More, much more would have to go than the
Mosaic cosmogony of the first chapter of Genesis. Just as the Elohistic
account of creation had been stretched to fit the changed views of
geologists, so the greater part of the scriptural narratives stood in
need of a wider interpretation. The fable of the Eternal's personal
mediation in the affairs of man must be accepted for what it was--a
beautiful allegory, the fondly dreamed fulfilment of a world-old desire.
And bringing thus a sharpened critical sense to bear on the Scriptures,
Mahony embarked on his voyage of discovery. Before him, but more as a
warning than a beacon, shone the example of a famous German savant, who,
taking our Saviour's life as his theme, demolished the sacred idea of a
Divine miracle, and retold the Gospel story from a rationalistic
standpoint. A savagely unimaginative piece of work this, thought Mahony,
and one that laid all too little weight on the deeps of poetry, the
mysteries of symbols, and the power the human mind drew from these, to
pierce to an ideal truth. His own modest efforts would be of quite
another kind.
For he sought, not to deny God, but to discover Him anew, by freeing Him
from the drift of error, superstition and dead-letterism which the
centuries had accumulated about Him. Far was it from His servant's mind
to wish to decry the authority of the Book of Books. This he believed to
consist, in great part, of inspired utterances, and, for the rest, to be
the wisest and ripest collection of moral precept and example that had
come down to us from the ages.
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