National Republican., 1883-02-12
1Nsp1nAr1oN or THE scnrprunrs.


ELOQUENT SERMON ny REV. DIR. GREENE AT
THE CALVARY DAPTIsT CHURCH.
At the Calvary Baptist church yesterday
morning Rev. DR.. Greene preached to n largo
congregation from II TIM, iii, 10; "All scrip
ture is given by inspiration of God, and is
profitable for doctrine, for roproof, for corrcc-
tiOn, for instruction in righteousness" Said
the preacher: To none of us can the inspira-
ton of the scriptures be n question devoid of
interest. The worlds continual assault, fierce
and bitter, upon q book rovoronced and loved
by large number MS the word OF God, render
its claims living question. To those unM-
miliar with the past IL may seem that
in these lato times startling faults have
been discovered in tho Bible that against
it tho people are being aroused. Amid
the questiOnings, the ridiCulc, the
denials of slyepticism and inhdclity OF to-day,
some, possibly, have stood for time appalled,.
But when one sits down with the history of
the Christian church before him the fact is
revealed that our modern foes are but the
echo of fallen ones Their fallen leaders and
weapons are thickly scattered along the way
by which God has led his cOnquCring and in
creasing host With the Bible the Christian
church stands or falls. How vital, then, the
question, whether it is or is not what it claims
to be? is it of God or MANI If it is divine
If human then it is simply n book among
books. l have no sympathy with those who
think IL u good book, but too much dwclt upon,
who think sections of il are CommendUble,
or that its worth is mostly historical; nor
with another class who would have us believe
it was written by selfdcccivCd good men; or
yet with others who believe it inspired MS
every book is inspired 1t must be the best
book in the world the revelation of God, or
il is the worst. On one or the other of these
widely separated positions the Bible must
rest. 1t claims to be the revelation of God
and the announcement of hope to lost man.
1t cannot be n good book if this is untrue.
Let us briefly consider what is the idea of in
spirntion as here claimed. The statement of
the church would be briefly this in substance: I:
"The scriptures are u record ofreveation, but
"a record which interprets and cniorces that
revelation. They not only give supernatural
facts and symbols, but they unfold their worth
and meaning, as their worth and meaning
can be apprehcndcd in the under standing or
felt in the spiritual affections. The old
testament gives the experiences of men rs
they stood in close, conscious fellowship with
Jehovah the new testament, the experiences
of those who came into intimate relation with
Christ himself Both give the same thought
in its growing development. 1t is this char
aCter which is covered and expressed by the
term inspiration. IT Is not more the accurate
and full statement of the truth than the
full original and dvincly wrought experiences
which make up the claim that these writings
are the words of God. One cannot strictly
define inspiration since the supernatural
is always above the range Of science or phil
OsOphy. But this we are taught, that there
was Il divine importation and human recep-
ton. Thus the authorship of the scriptures
was n double one. The cnergizing spirit
secures Sinfallibility, and the soul, working
according TO its laws, translates tho divine
Thought into ineligible language to us.
How this is done we do not know, more than
we know the mysterious union Of the human
and the divine in Christ"
Dir, Greene then took up the proof, advnn-
cling it under the heads Of the prosumptiye
evidence of inspiration, and Of tho positive
evidence of inspiration, presenting in tho
under both heads.