Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1889-02-04

spiritual knowledge that the Bible be-
comes the teachers text book in
Sunday school.
The express declaration of script
ure is, according to Cor.ii: IL,
'sthe things of God knoweth no man,
but the spirit of God" And again
in Peter i: p ''the prophecy came
not in old time by the will of man,
but holy men of God spake as they
were moved by the Holy Ghost"
We have no doubt that the author of
a book is best able to declare its
meaning, and Jesus said 'the Holy
Ghost. whom the Father will send in
my name, he shall teach you all
things The plea l make then,
teachers, to you, is that you will de-
pend more upon your text book inter
preted by the Divine Spirit of truth.
When there is so much written of the
truth, when quarterlies, notes, COM
mentaries, suggestions, helps, abound
on every hand there is danger that
teachers will do too little independent
thinking. If you rely upon what an
other has found in the mine of truth
the chances are that some bright par
ticular jewel which might have been
yours will be passed by unbound.
The operations of the Spirit are as
diverse as are the conditions of hui
man life, and as each person lives,
thinks and acts for his own personal
good, so the Spirit is able to meet
men on their individual planes of life
and let them know the blessedness of
close contact with him. Treat your
text book then as respectfully as you
would standard authority on any
branch of secular knowledge. That
text book you would first read, then
commit It's rules to memory, then per-
form examples according to it's direc-
tons. In the same way treat the BIZ
BILE and it will unfold wealth of
meaning to you that you have not
dreamed of. Ask for the Spirits
help to enable you to understand it
just as he meant it. Read slowly.
Try to put yourself in the place of
one of the actors in the scenes of
which you read. Question each verse
and wait for an answer with senses
alert with spiritual quickening.
Weigh each word separately, then its
connections. Read with purpose.
Read the epistles of the New Tesla
ment as you would a friendly letter
from some member of your house
hold who was long miles away from
you. Your first reading of a friendly
letter is never single page at a time
with whole week intervening be-
tween the pages. None of the new
testament letters are long. Read
one through at sitting, first learning
when it was written, where from, and
what were the special reasons that
called it forth. Thus you will get |
the central thought governing the |
whole and be clearer in your under |
standing of the truth when you come
to close analysis of single verses.
The Bible being your text book |
you are to teach just what it declares
and nothing else. 1t draws the line
between right and wrong very sharp
ly, and the one who really wants to
find from it what his duty is need
never be long in doubt. [ have pur-
posely left much that might be said
for others to say. The two points
only which [ wish to emphasize are,
that the book is without a peer; it's
admits of no question it
has stood the matchless revelation of
God in all the ages and is to stand
until time shall merge into eternity.
A teacher with such a text book may
well magnify his office. Second, the
spiritual adaptation of the truth to
the individual soul. Inspiration for
charging the canon of scripture has
closed, but inspiration for receiving
and understanding it is the privilege
of every loyal servant of Christ.
When next you take up your Bibles to
prepare for your place as instructor
in Sunday School let it be with the
prayer in your heart and upon your
lips "Holy Spirit make me to know
the truth as thou dost know it, and
enable me to impart it with thy pow
er, as a co-worker with thee %