122 THEOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS 



. Wherein lies the infallibility of the Word of God? 

 JSurely in its being suited in each stage of its produc- 

 [tion for correctly fulfilling the purpose of its inspira- 

 / tion. An infallible marksman is called infallible by 

 reason of his accurate shooting, but this infallibility 

 does not of itself make him a trustworthy authority 

 in Zoology. Nor is the spiritual value of a sermon or 

 book necessarily reduced by subsequent discovery that 

 its narratives and illustrative descriptions are scien- 

 Itifically inaccurate. The Bible is infallible for its 

 'inspired purpose; but if we insist upon connecting it 

 with other purposes, the error lies rather with our- 

 selves than with the Bible, properly employed. 



The evolutionary theory does not permit us to sup- 

 pose that man is of such recent origin as the narratives 

 of Genesis seem to imply; and the evolutionary order 

 of the origin of species differs from the biblical order. 

 These and other deviations of the narratives of Genesis 

 from the accepted results of scientific investigation 

 have to be acknowledged, if we obey the requirements 

 of modern intelligence. And why should we fear to 

 obey them? The narratives which are found to be 

 unsuited for certain non-biblical purposes do not, for 

 this reason, cease to be divinely chosen vehicles of 

 eternal truth, and unassailable when thus regarded. 

 Their scientific limitations are as useful to modern 

 biblical readers as they were necessary when the nar- 

 ratives in question were first published in Israel. 

 This is so because, apart from just such an exhibition 

 of the general ideas of ancient peoples, we should be 



