The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1870-02-03
Twenty Eig nth, Anniversary Meet.
q ing of the KenOsha County r
Bible Society. A Il

u Congregational Church in Kenosha, Sunda,
Eve. Jan uary 23d. 1870. The following off
s GERS were elected for The ensuing years:
President. Rev ], T Gridley Yice-Pres
siident, j. B. starkweathsr !; Secretary, E. L
: Grant Treasurer, H. E. Clark Directors
iS.1C. johnson. A. Farr. D. B. Tears.
After the usual Introductory exercises, the
President, Hon. A. VsnWyek delivered the
anniversary address. of " hich the following
is synopsis, submitted for publication
r. bE MR.. VAN wYoK's REMARKS.
He had hoped that some one of the city
Pastors. would have favored the Society on
\ this occasion, but, circumstances having pre-
f vented this, he had been reluctant to decline
an appointment, which had zbeen made for
him three years in succession.
81 1t was one of the singular features of our
age, that societies like this existed in nearly
all Christian countries for the distribution of
the Oldest book of which we have accurate
knowledge, and which, though in part old as
the Pyramids, sadapts itself with. Wondrous
aexibflity to all the changes Of our progress
where thought. seems fresh and new at
every stepyof our advance. , This is recog
milton in itself of it's intrinsic excellence and
valuable influence on our social interests.
Perhaps he, could not occupy gthestime as.
signed him this evening more proftably than
in considering the influence of the Bible in
moulding our Civilization and so confirms our
confidence in its usefulness in the future.
!, None should think him depyeciating the
scrI,a. +l,;e
recting attention to these lesser influences.
He spoke as layman and hoped to discover
grounds for increased interest by tracing its
usefulness in fields less familiar. q 1t would
be generally conceded That some OF the chief
characteristics of our present civilization a re
our Civil Liberty. Popular Education, the
advance Of Science and useful Arts, the ele-
walton of Woman, the djghity Of Labor, and
the comparative purity OF our social life.
And in his opinion the Bible had .eSerted on
these greater influence than any one, book,
if not all other books combined.
The Spirit of the Bible was that of freedom
of thought and conscience, from human re-
straints. Whereverit has been received and
read Civil Liberty had attended it's progress.
The Waldenses, Hollanders, Huguenots, Cow
telanters, Puritans had been animated by it's
Inspiring words for the long conflicts, through
which had been achieved the freedom the
Western nations now 10y. Its tendency had
been to harmonic abstract right with exist.
ing fact. Under it's influence every man car
FLED aconstitution In himself. The classic
| idea of Liberty,a mere passion hadsdisapE
! 4oftG TIL
erty with Iaw.''a SsRB &ss eass9SR
=. No influence had been more powerful in
| promoting our present idea of popular Edu-
cation thanthe Bible. There was reason TO
believe that the inhabitants of Palestine were
accustomed to read the scriptures, If not TO
,orite Them, before the Christian era. Educa-
ton was certainly one of the first results of
Christianity as the means of prOpggating tae
new fai.h.A az - $500 -
/ From the parochialschools Established af-
ter the Reformation, have been developfd
our public school system. Wherever the
Bible has been free to ate, the nations
have quiekered,, in diligence. and INTEL
ectual activity. It has taught men to ttias. /
You may trace it's presence by the count riesI
most distinguished for enterprise and inven-
Ition. m BM sp 9NN#
And the character of the Book, regarded
in it's Literary stylean structude, has fitted
it to be the educator Of the people. 1t is a
Library in itself. 1t is written in simple words
which children may understand. 1t cont ains
choicest specimens of NaratiIe, Poetry, Log
ic.s Historians, Law makers, Orators, Poets
tt f,rn ;oI,oJ
the. masses with the proverbs, their songs, and
common thoughts for common uses No,seH
timents,a no images appeal so powerfully to
the popular heart. Daniel Webster under:
stood this, and his massiYe sentences were
framed often in Bible form and loaded with
Bible thought. w'HHM
The influence of the Bible was not limited
to the development of the intellectual pow
erS Itals the great agent OF lVsll zation, IA
teaching us the duties we owe to- ourselves
! to one another, to our God. No otner BOOK
| imposes such q seaSchlng scfutpy. NO other
Book shows us our faults soefankly. No
Other Book persuades Us SO well, to put aside
the past ard lead the better lite. IL teaches
us -GoyeiYan1pat, and prepares tsc thus to
perform our duties as men and as citSzth5.
The Bible has e2erted an Influence on the
advance of Science and the psttal Arts, not
BY teaching principles ofSclerce or Art, but
ia the Spirit. OF inquiry it has seyoked and
tle direction it has given to research and in
vention. J he leading inventions and scien
site discoveries, fofIthree hundred Yeas,
have been in lands where the Bible has been
most valued. & Sg<4i NANN ~
Wherever its influence has prevailed Woman
has been raised from SOC al degradation aud
made the companion and i1fend of man. In
/ Christian communities from age to age are
Reproduced the Deborabs and Hannahs, the
Mays and Martins of the ancisnt record
women emirent forsense, sctlyity chpri1y,
! pietY swnefefprai sc has been jntbe gates"
i lTne influence which the Bioie has ezerted