56 OBJECTIONS AGAINST THE GENUINESS OF

they relate is true. (4) 1 John v. 7. This verse is universally acknowledged to be only a marginal note, and it is not therefore now printed in the Greek text or in the Revised English Version.]

27. M. If the Bible is really inspired, why should it contain all these variations, discrepancies, and doubtful passages? Surely God would ensure that in an inspired book there should be nothing to present difficulties to an inquiring mind.

C. Very often what appear to us to be discrepancies are not really such. If we knew all the facts of the case, we should see that there is no discrepancy at all in the matter. The doubtful passages also are few, and all taken together do not affect one doctrine of the Christian faith. Any argument against the Bible on the ground of certain alleged moral difficulties may be alleged also against the existence and government of God in general, for the present state of the world and of man affords many difficulties which it is not easy to reconcile with belief in God's moral government. But as these do not suffice to shake our belief in the latter, the occurrence of similar difficulties in another of God's works, the Bible, does not suffice to justify us in rejecting it. (See Butler, Analogy, Pt. I, Introduction, § 6, and Origen quoted there, also Pt. II, cap. viii, §§ 5, 7.) The fact of the existence of so many earnest Christians in all ages since the ascension of Christ shows that these difficulties have not prevented true and earnest inquirers from
THE BIBLE AS IT NOW EXISTS 57

becoming Christians. These very difficulties are doubtless useful as a test to our earnestness (Analogy, Pt. II, cap. vi, § 13).

28. M. You do not really believe that the Bible which you now have is the Word of God, for, holding it in your hands, you stand here preaching with your shoes on. Yet in Exod. iii. 5, Moses was told to put off his shoes at the sight of the Burning Bush.

C. Your own traditions 1 tell us that Muhammad entered the very presence of God in heaven without removing his sandals. How then can you blame us for wearing sandals in this muddy road 2?

[29. M. What a blessing it is that in our Qur'an there are no such doubtful verses as are found in the Bible!

C. If you will not be offended I shall show you that, whereas there is practically no doubt about the text of our Bible, it is certain from tradition that the text of your Qur'an is very far from reliable.

30. M. Prove it, if you can: I shall not be offended.

1 Vide Qisasu 'l Anbiya, Haidari Press Ed., p. 337.
2 This question and answer were given in Bombay at a street-preaching at which I was present. The Muhammadan was laughed at by the crowd, and went away, crying out, "The highest heaven was honoured by the touch of his holy sandals." The reasonable answer, that customs change and that Europeans do not show reverence by removing their shoes, would have had no effect, for the retort would have been made, "Why don't you, if you believe the Bible?"