study of the king james bible(钦印〈圣经〉研究)-第47节
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great literature lies。 Once the problem was how to get books enough for a
family library。 Now the problem is how to get library enough for the books。
Magazines； papers； volumes of all grades overflow。 〃The Bible has been
buried beneath a landslide of books。〃 The result is that the greatest literary
landmark of the English tongue threatens to become unknown； or else to
be looked upon as of antiquarian rather than present worth。 There our
Puritan fathers had the advantage。 As President Faunce puts it： 〃For them
the Bible was the norm and goal of all study。 They had achieved the
concentration of studies； and the Bible was the center。 They learned to
read that they might read the literature of Israel； their writing was heavy
with noble Old Testament phrases； the names of Old Testament heroes
they gave to their children； its words of immortal hope they inscribed on
their tombstones； its Mosaic commonwealth they sought to realize in
England and America； its decalogue was the foundation of their laws； and
its prophecies were a light shining in a dark place。 Such a unification of
knowledge produced a unified character； simple； stalwart； invincible。〃 It is
very different in our own day。 As so…called literature increases it robs great
literature of its conspicuous outstanding character； and many men who
pride themselves on the amount they read would do far better to read a
thousandth part as much and let that smaller part be good。
Another reason for this decay of the influence of literary knowledge of
the Bible is the shallowness of much of our thinking。 If the Bible were
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needed for nothing else in present literary life； it would be needed for the
deepening of literary currents。 The vast flood of flotsam and jetsam which
pours from the presses seldom floats on a deep current。 It is surface matter
for the most part。 It does not take itself seriously； and it is quite impossible
to take it seriously。 It does not deal with great themes； or when it touches
upon them it deals with them in a trifling way。 To men interested chiefly in
literature of this kind the Bible cannot be of interest。
That is a passing condition； and out of it is certain to come here and
there a masterpiece of literature。 When it does appear； it will be found to
reveal the same influences that have made great literature in the past；
issuing more largely from the Bible than from any other book。 That is the
main point of a bit of counsel which Professor Bowen used to give his
Harvard students。 To form a good English style； he told them； a student
ought to keep near at hand a Bible； a volume of Shakespeare； and Bacon's
essays。 That group of books would enlarge the vocabulary； would supply a
store of words； phrases； and； allusions； and save the necessity of
ransacking a meager and hide…bound diction in order to make one's
meaning plain。 Coleridge in his Table…Talk adds that 〃intense study of the
Bible will keep any writer from being VULGAR in point of style。〃 So it
may be urged that these times have and still need the literary influence of
the Bible。
Add that the times have and still need its moral steadying。 Every age
seems to its own thoughtful people to lack moral steadiness； and they tend
to compare it with other ages which look steadier。 That is a virtually
invariable opinion of such men。 The comparison with other ages is
generally fallacious； yet the fact is real for each age。 Many things tend in
this age to unsettle moral solidity。 Some of them are peculiar to this time；
others are not。 But one of the great influences which the Bible is
perpetually tending to counteract is stated in best terms in an experience of
Henry M。 Stanley。 It was on that journey to Africa when be found David
Livingstone； under commission from one of the great newspapers。
Naturally he had made up his load as light as possible。 Of books he had
none save the Bible； but wrapped about his bottles of medicine and other
articles were many copies of newspapers。 Stanley says that 〃strangest of
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all his experiences were the changes wrought in him by the reading of the
Bible and those newspapers in melancholy Africa。〃 He was frequently sick
with African fever； and took up the Bible to while away his hours of
recovery。 During the hours of health he read the newspapers。 〃And thus；
somehow or other； my views toward newspapers were entirely recast；〃
while he held loyal to his profession as a newspaper man。 This is the
critical sentence in Stanley's telling of the story： 〃As seen in my loneliness；
there was this difference between the Bible and the newspapers。 The one
reminded me that apart from God my life was but a bubble of air； and it
made me remember my Creator； the other fostered arrogance and
worldliness。〃＇1＇ There is no denying such an experience as that。 That is
precisely the moral effect of the Bible as compared with the moral effect
of the newspaper accounts of current life。 Democracy should always be
happy； but it must always be serious； morally steady。 Anything that tends
to give men light views of wrong； to make evil things humorous； to set out
the ridiculous side of gross sins is perilous to democracy。 It not only is
injurious to personal morals； it is bound sooner or later to injure public
morals。 There is nothing that so persistently counteracts that tendency of
current literature as does the Bible。
＇1＇ Autobiography； p。 252。
From an ethical point of view； 〃the ethical content of Paul is quite as
important for us as the system of Schopenhauer or Nietzsche。 The
organization of the New England town meeting is no more weighty for the
American boy than the organization of the early Christian Church。 John
Adams and John Hancock and Abraham Lincoln are only the natural
successors of the great Hebrew champions of liberty and righteousness
who faced Pharoah and Ahab and put to flight armies of aliens。〃 But aside
from the definite ethical teaching of the Bible there is need for that strong
impression of ethical values which it gives in the characters around which
it has gathered。 The conception of the Bible which makes it appear as a
steady progression should add to its authority； not take from it。 The
development is not from error to truth； but from light to more light。 It is
sometimes said that the standards of morality of some parts of Scripture
are not to be commended。 But they are not the standards of morality of
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Scripture； but of their times。 They are not taught in Scripture； they are
only stated； and they are so stated that instantly a thoughtful man
discovers that they are stated to be condemned。 When did it become true
that all that is told of a good man is to be approved？ It is not pretended
that Abraham did right always。 David was confessedly wrong。 They move
much of the time in half…light； yet the sum total of the impression of their
writings is inevitably and invariably for a more substantial morality。 These
times need the moral steadying of the Bible to make men； not creatures of
the day arid not creatures of their whims； but creatures of all time and of
fundamental laws。
Add the third fact； that our times have and still need the religious
influence of the Bible。 No democracy can dispense with religious culture。
No book makes for religion as does the Bible。 That is its chief purpose。 No
book can take its place； no influence can supplant it。 Max Muller made
lifelong study of the Buddhist and other Indian books。 He gave them to the
English…speaking world。 Yet he wrote to a friend of his impression of the
immense superiority of the Bible in such terms that his friend replied： 〃Yes；
you are right； how tremendously ah
