Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1825-05-24

| Delivered before the Madison Auxiliary BIZ
bic Society,"" at an adjourned meeting, held
on Sunday, May Is, 1925.
BY THOMAS LIPPINCoTT, ESQ.
Why should such wonderful exertions
be made to distribute the Bible ? We
are called upon, again and again, not on
To contribute our money--not merely
10 bestow copy Oh such as may ask the
gilt, but 10 seek out those who do not
and who, possibly care not 10 possess IL,
md {" press II upon them. In short, we
are urged to the mos, arduous personal
eXertIons, the greatest self-denial, the
most untliing zeal, in order to give
vide and RAPID circulation To this cheap
and common volume. And why, in a
community like ours, where lew are un-
aaie To purchase--Whcr TWO days la.
| Dor, a, the most, Is sufficient to pay It's
ordinary price, need VIC unite in socie-
ties, and cire ujs,e subscriptions Tor its
wiaer d ffusion
These are questions that naturally oc.
cur TO those who are not intimately &C
qualnted with the history oi Bible SO.
Gle les ; and they deserve an answer.
| There are nnno--3he: cannot be
! anyhow present, ho need to be told
that Tie Il bic is ihe most ancient history
VI the world the only one which gives
III account oi The creation and first CEN
turtles OF cur race, and the globe on which
we dwell. Yet i, is surely subiecl of
intense interest and worthy Of great sS-
| crtion, 10 learn our origin, and the rela-
| tien ~ which we stand, TO the great FHJst
/ Cause: For that there should be some
/ Ink --some moral connection, involving
duty and dependence, appeared (hough
diaaly) even TO ancient heather poiioso-
| piers, 10 be nect ssary consequence OF
created rational existence. They sought
with ardor TO unfold the mystery---to
discover the nature OF that relation, and
its efiegts on man. But their Hottest
flights fell short. Their sublimesl spe-
cnia,ions enshrouded hem in deeper OBJ
security. They were guided only by the
iamp of reason
| What they darby surmised, and he.
slta,ingiy taught, The Bible displays with
the spIcndor OF ETHEREAL light, and the
authority Of "THUs SAITH THE LoRD !"
Ii is not, that it records how the prime
val generations of men passed their
days--what were their manners, their
customs, their forms or features. Ii is
NOT, that il abcUnds in loltiest flights Of
| poctical sublinity-in most pathetic APP
peals to the kindlest feelings Of the
heart, and wisest apothegMs Tor the ex
ercise and Improvement Of the under.
standing. Nay, it is net, that all this is
com bined with the utmost simplicity Of
language, and undoubled faiihluin ess OF
narrative. These, though these are re
narkable baracteristics-and in the de-
gree, peculiar to the sacred volume, are
but subordinate TO the grand--Ihe SUI
bhme--the essential moral truths which
are uniolded in every page.
From The very commencement OF hu-
nan existence, Nher F." The LORD God
formed man of the dust of the ground,
and brea,hed info bis nostrils the breath
Of life, and man became living SOUL"
| he Bible shews close, an unseparabie
connection between his dependence and
his moral duty Il teaches man that he
owes implicit obedience TO that Being
I .IOID WUOtl1 IIC uCIISGd Eh.SiCDICi anu
on whom he depends Tor continuance in
lite. 1t shews him that TO obey IS TO en-
sure felicity; to disobey is to incur The
fearful penalty--dealh. And it leaves
HIM not ignorant ofthe nature and extent
of that will which is the rule of HI, con-
duct; but records IN plain and unambl-
guous terms the law which IS prescrlbo d
for his obedience. A law SO pure, SO
excel ent, SO reasonable, that its slricI
observance Is calculated to promote The
present, a, we'll as ensure the fu'ure,
happiness oil him to W HON il is prescrib
ed.
And is it not important tina, every one
should become acqualn ed with the law
which he is bound and which il is his
in, crest, TO obey Z Will any grudge the
uif1ing pntante or he small eXer,l0n
which may be requlsile for lis wider diff
fusion
Happy had i, heen for myriad # The
human lace, II this Sacred oracies con-