If it be true, as we are sometimes told, that
an era of fundamentalism is upon us, this may perhaps provide a reading public for Mr. Ogilvy van Lennep's elaborate' and painstaking work on The Measured Times of the Bilile (Heath Clanton, 17s. 6d.). More sophisticated students will, we-fear, he persuaded with difficulty to consider as seriously as he desires, his demonstration " in the light of simple logic and common sense," that precisely four thousand years must haYe elapsed between the creation of Adam at- sunset on September 16th, A.D.1, and the birth of Christ on the " true astronomical anniversary " of that event. Mr. van Lennep is a convinced literalist. He is equally untroubled by the conclusions of Biblical criticism and of natural science ; and always has an explanation ready for the unfortunate discrepancies of Old Testament chronology. He acknow- ledges that these put some difficulties in his path ; but they all disappear before the one supreme fact that " the Scriptures are obviously inspired." Of such a work one can only say respectfully that those who like this sort of thing will find it just the sort of thing they like.
* * * *
Previous page
