The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1866-05-09
R1R1E soc1ETy o. vIRaINIA.

the weather ne-mitted, the assembly would no
doubt have filed the spacious church in every
part A heavy rain-storm greatly intertered
with the attendance Of many; still the assem-
bly, was large, and the exercises were such as
must have interested, and we hope profted
also those present.
After appropriate worship, the Rev. DR..
Hoge presented verbally an outline Of the an
nual report, which he stated had, att his request,
been prepared By Col Ellis, an6 would be pub
Hshed in the Richmond Dispatch. This re
port is written with excellent taste, and IS so
enriched with sketches of the founders of this
Society--older in It's organization than the
American Bible Society-that some Of its par
agraphs are marked for an early Insertion
The communication of the Secretary, Rev.
Samuel j. Baird D. D., which was published
last week presented a sketch of the present
condition of the work in Virginia, and arrange
ments for its future prosecution. This renders
it the less necessary to introduce the details Of
the present report.
At the close of Dr. Hoge's report and re-
marks accompanying it, the Rev. Il. j. Van
dyke, D. D., Of Brooklyn, New NJ p
introduced Lois gen4eni4- had a0d.g ao-
cepted IA invitation of the Board Of Managers
to be present on this occasion, and now pro
ceeded to address the assembly. 1t would
CRAFTY many who heard it, as well as many
who did not, to receive in print an address
which combined so many things to instruct and
crafty sn audience whose marked attention
testified how highly the production was appre-
ciated The following Is only sketch suf6
cieut, however to Indicate the course of re
mark taken.
DIR. vANDYKE's ADDRESS
He commenced by saying that, aside from
the greatness Of the theme before him. there
were personal considerations which invested
the present occasion with peculiar interest,"
He referred to his visit to this city FIVE years
ago. During the interval what streams OF
blood have fOwed-what storms of passion
ragged between our homes But there were
ties still binding US together If there were
no other, there are religious sympathie>
now, as there were then. He had not learned
TO settle questions of right and wrong by mere
manifestations Of Providence. He was eau
toned not to believe that those eighteen upon
whom the tower in Sloan fell, were sinner
above all men because they suffered such
things. But he did know that amid all dis
fractions and divisions, and alienation and
hatred, there was q real bond wherever there
was real agreement in the true principles OF
the word of God An flesh is grass, and all
the goodness thereof is as the flower of the
Geld. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth !;
because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon
it surely the people IS grass. The grass
withereth, the flower iadeth bit the 5cord Of
or God shall aaaG iolcrer
l. Let the simple, but sublime truth be fixed
in our minds that tie Bible Is the lrord OF
God Not that it merely contains, but that it
IS that word. 1t was all written under his di-
rection and controls a perfect expression OF
MS mind and viii, has been adopted and en-
dorsed by him, and sent forth as sufficient, in
his Judgment, TO make the man Of God per-
feet, thoFeasaly- furnished r,rto acverv GOOD
work to make men wise unto salvation.
There are theories rs 10 the mode of inspiration.
which after all are of no practical importance.
The sacred writer was on amauuensis, and II
his work was satisfactory to his employer, it Is
enough Holy men of old spake as they
were moved by the Holy Ghost 1t is ne
practical matter to US holg they were moved.
The Bible claims for itself divine origin and
authority, and there is no consistent middle
ground between accepting and rejecting the
whole.
There IS one point which should never be
overlooked. Christ, whom infdeIs admit to
have been . wise and good man, endorsed the
whole Of the Old Testament "If they be-
Eeye not Moses and the Prophets, &c.
Search the Scriptures" &c He also en-
dorsed the New Testament. The promised
spirit of truth should dwell with them, aud be
in them-should teach them all things, and
bring all things to their remembrance which
he had spoken to them. In the one case the
endorsement was retrospective, in the other
prophetic, but in both thorough and certain.
Christianity is an apexof which Moses and the
Prophets are the base. The attempt to divorce
Christianity from the BjbIe-to say that you
viii retain its spirit, its essence, while you re-
ject the letter containing it, is the latest and
most cunning device Of the devil
2 The lcord Of God IS the standard Of
truth and Righteousness. 1t is the tribunal be-
fore which all questions of religion aud moral
ity are to be decided Chiiugworth long ago
exclaimed The Bible Is the religion of
Protestants" Would that It were so indeed!
One Of two things is true either the Bible
is the most obscure and double-faced book in
the world, or a large portion of the Protestant
world does not receive it as absolute and infal-
Eble. The latter IS the truth, and the field of
controversy lies backof biblical Interpretation.
It does not grow out of obscurity in the word
Of God, but out Of the question of its author
ity 1t is not what does the book teach, but
show far are we bound by its teaching. With
regard 10 2 vast number c;Inlu2 Alv,,.5~l, s..
Protestants, the Bible is not their religion
They make their appeal to the principles Of
our nature to reason and conscience, 1t
boasts of its lberality, for it accepts every
thing because it believes nothing. 1t is Just
here that the poison of Abolitiouism has en-
tered the life blood Of the Church 1t has
completely trampled under foot the word of
God.
On the other hand, where true faith comes
in it sits down with all the meek submission of
a little child and says Speak, Lord, for thy
servant heareth. Thy word Is truth. -
This is the faith that overcometh the world.
that eulightens and sustains the soul-that OBJ
tains the promises for
8. The rord Of God Is not only rjaL bit
,.f ,J-.,, l. - ,ot only monument stapd