7
1
7
download/literature/watchtower/1903-14.pdf
../literature/watchtower/1903/14/1903-14-1.html
VOL.
XXIV
ALLEGHENY,
PA.,
JLJLY
15,
1903
No.
14
VIEWS
FROM
THE
WATCH
TOWER
HOW
SHALL
WE
UNDERSTAND
THEM?
before
Christ-after
the
return
of
the
Israelites
from
the
Baby
lonian
captivity.
The
claim
is
that
these
books
are
pious
frauds,
having
little,
if
any,
foundation
In
truth.
Dr.
Pen
niman,
the
lecturer,
was
not
in
sympathy
with
such
open
in
fidelity.
He
was
glad,
therefore,
when
the
excavations
he
men
tioned
disclosed
certain
outside
information,
corroborative
of
some
of
the
statements
of
Genesis.
We
are
glad
that
the
Doctor
is
with
us
thus
far;
but
we
regret
to
note
that
he
is
so
trnctured
with
the
spirit
of
higher
criticism
that
the
re
searches
which
he
mentions
have
not
convinced
him
that
the
Bible
is
of
divine
origin,
and,
therefore,
unqualIfiedly
true.
He
merely
aumits
that
It
is
not
unqualifiedly
false--that
these
fi:'lulllgS
prove
that
there
is
some
reliability
in
the
Scriptural
account
i-but
he
evidently
is
(l,S
far
from
accepting
the
Bible
narrative
as
it
stands,
as
are
the
most
destructive
of
the
higher
critics.
The
chronology
of
the
Bible
is
so
thoroughly
interwoven
with
its
narrative
that
the
two
are
bound
up
together
as
web
antI
"oaf:
to
destroy
the
one
destroys
the
other;
to
invalidate
the
one
invalidates
the
other;
to
corroborate
the
one
corrobo
rates
the
other.
There
is
no
question
whatever
that
the
Bible
contains
a
chronological
chain
down
to
the
Babylonian
captiVIty-even
the
captious
find
it
impossible
to
disagree
more
than
128
years
with
what
we
have
presented
as
the
chronology
of
the
Bible;
-and
then
they
must
make
that
period
shorter
than
we
do
instead
of
longer.
No
kind
of
reasoning
or
figuring
based
on
the
BIble
statements
of
chronology
can
extend
the
period
from
the
creation
to
the
birth
of
our
Lord
beyond
4,128
years
which
we
have
absigned
to
the
period.
Dr.
Penniman,
as
the
dean
of
a
university,
and
a
lecturer
upon
this
subject,
is
of
course
thoroughly
a
\\
are
of
these
facts.
Yet
how
strange
It
is
that
he
should
address
an
auJience
as
a
champion
of
the
Bible,
and
at
the
same
time
discredit
the
Bible
by
as!:'erting,
'ts
he
doe::!,
that
man
harl
been
on
the
earth
some
ten
thousand
years
prror
to
the
Christian
era!
If
this
gentleman
is
a
friend
of
the
Bible,
the
latter
has
good
reason
to
cry
out,
"Save
me
from
my
friends!"
If
the
Doctor
is
a
disbeliever
in
the
Bible,
and
is
posing
as
its
friend
and
champion,
he
is
occupying
a
dishonest
and
dis
honorable
position.
In
any
event,
the
Bible
is
far
better
off
without
such
friends
and
such
champions.
Whether
inten
tionally
or
unintentionally,
they
are
serving
the
cause
of
infidel
ity-they
are
overthrowing
faith
in
the
Word
of
God.
True.
we
are
to
expect
just
such
things
at
this
particular
time,
for
the
Apostle
assures
us
that
every
man's
faith-structure
shall
be
tried
so
as
by
fire;
and
that
all
the
wood,
hay
and
stubble
shall
be
destroyed.
We
are,
of
course,
sure
that
those
who
have
built
their
faith
according
to
the
direction
of
the
Lord's
Word,
upon
the
proper
foundation,
and
with
the
proper
materials,
the
gold,
silver,
precious
stones
of
divine
truth,
the
Word
of
God,-these
will
never
fail,
will
never
be
stumbled,
but
will
come
off
con
querors.
