Morning journal and courier., 1885-10-24

tenth congress in New Haven.
 The final subject for discussion was then taken up, which was: "Place and Methods of Bible Study in the Christian Life'
 The first paper was by Rev. George Will liam Douglass, D. D., of New York city, and in substance was as follows: Bible study has place far beyond the bounds of the Christian life proper. What does the Chris tian lose who does not study the Bible2 For that it is possible to live and die believing in Christ and belonging to the church without real study of the Bible, few would care to dispute What, then, is there lacking to the Christian life in such cases? Why should we urge such persons to make great sacrih- ces in order that they may study the Biblea This, presume, is the subject assigned for our discussion.
 When we consider the machinery of Chris tianity in the world, it is evident that the very fact of it's organization, necessary though it be, leads to the danger that the members of the church should neglect the Bible Whatever theory one may hold as to the original relations of the chnrch to the Bible, it will be generally admitted that the in the ordinary Christian life. The Chris tian faith is in the atmosphere that the Christian child breathes. In organizing the church our Lord was careful that Christian ity should be vital in the Christians mind from the beginning. Therefore the church has, in one sense, taken the faith only of the Bible beforehand and made it current among Christians Therefore we have Creed, a Litingy, catechism and rule of life.
 It is we'll known how familiar with the Bi- ble the primitive medieval fathers were; how the early fathers passed the manuscript from hand to hand in the face of persecution; how earnestly they set about translating the scriptures into the different tongues of the races that they evangelical, urging the laity to study the word for themselves.
 Careful study of the heresies of the twelfth century among the Roman church peoples show that although they appealed to scrip lures in support of their theories these errors were in fact imported by them into the scrip lures from outside sources, while what meas ure of truth the heretics had was due to their acquaintance, however improperly, with the scriptures.
 The central problems of to-day are the per sonality of God, the existence of man after death the necessity of religion to morality, the possibility of supernatural revelation in 8 sphere where law is natural and lastly the origin and destiny of the human race on earth and the mutual relations of it's several classes, rich and poor, governors and gov erned.
 The battle of the last hundred years be- tween faith and skepticism has shown that the Christian is safe and strong when he takes his stand on the facts of history, as the the verified expression of the wants of the human soul and the true source of this satis faction. And wheresoeveI this method has been pursued, then the Bible has disclosed itself as the advancing revelation of the great central fact of the personal God working in human history for the salvation of the world through Jesus Christ. The Old Testa- ment is the story of Christ's coming and of the worlds preparation for him. The New Testament is the record of the life and expo sition of his wisdom, informing, purifying, stimulating and regulating the minds of men.
 Babcock, of Columbus, Ohio. The princi- pal points in his paper were: The Bible is the Christians collections of divinely in- spired writings for religious purposes. That it is not continuous composition IS appar- ent upon first examination of it's contents. When I reflect upon another statement namely, that the Bible is divinely inspired my assurance of unanimous support is some what diminished, if indeed it does not for sake me altogether.
 The Bible as book cannot in strictness be called Gods revelation, or save in second ary way be said to be inspired by Him. The Bible is only the record, the writing down by human hands of those revealings of him. self which God from time to time has vouch safed to the human race.
 The true Bible student will always proceed with loveliness of mind. However much of critical or exegytical knowledge of the scrip lures he may attain, he will be kept pro- foundly humble by the larger knowledge of how ignorant he is. In the spirit of Lord Bacon's students prayer he will humbly pray that human knowledge may not prejudice divine truth; that from pure understanding cleared of all fancies and vanity we may rem der unto faith; and lastly, that being freed from the poison of knowledge, we may neith- CT be too profoundly nor immoderately wise, but worship truth in charity.
 Rev. E. s. Thomas, of St. Paul, Minneso- ta, was the first speaker. In his opening re marks he said he had arrived at the conclu- sion that the study of the bible was very much neglected. There is great 1nultiplic- ity in these days of devotional books, which have taken the place of the study of the bible. Then there is growing indifference in the study of the bible owing to the skep- tical works that are crowding 1t out of its ap- propriate place. It seems to me that there could not have been subject of more i'm: portance presented to this congress for discus sion than the study of the bible. The bible is not a collection of Hebrew legends, If it was so,it would be read only to find the resi- dun of truth and that residum would be very small. fear there are great many honest Christians who think that the miracles of the Bible may be miracalized so that they are nc longer miracles. Now if we see the possibili- | ty of miracle let us open the Bible without prejudice. In studying the Bible invoke the l light of history, invoke the light of science Let us be courageous in the study of the Bible, for it will bear all the light.
 The second speaker was Rev. B. w. Matu- rin, of Philadelphia. He saids No man must go to the Bible to study it until he is thoroughly prejudiced. The Christian religion was not first writer you want and then go the Bible. The first ! thing is to have the order of the Bible in its | relation to the church. There has been tall about putting the Bible in QppQsition to the church. There is no opposition. The posi- ! tion is not that we go to the Bible to find re ligioa in it, but because we have already found religion. We have sometimes reae l the pages of some great commentator ant find that the principles of the Bible ar' breathed into his very writings. There ii ! room for the life of conservation. The deep \ CT student you are of the Bible the less yol 1 will ask about fnspiratian. The question O inspiration comes before us continually
 When the word of God WAS written it wa | written in the language of children and suit l ed to the people of those times. Everything
 that men wrote in those days was not re
 vealed. There is yaat difference betweel | revelation and inspiration.
 You have got to study the Bible intellectu ally and then study it spiritually. I req, the Bible ever and over again and every tim \ I study it find someose1n1 new III U, "
 should read tAs Bible and then consult som
 intelligent commentator on what we have read
 Russell Sturgess, Esq, of Boston, was tn l third speaker. He said: s1 can never sa
 what this book has been to me. am not
 speak upon this subject theologically, but | suppose you want to hear what layma
 thinks of it. Thank God, I have n
 doubt about the truth of the Biblt
 Twenty years ago I pinned m
 faith to that book. The more you go to it t
 learn to live spiritual lives, the more yo I will learn how to love it as the word of Goo
 Nothing would even send me anywhere els
 for comfort but to the word of God, Tn
 time do have for reading is very largel
 given to the reading of that book. Tn
 Bible is the assaying office to which we ma
 bring our thoughts and have our acts trie
 as by fire.
 Rev. w. Hay Aitken, of England, was th
 fourth speaker. The points of his remark 4 were as follows: "The study of the hol
 scriptures is our principal duty (
 all The five points of the grea .t importance in eenaeetiop wit
 ess . niQent study of the Bibl
 an II:1a. 1n:te.--er 'r habits of prayer. Set
 ond-Regular observance ol .- .,rt
 Third-Necessity and earnest study. ru~- | -Expediency of engaging in active religion