Chapter I: Preface

In January, 1901, the following announcement appeared in The Truth Seeker, of New York:

To the Readers of The Truth Seeker: Two years ago that able
and sagacious Liberal leader, L. K. Washburn, wrote: "The next
great moral revolution of the world will be a crusade against
the Christian Bible." The church expects this and is preparing
for it. In an address before the Methodist ministers of Chicago,
the Rev. Dr. Curry, a distinguished Methodist divine, said: "We are
standing on the eve of the most stupendous revolution in reference
to the doctrines of the Bible that the church has ever known." In
this long war with bibliolaters the younger readers of The Truth
Seeker will take a prominent part. To call their attention to the
impending struggle, and to aid in a small way in fitting them for
it, the editor of The Truth Seeker has invited me to open a sort
of Bible school in his paper. For nearly a quarter of a century I
have been writing and lecturing and debating against the divinity
of the Bible. My opposition from the trained defenders of the
book has been at times both keen and bitter. I was compelled to
become and remain a diligent student of the Bible and of Biblical
criticism. As far as possible I collected all of the damaging facts
obtainable. I digested and classified them and filed them away
in the labeled pigeon-holes of my brain for use when needed. I am
growing old. My hair which was black when I began my work will soon
be white. I have at the most but a few more years to labor. This
arsenal of facts which I have gathered and the arguments that
I have formulated from them I wish to place within the reach of
others. Whether the thought be a Spiritualistic assurance or an
Irish bull, it will be a pleasure to me when I am dead to know
that I am still of some service to the cause.

In the next issue of The Truth Seeker I shall begin a series
of some thirty lessons or chapters on "The Bible." The chief
purpose of the work will be to combat the dogmas of the divine
origin and infallibility of the Christian Bible. The points of
attack will be three: 1. Its Authenticity; 2. Its Credibility;
3. Its Morality. I shall endeavor to disprove in a large degree
the authenticity of its books, the credibility of its statements,
and the morality of its teachings.

John E. Remsburg.

These chapters were published in weekly installments in The Truth Seeker, their publication extending through a period of twenty months. The matter was electrotyped as published and the work will now be given to the public in book form. To those interested in Biblical criticism, and especially to the Freethought propagandist and to the Christian investigator, it is hoped that its contents may be useful.

The facts presented in this volume, while known to many Christian scholars, are, as far as possible, kept from the lower orders of the clergy and from the laity. Divines enjoying high honors and large salaries may be cognizant of them without endangering their faith; but the humbler ministers who receive small pay, and the laity who support the church, are liable to have their faith impaired by a knowledge of them.

In Part II., devoted to the Credibility of the Bible, less space is given to the errors of the New Testament than to those of the Old Testament. This is not because the New contains less errors than the Old, but because the author has prepared another volume on this subject. In "The Christ," a sequel to "The Bible," a more exhaustive exposition of the errors of the New Testament, particularly of the Four Gospels, is given.

While denying the infallibility of the writers of the Bible the author is not unconscious of his own fallibility.

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.