The Popular And Critical Bible Encyclopaedia And Scriptural Dictionary Fully Defining And Explaining All Religious Terms Including Biographical Geographical Historical Archaeological And Doctrinal Themes Classic Reprint

Author : Samuel Fallows
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9781331120346
Total Pages : 650 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (23 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Download or read book The Popular and Critical Bible Encyclopædia and Scriptural Dictionary, Vol. 1 written by Samuel Fallows and published by . This book was released on 2015-07-10 with total page 650 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Excerpt from The Popular and Critical Bible Encyclopaedia and Scriptural Dictionary, Vol. 1: Fully Defining and Explaining All Religious Term, Including Biographical, Geographical, Historical, Archaeological and Doctrinal Themes The present age is pre-eminently one of research and inquiry. The comparative sciences, relating to every realm of knowledge, have brought to the earnest student material for thought and investigation never before accessible. It has been more than half a century since the Biblical cyclopaedias by Kitto, Robinson and Watson were issued, and nearly as long since the scholarly works by Dr. William Smith appeared. All of these are now far out of date, and there is a growing demand for a help to Bible study in similar form, but containing the latest and best results of modern scholarship, arranged in the most convenient manner for ready reference, to take their place. The advancement in Biblical and physical learning in the last fifty years, and the clearer understanding of many things concerning the Jewish and contemporaneous oriental nations as well, have made great changes in Biblical reference works essential to intelligent investigation. In the light of modern science the ablest minds of the day are re-examining the claims of the Bible to be the Word of God. Its unity and consequent integrity have been challenged. New statements of Biblical truth are being made and new methods of interpretation employed. But it still maintains its supreme place as the Book of books. It has been cast into the furnace of criticism, heated seven times hotter than for any other book, and it has come forth without even the smell of fire upon its sacred leaves. The result of this testing process has been to reduce the study of the Bible to a science, which is pursued with a greater or less degree of intensity and application by people of intelligence generally. To commit portions of it to memory, to be catechised in its doctrines and to enter into its devotions are not adequate Bible study. These are elementary steps in securing scriptural knowledge, but they do not unfold all the truths which thoughtful people seek after. The liberation of the human mind from bondage to creeds has ushered in an era of independent thought. But while this age is one of reason, it should not be in the light of facts before us, any less one of devotion. Science is the handmaid of religion, as has been devoutly said, and where pure religion abounds, the highest degree of intelligence is attained. Men who are thoroughly loyal to the Bible as the unimpeachable word of God, have been foremost to strengthen the hand of the archaeologist and to furnish the means which enable him to bring from the long buried past the story of the nations and the individuals mentioned in its sacred records. Their faith has taken a firmer hold upon its authenticity and inspiration through the surprising results which have been attained. From sunburnt bricks and monuments of stone, disentombed from mounds of ancient ruins, new witnesses have come forth bringing invaluable testimony to the accuracy of the Hebrew writers. Unfriendly critics had decided long ago that some of the cities mentioned in the Old Testament were purely mythical, but the spade of the explorer has revealed the foundations of the cities themselves. It was held that the names of certain kings were merely allegorical or the interpolation of some ignorant scribe, but in several instances the documents and inscriptions of these kings have been found, and even their bodies have been produced as incontrovertible evidence of the accuracy of the record of the sacred writings. More light is also continually breaking upon the Scriptures by reason of the progress made in Biblical Literature and Hermeneutics through the superior critical scholarship of the day. The aim of the Editors of this Encyclopaedia is to furnish a work of ready reference for ministers, Sunday School workers an."