Morning journal and courier., 1883-02-03
Marquand Chapel.
Rev. Dr. Thompson on Evaporation fO
 Bible Class Exarcfae1,


 Rev. Dr. Thompson O n s'PreparatiOn for a Bible Class Exercise.''
 The second lecture at the Marquand chapel yesterday afternoon by Rev. Dr. Thompson of New York city, was in illustration to some 1 extent of his mode of procedure in his very ! successful Bible class teaching in New York. The Theological school occupied the main
 body of the chapel, in full force, and there were number of clergymen in the seats re- served for the clergy, and despite the cold weather number of ladies attended. The
 speaker in opening said there was often 8 misconception of the Bible and it's use. It was not intended in every word and sentence
 to be spiritual guide. Doubtless if we had the making of world we should not have left such vast waste places as the great des- erts, and should have distributed the mass of the continents in the most genial climes with the idea of making an Eden, forgetful that the deserts are necessary part of the whole, and the northern temperatures most likely to produce the best men. We would have gone on the plan of having bananas, and palms and spice groves pretty general. Infinite wisdom planned the world much better than we should in our short sightedness. It was so with the Bible. All parts conduced to make the perfect whole, and we should not fall into the error of abandoning the Old Testament as superseded by the New. The evidence of the Old Testament as to the fact of the supernatural is one strong reason for this statement. One great want of our day is Old Testament exercises. For this reason the speaker in his practice advocated the set- ting apart of one every alternate Sunday ser vice for the study of the Old Testament. Every teacher in law or medical school has his special department or branch. So, too, would have teacher of the Bible prepare himself specially on one topic with it's ramifcations for each series of lessons. say to cover 8 three months course. The first requisite to suc- cess is to forsake the pulpit and take chair on the platform instead. This divests all from the idea that it is going to be 8 sermon. writer has remarked that the French sys- tenn of calling a man at once to the tribune when he has anything to say is often hind rance. The speaker here mentioned the Mo hammedans with teaching whom in their own land he had had experience, and he as- sured the young men present, especially any who might be thinking of becoming @ mis- sionary among that people, that the Moham- medans had many men among them who could reason and think so well that they were not antagonists to be despised, but rather re- spected. The speaker now came to his illus tration, which was to take line of investiga- tion such as the Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament and study all the facts connect ed with that line of enquiry and master them and then commemorate them. He threw out many hints and suggestions as he proceeded showing how improving such a course of in vestigation would be to the seeker after &nEr out stories of useful knowledge and illumi- hating holy writ with a new and richer light At the close the speaker was warmly ap- plauded