CONTENTS.

PART I.

[AUTHENTICITY.]

Chapter I.

[Sacred Books of the World], 5

Chapter II.

[The Christian Bible], 12

Chapter III.

[Formation of the Canon], 21

Chapter IV.

[Different Versions of the Bible], 39

Chapter V.

[Authorship and Dates], 45

Chapter VI.

[The Pentateuch], 50

Chapter VII.

[The Prophets], 76

Chapter VIII.

[The Hagiographa], 94

Chapter IX.

[The Four Gospels], 108

Chapter X.

[Acts, Catholic Epistles, and Revelation], 140

Chapter XI.

[Pauline Epistles], 152

PART II.

[CREDIBILITY.]

Chapter XII.

[Textual Errors], 163

Chapter XIII.

[Two Cosmogonies of Genesis], 181

Chapter XIV.

[The Patriarchal Age], 188

Chapter XV.

[The Jewish Kings], 198

Chapter XVI.

[When Did Jehoshaphat Die?] 210

Chapter XVII.

[Inspired Numbers], 231

Chapter XVIII.

[Harmony of the Gospels], 238

Chapter XIX.

[Paul and the Apostles], 247

Chapter XX.

[The Bible and History], 260

Chapter XXI.

[The Bible and Science], 271

Chapter XXII.

[Prophecies], 293

Chapter XXIII.

[Miracles], 306

Chapter XXIV.

[The Bible God], 317

PART III.

[MORALITY.]

Chapter XXV.

[The Bible Not a Moral Guide], 329

Chapter XXVI.

[Lying—Cheating—Stealing], 339

Chapter XXVII.

[Murder—War], 351

Chapter XXVIII.

[Human Sacrifices—Cannibalism—Witchcraft] 361

Chapter XXIX.

[Slavery—Polygamy], 374

Chapter XXX.

[Adultery—Obscenity] 388

Chapter XXXI.

[Intemperance—Vagrancy—Ignorance], 394

Chapter XXXII.

[Injustice to Women—Unkindness to Children—Cruelty to Animals], 404

Chapter XXXIII.

[Tyranny—Intolerance], 415

Chapter XXXIV.

[Conclusion], 423

APPENDIX.

[Arguments Against the Divine Origin and in Support of the Human Origin of the Bible], 433

[Index], 463

THE BIBLE.

PART I.—AUTHENTICITY.

CHAPTER I.

SACRED BOOKS OF THE WORLD.

Asia has been the fruitful source of religions and Bibles. The seven great religions of the world, Brahmanism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Zoroastrianism, Mohammedanism, Judaism, and Christianity—all had their birth in Asia; and the so-called sacred books which are used to uphold and propagate these faiths were nearly all written by Asiatic priests and prophets. A brief description of the most important of these books will be presented in this chapter.