Professor Huxley's Opinion on the Bible.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 2748, 15 June 1894, Page 2

Professor Huxley's Opinion on the Bible.

We have been' requested to reprint the following:— ln the Weekly, Times News, paper .(London), of March 23rd, tbs London. School Board meeting is reported, and in tbe presence of many of Professor Huxley's admirers a statement is made, reporting Huxley's own words regarding the Bible, which certainly surprises us. His views must have changed considerably, although j we remember his articles in the Contemporary Beyiew in or about the year 1870. They were in favor of the Bible, but certainly not expressed in such terms as are now openly quoted at tbe London School Board. His words were read by member of tbe Board, Eev Edward White : " Greatly to the surprise of many of my friends I have always advocated the reading of the Bible, and tbe diffusion of tbe etndy of tbat most remarkable collection of books among tbe people. Its teachings are so infinitely superior to those of the sects, who are jnst as busy now as the Pharisees were 1800 years ago, < in smothering them under the precepts of man, It is so certain to my mind that tbe Bible contains within itself tbe refutation of nine-tenths of the mixture of sophistical-metaphysics, and the oldworld supereition which have been piled round it by tbe so-called Christians of later times; it is so clear tbat tbe only immediate, and , ready t antidote to the poison, ? which has been mixed with Christianity, to ■ the intoxication and delusion of mankind, lies in copious draughts from, the undefined soring, that I exercise the right and duty of free judgment on tbe part of every man, mainly for tbe pnrpose of inducing other laymen to follow my' example. If the New Testament is translated into Zulu by Protestant missionaries, ie mußt be assnmed tbat a Zoln convert is competent to draw from its contents all the truths which it is necessary for him to believe. I trust tbat I may without immodesty claim to be put on the same footing as a Zulu;" It is perhaps true, and at; leask'. wbrib'y-- of 6nr consideration, are we! not giving the Bible a 1 very secondary place in religion ?We may , be, pilling roand and damaging it,as hd says with'man's precepts, forms,, ceremonies, priestly .ministrations, and saints' days innumerable, things qnite unknown to the apostles. This impartial witqess, certainly gives to us a warning. c ,