THE CHURCH AND THE BIBLE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume IX, Issue 442, 30 September 1881, Page 11

THE CHURCH AND THE BIBLE.

Some of our Protestant friends, among whom we are glad to reckon a large number of readers of The Pilot, think, from the tone of our recent editorial on " The Lessoa of the new Revision," that we underrate the importance of the Bible in the Christian scheme, and they ask, '"lf the Bible is not the constitution of the Church, what is ?" This is a fair question, and a very important one. The original constitution of the Church, in other words, the first formal declaration of fundamental principles, was the symbol called the Apostles' Creed — brief, but sufficiently comprehensive for the first foundation of the Church. In the progress of ages important questions arose as to the meaning of ceitain clauses ; judicial decisions were given, which were incorporated with the orig nal constitution, until in time a body of constitutional law, if we may so call it, baa grown up in the Church, unique, harmonious, thoroughly dove-tailed in all its parts, and to-day commanding the resp -ct and homage of 300,000.000 of human beings, among whom are many of the greatest intellectual lights the world has produced. In the decision of these judicial questions, the light thrown upon them by the Scriptures has ever been esteemed of the first importance. The Church reveres the Scriptares as written by inspired men and a* profitable to "be read and studied. She incorporates them in all her services, reads them in her churches, and encourages her children to read them. But she cannot exalt them into a place for which they were not dtsigaed. or attempt to use them for a purpose which they manifestly cinnot serve. They contain no formal declaration of principles ; they do n>t even verify themselves, and as we are dependent upon the Church, not ouly fur their verification, but also for their preser ration, thera would seam to be no gool reason why we shoul i not also look to her for their proper interpretation. The parallel between the constitution of th-j Cburch and thit of the State is quite striking. The fundimenUl priuciples as enabled ii the original Constitution of the United State* a r e few and simple, but in the prog.-ess of time, as important constitutional questions have arisen, they have beea decide! by the judiciary, and bacome incorporated, as it were, with the original instrument, and thus a body of constitutional law has grown up of q.iite a formidable and complicated character, and requiring much profound study to master it. In deciding constitutional questions, the light thrown upon them by documents contemporary with the original constitution, especially those written by the very men who framed it (like the writers of the Federalist), have a very iaiporUnt bearing. But what would be thought of the men who would undertake to exalt the Federalist in the place of the Constitution, who would even proc> ed so far as to form a parly and inaugurate a revolution on the ground that the Book contained what ought to be the true foundation jf the Government ? Is not ths inference obvious, and the lesson an important one I— Pilot

Mr. Oscar Wilde, says the London World, has a groat gift of fo-cib'.e, straightforward expres-ion. a remarkable power of assimilating thoughts and ideas, real intellectual strength, and ararepjwer of appreciating life and character. Only let him be simple and natural in his poems, and he will give the world something very much better than is to be found in his last volume. This is saying a good deal, for of much of that volume we have a high opinion.