Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-06-01
The Inspired.

Who are and have been inspired! The
answer depends upon the wider or narrow
er meaning given to the word inspired
Theologians confine it to those who were
used by the Holy Spirit to communicate
infallible truth in the Scriptures; and they
are sometimes disposed to claim monop-
oily of the word, and to make 1t eccles asti-
cally criminal to talk of any other kind or
degree of religious inspiration. Intidels
seize upon this limitation of-a word in it.
self broad, and protest, not without piausl-
bic argument, against this setting up OF
men who lived two and three thousand
years ago, as alone having divine enlight-
eminent. Enthusiastic reiigiOnists, too, who
have had their dreams and impulses, and
would fain gain for them divine authori-
ty, re-echo this protest in the name OF faith.
Moreover grave minds not thus affected,
either with skepticism or superstition, feel
the chill of utter separation from those
grand religious leaders, the prophets and
apostles of other days, and would tain be-
lieve that God has not altogether substltu-
ted the outward bible, as an inspired vol
ume, for the inward contact OF his own
spirit with the human soul.
Ii would seem wise, therefore, not to I'M
dertake TO limit the meaning of a word
which has always had a broad and varied
use, TO a narrow and technical Specification
Better is it to discriminate between its APP
plicatiOn, and to tell in each case in which
We speak OF inspiration, what we would
imply as to its source, its design, and it;
actual results. And for this we have The
warrant of scriptural usage, 50 tar as oul
! English version is cOnceTned-andl 1t is witt
the use of an English word that we hay,
now to do. The word inspire does not DC
cur at all in our bible, and the word inspi
ration is found but twice. Once in has Ia,
narrow or modern technical meaning
when we read Pauls declaration in ! m
iii. IS, that "all scripture is given by inspi
ration Of God" Once it has the free idea
when it said of Elihu, in Job. xxi. s, tina
1.-THE inspiration of the Almighty givetl
them understanding. In the first instanc
reference is had to the inspiration needet
for the specific work OF writing the Ol,
Testament as guide to religious truth am
duty. In the second instance allusion j
made to the human mind as originally in
brcathed of God, and also as providential
ly prepared and impelled TO utter Itself o.
tit occasions.
Now it may easily be true that the HOl
Spirit has used only certain men in cerUai
ages to do the particular work OF bible max
ing; since there needs to be but one bibi
for all time succeeding in the introductio
of the christian or final dispensatiOn BU
this in no wise hinders that the same Hol
Spirit shall dwell in all saints now, DIS
genuine inspiration for quite other purpC
ses. 1t is indeed a truth OF scripture cor
stautly urged, that the Holy Spirit is til
. life Of every holy SOUL and the ever pre-,
ent director OF this entire dispensation
f that ne Is therefore the regenerator. ILL
: mInatOr, ana cOmtOrterOf individual saint
and true lnsplrer OF prayers, hymns, plan
and words Of spiritual power, while l.
pours waves of thought ana feeling throug
+ the church at large, which impci it to al
: prOprate deeds OF christian enterprise "
: are not cut of then IN TINS respect fro
sympathetic connection with prophets an
apostles, but even surpass those who We
+ only used as writers OF canonical books
: Who can doubt that the humblest saint
7 whom is an inspiration OF the Comfort
, tOr the purposes of specification, is Il
i more privileged than the prophet Balaa
with all the predictiyc revelations made
> him by the Holy Spirit? We abide wi
the church Of all ages in the unity Of Il
Z spirit, prepared and used by Him in OF
. time, for the varied work now needed. "
g live in an atmosphere OF divine influence
= and now as Of older days he is the man G
: power, with tongue of pen, who yields l
q his soul to the inspiration Of the Ho
n Ghost. "NOw there are diycr>iJic. OF gif
+ but the same Spirit And there are diff
cnces Of administrations but the same Lon
= And there are diversitica of operations, b
= it is the same God who worketh all in all
= - Christian 1droace