nd without regard to _a priori_ notions about its nature and origin. It
is to be interpreted also with attention to the character of its
authors, and the prevailing state of civilization and knowledge, with
allowance for peculiarities of style and language, and modes of thought
and figures of speech; yet not without a sense, that, as we read, there
grows upon us the witness of God in the word, anticipating in a rude and
primitive age the truth that was to be, shining more and more unto the
perfect day in the life of Christ, which again is reflected from
different points of view in the teachings of his apostles."[189]

The old methods of interpretation, Jowett concludes, must give place to
this new and perfect system, for the growing state of science, the
pressing wants of man, and his elevated reason demand it. If this
liberal scheme be inaugurated we shall have a higher idea of truth than
is supplied by the opinion of mankind in general, or by the voice of
parties in a Church.

It is interesting to notice the opinions of the evangelical theologians
of Germany, who have long been accustomed to attacks upon Christianity,
concerning these English critics. "The authors of the essays," says
Hengstenberg, "have been trained in a German school. It is only the echo
of German infidelity which we hear from the midst of the English church.
They appear to us as parrots, with only this distinction, common among
parrots, that they imitate more or less perfectly. The treatise of
Temple is in its scientific value about equal to an essay written by the
pupils of the middle classes of our colleges.... The essay of Goodwin on
the Mosaic cosmogony displays the naive assurance of one who receives
the modern critical science from the second or tenth hand. The editor
[Hengstenberg] asked the now deceased Andreas Wagner, a distinguished
professor of natural sciences at the University of Munich, to subject
this treatise to an examination from the stand-point of natural science.
The offer was accepted, and the book given to him. But after some time
it was returned with the remark, that he must take back his promise, as
the book was beneath all criticism.... All these essays tend toward
Atheism. Their subordinate value is seen in the inability of their
authors to recognize their goal clearly, and in their want of courage to
declare this knowledge. Only Baden Powell forms in this respect an
exception. He uses several expressions, in which the gri