Excerpt from A Handbook of Biblical Difficulties: Or, Reasonable Solutions of Perplexing Things in Sacred Scripture
It has been the duty and privilege of the Editor of this 'Handbook' for the last twenty years to study closely those portions of Holy Scripture which are likely to be used as lessons, sermon-subjects, or illustrations, by Sunday-school teachers and ministers. In the course of study note has been taken of all passages which seemed to present special difficulties. These have been treated, in various ways, in Sunday-school and other magazines, and in books; but it has been thought advisable to deal with these difficulties in a more systematic manner, and to put at the command of the intelligent reader - and especially of the reader who has not ready access to expensive Biblical works - a suggestive and reasonable explanation of every perplexity, or at least of every class of perplexity.
In selecting the topics for treatment, it has been borne in mind that all readers of the Sacred Word do not find difficulties in the same things. Effort has been made to adapt the selection of topics to all kinds of open and inquiring minds; but it has always been assumed that the inquirer is sincere and reverent, anxious to find a satisfactory explanation, and not sceptically pleased by making difficulties bigger than they are, and by refusing to recognise the reasonableness of solutions that are offered.
The treatment of subjects is in no case elaborate or complete. A suggestive style has been kept throughout. Explanations are offered for careful consideration: they are intended to start thought, and not to satisfy it. The purpose of the work will be fully accomplished if the reader finds a more acceptable solution of any difficulty than it provides. The work will be misused if it is made the basis of heated and sectarian controversy. It has been prepared for the quiet and thoughtful student, and makes no provision of weapons for the polemic.
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