The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-08-04

I AlNINUTbITN fNFT HUT w. PTI0NTTVU u tETN
Rev, \. j. Stafford, and owing 10 the absence
Of Mr.. l.. W. Perrin, the Orator, there was no
Address.
The Exccllcncy of the Scriptures.
SERMON by THE REV. A. ]. STAFFORD, OF
THE METHODIST CHURCH..
.The entrnaceo Of thy words givcth light"
-I'yaimS CIIY, l3O.
None will deny that the Bible is one Of the
gre at facts of our time. It's impress Is upon
our language, our MANNERS and customs, our
social and civil Institutions. 1t Is the stand
ard of our religious faith, and the most ell
cient agent in the formation OF that high
character which has made Protestant nations
the leaders of the thought, the civilization anu
! the progress OF the world.
The Bible is much more than a public or
! State Institution OF the nations that have II.
1t belongs to individuals rather than to COM
muniticS. Our relation to 1t Is not a public
but Il personal one. We have in 1t Il private
Interest. II dcscCnds to us as q part of our
paternal inheritance, and without our choos-
ing. enters as an important factor into the
cy. and as our knowledge and responsibility
come on it presents issues whose considera-
ton we cannot escape. Unlike other books,
It will not be dismissed with Il pcrusal, and
the formation of an opinion; but Ii speaks
with authority, claiming TO guide the con-
science, and demanding the submission OF
the will. And in support OF its high claims
It presents evidence showing that 1t came
FROM God, and contains that revelation which
he has been pleased to make to man.
We propose to consider to-day whether the
Bible Is what we might expect 1t to be as the
will of our Heavenly Father, communicated
to us in love, and designed for our good.
Have We reason to prize 1t as n treasure?
Does it meet any felt wan of our nature?
Has it been proven that the entrance Of Its
words gives light to the understanding?
Docs IT cvince any adaptation which pro
! claims ii to be Il necessity to our nature. or Is
it only an unnecessary restraint: Does it act
as a ring or Il ueiGhtt -,
You will perceive that We waive all consid.
Grafton of It's external evidence, and for the
present rest its claims upon its own merits.
Our inquiry to-day is, can VIC discover in the
ally belong to the origin il claims, and sucl,
CORRESPONDENCE between its doctrines and our
wants as prove tina it was designed TO be our
teacher and puilc, With this end in view
wr will consider first. SOME OF its more OBJ
,inns ,hnrnrtrrisfirs
III r, c,ni,ns ., rrnntor ont,ou,tv than my
i,rr' t,nnL, "nj III" cI.,m, So r,rS , 9 go rnEy
i;,'ica 10 yv,.jI siI,tniI,si lis earliest ]nortions
fure md Their sfvie iS difT,rrni from thai nj
iii o;hor ourirmt hooks now cytnnt Rnt
whoncvrr written Il lifts the ynil from the
n,nSt in,nortnni suhiocts th,t can come will.
IN ~ he rnn~r nf nnr knowi,,.re Its history
, w. wifE tho brri,nino of Giroc II relates
ths .,nrv IF tho crrntinS shows tho Grand
u w cSU Nv witch Ills earih wns nrcnored 10
I' 49, t ~ m = 'r man row ~ ptITln nri,in
NJ his bodv and of his shirt. explains tho en-
Istcncc nf he nnnosiic uu.iitics oc GOOD and
evil in human nature. and follows the career
~ ,hn tir.f InLuhitonts RI TIM world i'm thejr
Sins called for Irvine Vengeance and they
49,. S,vrrt ur,v NV tbr fI0oI. RI cyuIuins
| t,n Uri,r,n of the different rnccs of the hulnan
fnmilv and their d dispersion to those quarters
~ - nnrtb vJici, ihny. ut nrnsnnt ncr,ny
J. ~ ~ 49,. Inv Scrin,"rot tnn tirSt twSo
th",,.nnG re,rs ri tho worIrs history woujI
hn ~ EIonl.
> II exhibits n completc unity amid n won
-
Irat"itr rs father n collection Of sixtv.siy
verv I,fr rent books. COMPRISING Eistu-
y por,rv. propi,ecy, memoirs. travels
-, Pun,,tny wf,nss writing ,nvorad a
WV ~ ,bout Two thnHsoni vco,.
