The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1881-08-07
DAILY INfELLIGENCER.
Sunday. Aug. z, 1881.
THE RIGHT Use OF BrRLE HELPS
BY MRS. H. HINES OF PORTLAND, Oh.

BY MRs. Il. < HINES OF PORTLAND, Or
This chances 10 be one OF those sob.
jects on which much MAJ be said il
general way. and yet on which orc
seems 10 risk missing many points o.
interest and importance to individual
minds. The difficulties Of either un'
F! Outstanding or communicating Scrip.
ture truth are not the same T. sll
Some have clear. ready. almost intu-
itIve discernment OF the truth convened
n any given passage of Scripture, and
an equally ready facility and felicity OF
expression in communicating that truth
TO others. Others are compelled Il
search by lsboriOus mental processes,
and in the use of oil the aids that can
be commanded for that truth, and 70
study forms OF expression in which tc
/ impart 10 70 other minds. These men
tai needs being thus different, the help
they require will be correspondingly
different. and il would not be possible
70 meet the necessities of both of these
by . single statement
OF course in Scripture stuiy, as that
study is related to the Sabbath school,
the ends to be secured may be limited
10 two.
Pirst-The exact truth taught and
the appropriate lessons to be drawn
.berefrom.
Second-Tne best and most useful
manner of stating that truth and of i'm.
pressing their lessons on other minds.
1t can scarcely be necessary for me
10 say to convention of Bible stu
dents and Bible teachers that the first
study of q passage or lesson should be
independent of all help but the Bible
itself. What it conveys in its own LAM
guage to the mind should be carefully
noted. Its first most obvious impress
sion or thought accepted as the true
one, and only to be modified or dis
placed by careful and extended study.
The question before Us is, not how
many wise and witty or sublime and
beautiful things can we bang as orua-
ments on the body of text of Scrip
ture, but simply, What is the mind of
ihe spirit in it-what does il testify of
the bulk This may require some
comparison Of words and phrases with
other Scripture uses of the same words
and phrases, or if they are history or
parable or poetry with other similar
uses OF them. but always remembering
that the meaning which is 30 obscure
and hidden that ii can only be found
out By culture that only one in hum
dred or thousand can have, is pre-.
sumably not the necessary one, and not
the one intended to be conveyed by
Him whose spoken words so gladdened
the common people. and whose crown.
ing evidence of Messiabship as an
nounced to John was, The poor have
the gospel preached unto them.
These thoughts will indicate that we
are not in sympathy with that form OF
Sunday school teaching and study that
seeks for the difficnlt and curious and
that deals with young minds in rid
dies and problems, but rather with
that which simplities, which deals in
elements and leaves their possible com.
binations and transmutations to be OBJ
served and wrought out in and by the
coming years and growing experience:
Of the individual. The elemental
truths are the great truths. They are
those our Master and Lord himself an,
nounced in such simple words, and
those in which we have observed the
great preachers and teachers of every
age have delighted to stay. In saying
this we impose on the mind and heart
Of the Bible student and teacher moi
the smallest. but the largest burden oil
personal study aud thought. He il
studying not alone what he can find to
say about the truth 50 as to satisfy and
entertain others, but how to say the
truth itself so as to save others. This
clearly defined purpose of study and
teaching fixed in the mind, it is com
paratively easy to fix the place and use
OF Bible helps. The terms fix their
Office. They are helps. They are not
to take the place of personal thought
nor destroy individual freedom, but
they are to fortify and strengthen and
assist. These helps come to US gener.
ally in two forms.
First. in the standard commentaries
and secondly, IN the form OF quarter
lies. teachers journals, lesson learner:
and the other periodical publications
that are now found in some form in
nearly every school. have expressed
the opinion before another convention
that these are becoming almost toe
abundant. They are liable to enervate
and render mechanical the teachers
mind and mode. by furnishing ques.
tons and answers to bride the student
away from original investigation, and
thus lead the teacher To teach what be
can hardly be said TO know or even &c
believe. A certain amount Of original
personal study Is necessary to make
any truth q real part of ones own
mind store Whatever keeps us from
this is weakening element instead Of
o Strengthening force / do not saw
that these helps do this of necessity,
but that we are liable to let them do it.
do sag. however. that 50 far as we al.
low them 10 do this. they are personal
hindrsrces and not helps. Still, with
the present uniformity Of lessons, thi.
form of help is one Of the most import
ant elements in Sabbath schoo, instruc.
l ffnFa ard tha .s.azts<.. -.