Sunday, August 8, 2010

These menders of the Bible

Sun 8 Aug 1773: At night I set out in the machine, and on Monday reached Bristol. In the way I looked over Mr. —’s Dissertations. I was surprised to find him a thorough convert of Mr. Stonehouse's, both as to the preexistence of souls, and the non-eternity of hell. But he is far more merciful than Mr. Stonehouse. He allows it to last (not five millions, but) only thirty thousand years!
It would be excusable, if these menders of the Bible would offer their hypotheses modestly. But one cannot excuse them when they not only obtrude their novel scheme with the utmost confidence, but even ridicule that scriptural one which always was, and is now, held by men of the greatest learning and piety in the world. Hereby they promote the cause of infidelity more effectually than either Hume or Voltaire.