Answer to difficulties of the Bible

Front matter

Chap._"^:r:^. Copyrignt No.

UNITED STATES OF AMERBCA.

io^;

Preface

EACH century has its peculiar intellectual life, and divine Providence alwa3^s holds in reserve the proper nourishment. This nourishment especially consists in three things: In the faith, arms and study; these three form the Christian, the soldier and the savant. The one who prepares himself by the study to combat for his faith; the one who seeks the truth, not only to know it, to possess it, but also to propagate and defend it, can lay claim to these three titles. This was true at all times. Every Catholic, even moderately acquainted with the course of modern science, must be painfully aware that its professed relations to faith are simply hostile. Weapons are sought in every region of enquiry and speculation, with which to beat down revealed truth, or to assail its defenders. In our epoch error adorns itself with the most pompous and captivating names, with the cloak of science and thus enters our schools and workshops, in order to deny God and His revelation, the Church and her doctrine. Historical facts are misrepresented and used to calumniate God's Church and her most sacred institutions. Geology, Palaeontology, Ethnology, Biblical Criticism, and above all, the new Science of Comparative Religion yield arguments that must be met, and difficulties that must be answered if w^e would save educated Catholics,

IV PREP^ACE.

perhaps from loss of faith, but certainly from painful perplexity of mind. Questions of faith and science are now in the forefront of our modern intellectual life. They confront us at every turn. To enable the Catholic to cope with them, the present work will furnish to him some weapons in a simple and condensed form, its scope is instructive, critical and apologetical.

We do not claim any originality for the present work; its articles are culled from various authors. The works especially used in the composition of this book are: ''Dictionnaire Apologetique," by J. B. Jaugey; "Les Livres Saints et la Critique Rationalist," 5 vols, by Rev. F. Vigouroux; ''La Bible et les Deconvertes Modernes," 5 vols, idem; and Mgr. Meignand, '' Le monde et I'homme primitif."

Since we wrote the work under the pressure of the various pastoral duties, no doubt some inaccuracies and omissions will be discovered, in regard to these we trust to find indulgence with the reader.

THE AUTHOR.

CHAPTER I.— Rationalism, .......... 13-16

CHAPTER II. — The Authenticity of the Pentateuch. — Moses is its Author — Proofs drawn: — i. From the Bible — 2. From the Samaritan Pentateuch — 3. From the Egyptian Monuments — 4. From the Language of the Pentateuch — 5. Arguments of Prescription or Possession — 6. Answer to Objections, 17-33

CHAPTER III.— Historical Objections Against the Authenticity of the Pentateuch. — i. Unity of Sanctuary — 2. The Sacrifices at the Hebrews — 3. Feasts of the Hebrews — 4. The Priests and Levites at the Hebrews — 5. The Endowment of the Clergy, 33-59

CHAPTER IV.— The Different Names of God, . . . 59-63

CHAPTER v.— The Fathers and the Mosaic Cos mogony. — I. Importance of the First Chapter of Genesis — 2. The Work of the Fathers — 3. The Fathers could not explain the Biblical Cosmogony without touching on Science — 4. In explaining human things the Fathers were deprived of Divine Revelation — 5. In Matters of Science the Fathers spoke as Private Doctors — 6. The Accessory becomes the Principal — 7. Neither the Patristic Tradition nor the Church has fixed the Scientific Sense of the First Chapter of Genesis — 8. Different Opinions on the First Chapter of Genesis — 9. The Results from this absence of Accord among the Fathers — 10. How far have we Deviated from Patristic Teaching — ii. We Adhere to the Rules laid down by the Fathers — 12. Meaning of the Word Day and teaching of the Fathers — 13. The explanations of the Fathers are completely in Accord with modern Discoveries — 14. The Catholic Exegesis has never changed in Principle, .,,,,, 64-81 vi DIFFICULTIES OF THE BIBLE.