III ,.ioS,. v,ritorc included learned mil my,
r Ir,,d ~, shnnhrrJS and f,shern,rn war
r O. and nr,eSts. Statesmen and kinrS. OF
1850 man some wrOt" nj home, and some in
oxiio. c,,,,,.u ut the hcirhth Of rurIhIy nros.
nnritr and some in distress. persecution and
ii,oim 'Srt there is no discrepancy in the
rrrord hut on the other hand lis different
nnrtions ali fall into place and make q com.
riIato yvhnIo Dnrs tho whole h,sInrv ri Inn.
i I'm testimony furnish any nurnIirI 10 this ?
n Hn,' We amvw,ere Csc find rs MANY writer's
-" n,;';n,w crnnryted in tin,r mud cb,ractnr
q" un' crii,rIIHT ,nsfanres who MOI only aarar I'M
lie nnrsle the same nlan-onc suunlernent.
W., ppnthcr one coInnicncinr where another
l ~ "T;. onI on,. cSniaiuimT wI,ai another had
,nnrni,, ,n.ntinnrio Such wondorfnI com
nir,cn.ss challenges our admiration. and
ppnnns tho wny for our belief.
3. lis teachings ale adapted to all people
,nj MI tines From II iii, most enItritcird
m.,ti"',s If Tho nrcsrnt dnv inrivc Inc nrimri.
,IeS "c thrir in risnruIenc, To IL We a,n IN
if.I} Oh for the bcnciiccnt provisions Of the
S.Hhnth. and I'm il we niscorcr The ijrst rprn,r.
H,,i"n ~ The fainilv and M IN" snnctitv ri
the ma rrj,nc bond N
!. Written before the dawn of science, and
~" ~ nn,..r,Icj.sssin accord With niI that has
naor InarnnI hv Irnnn nvnstirniion If i%n
i nIw md onei.itinnS bnth nf Mill and mai
NV T T,a lici,ni,v.irrJ nrE,lnIin. or ~, ior,
VII a..ai;nw Inn,I,rin. G|rn y.hiIn NV ,"i
anu Piet " ~. nSnSiIinn. IN Li,Bn,itT. "tnI ,Im
o W., dfscnvnr,cs IN nninrai ,'r, ~
MEME U.,u@ d,v have bccn ,I,ounnt f." Imnnini
viii lie Mosaic account Of the creation. hut
! ~ isnn,v shown to the satisfaction Of oyrrv
dondii ,ninI thnt this coniIirt is n,rrIv I'm,
o "n ~ Not only docs tr,,, .rinnr. n c,nnm.
nSin",y' noin,nH - -. -
lSc Mi.n rnv"In,;nr nmd 49, w. , 2. n ~ =,
prefer L;.h nthor "mu sunH . 20 u n.y. W.
pn go toinnnents nay snrv" nv sho", Ito
1utsc Wv ron icy ~ w. snom NV
connection =, y ndi1., y, 'nG iaJsiesn %
tmouGt' ,;,' "a nrescnt iifn Tn MI that nrn,noIos
tionsin ~ ff,ro ali thot hni,Ja y = Smnint,,
u.is sn,,'J Isis nii ,I,t diSn,iS snncr"tiiin9
IN a. sWu,.u D ali ti,ot niinwint"s hnIn,"n rnfl
ahu is'oiI o. nnnI "iI ~ -
!eIiis, y ~ EnJ &c orr 6nTw MI n,st nriE, oniia
any ~ - UmS ;h.i psh A. t,st VIII Ky IT,,
%nicn ts.ren, ons which ,rn y 70 ah;n - h am
uSSrce VI citui ne" ~ W. Nv "pto ~ ot'H;
my ,nn;io Ea,"hiinsn,,i, ind. IN !, n,a,'"r
~ ~, !, ,a.t thn,,rhf Thn rmdn nr,i 80
H. !, irihes nf The olIcn times were cleyntnd
IN - hJ,hor ri viliy,tinn willie tho ~ III
ny IL " SHo t,,n niuata,th o.
tihn - =, 80 GHr,,Ios = -" 20
urStu "tInIimoss , ~ tMo 80 "NiHe
lot Hel iiiolto, ~ .nJ ~