MOSAIC ORIGIN OP THJfi PENTATEUCH. 



55 



the word Elohim with the definite article, I only used that to show 

 that this rather remarkable usage is not confined to one book. 



As to David and Solomon offering sacrifices, I know of no passage 

 in the Old Testament that asserts that either of those kings offered 

 sacrifices with their own hands. It says that David builded an altar. 

 Did he do that with his own hands ? It says that he gave to the 

 assembly a portion of meat and bread. Did David go round and do 

 that himself ? It simply means that he commanded or allowed 

 sacrifices to be offered by the appropriate agent. As to the difference 

 between Kings and Chronicles, the one inspired with the spirit of 

 Deuteronomy and the other with the spirit of Leviticus, modern 

 history is written in exactly the same way : there is the secular 

 and the ecclesiastical point of view. 



Written Communications. 



The Rev. Canon R. B. Girdlestone, M.A. : I have read Mr. 

 Finn's paper with great interest, and agree with his view that the 

 Pentateuch is one and ancient ; but whilst the four books may be 

 regarded as authorised by Moses, the first was accepted by him as 

 having come down from Patriarchal times. He might be called the 

 inspired Redactor of it, but hardly the author. It was pre-Mosaic, 

 and covers a long period during which we now know that the art of 

 writing was carried on. See the code of Hammurabi (Abraham's 

 contemporary). The whole is a growth, and shows signs of strati- 

 fication. This is a fascinating subject for the true critic. Why, 

 e.g., do we find the Egyptian name Abih for the Paschal month, 

 and in later days Nisan ? 



Mr. Finn has noticed several of these points. In my book on the 

 *' Building up of the Old Testament," I have shown that Genesis 

 consists of contemporary historical materials, and is the fountain 

 of formulae which run through the rest of the books. It is Semitic 

 in language, and monotheistic in teaching throughout, and is the 

 Fountain-head of Promise and the Foundation on which the rest of 

 the Bible is built up. 



The Rev. Chancellor Lias, M.A. : I heartily congratulate the 

 Institute on Mr. Finn's excellent paper — the more so as it is the 

 complement rather than the continuation of the work he mentiono 