CHAPTER VI. — The Hex^meron or the Six Genetic Days. — Four Principal Systems: The Literal System; System of Intervals; Ideal System; and the Concordistic System — I. Criticism of the Literal System — 2. Genesis abounds in figurative Expressions — 3. The Meaning of the Hebrew Word Yom — 4. Testimony of the sedimentary Grounds — 5. Microscopic remains in the Chalk and Limestone Formations — 6. The Coal Measures : — 7. Conclusion — II. The System of Restitution or Intervals — i. Criticism of the System of Restitution — 2. This Theory is against Reason — 3. This Theory is opposed to the Bible — III. The Ideal System — i. Criticism of the Ideal System — 2. Chaldean Cosmogony — 3. Accord between Geology and Sacred Scripture — 4. Objections refuted — 5. Evidence of a Primitive Revelation — IV. The Concordistic System — i. Criticism of the Concordistic System — 2. The Cosmogonic Tradition of diverse Nations — 3. The Concordistic System establishes the most complete Accord, 82-124

CHAPTER VII.— The Hex/emeron or the Six Genetic Days — (Continued) I. — i. *' In the Beginning God created Heaven and Earth" — 2. Criticism of the First verse of Genesis — 3. Organization of the Elements of Matter — 4. And the Spirit of God moved over the Waters —II. — i. First Day's Work — 2. Objection — 3. The Meaning of the Words Evening and Morning — 4. Objection — 5. Second Day's Work — 6. Third Day's Work — 7. Fourth Day's Work — 8. Fifth Day's Work — 9. Objection — 10. Sixth Day's Work — li. Seventh Day — Conclusion,. . 125-161

CHAPTER VIIL— Man From the Scientific Point of View. — I. The animal Origin of Man — i. Physical Difference between Man and the Brute — Upright Position — 2. Facial and Cerebral Formation — 3. Volume of the Brain — 4. Embryology — 5. Rudimentary Organs — 6. Intellectual Qualities — Speech — 7. Conscience — 8. Religion — II. Has the Primitive Man been a Savage — III. Antiquity of Man — i. No Traces of Tertiary Man — 2. Kitchen Refuse, 161-188

CHAPTER IX.— Chronology and the Principal Monuments. — I. Biblical Chronology — II. Chronology and the Principal Literary Monuments of Antiquity: — i. Of India — 2. Of China— 3. Of Egypt— 4. Of Chaldea and Assyria — 5. Conclusion, 189-208

TABLE OF CONTENTS Vll

CHAPTER X.— Unity of Mankind.— i. Biblical Account

— 2. Science compelled to acknowledge a common Humanity — 3. Common Characteristics — 4. The various Races — 5. Other Differences — 6. Higher and Lower Races — 7. All Men are Social — 8. All the human Races are endowed with the Gift of Speech — 9. The various Languages — 10. Conclusion, . 209-216

CHAPTER XL — The Earthly Paradise and Its Site, 216-219

CHAPTER xn.— The Creation of Eve, 220-222

CHAPTER XIIL— The Fall and Original Sin, . . . 222-226

CHAPTER XIV.— The Patriarchal Religion or Primitive Monotheism, 226-231

CHAPTER XV.— The Book of Exodus.— i. The Persecution of the Hebrews in Egypt — 2. The Existence of the Tabernacle, .'.... 232-242

CHAPTER XVI.— The Ten Plagues of Egypt.— Their miraculous Character — Examination of each of the Plagues and its Supernatural Character — i. The Water of the Nile turned into Blood — 2. Invasion of Frogs — 3. The Musquitos — 4. The Flies — 5 and 6. The Pest over both Animals and Men — 7. The great Hail — 8. Invasion of Locusts — 9. The Extreme Darkness — 10. Extermination of the First-born of the Egyptians, 242-249

CHAPTER XVIL— The Crossing of the Red Sea.— i. The Hebrews did not pass along the Mediterranean Sea — 2. They did not profit by a Low Sea, but, according to the Biblical Text, the event was Miraculous, 249-252

CHAPTER XVIIL— Mythic System, 252-256

CHAPTER XIX.— Cain, Cainites and Sethites, . . . 256-259

CHAPTER XX.— Longevity of the First Men, . . . 259-262

CHAPTER XXL— The Antediluvian Giants, .... 262-264

CHAPTER XXIL— The Sons of God and the Daughters

CHAPTER XXIIL— The Noachian Deluge.— i. Biblical Account — 2. Cuneiform Inscriptions — 3. Other Traditions

— 4. The Question as to the Universality of the Deluge: As to the Earth — 5. As to the Animals — 6. As to Mankind, 267-275

Vlll DIFFICULTIES OF THE BIBLE.

