and the sun
standing still, and the walls falling at the blowing of horns? A.
"They may be legends, myths, poems, or what they will, but they are not
the Word of God. So I say again, it was not the God and Father of us
all who inspired the woman to drive that nail crashing through the
king's temple after she had given him that bowl of milk and bid him
sleep in safety, but a very mean Devil of hatred and revenge that I
should hardly expect to find in a squaw on the plains. It was not the
ram's horns and the shouting before which the walls fell flat. If they
went down at all, it was through good solid pounding. And not for an
instant did the steady sun stand still or let his planet stand still
while barbarian fought barbarian. He kept just the time then he keeps
now. They might believe it who made the record. I do not. And since
the whole Christian world might believe it, still we do not who gather
in this church. A free and reasonable mind stands right in our way.
Newton might believe it as a Christian and disbelieve it as a
philosopher. We stand then with the philosopher against the Christian,
for we must believe what is true to us in the last test, and these
things are not true."

SECOND, REV. DR. THOMAS.

Question. What is your opinion of the Old Testament? Answer. "My
opinion is that it is not one book, but many--thirty-nine books bound
up in one. The date and authorship of most of these books are wholly
unknown. The Hebrews wrote without vowels and without dividing the
letters into syllables, words or sentences. The books were gathered up
by Ezra. At that time only two of the Jewish tribes remained. All
progress had ceased. In gathering up the sacred book, copyists
exercised great liberty in making changes and additions."

Q. Yes, we know all that, but is the Old Testament inspired? A. "There
maybe the inspiration of art, of poetry, or oratory; of patriotism--and
there are such inspirations. There are moments when great truths and
principles come to men. They seek the man and not the man them."

Q. Yes, we will admit that, but is the Bible inspired? A. "But still
I know of no way to convince any one of spirit and inspiration and God
only as His reason may take hold of these things."

Q. Do you think the Old Testament true? A. "The story of Eden may be
an allegory; the history of the children of Israel may have mistakes."

Q. Must inspiration claim infallibility? A. "It is a mist