The "Friend of Moses;"

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(Princeton C^eofogtcaf ^eminarjj

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Preface

The object of the little work now presented to the public is declared in the Title Page. It is designed as a vindication of that part of the records of our faith, known as the books of Moses, from the objections and the misrepresentations that have been advanced and diUgently propagated within the last half-century. These objections are drawn from various sources — from science — from critical research— and from oriental archives. That every objection here noticed is answered satisfactorily, the Author dare not flatter himself: but that each objection has been carefully weighed and impartially examined, with the best means of judgment accessible to him, he does affirm.

Several years have elapsed since circumstances, which it is not necessary here to explain, induced the writer to direct his attention once again, and more particularly, to the subjects discussed in this volume, many of which had occupied his attention and awakened his lively interest, in earlier life.

In writing these pages, the Author has freely availed himself of the works of others. Generally, reference is expressly made to the works so used : but it is very possible that the thoughts, and even the words of others, may have been introduced, even into the text, where such reference is not made. In preparing a work like this, amid the varied avocations of a Christian pastor, settled in a Southern city, such omissions are almost unavoidable.

At the close of the volume will be appended a list of most of the authors herein referred to, or consulted ; and the edition will be named, so that if plagiarism be suspected, it may be detected without difficulty.

The Lecture on the Unity of the Human Eace, with which the volume closes, is designed rather as the introduction to a fuller discussiou of that important point, which the Author hopes hereafter to prepare for publication.

How numerous and formidable soever may be the objections that lie, on scientific grounds, against the doctrine that the whole population of the globe are of one stock — the descendants of Adam and Eve, and again of Noah — the teachings of the Bible leave us no alternative. So, at least, it seems to the author of this volume. No view of this subject that has been put forth by other writers, fully satisfies his mind.

Could the lapse of time, aided by climatic influence, diversity of food, of habits, &c., be supposed adequate to accomplish such changes as mmt have been made in the diiferent colonies of Noah's descendants, in order to produce the various races of men now inhabiting our globe ; yet the records of the East, the monuments of Egypt, and the contents of her catacombs, show a similar diversity to have existed at so early a period, that there was not — adopt what system of chronology you may — sufficient time between the Deluge and the first recorded evidence of the existence of that diversity, to account for the production of that change. The reasoning of the learned Pritchard on that subject, and the argument of Eev. Dr. Thomas Smythe, of Charleston, S. C, do not, therefore, fully meet the case.

A more attentive consideration of the sacred record given in Genesis, has led to the conclusion, that the miraculous confounding of tongues at Babel was attended by such modification of man's physical constitution, as to insure the speedy production of those changes necessary to adapt the several divisions of man to the climate and the locality to which they were destined. This idea is presented in the closing Lecture, on the Unity. It was embodied in Essays on that subject published in the Mobile Herald and Tribune, in August and September, 1850; and also in the Southern Presbyterian, published at Milledgville, Ga., about the same time. Admissible or otherwise, that view of the subject the author of these pages claims as original. He has seen the same idea advanced by other writers since that period, without any acknowledgment of its origin. Previously to the issue of the Essays above referred to, he never mot with the idea in the works of any author. Yet it is so simi)le, and, as he conceives, so natural an inference, in the circumptances, that very possibly it may have occurred to other minds, unprompted, as it did to his own.

The dispersion of mankind after the Deluge, the origin of nations, the history of writing, and the great and perplexed question of Biblical chronology, are reserved for discussion in a future work, should life and ability be spared.