CHAPTER XXIV.— Ethnographic Table or Dispersion OF THE Nations. — Tableau of the distribution of the Primitive Peoples upon earth — It existed before Moses

— Objections raised by the Rationalists and Solution, . 275-284

CHAPTER XXV.— The Patriarch Abraham.— Objections raised against the History of Abraham: — i. Origin — 2. Abraham's Journey to Egypt — 3. Abraham's Victory over Chodorlahomor, 285-292

CHAPTER XXVL— Sodom, the Origin of the Dead Sea

AND Loth's Wife, 293-296

CHAPTER XXVII.— The Patriarch Jacob and the Mandrakes OF Ruben. — i. Jacob buys Esau's birthright — 2. The Blessing of Isaac — 3. Causes of Jacob's Voyage — 4. The Sheep of Jacob and the Manner he obtained them

— 5. The Mandrakes of Ruben, 296-306

CHAPTER XXVIIL— The Patriarch Joseph.— i. The History of Joseph confirmed by scientific Discoveries —^ 2. Answer to Objections — 3. The Collar given to Joseph by the Pharaoh — 4. Divination by the Cup — 5. The Possession of all the Egyptian soil by the Pharaoh — 6. Answer to Objections made by the Rationalists against the Authenticity and Veracity of the History of Joseph, . . 306-315

CHAPTER XXIX.— The Book of Josue and Galileo.— i. Antiquity of the Book of Josue — 2. Historic and Scientific Difficulties — 3. The Circumcision at Galgala — 4. The Conquest at Palestine — 5. The Miracle of Josue commanding the sun to stand still and the Condemnation of Galileo, 315-335

CHAPTER XXX. — Jephte and the Immolation of his

Daughter, 335-337

CHAPTER XXXI. — Gedeon and the Madianites, . . 338-341

CHAPTER XXXII.— The Books of Kings.— i. Difficulties drawn from the Books of Samuel or ist and 2d Books of Kings — 2. Difficulties drawn from the Chronology of the 3d and 4th Books of Kings — 3. King Josias and the High Priest Helcias, 341-358

CHAPTER XXXIII.— The Paralipomenons.— i. The Captivity of King Manasses — 2. The Annals of Assurbanipal

— 3. The restoring of Manasses to the Throne, . . . 359-3^4

CHAPTER XXXIV.— The Book of Tobias.— I. Difficulties

— 2. Objections — 3. Anachronism — 4. The Demon Asmodeus, 364-371

TABLE OF CONTENTS ix

CHAPTER XXXV.— The Book of Judith.— i. Pretended historic and geographical Errors — 2. The site of Bethulia

— 3. Historical Difficulties — 4. Assurbanipal, the Nabuchodonosor of Judith — 5. Anachronisms — 6. Discourse

of Achior — 7. The Heroine Judith, 371-3^3

CHAPTER XXXVI.— The Book of Esther.— i. Esther, the wife of King Xerxes — 2. The delay of Aman's vengeance — 3. The immense number of the Dead — 4. The Facts justified by History — 5. Living proofs of the reality of the History of Esther — 6. Additions in the Greek and Latin Bibles, 383-391

CHAPTER XXXVII.— The Books of the Machabees.— Book I. : — I. Alexander the First that ruled over Greece

