“Your eternal word, O LORD, stands firm in heaven. Your faithfulness extends to every generation, as enduring as the earth you created. Your regulations remain true to this day, for everything serves your plans. If your instructions hadn’t sustained me with joy, I would have died in my misery. I will never forget your commandments, for by them you give me life. I am yours; rescue me! For I have worked hard at obeying your commandments. Though the wicked hide along the way to kill me, I will quietly keep my mind on your laws. Even perfection has its limits, but your commands have no limit.”
Psalm 119:89-96
I have been reading the book Campbell & Controversy: The Debates of Alexander Campbell (Bill J. Humble, College Press, 1986). A debate between Alexander Campbell and Robert Owen took place in Cincinnati, Ohio on April 13-21, 1829. Robert Owen was a noted skeptic of the day and claimed that all religions were equally false whether Christian, Muslim, or Hindu. In a challenge published in several papers in New Orleans, Louisiana in January 1828, Owen stated, “I propose to prove, as I have already attempted to do in my lectures, that all the religions of the world have been founded on the ignorance of mankind; that they are directly opposed to the never changing laws of our nature; that they have been and are the real source of vice, disunion and misery of every description…” According to many reports on the debate, it was civil and both men conducted themselves as gentlemen. However, Owen never really debated. He never answered any of Campbell’s arguments. He contented himself with going over what he called his Twelve Laws, to the point that the audience was often amused when he began the same “lecture” again.
It struck me as I was reading today that this debate took place 193 years ago. As I read, I saw footnotes noting the various newspapers and journals that reported on the debate. There was the Western Monthly Review, Free Enquirer, Christian Baptist, Christian Messenger, Memoirs of Alexander Campbell, The Life of Robert Owen. There was also a book written by Frances Trollope, Domestic Manners of the Americans (New York, 1927). Also, there was a book of the debate itself, Debate On the Evidences of Christianity; Containing an Examination of the “Social System,” and of All the Systems of Scepticism of Ancient and Modern Times (2 Vols., Bethany, VA, 1829).
I have no doubt that this debate took place. There were various opinions of it expressed by various ones, but no one denies that it took place in Cincinnati in 1829. This makes me think about the attacks against the Bible in our day. Many claim that our text is not reliable. It is interesting to note that Julius Caesar’s books written from 100 to 44 B.C. are not disputed. Yet, the earliest fragment or copies of his writings date to A.D. 900, and there are only 10 manuscripts available. Homer’s Iliad was written around 900 B.C. The earliest copies of it date to 400 B. C. and there are 643 copies. No one disputes the authenticity of The Iliad. Plato’s writings date 427 to 347 B. C. The earliest copies date back to A. D. 900. There are only 7 manuscripts of his writings. No one doubts that Plato lived, taught, and wrote his books. The New Testament Books were written from A. D. 40 to 100. The earliest copies or fragments date to A. D. 125. There are more than 24,000 manuscripts. Yet, we hear people refer to the Bible as that “old book” as they raise a skeptical eye. Can we trust the Bible, or it is just an old, outdated book? Based on the evidence of manuscripts, it appears that the Bible is at least as reliable as Plato, Homer, and Caesar, if not more reliable. Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my word will not pass away” (Matt. 24:35). God’s eternal word still stands firm in both the created world and in the inspired Scriptures. We would do well to take heed to it.
L Scott Gage