ted much labor, since they mutually supplement and
illustrate each other in many ways. We understand the books of Samuel
and Kings more fully by comparison with the books of Chronicles, and the
reverse. Each of the four gospels sheds light on the other three. It is
by placing the three accounts of Paul's conversion side by side that we
gain the most perfect knowledge of this event. The numerous coincidences
between the Acts of the Apostles and the Pauline epistles, give us a
fuller idea of the apostle's inward life and outward labors than we
could otherwise gain. Without the epistles the biographical notices of
the Acts would be very incomplete; without the narrative of the Acts
many references in the epistles would remain obscure.

Yet these same historic parallelisms, which are the source of so much
light, are the occasion of difficulties also, which require for their
adjustment a comprehensive view of the spirit of inspiration. In respect
to all essential matters of faith and practice, a divine unity pervades
the Holy Scriptures. But this essential unity does not exclude diversity
of conception and representation. Though all the "holy men of God spake
as they were moved by the Holy Ghost," it pleased the divine Spirit to
leave them free to speak each in accordance with his individual
peculiarities of thought and language. A page from the writings of the
apostle John, taken anywhere at random, can be at once distinguished
from a page of Paul or Luke. In relating the same transaction, two
inspired writers often select different materials, or handle them in a
different way. The narrative of each is truthful, but not exhaustive. It
gives a correct view of the thing related, but not all the particulars
connected with it. The omission from two or more parallel narratives of
concomitant circumstances, or the neglect of exact chronological order,
sometimes makes the work of harmonizing them a very difficult matter. We
feel confident that each separate narrative is correct, and that, had we
all the accompanying circumstances in the true order of time, we could
see _how_ they are consistent with each other; but for want of this
light the exact mode of reconciliation remains doubtful. Such
difficulties are incident to all parallel histories. Had the Holy Spirit
seen good, he could have excluded them from the pages of inspiration;
but herein he chose to deal with us not as children, but rather as men
"of full age, even those who,