72 JOURNAI, AND PROCEEDINGS 



The English Bible. 



A PAPER BY H. B. WITTON, SR. 



Read before the Hamilton Scientific Association^ 

 April 25th, 1901. 



Books that expound the faith, worship and ethical 

 doctrine of non-Christian peoples are called sacred, in 

 contradistinction to those which are secular. To that 

 designation no exception can be taken, as for centuries the 

 Christian world has appropriated the stronger and more 

 expressive title, Holy Bible, as the most fitting name for 

 distinguishing from all other books the Old and New 

 Testament scriptures. At one time serious stud}^ of strange 

 religions would have been tabooed, and occasionally it still 

 fails to be reciprocated. In early times, the disdain of men for 

 each other, because of diversity of speech, race and religion, 

 vented itself in such words of reproach as barbarian, gentile 

 and heathen ; and enough prejudice remains in the world to 

 prevent such words from becoming obsolete. They are, how- 

 ever, losing some of their old-time harshness ; and it is well 

 to bear in mind the sage advice of one whose wisdom was 

 gained from experience : " Never inay we fret over human 

 frailties, or jeer at them, or despair of their betterment." 



To what extent such asperities have become mollified is 

 apparent from the fact that investigation of historical 

 religions is now a favorite study. In every quarter of the 

 world the past has been forced to yield up some of its long- 

 buried secrets, and every civilized nation is aiding in the 

 work of their disinterment. So widespread are these 

 operations that any fitting individual appraisement of their 

 importance is impossible. For such a task books of general 

 information are now inadequate, and works for special 

 reference have become a necessity. But as a few samples of 



