The mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1863-1943, 1865-04-01
dreams, but time and change Of resi-
dence soon effected its cure,
THE BIBLE,

|
! -SSS
THE BIBLE.
Sitting alone in my study, fell into
train of reflections on'the preservation O
the Bible, and its influence on the history
of man. Here before me lies an unprc
tending little book. What volume O.
thought does it suggest 1t is by many
centuries the oldest book in the world
More than three thousand years ago the
first word of it was written in the desert
Of Arabia; more than seventeen hundred
the last word was written on the rocky
isle of Patmos. 1t has been read by more
people than all other books in the world
put together. More of it is remembered
by men than all the books that were evcI
written. 1t treats Of questions of the
highest moment to all men, and proposes
to reveal that for which the wisest of al
ages have sought in vain-the secret OF
true happiness. These very letters that
pass under my eye are the same as those
traced by the finger Of God on the tablets
of stone amid the thuhders and lightning
Of Mt. Sinai. The language in which the
New Testament was written is the same
in which Solon, Plato and DemoSthcnes
wrote and spoke.
This book has survived the revolutions
and changes Of three thousand years. II
has seen Ninevah, Babylon, Memphis
Thebes, Tyre, Sidon, Carthage, Rome
Athens, and q thousand other cities, rise
h9n!r:ssht! aud fall. 1t has lived amid wars
the most bloody amid desolatons the most
complete, amid tyranny the most grind
ing, amid darkness the most profound
amid superstitions the most degrading
amid idolatry the most repulsive, annie
blasphemy the most Heaven daring; and
has been against all these the great wit
ness of God. This book has outlived al
the efforts made to shake the faith Of mar
in lis revelations and to Danish it from th(
world. CELSIUS, Phorphyry, Julian, and /
| host OF others, tierccly attacked it in thC
first ages II the Church; but it still lived
Hume, Hobbies, Noltaire, Paine and many
others oI.thc rabb!c rOut Of intdriity, in
modern times but it still lives while it!
enemics sleep III diShonorcd graves.
This book has laid hold Of all classes
The warrior has carried it next his hear
in the storm Of battle; and often has the
bullet aimed at his lie buried itself in the
leaves Of his Bible. lthas been laid upol
the throne OF the monarch as his safes
guide book in the administration Of Jus
tice. 1t has been cXhaited by the prizes
in the cathedral, amid solemn chants ant
penitential confessions Of sin. 1t has beer
sought for by tn, world sick for its heal
ing balm; by the hermit in lis cell for it,
consultations; by the poor man for it
promises Of more than earthly riches b,
the homeless wandcrcr for its promise 0
"a home in Heaven" by the guilty 70
its assurance OF pardon; by the living fo
its guiding principles OF truth; by the dy
ing for its password into the ueavenl,
! places"
| This book has been given to the worl,
| in all its tongues. In more than two hun
lrcd languages AMI dialects it is read by
sinful race. 1t has long been unchalne,
, from the high altars OF gray old temples
and Scnt ont to all the tribes, nations ant
people, of the world and yet canDot b(
supplied fast enough, though a Bible i:
printed every minute in The day.
| This book has marched at the head O
civilization in all ages. 1t went with tho
Jews into Palestine; it invaded Greece
Rome, and ali the States Of the ancien
world under the preaching of the first
herads o! truth. It's principle, have beer
at the base of ali revolutions that hay,
pushed forward the human race. 1t was
SO in Germany, France, England and Scot
land, and in Our own country.
The Pilgrims fled to American wild,
that they might enjoy the blessings of hi
bic truth and Bible teachings unmolesteC
and unoppressed by the laws of tyrants
1t was devoutly recognized as book es
pecially needlu for a people struggling fol-
| freedom by the fathers of our Republic
In the darkest and stormiest hour Of til,
Revolution, when money could hardly bc
found to pay the starving and naked and
bleeding soldiers Of liberty, Congress in
l777, appointed committee to confer
with printer, with the view Of striking
of thirty thousand Bibles at the expense
of Congress but it being difficult to OBJ
tain paper and type, to import twenty
thousand from Holland, Scotland and else.
where. They gave as reason that its
use is so universal and its importance so
great.
In 1880 Congress appointed commit
tee TO attend to printing an edition Of the
Bible in Philadelphia, and voted that they
highly approved the pious and audable
undertaking as subservient to the inter
eSts of religion, and recommended this
edition of the Bible to the people Of the
United States. In eight successive wears
Congress voted and kept sixteen national
feasts and thanksgivings. On the com.
mittees which reported these bills were
such men as General Livingston, of New
York, r. II. Lee, Of Virginia, Roger Sher-
man, of Connecticut, Boudinot and James
Madison. Some Of these signed the Dec
laration Of independence, and most Of
them were engaged in pr curing the Con-
sti,ution, and knew its true spirit.
Thus was the Bible honored by these
apostles of freedom. When their chill
,,r0n ITO enjoy the fruits OF their labors,
' 0boii c,ose to IRISH it as the palladium
Of civil and religious 'lurrty, that moment
will the nation begin its downward march
to ruin.
A GENTLEMAN, while taking drive
through one Of our country towns, accom-