Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-02-22


kind written against the Bible were sent to
TIE bottom Of the OCEAN. the world
WOULD LOSE NOTHING
ef auy importance; bat If the Bible and the
books built upon it, exp aiming, adVoca.-
ing, sympathizing with it, were destroyed,
how great how sad how irreparable loss
/. would be! They who believe in the
Bible are endowed with a rejoicing hope,
which ia never COMPOUNDED or put TO shame.
Is any such hope afforded by anything
else in this world2 To destroy the Bible is
to destroy the only sure hope the world has
ever had."
Abiding to the Bibles wonderful his
tory, he said: NJ, .u
lit was accepted as the Bible of Shakes
peare and Bacon and Milton It's cloth
ofgold was worked by them into their su-
premest workmanship Its words fitly ut
tered their noblest personal aspirations.
When Oliver Cromwell in his war-tent
read a Psalm before he hurled his iron.
sides against the cavaliers, it was from bis
English Bible. 1t came across the wintry
seas to New England with the Pilgrim
Fathers. 1t WAS all the Bible, John Bun,
van. the immortal dreamer, ever knew.
Scholars though they were, George Herbert
and William Cowper clasp hands over the
English Bible. In the lonely moors and
bleak hillsides OF Scotland, the Covenant,
ers wrestled with God through it's golden
worded promises. Richard Baxter found
in il his Saints Everlasting Rest Charles
Wesley drew from it his Songs of Zion;
John Wesley his evangelical gospel; George
Whitfield his burning appeals; Thomas
Boston bis 'Fourfold State and 'Croos
in theLot 1t was the English Bible Jon
atban Edwards grssped when, as he dis
coursed of eternal realities. the church wal
transformed into Bochim. 1t was the
one Book that dying, Sir Walter Scot
asked his son-inlsw to read to him.
1t has inspired our noblest eloquence
it has FURNISHED our divinest poetry it ha!
given a tongue to our grandest music, il
has been the beating heart Of our sweetest
hymns, it has been the soul Of our creates
sermons, it has given imperisha5le watch
words in the fight tor
freedom, civil and religious
il has sustained patience in the darkest
days, piercing the tbickest gloom with i'll
light OF immortal hope.
ut has gone into the prison aud the
hospital and the battlefield. 1t has been
as q lamp in the Valley Of Shadows. 1t
has been the bethrothAp Bible OF many
lowly, loving hesrts-ss of Robert Burns
and his Highland Mary, when that burn
ing heart was al its beat and pusesL II
has been the mothers gift-Bible TO the
sailor lad gong far away, and to myriad
otheEa on lifting up the anchors from home
and setting out into the great world.
~ was to the Bible David Livingstone
in the shadows turned as he lay dying in
the dark continent. 1t has been TO un'
told millions the marriage Bible, the fam
lily Bible, hslowed by memories and asso
cia'iony no. to be forgotten and pathetic
with old aud faded entries Of births and
marriages and deaths, When some of US
went 10 college or to city life it was the
book Of books that mothers eyes Gnd tears
and broken words commended to US as she
put it into our trunk. 1t has made en-
tombed miners die in pence, leaving
poorly scrawled, yet trusting, words from
it, on pieces of shsle. 1t has interpreted
10 the sin.atung and penitent their own
deep anguish, and guided them back to
their Father House and Heart. 1t has
brought back the light Of hope to eyes
faded aud worn and dry, in midnight
mission and among the fallen as out OF il
fair women and brave men spoke of the
redeeming love OF Jesus Christ. Its deep
eat ssyings are crYstalline-clear to the
heart and look of faith It's warnings
come like motherly, sisterly voices. | love
to think how in glory it shall he found
that scarcely text OF the New Testament
but has been saving word to human
s2uls. Weary. broken, humhled, back
sliding, iorssken, desperate meD and wo.
men have 10 the English Bible found at
last their rest Pure inviolate, dedicated
ones from dawn OF thought and resolve,
have been won TO Christ through it. What
cloud Of witnesses glority its every page
What Joy and pstlos, what gratitude and
wonder, what hallelnjahs and prayer,
what Increment aud restraint, what hope
and anguish, what sunshine aud shadow
Gonsecrate it all over the world
NO wonder the PGalmist exclaimed,
even in ms day. Stabligh thy word unto
thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear
And yetperhaps some Of you own Bibles
and have been hearing the word preached
eli your lives, spd arc still uussved.
Surely you need to pray, Open thou mine
eyes, that may behold Sondrous things
out OF thy law