But
we
also
know
that
this
class
is
a
remarkably
small
one,
out
of
the
millions
of
Christendom.
Let
us
not
be
surprised,
then,
that
the
"fire
of
this
day
shall
try
every
man's
work,
of
what
sort
it
is."
Let
us,
on
the
contrary,
take
the
more
earnest
heed
and
the
more
firmly
hold
on
to
the
things
which
we
have
received
of
the
Lord,
which
in
thc
end
will
shine
forth
gloriously
bright
and
convincing
to
the
whole
world
of
mankind.
(211-212)
VARYING
DEGREES
OF
UNBELIEF
The
"higher
critics"
differ
considerably.
It
would
be
amus
ing,
were
it
not
so
serious
a
subject,
to
note
how
the
one
class
upbraids
the
other
for
"destructive
criticIsm
of
the
Word
of
God,"
and
then
in
the
same
article
proceeds
along
the
same
lines,--only
a
little
less
destructive
of
the
faith
For
instance,
note
the
following
from
the
Presbyterian
Standard:-
"On
Sunday
last
Dr.
Josiah
Penniman,
dean
of
the
Uni
versity
of
Pennsylvania,
delivered
an
exceeJingly
interesting
addres8
or
lay
sermon
from
the
pulpit
of
the
Asheville
Presby
t('nan
church
at
the
morning
hour,
in
which
he
told
of
the
rl'mar
kable
revelation~
made
by
pick
and
shovel
in
excavating
the
Sltp
of
the
ancient
city
of
Chalneh
in
the
valley
of
the
Euphrates.
This
city
is
mentioned
in
Gen.
10:
10,
and
the
WOl
k
of
lEgging
it
out
has
been
done
by
the
umversity
of
l'ennbjdvaIUa
during
the
last
thirteen
~years.
The
destructive
el
itrC8
bay
that
the
art
of
writing
wag
not
known
at
the
time
of
AlJraham.
But
the
Umversity
of
Pennsylvania
has
exhumed
more
than
forty
thomantI
burnt
clay
tablets
full
of
written
records
dating
back
4,000
years
before
the
ChrJbtran
era,
and
80
2,000
ypal
s
before
the
time
of
AlJraham.
The
destructive
el
itics
say
that
the
war
of
the
kmgg
as
recorUell
in
Gen.
14
is
all
a
myth,
as
at
that
early
age·
of
the
world
such
armies
could
not
have
been
collected.
But
on
some
of
the
40,000
tablets
in
the
possession
of
the
University
of
Pennsylvania
taken
from
the
bite
of
thiS
ancient
city,
the
nameg
of
the
very
kings
who
carried
on
this
war
are
given
just
as
they
are
recorJeJ
in
Gen.
14,
anJ
some
of
the
spoils
WlllCh
they
carried
off
from
Chalneh
have
been
found
in
excavating
the
ancient
city
of
Susa.
"These
excavations
have
up~et
the
already
tottering
chron
ology
of
usher
and
have
put
the
existence
of
man
on
the
earth
lJacl
...
some
10,000
years
before
the
Christian
era,
and
they
show
the
eXistence
of
a
high
civilizatIOn
at
that
early
period.
The
work
of
exhuming
Chalneh
beg
em
on
what
seemed
to
be
merely
a
mound
of
sand
in
a
desert
of
drifting
sand.
The
dome
of
a
building
was
soon
reached,
which
proved
to
be
a
magnificent
temple
of
Baal,
of
whose
worship
this
city
was
the
center.
The
temple
had
been
covereJ
to
the
depth
of
more
than
forty
feet
from
its
base
by
the
drifting
sands.
Among
other
curiosities
found
in
adjacent
buildings
was
the
strong
room
of
a
real
estate
and
banking
house,
containing
certificates
of
deposit,
title
(lel'lls,
tax
receipts
and
the
like,
all
on
baked
clay
tablets
and
beautifully
written
in
cuneiform
characters,
and
they
read
very
much
like
similar
'papers'
in
a
modern
real
estate
dealer's
ofIice.