— 2. The Division of Alexander's Kingdom among his Generals — 3. Judgment on the Romans — 4. Ties of Relationship between the Jews and Spartiates — Book II. : — I. Letters of the Jews of Jerusalem to those of Egypt — 2. The Sacred Fire — 3. The Ark hidden — 4. The Death of Antiochus — 5. Name of the Temple pillaged by Antiochus — 6. The Letter of the Jerusalem Jews — 7. The Martyrdom of the Seven Machabean Brothers — 8. The Letters of Antiochus V., Eupator and of Lysias — 9. The Anniversary of the Birth of Antiochus Epiphanes, . . 392-428

CHAPTER XXXVIIL— The Psalms. — Objections: — i. Against the Origin — 2. Against the Doctrine of these Sacred Chants, 428-431

CHAPTER XXXIX.— The Book of Proverbs, .... 432-434

CHAPTER XL.— The Book of Ecclesiastes. — Objections: — I. Epicurianism — 2. Scepticism — 3. Materialism

CHAPTER XLI. — The Canticle of Canticles, . . . 439-441

CHAPTER XLIL— The Book of Job.— Various Objections: — I. The Probability of all the Details — 2. Pretended Contradictions — 3. The Friends of Job — 4. The Reality of the Epilogue — 5. Names of the Daughters of Job — 6. Authenticity of the divers parts of the Book of Job, 442-449

CHAPTER XLIIL— The Prophet David. —i. The Holiness of the Life of David — 2. David merits the praises of Scripture — 3. Abisag, the Concubine of David — 4. David and the Prophecy of Nathan, 450-457

X DIFFICULTIES OF THE BIBLE.

CHAPTER XLIV.— The Prophet Isaias.— i. The Authenticity of Isaias — 2. First Objection: The Epoch of the Prophecy — 3. The Place of its Composition — 4. The Style of the Prophecy, 458-464

CHAPTER XLV. — The Prophets Jeremias and Baruch. — I. The Prophecy against Babylon — 2. Letter of Jeremias to the Jews in Captivity — 3. Baruch, 465-472

CHAPTER XLVL— The Prophecies of Ezechiel and the Vision of the Cherubim. — i. The Authenticity of the Prophecies of Ezechiel — 2. Objections — 3. The Eating of a Book — 4. The Cherubim of Ezechiel, 472-477

CHAPTER XLVIL— The Prophet Daniel.— i. Authenticity of the Book of Daniel — 2. First Objection — 3. Musical Instruments — 4. Other Objections — 5. The Statue of Nabuchodonosor — 6. The Lions' Den — 7. Balthazar, King of Babylon — 8. The Canticle of the Three Children in the Fiery Furnace — 9. The History of Susanna — lo, Bel and the Dragon, 477-489

CHAPTER XLVIIL— The Prophet Jonas.— i. Attacks against This Book — 2. These Objections are very Weak

— 3. Jonas in the Whale's Belly, 489-493

CHAPTER XLIX.— The Prophet Zacharias, .... 493-495 CHAPTER L. — Authenticity OF the Gospels IN General, 495-499

CHAPTER LI. — Authenticity of the Gospel According to St. Matthew^. — i. Formal Testimonies of Antiquity

— 2. Indirect Testimonies — 3. Intrinsic Arguments, . 500-505

CHAPTER LII. — Authenticity of the Gospel According to St. Mark. — i. Formal Testimonies of Antiquity

— 2. Indirect Testimonies — 3. Intrinsic Arguments, . 505-508

CHAPTER LIII. — Authenticity of the Gospel According to St. Luke. — i. Formal Testimonies of Antiquity

— 2. Indirect Testimonies — 3. Extrinsic Arguments, . 508-51 1

CHAPTER LIV.— Objections Against the Authenticity

of the Three Synoptic Gospels, 511 516

CHAPTER LV.— Authenticity of the Gospel According TO St. John. — l. Intrinsic Arguments — Formal Testimonies of Antiquity — 2. Indirect Testimonies — 3. Intrinsic Arguments — 4. Objections of the Rationalists Against the Authenticity of the Gospel of St. John . . 517-528

TABLE OF CONTENTS XI

CHAPTER LVI. — Integrity of the Gospels. — Proofs for the Substantial Integrity — Passages Contested by the Critics, 529-537

