The Religious Tract Society, some time since, issued, prefaced with their high commendation, a translation of a pamphlet by Dr. Constantine Tischendorf, entitled 'When were our Gospels Written?' In the introductory preface we are not unfairly told that 'on the credibility of the four Gospels the whole of Christianity rests, as a building on its foundations. ' It is proposed in this brief essay to deal with the character of Dr. Tischendorf's advocacy, then to examine the genuineness of the four Gospels, as affirmed by the Religious Tract Society's pamphlet, and at the same time to ascertain, so far as is possible in the space, how far the Gospel narrative is credible. The Religious Tract Society state that Dr. Tischendorf's brochure is a repetition of 'arguments for the genuineness and authenticity of the four Gospels, ' which the erudite Doctor had previously published for the learned classes, 'with explanations' now given in addition, to render the arguments 'intelligible' to meaner capacities; and as the 'Infidel' and 'Deist' are especially referred to as likely to be overthrown by this pamphlet, we may presume that the society considers that in the 119 pages—which the translated essay occupies—they have presented the best paper that can be issued on their behalf for popular reading on this question.
