Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1848-04-12

o. THE BIBLE AND IT'S rEAcHIsGs.
csumuscated 10 the New York Tribune.
LETTER III.
ST. PErrRsBuRG, Sept. 1871.

c..muscaaed 10 the New York Tribune.
LETTER ILL.,
ST. PErrRsBuRG, Sept. 1871.
Tho second general point Of view. in
-n;ch / propose for you TO consider the
B,tls, to the end that II may thoroughly
farsish you unto all good works. Is j"
- historical character.
r. : man of liberal education, tho stu
dy Of history is no, only useful. and i'm.
.c,e.ot. but nliogpsher indispensable, and,
nth regard 10 tho history contained in
=. R.ble. tho observation which Cicero
IKE, respecting tina. Of his own country
!. much moro cmphnticaIly applicable.
.,bat il is not so much prn isewoTihy 10 be
.eouain,ed with ns It is shameful to DO ig-
.ceant Of IL" History, SO far as i roiaios
"a tho actions and adventures of men, may
d| |,ste9v o fs he "of3, oihsrw;se called
universal history; second. tina. Of particn-
=, nations; third, that Of particular ins.i
n,ioo.; fourth. thu, Of single families;
and fifth, that Of individual men. Tho
lat two Of these classes nre goncraI'y dis.
nnruishcd by tho nnmo Of memoirs and
b;oernpby. All these classes Of history
s,e u bo found in tho Bible, and il nny BE-
sorth yo,r while to discriminate them ono
from another. Tho universal history is
hort, md oil continued in tho first eleven
chapters Of Genesis, together with tho first
thap,er Of the first book Of Chronicles,
which is li.,le more thnn a genealogical
list Of names; but it is Of great importance,
not only rs il includes tho history Of tho
creation, Of the fail Of man, Of tho aDtedi-
iuyian world and the flood by which the
vbolo human race Excepting Noah and
his family wore destroyed. but rs II gives
avory precise account Of the time from
The creation until tho birth Of Abraham.
This il tho foundation Of ancient history.
sud in roading prOfano historians hcreaf-
tar. would advise you always to reflect
um,n their narratives with reference to it
with respect 10 tho chronology. A correct,
;lea Of this is so necessary to understand
all history, ancient and modern. that may
asrcaftcr write you something further con-
ceroing il; for tho present | shall only ro-
commend TO your particular attention tho
6fih and eleventh chapters of Gcnesis,
aud reqlcs, you to cast up and write me
tho amount Of the nge Of the world when
Abraham wns born. Tho remainder of
chapter, Is a history Of one individual
(Abraham) and his family during three
generations Of his descendants, after which
the book Of Exodus commences with the
history of tho samo family. multiplied in
20 q nation; this national and family his
tory is continued through the books Of the
Odd Testament until that Of Job. which is
Of a peculiar character, differing in many
particulars from every other part Of the
Scriptures. There is no other history eX
,ant which can give so interesting and cor
rect view Of the uso and progress Of hu-
man atoms, through all the viclssi-
tudes to which individuals, families, and
nations arc liable. Thero is no history
wherc tho origin Of n whole nation is
traced BY a single man. and whore n con
nocied train Of ovcnts and a regular series
Of persons from generation to generation
il preserved. As tho history Of Il family,
i, is intimately connected with our re-
ligious principles and opinions, for it is the
family from which lin his human charnc-
scr) jesus Chris, descended. 1t begins by
relating tho commands Of God to Abra-
ham. 70 abandon his country, his kindred
md his fathers house; aud gotoa land
which he would show hun. This com.
mand wa accompanied by two promises
from which. and from thcir fulfillmcn, a.
rose tho differences which have just no.
ticcd, between tho history Of the Jews and
that Of every other nation. The first Of
these promises was THAT God would make
Abraham great nation. and bless him; '
the second, and comparatively the mos!
important. was. that ''in him all tho fam.
lies Of tho earth shall DO blcssed." This
promise was made about two thousa nj
yoars before tho birth Of Christ. and in
Him had its fulfilrncnt. When n bra ham
in obedience to tho command Of God, had
COMO into tho land Of Canaan. the Lord APP
pcarcd unto him and made him thirt
promise. which was that no should give
that land 10 a nation which should descenc
from him, rs possession: this was flu!
filed botwocn five and six hundred year:
aftcrwnrd. In reading all tho historical
books Of both tho Old and New Tcsta
ments. rs we'll as tho books of tho Prophets
YOU should always bear in mind the re-
feronco which they have to these ihrce
promises Of Goa to Abraham. All the
history is no moro than m rrativo Of the
particular manner. and the details Of events
By. which those promises were fulfilled.
In tho account Of tho Creation and the
fall Of man, have already remarked thu,
tho moral doctrine inculca,ed BY the Bible
-. that tho g,oat consumation Of all hu
man virtue consists in Obedience 10 the viii
Of God. When we como hereafter I,
speak Of the Bible in its ethical charactc
shall cndcavor to show you the intrinsic
excellence Of this principle; but I shall nov
only remark how strongly the principle
'tseif IS illustrated. frs, in the account o
the tall. and next BY tho history Of Abra
ham. In tho account Of the Creation W.
are informed that God. after having mad,
tho world. created the first human pair. snc
s'gave them dominion over every Twin,
thing that moved upon the earth.' He CAV,
them also ''every herb bearing seed. an,
fruit Of every trec for meat" and all ,hi
Z ws are told 'God saw was very good.
Thus tho immediate possession Of every
thing was given them, and its perpe,ua
- eloyment secured to their descendn MS