Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1861-02-06
Moral and Religious.
HOW THE BIBLE WAS MADE.

No one can study the geography of Pales-
tine without perceiying that this narrow strip
OF territory was designed by Providence for
some important purpose in the history of
man. At the head of the Mediterranean, the
gateway of Asia for the nations of the west,
and the natural outlet of the great caravan
commerce of Western Asia with the sea, w.
ing in the highway of all ancient trade and
conquest, the very pivot about which the in
tercourse of nations and continents reyolyes
it is yet isolated by natural causes from all
adjacent countries which might swallow I'D
It's Individuality. The great mountain barri-
er upon the north, the sea upon the west.
the deep crevassc of the Ghor and the Dead
Sea upon the east and desert also to the east
and on the south, these physical character
istics of the country stamp it in pcrpetuity
as land apart from all lands-fttcd at once
to be the theatres of great events and to
keep their unchanging records upon its un-
changing features. These features are pho
tographed upon every page of the Bible,
and the original remains to certify the fideli-
ty OF the copy. Indeed, there seems to be
/ the same relation to tL4I---a------a--
/ which exists between the two revealed econ
|
of God in the incarnation and atonement of
| Christ, it was necessary that a particular
people, separated for this end-since the
whole effect would have been lost in the at
tempt to reveal these inconceivable truths
Immediately to nations whose religious ideas
were crude or debased-should be made IA
miiar with theophanies, with prophetic in
spiration, with miraculous en6o 9ments, sac
rificial offerings, and representative pfiestly
intercession, and should thus form a sacred
language as the groundwork Of the revela-
tion in God in Christ.
The comparative isolation of the Jews in
their territory, and their complete isolation
by that economy and polity which were Civ
en- to them by Jehovah before their entrance
into the promised land, prepared the typical
moulds in which the great thoughts of Di-
vine love and mercy should be fully convey
ed to an unbeiieying world. And since, as
, compared with that disclosure of God which
is made to those who see him face to face,
the Bible is but the Pictorial Primmer Of our
: faith, there was need also that its symbols
and its illustration should be run into some
physical mould prepared to contain So much
: of spiritual truth as we. in this per Cd o.
> childhood, might be ahle to receive. What
, what were the Bible to man without its Eder
II
: the one restored with perennial fruitfulnes:
e in the other? What were the incarnation
= had not the human life of Christ been cir
2 cumscribed within familiar and unchangin
scenes-Nazareth and Bethany, the love,
:, and lovely lake, and the city where he wa
crucifed? What were the impression of th
atonement itself, had it been enacted in som
- spirit world, without the visible agony O
:, the garden, and the cross lifted up on Calya
. ry? And so in the land Of Palestine, a
- would hardly be possible in any other land
! there existed in it's physical features and il
- every day life, materials for pictorial alpha
bet or spiritual truths-the rock, the tower
the fountain, the stream, the mountain, tn
forest, the desert, the cave, the gulf the sea
the shepherd, the watchman, the husband
man, the vine dresser, the robber, and th
Ut beast of prey-whatever could furnish
ef similitude for a religious truth or duty, con
ne a pressed into little territory, and then mad
III permanent by the finger and the providene
ne of God. The land where the incarnate Wor
:" dwelt with men, is and must ever be, an IL
u. tegral part of the Divine Revelation. Ht
Ut testimony is essential to the chain of evideI
er ces, her aid invaluable to exposition. I'll
nd very hills, and mountains, rocks, rivers, an
eo fountains, are symbols and pledges of thing
far better than themselves. In word, Pa
estine, is one vast tablet, whereupon God
ca messages to men have been drawn and gr
ven deep in living characters, by the gre
az ad Publisher of glad tidings, to be seen and res
n- of all to the end of times--IHs Land an
DC. Book.