"Dr.
Penniman
had
beautiful
photographs
of
the
buildings
in
the
city,
which
were
strong,
massive
and
imposing,
and
very
much
like
the
best
buildings
in
our
modern
cities.
The
names
of
the
various
kings
and
dynasties
are
given,
with
the
dates
of
each,
which
extend
back
to
a
period
2,000
years
before
Abra
ham,
or
to
the
trme
of
Adam,
according
to
our
common
chron
ology.
'"nut
the
pick
and
the
shovel
went
deeper,
and
the
very
sur
prising
discovery
was
made
that
this
ancient
city
of
Chalneh
waR
built
on
the
site
of
a
stIll
more
ancient
city
beneath
it,
vf
which
there
seems
to
have
been
no
memory
or
tradition
at
the
fouJ](ling
of
the
city
of
Chalneh.
This
city
dated
back
at
leaRt
4,000
years
more,
or
to
a
period
8,000
years
before
the
Chri"tian
pra.
Its
inhabitants,
whoever
they
were,
were
very
skilled
builders,
and
had
massive
stone
houses
and
temples
several
stories
high,
in
wlllch
the
arch
IS
freely
used.
The
arch
was
unknown
to
the
Egyptians
or
to
the
Greeks
or
to
any
of
the
ppople~
whom
we
call
'the
ancients,'
and
is
considered
a.
Roman
invention.
But
the
modern
pick
and
shovel
unearths
The
question
naturally
arises,
if
honorable
men,
students
it
w!wre
the
sand>l
of
the
desert
had
buried
it
so
deep
that
all
"learned
in
all
the
learning
of
the
Egyptians,"
find
in
the
ruins
memory
and
tradition
of
the
mighty
builders
who
invented
it
of
ancient
CIvilization
evidences
satrsfactory
to
them
that
man
and
URea
it
some
8,000
to
10,000
years
before
Christ
had
passed
has
been
on
the
earth
at
least
six
thousand
years
longer
than
ll\\ay
from
among
men;
and
what
has
been
considered
an
in-
the
Bible
records
teach,
how
shall
the
average
person
of
me-
\
ention
of
the
Romans
was
really
one
of
the
'lost
arts'
of
a
dium
ability
and
intelligence
and
opportunities
determine
what
h1l!hly
ciVIlized
people
who
liypd
and
built
and.
wrote
and
is
the
truth
on
this
subject?
If
he
cannot
rely
upon
the
thought
and
perished,
and
the
record
of
them
and
of
their
savants,
upon
whom
or
upon
what
can
he
rely?
doing'S
has
lam
for
probably
a
hundred
centuries
so
deep
be-
We
answer,
that
the
savants
base
their
estimates
on
their
neath
the
sands
that
tlwir
burial
place
was
used
hy
other
men
guesses,-and
their
guesses
vary
according
to
their
mental
as
a
place
for
their
building;
and
these
in
turn
were
buried
makeup.
Many
of
them
guess
that
man
has
been
on
the
earth
in
the
sand,
the
removal
of
which
shows
that
the
Bible
record
for
millions
of
years;
others,
like
Dr.
Penniman,
congratulate
is
accurately
true
in
its
minute
details,
for
while
man
must
themselves
upon
getting
their
faith
down
to
a
difference
of
only
come
and
man
must
go,
the
Word
of
God
abideth
forever."
six
thousand
years
from
the
Bible
standpoint;
but
the
humble
*
*
*
child
of
God,
who
has
made
a
proper
use
of
the
opportunities
All
should
recognize
clearly
and
distinctly
what
is
implied
now
within
his
reach,
has
learned
to
have
little
confidence
in
by
the
foregoing.
It
means
that
the
lecturer
wholly
di!:'agrees
the
guesses
of
the
savants
and
higher
critics,
in
proportion
as
with
that
open
form
of
infidelity
which
denies
the
Bible
in
toto,
he
has
learned
to
have
great
confidence
in
the
Bible
as
a
divine
claiming
that
the
books
of
Moses,
as
well
as
the
books
of
the
revelation.