CHAPTER LVIL— Veracity of the Gospels.— Competency of the Historians of the Facts they relate — Sincerity of their Relations — It was Impossible for them to deceive their Readers — Seal of Sincerity imprinted upon their Work — Objections: — i.' The Double Genealogy of Our Lord — 2. The Census of Quirinus — 3. The site of Emmaus — 4. The Name Joanna — 5. The flat Roofs — 6. Christ's Public Life; The Portrayal of Jesus given by the Synoptics — 7. The Beginning of the public Ministry of Jesus — 8. Place of residence of the Holy Family — 9. The Name Levi — 10. The Demoniacs of Gadara — ii. Another Pretended Contradiction — 12. The History of the Vocation of the Apostles — 13. Finally — 14. The Magi and the Flight into Egypt — 15. Conclusion, . . 537-567

CHAPTER LVIIL — Demoniacs and Demoniacal Possession. — The Word Demon — Demoniacal Possessions, . 568-579

CHAPTER LIX.— The So-Called Brethren of Our Lord. — The Arguments of Helvidius and Answer — By what title the term Brother of Jesus is given to certain Evangelical Personages, 579-5^5

CHAPTER LX.— The Acts of the Apostles.— Authenticity of the Acts — 2. Their Integrity — Their Veracity — Answers to pretended Errors, 5^5-595

CHAPTER LXL— St. Paul's Epistle to the Galatians—

I. The Cephas of the Epistle to the Galatians, .... 595-603

CHAPTER LXIL— St. Paul's Epistles to the Thessa-

CHAPTER LXIIL— Pastoral Epistles of St. Paul, . 608-614

CHAPTER LXIV.— The Epistles of St. John, . . . 614-616

CHAPTER LXV.— The Epistle of St. James, . . . 616-619

CHAPTER LXVL— St. Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews, 620-625

CHAPTER LXVIL— The Apocalypse, 626-628

CHAPTER I.

RATIONALISM.

THE Sacred Scriptures have become in our time the point aimed at by infidelity. Against them the rationaUstic criticism directs all the weight of its efforts. Since the foundation of the Church, our Sacred Books have been mingled with all its wrestlings, but in a manner very different formerly from to-day. Formerly they were unanimously acknowledged as the word of God; after the extinction of paganism both heretics and orthodox accepted their authority and divine origin; they often disputed about the meaning one had to attach to the oracles which they contain, but never about the submission and obedience that are due to them; the soldiers of every camp pretended to enroll themselves under their banner and combat for their triumph. To-day, all is changed. Many heads bow down no longer with respect before the divine pages; error does not accept the Bible as judge and umpire in the combats which it delivers to Christianity. Revolting reason or Rationalism, as they call it, has thrown off the yoke of faith. It believes no longer in revelation, it denies the inspiration of the Sacred Scriptures, the existence and possibility of miracles, and sometimes even the existence of God. For Rationalism, the supernatural is only an illusion; the efficaciousness of prayer, a revery; grace, an idle fancy; heaven and hell, phantoms; nothing exists except what falls under our senses, or, at least, does not surpass the bearing of our intelligence. Thus it lays violent hands on all the great Christian truths, and because all these truths are founded upon Scripture which teaches them to us, they attack the Scripture with a bhnd fury, without truce and without mercy, knowing very well that if they will succeed in overthrowing this column, the entire building of Jesus Christ would tumble with it, as the temple of the PhiUstines ruined by the force of Samson.

Such is the origin of the war undertaken by the rationalistic criticism against both the Old and New Testament. Between the two antagonists, there is a deadly duel. If infidelity is right, the Bible is not what the Church believes; it is a purely human book, as the Iliad or Odyssey of the Greeks, as the Vedas or the Mahabharata of the Hindoos, not an inspired book of supernatural and divine origin. If, on the contrary, the Church is not deceived in adoring in the Scriptures the authentic word of the Holy Ghost, rationalism is an error, its principles are false, its conclusions inadmissible.

