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THE MOHAMMEDAN CONTROVERSY
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tain copious selections from the Scriptures to prove that sacred mystery
and the personality of the Holy Ghost. There are one or two passages in the
concluding paragraph which we doubt the propriety of introducing, especially
the threefold blessing which Aaron was directed to pronounce over the people
of Israel. We are aware that this is usually applied to the Trinity, and the
tradition of the Jews regarding the mode in which the priest disposed his
hand as he gave this beautiful benediction, may strengthen the idea. But, at
the best, it could. hardly be regarded as being more than allusive; and
where there is any appearance of forcing an application, we had much rather
see it omitted. It is, at the same time, just to mention that in the
following page, Pfander clearly explains that the sacred mystery is referred
to in the Old Testament by allusion alone, and that it can be interpreted
only by the plain teaching of the New Testament on the subject.
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The second part of this chapter contains a variety of arguments, which are
intended to reconcile the mystery of Trinity in Unity with the conclusions of
sound reason. These arguments are not entirely satisfactory. Thus we are told
that Nature is the shadowing forth of eternal principles, and to the pure mind
is a "ladder" and a "school," whereby we may learn divine
mysteries so completely, "that if man had not rebelled against God and thus
perverted and darkened his intellect, he would certainly have attained, by
reference to creation and the perceptions of his own heart, to a perfect
knowledge of God and himself, so fully that no written revelation would have
been necessary." But it seems at least doubtful whether man, even in a
perfect state, could, without revelation, have discovered the doctrine of the
Trinity; whereas the mode of expression here
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