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in the Quarterly is a long one, well worthy of consideration ; and I am only 
surprised that Mr. Row has not paid attention to it. 
Mr. Row. — I have read it. But what I said, according to Josephus, is 
unquestionable ; and we know that Drusilla and her son Felix perished 
in the eruption of Vesuvius. But I will not accept the assertion in the 
Quarterly Review as true, because I do not think the Quarterly Review can 
always be quoted as an unquestionable authority for facts 
Mr. Reddie. — Do you assert that Josephus mentions the eruption of 
Vesuvius ? 
Mr. Row.-— You will find the matter distinctly stated in Dean Alford’s 
Greek Testament. In such an age as the fifth century, if there had been an 
eruption of the mountains of Auvergne, it would have produced an immense 
effect upon the literature of the period ; yet we do not find in any of the 
great Church writers of that period any’reference to such a phenomenon 
Mr. Reddie. — I beg your pardon. The reviewer proves just the contrary. 
Mr. Row. — Well, if such a thing actually took place, it must have 
impressed itself more on the history of the period. Then Mr. Reddie seems 
to think that we should only look to philosophy, and endeavour to be always 
warring against it. But there is another issue raised when theologians 
come forward ; we must then endeavour to show what the Bible says and 
means. I would draw Mr. Reddie’s attention to the fact that some of his 
criticisms will not hold water at all. I wish Mr. Davison would read at this 
moment, for the benefit of the meeting, one or two little extracts which are 
important in a criticism of this kind, but which I cannot see to read myself 
Mr. Davison. — I will read them in my concluding remarks. 
Mr. Row. — Very well. They are important in relation to any verbal 
criticism of the Old Testament, and are the result of much patient labour on 
the part of a friend of mine. How often do you think the word “ world” is 
used in the Old Testament ? I believe the word “ earth ” is used in the 
books of Moses some eight hundred times 
Mr. Reddie. — Is it the word eretz that is so used ? 
Mr. Row. — Yes. As to the words used by St. Luke, “And there were 
dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under Heaven,” 
it is plain that that cannot be taken literally ; but it must be borne in mind 
that in the New Testament exceedingly popular language is often used. I 
do not want to go into that portion of the subject, but I must take the 
strongest exception to Mr. Reddie’s readiness to multiply miracles. I do not 
think we are justified in assuming miracles when miracles are not mentioned. 
It seems to have been against the practice of our Lord to multiply miracles : 
there are many places in the New Testament where you would expect a 
miracle to happen, but it does not come to pass. There has always been a 
great economy of miracles. Nothing can be worse than to construct hypo- 
theses upon supposititious miracles of which the Scriptures say nothing what- 
ever. I do not go with Mr. Davison in saying that the Scriptures do not 
lead us to believe that the Flood was brought on miraculously ; but we have 
no right to assume a number of other miracles when there is nothing in the 