Those
who
will
be
easily
moved
to
doubt
the
re-
prophets
of
the
Old
Testament,
were
written
only
a
short
time
liability
of
the
Scriptures,
under
the
instructions
of
its
inju.
[~220]
Vou. XXIV pny ae nate ALLEGHENY, PA., JULY 15, 1903 No. 14 ee VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER VARYING DEGREES OF UNBELIEF The “higher critics” differ considerably. It would be amusing, were it not so serious a subject, to note how the one class upbraids the other for “destructive criticism of the Word of God,” and then in the same article proceeds along the same lines,—only a little less destructive of the faith For instance, note the following from the Presbyterian Standard :— “On Sunday last Dr. Josiah Penniman, dean of the University of Pennsylvania, delivered an exceedingly interesting address or lay sermon from the pulpit of the Asheville Presbyterran church at the morning hour, in which he told of the remarkable revelations made by pick and shovel in excavating the site of the ancient city of Chalneh in the valley of the Euphrates. This city is mentioned in Gen. 10:10, and the work of digging it out has been done by the University of Pennsylvania during the last thirteen years. The destructive clities say that the art of writing was not known at the time of Abraham. But the University of Pennsylvania has exhumed more than forty thousand burnt clay tablets full of written records dating back 4,000 years before the Christian era, and 80 2,000 years before the time of Abraham. The destructive cilities say that the war of the kings as recorded in Gen. 14 is all a myth, as at that early age-of the world such armies could not have been collected. But on some of the 40,000 tablets in the possession of the University of Pennsylvania taken from the site of this ancient city, the names of the very kings who carried on this war are given just as they are recorded in Gen. 14, and some of the spoils which they carried off from Chalneh have been found in excavating the ancient city of Susa. “These excavations have upset the already tottering chronology of Usher and have put the existence of man on the earth back some 10,000 years before the Christian era, and they show the existence of a high civilization at that early period. The work of exhuming Chalneh began on what seemed to be merely a mound of sand in a desert of drifting sand. The dome of a building was soon reached, which proved to be a magnificent temple of Baal, of whose worship this city was the center. The temple had been covered to the depth of more than forty feet from its base by the drifting sands. Among other curiosities found in adjacent buildings was the strong room of a real estate and banking house, containing certificates of deposit, title deeds, tax receipts and the like, all on baked clay tablets and beautifully written in cuneiform characters, and they read very much like similar ‘papers’ in a modern real estate dealer’s office. “Dr. Penniman had beautiful photographs of the buildings in the city, which were strong, massive and imposing, and very much like the best buildings in our modern cities. The names of the various kings and dynasties are given, with the dates of each, which extend back to a period 2,000 years before Abraham, or to the time of Adam, according to our common chronology. “But the pick and the shovel went deeper, and the very surprising discovery was made that this ancient city of Chalneh was built on the site of a still more ancient city beneath it, of which there seems to have been no memory or tradition at the founding of the city of Chalneh. This city dated back at least. 4,000 years more, or to a period 8,000 years before the Christian era. Its inhabitants, whoever they were, were very skilled builders, and had massive stone houses and temples several stories high, in which the arch 1s freely used. The arch was unknown to the Egyptians or to the Greeks or to any of the peoples whom we call ‘the ancients,’ and is considered a Roman invention. But the modern pick and shovel unearths it where the sands of the desert had buried it so deep that all memory and tradition of the mighty builders who invented it and used it some 8,000 to 10,000 years before Christ had passed away from among men; and what has been considered an invention of the Romans was really one of the ‘lost arts’ of a highly civilized people who lived and built and wrote and thought and perished, and the record of them and of their doings has lain for probably a hundred centuries so deep beneath the sands that their burial place was used hy other men as a place for their building; and these in turn were buried in the sand, the removal of which shows that the Bible record is accurately true in its minute details, for while man must come and man must go, the Word of God abideth forever.” * * * All should recognize clearly and distinctly what is implied by the foregoing. It means that the lecturer wholly disagrees with that open form of infidelity which denies the Bible in toto, claiming that the books of Moses, as well as the books of the prophets of the Old Testament, were written only a short time (211-212) before Christ—after the return of