Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1874-06-27
BIBLE STUDIES
Conclusion of a Lecture TO the Stu
dents of the Western University,
by Prof K. p Crane.

w e 1tdnC.
You can easily err then,
even in the study of the Bible.
You can make your method such
that it will tend rather to narrow
than expand the mind. And / am
not as sorry, as | should otherwise
have been, that / have been led off
so far in illustrating the negative
side of my subject, since / conceive
that, with the many modern APP
planes at hand for acquainting
oneself with the geography, the
antiquities and the Contemporaries
Gus history of the Bible, there is
danger just now that many who
do net neglect Bible study, will lay
disproportionate stress upon mat
ters that pertain to the book as
compared with its actual teachings.
| think / appreciate at its full val
ue the desirableness of knowing
where and in the midst Of what
scenery our blessed Lord delivered
his Incompatible discourses yet a
man might so far make this the
matter of investigation, by study
and travel, as to make important
contributions to our knowledge of
the subject, whilst yet he would
have studied the four gospels to
less real advantage, with less APP
probation of the force Of these very
discourses, than a plain man at
home, who shall not know whether
Palestine was in Europe, Asia,
Africa or America, and who should
never be able to understand what
kind of glassblowers they had there
that they could not make bottles
strong enough for any wine, new
Or old, that you could put into
them.
While, then, | trust your COM
mon sense to dc me the justice to
understand that | consider accesso-
ry or illustrative study Of great
Importance, such that it is shame
for q man claiming to be an intelli-
gent layman to be ignorant ON
these matters, the main point |
would argue is that the study of
the Bible as whole, part being
compared with part, and a biblical
proportion being maintained be-
tween its several ranges OF topics,
tends more than anything else that
can be recommended to you, to
expand you into full, generous,
noble manhood.
/ spoke of its range of topics. 1t
is far from being a merely theolog
ical treatise. The dry theology of
the Bible is but small percentage
of its contents. w Lave BIZ
ography, history. ancient science,
poetry, exquisite pictures of orien
tai life, the stirring scenes Of war,
the terrible play of human pas
sions, envy, love, revenge, hate ;
here is a theatre in which tread the
stage not only devils and angels.in
carnate and in their more mystic
rious, because invisible, agency,
but also He Of stately steppings up
on whose march, clouds, and dark
ness, plants, stars and suns are in
| humble waiting, and whose glance
of fire can kindle the rocky hill
top into beacon flames of coming
wrath. And all this to purpose.
No idle tale, no curious legendary
lore, all about races that have left
their chief memorials in their sep
ulchres; it all concerns the tremend
Gus drama in which you and L are
playing, the fearful crisis in which
your soul and mine are at stake. Is
there anything that will broaden
mans mind if communion with
these great souls will not? Abra-
ham, Moses, David, Solomon, lisa
iah, Paul, match them in their
spheres as mere men, if you
can, in all profane history. Is there
anything that will make a man
think great thoughts and busy him
self about great things, if he can
draw no inspiration from the
themes here discoursed upon =? Can
man be a little man, if his
thoughts take the whole range of
hell, earth and heaven 4; if he maps
out his career upon the galaxy and
ocorns to tread lower path than
the Kings highway to heaven?
No, young men, If you want to
develop into a godlike manhood,
want to develop in its strongest
features, and in its most delicate
tracings the image of your own ia
theirs own self, make your chief
and absorbing study the text book
he has written for your learn
ing, this volume Of his love, to
which all the glories and sublimi-
ties of nature are but marginal
comments. =.
And may the gracious spirit of
illumination and renewing breathe
, sorIn upon you from every page,
giving your lives the aroma Of the
paradise above.