The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1866-05-09
Rnt the Bible IS not Only enhancing and

transforming-it is COMFORTING also. 1t speaks
to the heart Its voice is sweeter than
mother $, as it says: 80 thou afflicted, tossed
with tempest and not comforted," &c, It's
the mourner's book, appreciated best when the
night-shades gather, and the storm comes
down The most beautiful Bible he had ever
seen was that of an old Scotch Covenanter,
which had been handed down through scenes
of 6ereest persecution. He had seen the Bible
Of = NOUS of woman which was marked over
with the letters T. and P, which stood Tor
tried and precious The word oil the
Lord is tried, and on that account 1t is so
precious How many such Bibles there are
over the world. If their stories could all be
collected. what treasure. o Bible, fountain
of light and JOY, stream Of salvation, river OF
ife-what healing, what celestial light has
come through it to our world of sorrow and OF
sin. How often has it awakened theanthemoi
praise in the tent of the soldier, the prisoner
the home of the poor, our Fathers treasure
and legacy. Jesus Christ sanctioned both
Testaments as the word of God, and we
cling to both, even aswe do to Christ; for He
Is the Word of God, - the word that was
made flesh, and dwet among us.
There is a great cloud of witnesses to these
truths-the great, the learned the humble,
and simple-minded
4. The word of God being the standard OF
right and wrong, of truth and error, and ex-
ercising this transformingand sustainingpower,
&C oloo the STATUTE book and alzlory Of the king
dom not of this looTld
The nature of the Church was here clearly
stated. 1t is spiritual body, a chosen gener-
alton a holy a1d pAoe9 ~. OF this
body Christ is the sole and supreme head, and
to Him alone does it owe allegiance There is
radical distinction between the kingdom of
Christ and the Kingdoms of this world. The
providence of God is calling upon Christians to
examine anew, and most carefully, the tounda
ton of their faith in this matter The
Church must shake herself loose from all these
unscriptural alliances with the powers of this
world which have corrupted and ruined it,
The kingdoms Of this world will be dashed in
pieces as a potter's vessel there is one only
which cannot be moved The work of the
Christ, and advance His glory, and in doing
this it must not depend upon human policy
Let the past, and especially the recent past
be a solemn warning on this very point Oh
that Gods people would everywhere rise to the
apprehension of their relation to this great
subject, and their real duty. Then would
they see that the weapons Of their warfare are
not carnal, but spiritual, and that it is only
thus they can become mighty through God
to the pulling down of strongholds" He who
said: Put up thy sword said: Go
preach My gospel to all nations. P"
The sword of the Spirit is the word of God.
1t is o. a weapon of defence, to repel all temp
tations, as in the example of Christ, when he
replied again and again to the great tempter,
1t is written" &c. (2) A weapon of assault
Here were noticed the fields of its triumph
such as the times of Pentecost and the Refor-
nation, which were simply reviyals of the au-
thOrity of God word, under the power of the
Holy Spirit. The Reformation went on as
long as it trusted to the word of God; when it
turned aside to fight with carnal weapons and
entangled itself with worldly policies, its tri-
umphs ceased. We need revival of the word
Of God now-we need to have the Church
thoroughly purged of the idea that it is at lib
erty to mix up some other authority with God $
revealed viii. Its great detection is that it
has resorted to other weapons than the sword
of the Spirit, and has therefore turned aside
to other work The preaching Of the Cross IS
in a great measure set aside, being substituted
nv n shan, ratrintisna an1 no wonder IL the
Church has become so largely rendezvous for
worldly passions and worldly politics. He re-
peated that we need now a new revival of faith
in the Bible as the supreme law of Christ S
kingdom.
Here God in his providence has laid vast
responsibility upon Christians in these South
ern States. You have had great trials as in
the days of Nehemiah You are struggling to
repair the broken walls Of Zion. You may be
reproached as Gods people were then: "What
do these feeble Jews?" Let your course be
that Of Nehemiah when the enemy scofed
Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our
God. Your position in the great ecclesiasti-
cal and theological contests now upon US and
before us, is one of great importance and pow
err The real question in controversy is wheth-
er Christ or Caesar is king in the Church:
whether the Bible or reason is supreme
Your churches have been bulwark in this
contest. That mongrel bastard, progressive
Christianity, has never been able to gain a
footing among you. 1t is your glory: let that
glory never be turned into shame You have
been stripped of worldly wealth, but you are
rich and strong in your faith and unity. Re
member that the seed is the word of God;
sow it literally. He that goeth forth weep
ING, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come
again with rejoicing bringing his sheaves with
him" Gods word shall not return unto him
void. 1t shall prosper in the thing whereunto
he sends it. The prospect may be dark, and
mutterings Of storm may be all along the eccle-
siastical horizon. But it is surely a comfort to
know there is one who sits high above all the
floods of human passion, and who will now, as
he has ever done, direct and control all its
issues
These are principles, said Dr. Vandyke, for
which have contended, and which l hope
will PREVAIL believe they will. God give us
to see it on earth. 1t is certain that it will be
realized in heaven when they shall come from
the East and from the West, from the North
and from the South, and shall sit down with
Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the king
dom OF UUu.
The cordial thanks of the Society were ten
dered to Dr. Yandyke for his address.
After few remarks by the Rev. Samuel J.