“First, as to the authenticity of the Bible. The authors were men, not differing from other men, with limited faculties, fallible as all men are, and liable to mistakes. They may have been honest, with the best of intentions, yet this is no warrant that they could not be mistaken. It is evident that they were affected by the times in which they lived, were influenced by their surroundings, and directed by their education, though very meager. It is well authenticated that the writers never wrote all that is attributed to them; that many things were interpolated by others, several centuries later, to make up a creed for the church to suit themselves. It is not known just when the Bible was written, nor the authors of the different parts, or whether any one part was written wholly by the one to whom it is ascribed, or afterward compiled from various sources. It is well known that there were many writings, and that those now composing the Bible are selections from them all. If any were inspired, why not all? If all were from God, why should some be chosen and others rejected? It was a daring, sacrilegious thing to do, men becoming the judges of the revelations of God, that is, if they believed they were from God. There must have been doubts about the authenticity of them. If there were doubts about some, why not about others, about all? If men in ancient times, no better or worse than we are, could have their doubts and make their choice of what they supposed to be the word of God, why should we not have the same right to use our judgments? In fact, the knowledge of every kind that the world has acquired, the distance from the events recorded, uninfluenced by the prejudices and associations affecting the writers of the books of the Bible and those making the selections, make men of modern times more capable of considering what is truth and what might be considered the word of God. Scientists of all kinds do not accept all the ancient theories, not because they are indisposed to do so, but for the indisputable reason that these theories or dogmas do not harmonize with the truth or demonstrated facts.