Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1881-07-28

Hath something more than pounds and pence;
Then let me humbly recommend
A little use of common sense
Thus lay all pride of place aside,
And have a care on whom you frown,
For fear You'll see him going up
When you are only coming down.
THE BIBLE.
It has always been mystery to US that
the Bible is so ittie'fead, so poorly apprecia.
ted. A few hurried snatches in the morn.
ing, the shortest psalm ip the evening, to a
very great extent, comprise the Bible read.
ing of many who profess and call themselves
Christians. The prolific press is daily pour
ing forth issues of aids to Scripture reading,
the most gifted intelects, both of this and
other lands, are using all their power to make
the Bible the text book of the age, but in
vain. There seems to have arisen in the
mind of the rising generation an Unsuitable
desire for something new-something stir.
ring-something calculated to arouse their
upe6ed faculties. Persons will pore hour
after hour over the soporifc pages of some
silly novel, whose author has mistaken bonn.
bast for brains, and vagueness for depth,
while the Bible-God's code of laws to sin.
full, rebellious man-lies unopened for weeks,
yea months. The young man will nestle in
his bosom the sn-stained pages of Byron,
not knowing that his slime is polluting and
his poison injecting every affection of his
heart, while stream Of living water is gush.
ing from this ever full and ever flowing foun-
tain of truth. In the one he finds only wa
ters of Marah in the other sweet, soul-in.
spring, soul-cheering streams whose fresh
ness never departs, whose supply never is
wanting. .-.-.!fs. y....>..r
You cannot inAict greater punishment on
some persons than to force them to read
daily a portion of Gods Word. To them it
is as "a root out of dry ground having no
form or comeliness" Why are these things
so? We fine, in the Bible everything that
is attractive and lovely: we End its pages
glittering with golden truths, its chapters
glowing with Saviour's love. The statesman
finds in the Pentateuch the ablest code Of
laws in the world the scholar never grows
weary in exploring this mine of hidden treas
ure and immeasurable wealth; the poet
catches from the "sweet singer of Israel
inspiration which kindles anew his fickeris
flame the most gifted minds the world has
ever produced unite in pronouncing it to be
far superior to any thing of mans produc-
ton which has ever appeared in literature.
Says Milton, "There are no songs compar-
able to the songs of Zion no oratons equal
to those of the Prophets, and no politics like
those which the Scriptures teach" Sir Mat
thew Hale, "There is no book like the Bible
for excellent wisdom, learning and use. "
Hon. Robert Boyle, ut is matchless VOL
ume : it is impossible We can study it too
much, or esteem it too highly. We could
extend this list to much greater extent,
but deem it unnecessary. Has the character
of Israel's great law-giver lost any of its
lovely meekness, or lofty nobility Has the
fire Of Jeremiah been quenched Has the
wisdom of Solomon been surpassed by that of
any other man Has the poetry of David
found its equal in ancient classics or modern
epic3
Has Galilean Peter lost his impetuous zeal
or his fearful repentance? Has loving John
ceased to win your admiration and enlist
your affection Have you grown weary in
listening to the warbling angelic choirs as
they hymn that majestic strain of peace
on earth, and good will to men?" Has the
lustre of the golden streets of the New Je,
rusalem been dimmed by the glare of earth.
ly riches ? And, we ask in conclusion, has
the voice of Jesus of Nazareth lost its sweet
ness, is He less able, or less willing to for
give you now than when he forgave poor
weeping Mary? Have you forgotten His
suffering on Calvary? Have you forgotten
that He died for sinners such as you are
Why, Oh! why is it, then, that Gods
Word is 80 little thought Of? Is it not to it,
that we as nation owe our prosperity, our
happiness
There is radical defect somewhere.
"These things ought not so to be-" We too
we'll know that to the unregenerate heart the
Bible, as revelation of Gods will, has but
little beauty. Yet its literary attractions,
and they are great, very great, still remain.
It's characters are the finest models in the
world. Its style cannot be surpassed by any
writer, ancient or modern.
1t is suited for all classes and conditions of
life. The rich and the poor, the young and
the old, the learned and the unlearned, the
pastor and his people, can find in its pages
something to suit their situations.
Sinner, to you it comes as special bles-
sing; to you it points out one who came into
this world to die that you might live. Will
you not read it then2 |sWil you not ask the
aid of Gods spirit to enable you to embrace
those rich offers of salvation, and clasp that
precious Saviour to your bosom?
Parent, will you not endeavor to point out
the beauties of this Book to your children
more in the future than you have done in the
past? Perhaps no little of this distaste of
Gods Word lies at your door. Perhaps, had
your children been taught its truths better
when they we're young, they would not now
neglect them when grown up. This is a
solemn thought, ponder it, think over it. We
would not have you forget that "the Spirit Of
God maketh the reading of the Word an et
fectual means of convincing and converting
sinners, and build them up in holiness and
comfort through faith unto salvation"
THE NEwsPAPER-There is no book so
instructive as the newspaper !; no knowledge
so necessary to be acquired as that which
is cleaned from its columns 1t is not only
the vehicle of the cheapest, but the most in
o,J 1ooef a. nf nj