Dr. Wace says he believes the Gadarene story; whichever version of it he accepts, therefore, he believes that Jesus said what he is stated in all the versions to have said, and thereby virtually declared that the theory of the nature of the spiritual world involved in the story is true.  Now I hold that this theory is false, that it is a monstrous and mischievous fiction; and I unhesitatingly express my disbelief in any assertion that it is true, by whomsoever made.  So that, if Dr. Wace is right in his belief, he is also quite right in classing me among the people he calls “infidels”; and although I cannot fulfil the eccentric expectation that I shall glory in a title which, from my point of view, it would be simply silly to adopt, I certainly shall rejoice not to be reckoned among “Christians” so long as the profession of belief in such stories as the Gadarene pig affair, on the strength of a tradition of unknown origin, of which two discrepant reports, also of unknown origin, alone remain, forms any part of the Christian faith.  And, although I have, more than once, repudiated the gift of prophecy, yet I think I may venture to express the anticipation, that if “Christians” generally are going to follow the line taken by Dr. Wace, it will not be long before all men of common sense qualify for a place among the “infidels.”

FOOTNOTES: 

     [64] I may perhaps return to the question of the authorship
          of the Gospels.  For the present I must content myself
          with warning my readers against any reliance upon Dr.
          Wace’s statements as to the results arrived at by
          modern criticism.  They are as gravely as surprisingly
          erroneous.

     [65] The United States ought, perhaps, to be added, but
          I am not sure.

     [66] Imagine that all our chairs of astronomy had been
          founded in the fourteenth century, and that their
          incumbents were bound to sign Ptolemaic articles.  In
          that case, with every respect for the efforts of
          persons thus hampered to attain and expound the truth,
          I think men of common sense would go elsewhere to learn
          astronomy.  Zeller’s Vortraege und Abhandlungen were
          published and came into my hands a quarter of a century
          ago.  The writer’s rank, as a theologian to begin with,
          and subsequently as a historian of Greek philosophy, is
          of the highest.  Among these essays are two—­Das
          Urchirstenthum and Die Tuebinger historische
          Schule—­which are likely to be of more use to those
          who wish to know the real state of the case than all
          that the official “apologists,” with their one eye on
          truth and the other on the tenets of their sect, have
          written.  For the opinion of a scientific theologian
          about theologians of this stamp see pp. 225 and 227 of
          the Vortraege.