Objections are sometimes urged against Christian pastors engaging in works like the present, apart from their appropriate duties as ministers of reconciliation. On that subject, the author of this work begs leave to present the following sensible remarks, extracted from a letter addressed to him by an intelligent, a learned, and a judicious friend, who is himself also a Christian pastor, and one eminently successful and universally esteemed, the Kev. W. A. Scott, CD., of New Orleans :

" I am aware that there are objections to pastors, and even to learned professors engaging in services ab extra^ or supplementary to their ordinary duties. Certainly a pastor's responsibilities to his people are awful. Well may he cry out, as he considers this, ' Lord^ wlio is sufficient for these tilings f^ A right-minded pastor will feel that his people are emphatically committed to his care, that he is set over them by the Holy Ghost, to watch for their souls as one that must give an account to God. But, is his soul to be fettered down to his own parish ? Is he not to pray and labor for the Church universal, and for the conversion of the world ? What would havo been the state and character of our Christian literature, if all the men of God before us, had thought and labored only and exclusively for their own immediate congregations — if they had contented themselves with doing nothing but preaching repentance and faith ? How much would the Church of Christ have lost by such a narrow-minded, suicidal policy ? Who will defend the outposts of the gospel, if pastors do not ? On this very point I have met with a paragraph in the work on ' The Letter and Spirit^^ by Dr. Vaughan, (editor of the British Quarterly Review,) which is worthy of being carefully' considered.

" ' Concerning this doctrine, {i.e. that pastors should do nothing but what relates to the immediate wants of their congregations, he says,) we know not another doctrine more likely to be acceptable to the prince of darkness ; for we know not another which, in proportion to its prevalence, would operate more thoroughly to his purpose. Now, as through all past time, not only the preaciiing of the gospel, but the defence of Christianity through the world, if sustained at all, must be sustained chiefly by men who are by profession its

X PREFACE.

ministers. Such is the manifest design of Providence; and the meddling and short-sighted men who oppose themselves to it, know not what they do. If the priesthood of the sanctuary is to be a match for the priesthood of letters, the path of its labors must become wider and more diversified every day. Men who see this, must give httle heed to those who see it not.' (Letter and Spirit, p. 78, London, 1849.)

" Again," (continues Dr. Scott,) " the same arguments which call for higher, and wider, and more diversified, and more earnest work in the pulpit, call equally loud for the use of the press in behalf of the same object. The religious literature that is needed must be of a high character ; and while it may not professedly labor for the conversion of souls, will, nevertheless, lead to that most important result.

" Whatever removes prejudices, cancels objections to the Bible, opens up the understanding to discern true judgment, and exhibits Christianity in alliance with common sense, and with the general intelligence and culture of the age, — in a word, whatever contributes to give the religion of the Bible a social status, contributes, under God, to give it a converting power.

" In the irrigation of Egypt,* there is much apart from, and prior to, the long wished-for, and harvest- producing flood ! There are all the appliances and machinery of human effort waiting for the Pi-ovidence-sent overflowing.

" So, in the history of society and in the experience of individual, there is much that is not only preliminary to conversion, but apart from, and yet in order to conversion. The truth must come into actual contact with the men, before it can make them free. They must hear of Christ, and have knowledge of Him, before they can believe in him. Whatever, then, contributes to place the Bible before men of intelligence, freed from their prejudices against it, and gives it, in their view, authority, as the word of God, contributes to their conversion, if they become obedient to its teachings.''''

In these excellent views, the author of this work heartily concurs with Dr. Scott.

MoBiLK, March 15, 1852.

* Dr. Scott has recently made a tour in Egypt aud the Kaat.

Table Of Contents

PAGE

Dedication v

Preface vii

Contents

— The Books themselves state repeatedly that Moses wrote them, and wrote by God's Command. — In the later Jewish Scriptures these Books are often mentioned as the Law : the Law given by Moses. — Written Books, not an Oral Law meant. — Hilkiah did not palm on Josiah Forged Documents as a Work of Moses. — Hilkiah found the Autograph Copy of Moses. — The Pentateuch was the Statute Book of the Jewish Nation. — Evidence of Existence of Pentateuch, and regarded as the Work of Moses in Ages subsequent to the Captivity.—Mentioned in Historical Books ; in Prophets ; in Psalms.— Samaritan Copy. — Testimony of Josephus. — Translation of the Seventy. — Imposition impossible. — Character and Style of these Books agree precisely with what we know of Moses, and with no other Man. — Mosaic Origin distinctly acknowledged by Christ and the Apostles. — No Ancient Author supported by an equal Amount of Evidence I44

LECTUEE V.

GENESIS, THE WORK OF MOSES, AND INSPIRED.