The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-08-18
God knew that the peusiye and COMPLAIN |


ing world would want to read it, and 80 no
inspires Jeremiah to write: "Oh, that my
head were waters and mine eyes fountains Oh
tears!" God knew that the lovers Of tho
wild, the romantic AMI the straug, would
wnnt to read it, so He lets Ezekiel write o.
mysterious rolls and winged creatures and
flying wheels Of fire. God prepared it for all
for the Temperate Zone. Cold-blooded
Greenlanders would find much to interest
them, and the tanned inhabitants at tho
Equator would find his passionate nature
boil with the vehemenoe Of Heavenly truth
The Arabian would real it on his drome-
dairy, and the Laplander seated on tho swift
sled, and the herdsman OF Holland guarding
the cattle in the grass, and the Swiss girl re-
clining amid Alpine crags. 0, when I see
that the Bible is suited in style, exactly
suited. to all ages, to all conditions, to all
lands, can not help repeating the conclusion
Of my text: "The statutes Of the Lord are
right"
5. remark again: The Bible is right in its
doctrines Man, sinner; Christ, savior
the two doctrines. Man must come down.
his pride, his self-righteousness, his worldli-
ness; Christ tho Amounted, must 90 up. Ifit
had not been for the setting forth Of the
Atonement Moses would never have de.
scribed the Creation; prophets would not
have predicted; apostles would not have
preached. 1t seems to me as il Jesus and
the Bible were standing on a platform in u
great amphitheater. as il the prophet,
were behind Him throwing light for.
the apostles and evanyelists stool before Him
like footlights throwing up Their light into
His blessel countenance, and then as If all
the earth and heaven were the applaudirg
auditory, the Bible speaks Of Pisgah and
Carmel and Sinai, but makes all mountains
bow down to Calvary. The foclss led over ths
Jrldean hills were emblems OF "the Lamb Of
God that taketh away tho sins Of ths world"
ard the lion le1ping out Of its lair, was
All emblem Of ''the lion Of Judah's tribe"
will in my next breath recite to you the
most won lerful sent,nce ever written:
".rh;s is faithful saying and worthy Of all
aayeptation. that Christ Jesus came into the
world to save Sinners No wonder that
when Jesus was Eorn in Bethlehem Heaven
sympathzed with earth. and a wave Of joy
dashed clear over the battlements and dripped
upon the shepherds in the words: "Glory To
Gcd in the highest, and on earth peace, good
will toward men," In my next sentence every
word weighs ton: "God so loved the world
that He gave His only begotten Son. that
whosoever believeth in Him should not
perish. but have everlasting life" Show ma
any other book with 81. doctrine-So high,
so deep, SO vast!
=. ASulu. Iuo DlUle Is FlSuG Ill us eueCUS.
do not care whsra you put the Bible, it just
suits the place. You put it in the hand of u
man seriously concerned aboIt his soul. SOC
people often giving to the serious sonl this
and that book It may very we'll; but thers
is no book like tn, Bible. He reads the Com
mandments aud pleads to the Indictment,
",Guilty." He takes up the Psalms Of David,
and saws: "They just describe my feel-
irgs." He flies to good works; Paul starts
L 0,,k1 ~ hot hxy a,t.
man i not iustifel by works" He falls
lack in his Encouragement; the Bible starts
him 10 with the sentences: "Remember
Lots wife, ,""Grieve not the Spirit" "Flee
the Wrath to Gomez Then the man in de-
srair begins to crv OUT "What shall do1
Where shall go" and q voice reaches him
saying: "Come unto me, all ye who are
rest"
Take this Bible and place It in the hands Of
men in trouble! Is there anybody here in
trouble? Ah, might better ask are there
any here who have never been In troubled
Put this Bible in tn, hands of the troubled.
You find that as some Of the best berries
grow on the sharp,st thorns, 50 some Of the
sweetest consultations Of tho gospel grow on
the most stinging affliction. You thought
that death had grasre1 your child Oh, no!
II wa' only the Heavenly Shepherd taking
lamb cut Of the cold. Christ bent over you
as you held the child in your lap, and putting
His arms gently around tn, little one, said:
"Of such is the kingdom OF heaven"
Put the Bible in the school. Palsied be the
hand that would take the Bible from the COL
lege and the school Educate only mans
head and you make him an infldel. Educate
only mans heart and you make him ;
fanatic. Educate them both together, and
you have the ,blest work Of God An edu.-
,,,;nd ~ oro1 orin nnipla ic a chin
without helm, a rushing rail train without
brakes or reversing rod to control the speed.
Put the Bible in the family. There it lies on the
table. an unlimited power. Polygamy and
uns .riptural divorce are prohibited. Parents
are kind and faithful, children polite ami
obedient Domestic sorrows lessened by be-
ing divided. joys increased by being multi
piled. Oh father, oh m ,ther. take down that
lcng-neglected Bible and read it yourselves
and let your children read it! Put the Bible
on the rail-traiu and on shipboard, till all
parts Of this lanl and all other lands shall
have its illumination. This hour there rises
the veil Of heather worship. aud in the face
of this days sun smokes the blood OF human
sacrifice Give them the Bible. Unbind that
wife from the funeral prye, for no other sac
rifice is needed since the blood OF Jesus
Christ cleansetk from all sin.
! am preaching this sermon becarse there
are so many who would have you believe that
tho Bible is an outlandish book and obsolete.
1t b fre,her and more intense than any book
that yesterday came out Of the great publish
ing houses. Make it your guide in life and
your pillow in death.
After the battle Of Richmond, dead
soldier was found with his hand lying on the
open Bible. Ths summer insects had eaten
the flesh from the hand, but tho skeleton fin
ger lay on the words: "Yea, though walk
through the Valley OF the Shadow Of Death,
will fear no evil, for Thou art with me:
Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me-"
Yes. this book will become in your last days,
when you turn away from all ether books, a
solace for your soul. Perhaps it will be your
mothers Bible; perhaps the ono given you on
your wedding day, its cover now worn out
and its leaf faded with age; but its bright
promises will fash upon the opening gates Of
Heaven.
"How precious is the Book Givins,
By inspiration given;
Bright as lamp its doctrines shine,
To guide our souls to heaven.
"This lamp, through all the tedious night
OF life, shall guide our way,
Till we behold the clearer light