34 



CONSTANCE L. MAYNABD ON 



deep-hidden. One would like to see as well as to feel and to 

 touch. 



Now that the dark tunnel is behind me, and I have run out into 

 an. atmosphere of light and freedom, it is possible that a state- 

 ment may help. Some, who live secluded lives, may be content 

 with the creed, " Fear not; only believe," which Bishop Light- 

 foot found such a help in moments of difHculty ; but those who 

 are surrounded with the clamour of the world of Students must 

 have some rational explanation to offer, must be able " to give a 

 reason for the hope " that is in them, even though it be coupled 

 with " fear " as well as meekness. So let me try. 



The Bible has an outer shell as well as an inner kernel. Every- 

 thing, while we are in this world, has a body as well as a soul ; 

 we as individuals have, and the Church of Christ has, and even 

 our Lord had. Take the Bible down from your shelf and look 

 at it like any other book : what is it about ? It is a very 

 ancient record, and it contains History, Legislation, Ethics, 

 Poetry, Narratives, Proverbs, Parables, and almost every form 

 of literature. Far, far more. These things are the mere channels 

 of a Divine Eevelation continued through centuries ; they are the 

 outer form of an immortal soul that can rule the whole world. 

 Yes, true. But first admit that it has a body, and that here is 

 a region where learning is a great help. What is a critic? In 

 some people's minds he seems to be nothing but an anarchist, 

 pulling down sacred things, and destroying everything he touches ! 

 An art critic is not so; it is true he may point out to you faked 

 things and show that what you thought was a Eaphael is not so, 

 but he also can discover treasures where you cannot. A critic 

 is an expert in one line of knowledge, whether history, 

 archaBology, philology, or anything else. He knows more than 

 you and I do, and therefore should be listened to. In some things 

 he brings forward corroborations of the Bible narrative ; monu- 

 ments and inscriptions are innumerable, and all to the good. But 

 do you care so very much about these matters? I do not. They 

 deal only with the shell. I do not want especially to know about 

 Tiglath-pileser, and about the discovery of cylinders of cuniform 

 writing giving the history of Sargon, who is incidentally once 

 mentioned in Isaiab. It is all right just in passing, but it does not 

 go near the supreme truths I want to know. And it is exactly 

 the same when their verdict seems to be adverse to our accepted 

 ideas. Perhaps I may here bring forward the stock example, 

 though doubtless you have heard it a score of times. Most 

 critics say that it is about as likely that Moses wrote Deuteronomy 

 as that In Memoriam- was written by Spenser, who wrote The 

 Faerie Queene. They are not quite all agreed, and it is pathetic 

 to see how Christian people catch at the doubt, as though their 

 life depended on it. I cannot make myself care about the date 



