Morning journal and courier., 1890-03-07
HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE.

HOW TO STUDY THE BIBkEs Hcorxe ". Gable Tells che Theological
 Students to Throw Away Helps and
 Commentaries and to Think for
 Themselves - A studious Habit of mind she Chief Requisite.
 George W. Gable read paper to the theo- logical school in Marquand chapel yesterday afternoon upon Glow to Study the Bible.'
 It sssms to mo . strange thing to stand | here and tell men who are deeply buried in spiritual studies what to do, said he. Apolo- gies would make more to apologize for. will reed you only what have written, and | If 1t is not good you may know 1t is my best. l I will talk to-day of "How to Study the | Bible." To know how to study the Bible we must not consider 1t in the same light as other studies.' "Doctor," said convales. cent man to medical friend of mine." am Ieading book which is very interesting. s It is called, believe. IvAnhoe. do not know who wrote It." 'Why," said the doctor, ''I would give any amount of gold to be able to read Ivanhoe and not know who wrote it." The Bible is to be studied pre-sminently for itself. God: pure, eternal truths simply dis covered Is of no use to this world only as far as truth melts into our lives and conduct does it become of value to our beings. All else Ia but an unfinished bridge in air, ready to be swept away by the first overflow of our spiritual knowledge or spiritual appetites, when we think of how much more study the Bible has had than any other book, we be- come to believe the old saying that you can play 1t and obtain any tune you like. When we come rightly to the study we fud 1t a sort of art. This habitual practice requires . certain method of work. Here is light, thoughtless, restless person. Something arouses this one to study of Gods word. Behold, he has not @ single stu- dents faculty. Look over any church. membership and see how many have studi- ous habit. They are not light and meritless but cannot make general discoveries and do not have strong personal convictions. They must get the habit of study before they can study tho Bible. A studious habit of mind Is one great essential. Thousands who are two busy for book study are far better stu dents than thousands who by years of book plodding have won the respectable degree of golden spectacles. We can pay no higher homage to truth in the Bible or out than to hold 1t in suspense till we can fully and com orehensiysly receive it to a full part of our lives. Thousands say they would ap. ply their knowledge If they only know how
 to study the Bible. When you do study
 scripture dispense, or try to, at the very
 start with commentaries and other "helps." !"
 They are apt to make thinking to easy
 and easy thinking gives very poor form of thought. We should not place ourselves
 above the results achieved by the best think.
 CTS of all ages, but we should make these results the banks and bankers of our own minds. "Then we would have every man
 with mind of his own," will be objected. Oh, no. could not hope for such grand
 result. We must think that the light of the
 commentators of the past is what the Chris tian world hopes never to return to. Put nothing but the Bible and a clean slate.
 Don't be afraid of your originality. There'e
 no strong chance you have much to be afraid
 of. "Prove all things; hold fast that which
 is good" It is one of the strongest facts in
 the study of the Bible that to
 study 1t best we must study 1t in concert. We must search for absolute right back ot
 all authority. Our study must not be . short
 search, but search for the shortest way o1
 arriving at fundamental truths. Let us see
 to 1t that in studying the Bible we draw moi our theology from our politics and our eth
 ics from our theology, but our ethics and
 theology both from our deepest convictions
 of spiritual equity and truth.
 What we come to the Bible for when we
 come rightly is not rules of life, but princi
 ples of life. It is but touch of the lowel
 man which wishes to run his race of life il
 the harness of rules. Principles are like tha
 spirit which gives man domination from tn,
 throne of God to the center of earth. w
 must know our own righteousness. Trutl is worth nothing to us merely for being 1T
 the Bible. Spiritual experience is authority
 the truths will make you free.
 Yet If would give some rules of stud. should say: Bring to the study of tn Bible such habits of study as belong to you daily life. Read and weigh and put away al ingenious constructions. Remember tn Bible Is no more wood pile from which 70, are to take armfuls of fragments. Neve forget the aim and spirit of the book. Neve 1. conclusivsly call an interpretation of God word your own becsuse your church o school approves 1t. Think for yourself an' never take any fact a your own till yol : prove 1t. Do this and remember through al that you read or weigh that you are discover ing and increasing in Gods word and king dom as far as we can read it in this world
 MT. Cable was closely pressed with ques
 tions after he had finished.
 "It you throw aside the helps would tn object be more to develop the person or tn study of the Biblsa" asked one.
 } think the main object of study Is to dc , velop the person. Truths are mainly to bull up, was his reply.
 Dean wayland of the Law school asked: } you had but very little time for prepars , tion, helps would not be bene6ciali
 No, said MT. Gable, think 1t is like on l boy copying from anothers slate. thin , they are cutely dangerous.
 Do you think the person would acquir r personally morei was another question. Yes, was the answer, he can impart th 3 truth obtained fifty times better, and more , over, he oomes prepared to develop hi } truth.
 do not say man should wiite his ow
 concordance, said he, but we must use bot
 intelligently.
 , MT. Cable distinguished . difference b,
 tween the truths and facts of the Bible.