Hence the efforts of infidel criticism against our revealed Books; hence also the necessity to oppose a dam to it. The numberless accusations launched against the Bible justify only too well the opportuneness of the present work. Since we are attacked, we have to defend ourselves. Since God has intrusted us to guard His Word, we have to keep this divine deposit intact. It is our duty, as well as our right and consolation.

Certainly, we know, the most efficacious means to dispel the clouds which one gathers around our Sacred Books, is not to carry therein the flame of discussion.

RATIONALISM. 1 5

To those who calumniate the Ught of the sun, we only need to say : Look. To those who outrage the Gospel, we only need to say : Read. The Gospel, indeed, needs only to be read with simplicity of heart in order to enlighten and touch the souls. Even those who have been gnawed by the worm of doubt cannot resist to the divine charm of the words of Jesus Christ, when they are upright enough to impose silence upon their prejudices, and to listen only to this heavenly voice. Then they will experience wdiat Silvio Pellico experienced, after he had abandoned his errors: ''The Bible — thanks be to heaven, I now^ knew to read," — he relates to us in his Prisons, "the Bible was no longer for me as in the time when I judged it with the critical uprightness of Voltaire, turning into ridicule expressions which are ridiculous or false only in the eyes of ignorance or of bad faith, incapable to penetrate its sense. I saw clearly that, under many titles, it is the true code of holiness and therefore of truth; how little philosophical is that delicacy which becomes shocked at certain imperfections of style, and which resembles the pride of those who despise all that has no elegant forms."

Those who will read the Gospel with the same sentiments as Silvio Pellico will admire therein, like he, the true code of holiness and truth, and the doctrine of its detract ers will then appear futile to them; they will be no longer dazzled by the dust one sees appear in the midst of the bright rays of the sun.

The direct study of the Sacred Books, for those who are capable to do so, in conforming themselves to the rules wisely established by the Church, is the most efficacious means to triumph over the objections. But the honor of the Scriptures requires that we defend it against those who combat it, however unjust their attacks may be. It must be avenged for the outrages of its enemies. One must show to misled souls, who, without having ever opened it, insult it on the faith of authors of renown, how their guides are deceivers. One must also put into the hands of the champions of the Church the weapons with the help of which they can avenge the insults which they have attempted to inflict upon it. Therefore, this book is especially addressed to the instructed Christians, to both priests and laymen, desirous to render an account to themselves of their beliefs, and also desirous to justify them against false accusations. But it is equally addressed to all men of good faith, friends or enemies, because truth is made for all upright souls. "Blessed," says the Lord, "are the clean of heart, for they shall see God." God will manifest Himself in His Scriptures to all those that shall seek Him with purity of heart and simphcity of intention. The scales will fall from their eyes as from those of the converted Paul, and there, where previously they beheld only shadows and spots, they will perceive only radiant truths, worthy of their belief and adoration.

Chapter II. The Authenticitt Of The Pentateuch

THE word Pentateuch signifies a work embracing five books. It is the collective name which we give to the first five books of the Bible, that is, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.

Moses is at once a historic personage and a historian. He is a historic personage, because he directed the exodus of the Hebrews, gave to them a legislation, and led them until to the gates of Palestine; he is a historian, because he has related the history of his people since the beginning of the world, and because he has insisted quite particularly upon his own history: he is the author of the Pentateuch. \ Now, the rationalistic criticism makes efforts in our days, with a real madness, to make Moses disappear as a historian, and even as a historic personage; it feels that, if it succeeds in this task, it would destroy the character of the rehgion of Israel, and consequently it would deal a great blow to Christianity, for on account of the intimate connection that exists between Christianity and the religion which was destined to prepare its coming, every attack, either against the supernatural character of this religion, or even against the traditional history of the people chosen by God, falls back on the religion of Jesus Christ. Therefore, it is more important to-day than ever, to establish solidly these two beliefs of tradition: Moses is D. B.— 2 (17)

1 8 DIFFICULTIES OF TliE BIBLE.

the legislator of the Hebrews; Moses is the historian of the people of God, and the author of the Pentateuch. There is between these two assertions an intimate bond, although not necessary: an intimate bond, for when Moses is the historian, one cannot deny that he is the legislator; a not necessary bond, for if Moses were not the historian, it would not necessarily follow from this that he was not the legislator. Therefore, there are two distinct questions, that of Moses as legislator, and that of Moses as historian.

