Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-10-12
DO THE HELPS HELP?
Many Of the So-Called Commentaries
Serve Only to Mystify.
LESSON LEAVES OF LITTLE VALUE,
The Bible Story Simple Enough for all to
Understand.
oLDFoLKsBEsTYERsED lNs sAcREDLoRB
WRITTEN FOR THE DIsPAToH.1


1t is question whether the so-called les
son helps with which Sunday schools OF
these days are flooded are of any real value
to teacher or pupil Every church denom-
ination issues its lesson leaves, quarterlies,
child's papers, etc., and the amount Of solid
wheat to be found in these documents is in
very small proportion to the chaff.
Instead of studying his Bible the average
teacher looks up other mems opinions of the
Bible. 1t is very doubtful whether the aver
age Sunday school scholar of to-day, with all
his advantages, is as well versed in Bible
lore as those of generation ago.
Some one, after reading the "Pilgrim's
Progress" once remarked that the story of
the pilgrim, as traced by Bunyan from the
City of Destruction to the City of God. was
perfectly plain and simple. He had no
difficulty with Bunyan's part of the busi-
ness, but those explanatory notes at the foot
of each page gave him any amount of
trouble to understand.
NOT WHAT THEY CLAIM TO BE.
So it is concerning the old, old story,
given with such unexampled simplicity and
directness in the New Testament. Multi
verse of what they claim to be. The Bible
story is so simple that he who runs may
read it, and expositors very often envelop
the text with mystery by their philosophiz-
ing, when the common-sense reader, by tax
ing the record, could reach the truth at
once. The truth is often obscured by at
tempts to make it more plain. A story is
told of gentleman once addressing Sun
day school, who said in his introduction:
"Now, children, L will give you summary
of the lesson you have just been studying"
The superintendent suggested that some of
the little urchins would not probably know
what he meant by summary" He added
before proceeding to throw cloud OF mys-
terry on the lesson. children, summary is
synonymous with synopsis
A NEW LIFE OF CHRIST.
It seems from a recent announcement in
THE DISPATCH that new "Life Of
Christ" is on the stocks from the pen OF
Brooklyn's great preacher. There is no
question of the preachers ability to tell
the story in graphic style. But, after all.
is there any possibility Of improving on the
simple, unvarnished story as given by the
immediate companions of our Lord, and
found in an old book called the Bible. OF
Lives of Christ" there is no end. The
one furnished by "eye witnesses of His
Majesty" is good enough. 1t is adapted to
the lowliest as well as the loftiest intellect.
And, if the plain people will but go to it,
laying aside preconceived notions and
prejudices founded on early training, they
will find no better "Life Of Christ" than
the authoritative one which all churches
accept I, for one, can testify that so-called
helps to the understanding Of the Scripture
have often obscured passages instead of
throwing light on them.
DIDN'T THINK HIM GREAT.
Rev. DR.. Herrick johnson, one time
pastor of the Third Presbyterian Church of
this city, but now Of Chicago, used to tell
story of one of the great lights of the church
who was noted for his simplicity and homely
English in pulpit ministrations. The great
preacher had among his hearers on certain
occasion when assisting brother at COM
munion, an elderly lady, who had walked
many miles to hear him preach. Her atten.
tion was gained and kept throughout the
hours discourse, but passing out of the
church she said to a friend, "And is that
the great DR.. have heard about
all my life? 1 could see nothing great in
that sermon, for understood every word he
said."
There are not a few like the old lady who
think there is something great in a sermon
or speech which has about it an air of mys-
terry. There is no palmer book than the
Bible, but multitudes of the commentators
are very abstruse. A teacher or writer is
we'll up when he learns to call spade a
spade. A Webster or Gladstone are easily
understood. Only the half educated are
mysterious. j. 81. Y.