MATERIALS FOR DECIDING THE QUESTION, WHETHER OR NOT THE BIBLE IS THE WORD OF GOD? IN A SERIES OF LETTERS, ADDRESSED TO THE BISHOP OF EXETER. 66 BY C. J. HASLAM. THOR OF LETTERS TO THE CLERGY." &c. &c. SALFORD. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY C. J. HASLAM AND SOLD BY A. HEYWOOD, 60 OLDHAM-STREET MANCHESTER, AND ALL BOOKSELLERS. Price one Penny. 141. k. 513. TO THE PUBLIC. I beg to state, that I have issued the present work, in consequence of the course adopted by the government, in relation to my Letters to the Clergy of all Denominations. It appears that these Letters are written in a style that exposes them to prosecution, and the parties selling them liable to suffer the privations and inconveniences of a dungeon. In the following Letters I have adopted another style, and therefore no fear need be entertained as to their illegality. I was quite aware, while writing these Letters, that they offended against the law of blasphemy, but from the "liberal" character of the present government, I did hope that they would never degrade themselves by reviving such a barbarous law; a law, as infamous in its character, as the parties who enacted it were irrational and brutal. I am no friend to violence of any sort, not even moral violence, when it can be avoided; and I fully agree with the sentiment of the great and good Paine, that it is better to obey a bad law than forcibly violate it; making use, at the same time, of every argument to show the necessity of its repeal; and especially where individual sacrifices can accomplish no good. In proportion as a nation approaches to rationality, in the same proportion will it leave off violent proceedings in effecting its revolutions. I am fully satisfied, therefore, that we can effect the great and glorious object we have in view, without violence of any sort, without even the sacrifice of a single individual; and in proportion as we avoid any thing of this sort, in the same proportion will the object of our struggle, when accomplished, be worthy of rational men. Although, however, I advise this course, I by no means recommend yielding of any sort my own part, I now feel a determination, ten-fold more vigorous than ever, in doing my humble utmost, in exposing the imposition and craft which I see practised upon my fellow-men; and which keep them in misery. I am yet under thirty years of age, and I hope I have yet many years in store, to labour, with others, to accomplish this mighty good. C. J.H. for CONTENTS. Letter I. Prosecution of Mr. Cleave, 3. Its irrationality, 4. The object of the work, 7. The Bible only part of the word of God, 9. The names at the head of the Gospels not affixed by the authors of them, 10. Moses did not Liberties ta- The invention of the vowel points, 15. ken in correcting the word of God, 18. The version of the Septuagint, 18. The corruption of the Hebrew text, The Pentateuch more modern than Moses, 27. The Jews lost and burnt some of the word of God, 27. prophets not always divinely inspired, 30. The Psalms not all David's, 31. The author of the book of Job un- known, 32. Liberties taken in correcting the New Tes- |