A correspondent of The Outlook takes the editor to task, in the issue for September 20, for representing the story of Abraham offering Isaac as a legend. But the editor stands his ground. He says:

      That the narrative of the trial of Abraham, by a divine command to sacrifice his son, is legendary, must be admitted, if one [402] accepts the results of learned researches accepted by such men as Professor Paton, of Hartford Theological Seminary, and Professor Curtis, of Yale Divinity School. These evangelical scholars agree with many others in holding the names of the Hebrew patriarchs before Moses to be tribal names, not personal.

      Yes; if we are to accept the "learned researches" of two professors who are well known as rejecting as false a great many things which the Bible records as true. Why did not the editor cite the latest authority on Abraham, and say that if we accept the learned researches of Professor Cheyne, it must be admitted that Abraham was a myth of the Chaldean moon-god? Cheyne is a higher authority than either Paton or Curtis, or both put together. And why any "if" about the matter? Why not say right out, that there never was such an individual as Abraham--that Jesus, and the apostles, and Moses, and all the prophets, were mistaken in thinking there was; and that the learned researches of modern scholars, who know absolutely nothing about Abraham, except what is written of him in the Scriptures, are to be accepted?

      We must suppose, according to this infidel theory, that when Jesus said to the Jews, "Ye shall see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of God, and yourselves cast out," he meant that they should see three of their old ancestral tribes there. When Jesus said, "Your father Abraham saw my day, and was glad," he either knew not what he was talking about, or he meant that a certain old Semitic tribe saw his day and was glad. So, when he quoted a conversation between Abraham and the rich man in Hades, it was not an individual named Abraham, but the old Semitic tribe, that carried on the conversation.

      In the Book of Genesis, Sarah was the wife of a [403] tribe, and not of an individual. She bore the tribe a son when she was ninety years old, and when she died the tribe buried her, and took another wife. The tribe Abraham sent to Paddan-Aram to get a wife for the tribe Isaac, and the tribe Esau threatened to slay the tribe Jacob, when the latter tribe went to the city of Haran and got four wives. The tribe Abraham finally died when it was 175 years old, and was buried in the cave of Machpelah. Hurrah for the learned researches of Professor Paton and Professor Curtis, and for the evergreen credulity of Editor Lyman Abbott. When shall the world see their like again?

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