the Israelites from the Babylonian captivity. The claim is that these books are pious frauds, having little, if any, foundation in truth. Dr. Penniman, the lecturer, was not in sympathy with such open infidelity. He was glad, therefore, when the excavations he mentioned disclosed certain outside information, corroborative of some of the statements of Genesis. We are glad that the Doctor is with us thus far; but we regret to note that he is so tinctured with the spirit of higher criticism that the researches which he mentions have not convinced him that the Bible is of divine origin, and, therefore, unqualifiedly true. He merely admits that it is not unqualifiedly false—that these findings prove that there is some reliability in the Scriptural account ;—but he evidently is as far from accepting the Bible narrative as it stands, as are the most destructive of the higher critics. The chronology of the Bible is so thoroughly interwoven with its narrative that the two are bound up together as web and woof: to destroy the one destroys the other; to invalidate the one invalidates the other; to corroborate the one corroborates the other. There is no question whatever that the Bible contains a chronological chain down to the Babylonian captivity—even the captious find it impossible to disagree more than 128 years with what we have presented as the chronology of the Bible; -—and then they must make that period shorter than we do instead of longer. No kind of reasoning or figuring based on the Bible statements of chronology can extend the period from the creation to the birth of our Lord beyond 4,128 years which we have assigned to the period. Dr. Penniman, as the dean of a university, and a lecturer upon this subject, is of course thoroughly aware of these facts. Yet how strange it is that he should address an audience as a champion of the Bible, and at the same time discredit the Bible by asserting, as he does, that man had been on the earth some ten thousand years prior to the Christian era! if this gentleman is a friend of the Bible, the latter has good reason to cry out, “Save me from my friends!” If the Doctor is a disbeliever in the Bible, and is posing as its friend and champion, he is occupying a dishonest and dishonorable position. In any event, the Bible is far better off without such friends and such champions, Whether intentionally or unintentionally, they are serving the cause of infidelity—they are overthrowing faith in the Word of God. True, we are to expect just such things at this particular time, for the Apostle assures us that every man’s faith-structure shall be tried so as by fire; and that all the wood, hay and stubble shall be destroyed. We are, of course, sure that those who have built their faith according to the direction of the Lord’s Word, upon the proper foundation, and with the proper materials, the gold, silver, precious stones of divine truth, the Word of God,—these will never fail, will never be stumbled, but will come off conquerors. But we also know that this class is a remarkably small one, out of the millions of Christendom. Let us not be surprised, then, that the “fire of this day shall try every man’s work, of what sort it is.” Let us, on the contrary, take the more earnest heed and the more firmly hold on to the things which we have received of the Lord, which in the end will shine forth gloriously bright and convincing to the whole world of mankind. HOW SHALL WE UNDERSTAND THEM? The question naturally arises, if honorable men, students “learned in all the learning of the Egyptians,” find in the ruins of ancient civilization evidences satisfactory to them that man has been on the earth at least six thousand years longer than the Bible records teach, how shall the average person of medium ability and intelligence and opportunities determine what is the truth on this subject? Hf he cannot rely upon the savants, upon whom or upon what can he rely? We answer, that the savants base their estimates on their guesses,—and their guesses vary according to their mental makeup. Many of them guess that man has been on the earth for millions of years; others, like Dr. Penniman, congratulate themselves upon getting their faith down to a difference of onl six thousand years from the Bible standpoint; but the humble child of God, who has made a proper use of the opportunities now within his reach, has learned to have little confidence in the guesses of the savants and higher critics, in proportion as he has learned to have great confidence in the Bible us a divine revelation. Those who will be easily moved to doubt the reliability of the Scriptures, under the instructions of its inju [S220]
To enhance your experience on our website, we use cookies and similar technologies. Some cookies are essential for the core functionality of our site and cannot be declined. You can choose to accept or decline additional cookies. We want to assure you that none of this data will be sold or used for marketing purposes. You can adjust your preferences at any time by accessing the Privacy Settings from the footer of the page. For more information, please refer to our
Privacy Policy
Terms of Use
.