I. Moses as Legislator.

Both the Jewish and Christian tradition has always presented to us Moses as the legislator of the Hebrew people, and as the author of the book which contains this law, that is, of the Pentateuch. The rationalists understanding very well the whole importance of this truth from the- point of view of Christianity, have at first tried to rob Moses of the composition of the Pentateuch, as we shall see further on. Then, emboldened by their audacity, they went further and have refused to Moses, not only the historical authorship, but even the promulgation of the law. According to the rationalistic school, Moses would not be even the author of the most of the laws which carry his name. Perliaps he is the author of the Decalogue and of some rare laws promulgated in the same epoch as that fundamental rule of religion and morals. Not even this is certain according to the modern doctors, but which, according to them, is outside of dispute, is that Moses is neither the author of the ritual laws of Leviticus nor of Deuteronomy. What they affirm is, that the legislation of the Pentateuch, attrilnited to Moses, is in great part posterior to him.

How do the rationalists explain the formation of this law? Their hypotheses in regard to this subject are exposed and refuted in various chapters of this work; what is sufficient to keep in mind here, is the affirmation that Moses is not the legislator of the Hebrews: an affirmation completely erroneous and given the lie to, not only by faith, but also by science, as we are going to see.

1. In the first place, the authenticity of the Pentateuch, in considering it in its Igislative portion as weh as in its dogmatic portion, we shall prove in the second part of this chapter. When, therefore, Moses has drawn up these laws, it is naturally impossible to pretend that they are posterior to him.

2. But, in making abstraction of the authenticity of the Pentateuch, in supposing even, if you wish, that this authenticity is not proved, the role of Moses as legislator of the Hebrews is thereby not less established upon incontestable proofs. And indeed, the rationalists do not make the attempt, we beUeve, to deny the fact, that in the epoch of the captivity the Hebrew people was universally persuaded that Moses was its legislator. Rigorously taken, this would be sufficient for us, for there is not question here, as in the question of the authenticity of the Pentateuch, of a literary fact so to say: there is question of a social fact, of an extreme simplicity as well as of a capital importance. Now, the existence of a general belief of a people upon a point of this kind, at a given moment, can be explained only — at least by convincing proofs of the contrary — by the antiquity of this belief and by the veracity of the fact in question. As a brilliant apologist has correctly remarked, "If tradition were not admitted as a proof of a similar fact, entire history would fall to pieces."

3. But when one cannot deny that Moses has been the legislator of the Hebrews, one pretends that his role has not been so extensive as the Pentateuch makes us suppose, that the ritual laws in particular are not derived from him, and date only from the time of Esdras. To this we answer: i. How could one make us believe that the contemporaries of Esdras, instructed as all the peoples upon their history, permitted themselves to be imposed upon, and to believe that laws, which were unknown until the captivity, came from Moses; and especialty when these laws were, as the rationalists claim, in contradiction with the history of the IsraeHtes; when they imposed upon them one single sanctuary, sacrificial rites, and even a sacredotal caste unknown until then? A certain rationalist treats the Hebrews as horned brains; indeed, one must regard the Hebrews as stupid beings, when one supposes that they, on the invitation of Esdras, and by admitting as Mosaic a new legislation, have consented to see in their whole history the contrary of what they had seen thus far. 2. Besides, we have the right to invoke here the argument of Possession. VV^e possess the ritual laws, about the unity of the sanctuary, about the Levitical priesthood, etc., as emanating from Moses; now possession is equal to a title, and to rob us of this, our adversaries will be obliged to prove, not only that the things might have passed as they say, but that they could not pass otherwise. Now, do they prove this? Far from this, for their hypotheses have not even the merit of probability, as we remarked before, and as one can easily convince himself by reading the next chapter in regard to the Sanctuary, Priesthood, etc.