Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1868-08-14

hhoWicuSe OF tho human hoart, dlSclOs.
cd not merely in parable and proverb,
but in the moving panorama OF ove-
ryday life-in the sins of David and
tho transgressions of Solomon, the
weakness of Petor, and the guilt Of
"that base Judoan, who threw tho
precious pearl away" With such
conceptions of God and with such es-
Inmates of man, can wo wonder that
in tho Scriptures arc disclosed the
only true theology and tho only pure
morality that the world has ever seen.
This Book begins with Paradise and
ends with Paradise, and as it discloses
the linoamonts of that Divine original
which has boon lost, and the features
Of our present marrcd and defaccd
humanity, it reveals also Il remedial
system by which man may regain his
original brightness, and primoval bliss,
and be restored TO brighter homo
than Eden-that now Heaven and now
earth, and that holy city which John
saw como down from Heaven" (which
had no need of the sun, neither of tho
moon to shine in it, but the glory of
God did highten it, and tn 20 Lamb is
tho light thereof" 1t is thus as re.
voaling tho only proper object of love
and alteration, and as disclosing
remedial system, which, whilst har.
monlzing tho divine attributes, is itself
in most wonderful harmony with our
present intellectual and moral consti-
tuition, that tho Holy Scriptures ex-
hibit their most distinguishing charac-
teristic, and the most striking proof of
their Divine origin.
havo loft myself, my friends, very
little timc to speak of the literary at
fractions of tho Bible-as a book of
learning no less than roligion-as the
basis of civilization, no less than of
salvation-as charter of right no less
than an oracle Of faith and manual Of
devotion. "Books, says Lord Bacon"
as ships pass through the vast seas of
time, and make distant ages partici.
patio of the wisdom, inventions and
iIluminations, tho one Of the other :"
and what scholar does not recollcct
the burning words, in which an clo-
quent esBayist tells US how much the
world and civilization owe to the i'm.
mortal influence of Athens, even whom
exhibited "by the lonely bed of Pascal
in tho Cell Of Gallileo, and on the scuf.
fold of Sidney" But how insig-
nifcant in character, and how feeble
in influence are the productions of
Grecian and Roman" genius, when
compared with this Book, COM
piled by prophets and law.givers
and apostles, which, whilst it is the
oracle of God, is also the highest
monument of human civilization
which taking it's origin in the foun.
tains of remote antiquity, like some
noble river has been rolling down it's
fertile flood through each successive
century enriched by tho contributions
of every age, and itself quickening into
life the arts and civilization Of every
nation-overcoming national preju-
dlces, giving laws itself to great COM
munities, varying in every conceivable
diversity of language, race, mannors
and customs, and controlling the rev.
olutions of thought, tho progress of
society and the changes Of civilization
How wonderful this Book in it's eri.
gin, its preservation, tie richness and
variety Of its contents ! What infin:
ite variety of thought and style, of
snhject and authors, yet what pervad-
ing unity-in the clear, vivid narratives
Of Genesis, in the touching. sim plicity
Of Ruth, in the melting sweetness Of
David, in thepregnant wisdom of Solo
mon, in tho seraphic fire of Isaiah, in
the severe majesty of the Gospels, in
the burning eloquence Of the Epistles,
in the rapt vision of the Apocalypse.
all attuned to the same high Dote, but
with cadences as varied, and harmon.
les as changing as the strains of some
sweet EoIian Tyre. Here is poetry
moro exchanting, than bis of "Seio's
rocky isle" history moro captivating
than. ",Livy's pictured page,", eIo-
quence more overpowering than his
who
"Fulmined over Greece.
To Macedon aud Artaxeres' throne"
Here are lessons to win the ear and cap.
tivate tho. fancy of ehildbood; themes
to stir The soul and test Tho iatelfect
IF manhood, and drapghts of oonsola-
ton to soosbe the wearied spirit. of
age. Here tho scholar may draw
something of'that inspirations which
atouched' Isaiah's hailowede lipa with
fire. or rpronpted that IMMORTAL song
whose high theme it is, TO "vindiesaite
eternal Dfoyidenee md iust;fs, 4ha