Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1886-10-23

guide book well nigh Indispensable
1t must be written in language he CAT
understand, and the directions given il
1t must be plain and specific. If be-
ides this it contains maps of the partic-
Hlar routes, with descriptions of various
places and friendly cautions as to the i'm.
positions that may be practiced upon en-
nnwary traveller, it will be still more
valuable.
The Bible Is the great guide book. In
! It the highway of holiness is so plainly
marked out that assurance is given us
that "the wayfaring man, though fool,
Ihall not err therein" Many ''worldly
wise men" claim abundant competency
10 be the leaders of others, and insist on
bur taking their morality or their philos.
,phy as a substitute for Bible-teaching.
But Gods book alone dispels our igno-
lance about mans duty and destiny, and
gives us the clew by which to make our
way through labyrinthine mazes of error
% the land of perfect light.
As the pilgrim to Zion is pursuing his
way thither he feels the need of guild
NICE in things temporal as well as things
ternal, and the sacred pages abound IL
proverbs and in precepts and in incidents
md examples which are just suited tt
his needs in all secular affairs. Ruler:
ind subjects, buyers and sellers, parents
md children, teachers and taught, are
Ill amply as well as particularly in
tructed. There is not foot Of the
way where one need go amiss. Tbs
nhr roliui0p 10 not . r,aro C,nna,,
'eligion, and SO the Christians Bible is
lot a mere Sunday book, but g
book adapted to every day
If the week. Make it the man of
Jour counsel, then, in the everyday
vents of life. Start on no journey, un-
iertake no business, enter on no rela-
ionship, begin no day, end no. day in
my manner contrary to the revealed will
# God.
But the greatest mountains to be
climbed and the deepest and darkest
Talleys to be threaded as we pass through
he world are the moral crises we have
10 meet, the terrible temptations, the
conflicts with the devil and his seed and
With our own souls. Here the great
guide book, if we will only
yive heed to it, will assist us to the
hull. There is no unforeseen emer-
Sency for which it has not provided aid,
10 poison for which it has not an anti
tote, no darkness or shadow of death on
which it cannot cast lights. Hence the
wisdom and necessity of obeying the
apostolic injunction, LET the word Of
Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom"
Read your Bible regularly and prayer
July and thoughtfully through, and you
will be astonished at the amount and
variety of practical religious knowledge
Tou will have acquired. When you
have read it through once read it through
again aud again; and so continue to do
through your lifetime. At the same
lime read those select Scriptures which
you have found most helpful to you over
and over again with ever-growing faith.
With every new look into your we'll
worn guide-book your path will be more
brightly illumined and your steps firmer
the higher you mount up the hill of
God.
hear many mourning their lack of
opportunities for education. Be it re-
membered, any and every one that can
read the Bible has within his reach the
means for the best education, yes, the
very best. The Bible read in the man
ner above recommended will furnish and
polish the mind as no other book can, as
all other books indeed will fail to do;
and while it enlarges and improves the
intellect, it will at the same lime en-
large and improve the heart.
A Christian physician of my acquain-
lance, on account of the demands
of his profession, finds his opportunities
for attending public worship much less
frequent than he could desire;
but he carries his New Testament in his
pocket Just as regularly as he carries his
case of medicines, and whenever oppor-
tunity offers he does not fail to consult
its pages. Thus he holds on his way as
one oil 2 on's pilgrims and grows strong
Or and stronger.
Very different from the views of this
pious physician are those Of certain
young man who said to me not long since,
referring to his Bible, 81 never have time
to read it." He could find plenty OF
time for foolish talking and jesting, but
none for talking with God. Do you
treat your Bible and your God thus7-DT.
ConaLin IN Madagascar.