must find in the Scriptures what no one else has been able to find, or their claim to acuteness will not be well maintained.

      SEC. 24. EFFORTS TO HARMONIZE SCIENCE WITH THE BIBLE ARE DOING MUCH HARM.

      We have no objections to any investigation into the subject of science and revelation. But what we do object to, is the demand that Scripture interpretation must keep pace with the guesses of scientific speculators. Every new theory that is advanced demands a new hermeneutics. Words must he bent and shaded till they will fit the wards and cells of the new science.

      The old theologians took advantage of science, and declared that everything that did not accord with their interpretation of the Bible could not be true, and, therefore, should not be tolerated. This, of course, was very discouraging to scientific research. No man was at liberty to push his investigations beyond the creed of the church. All can now see the injustice and injury of such unrighteous jurisdiction.

      But in latter times it has been changed, so that the [46] scientist comes and sets himself up in a kind of espionage over the, interpreter of the word of God. These are both wrong, and both to be condemned. Before any man is ready to say that the Bible and science are not agreed, he should know two things: first, he should know all about the Bible; and second, he should know all about science. In the meantime, the best thing he can do will be to learn all he can of either one, or both.

      It is not to be denied that we may know some things, at least approximately, and that so far as facts have been really introduced and tested, we may be governed by them, just to the extent of our absolute knowledge. But no interpreter should trouble himself to make exegesis keep up with scientific hypotheses. Science has no more right to lord it over religion, than religion has to lord it over science. He who made the universe made the Bible, and when we come to understand them both, we will be delighted with their beautiful harmony. And it is, therefore, the privilege and duty of every man to push his investigations as far and as fast as he can. [47]

[HATB 36-47]