teachings. Too often they are but the fanciful conjectures of the
rabbis. Developed in an uncritical age, and based upon the unreliable
methods of interpretation current among the Jews in the early Christian
centuries, they are often sadly misleading. A close analogy is found in
the traditional identifications of most of the Palestinian sacred sites.
To-day the Oriental guide shows the skull of Adam beneath the spot where
tradition places the cross of Christ. If the traveller desires, he will
point out the very stones which Jesus declared God could raise up to be
children of Abraham. Every question which curiosity or genuine interest
has raised is answered by the seemingly authoritative voice of
tradition. Investigation, however, proves that almost all of these
thousand identifications are probably incorrect. The discovery is a
shock to the pious imagination; but to the healthy mind uncertainty is
always better than error. Furthermore, uncertainty often proves the door
which leads to established truth.

[Sidenote: _Acceptance of the testimony of the Old Testament regarding
its origin and history._]

Even so the modern historical and critical spirit has led men to turn
from the generally accepted but exceedingly doubtful rabbinical
traditions regarding, for example, the date and authorship of many of
the Old Testament books, to the authoritative evidence found in those
writings themselves. In this they are but following the example of the
Great Teacher, who repeatedly appealed from the same rabbis and their
misleading traditions to the same ancient Scriptures. The saddest fact
is that many of his followers, even to-day, hesitate to follow his
inspired leadership. Fortunately, as the varied, strata and formations
of the rocks tell the story of the earth's early history, so these early
writings furnish the data for reconstructing the illuminating history of