The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-06-01
BOOK OF WONDERS.
Or. T. C. Easton'S FOrcible Ser.
mon on the Bible.
Summary of the Work Done in Recent Years
by the American Bible Society-A
Notable Showing.

The fOrty-seeond anniversary of the Cali
fOrnia Bible Society was celebrated last
evening at Calvary Church. Annis Merrill
presided, and announced that Rev. T. G.
Easton, pastor of the church. would have
charge of the exercises.
The following summary of work of the
American Bible Society and its auxIiaries
during the fourth exploration and supply of
the United States. which was cOmplet d
one year ago, was read by Rev. John
Thompson, District Superintendent for Cal
ifoTnia: Number of families visited, 6, 309.-
CPS; families found without the Bible, 757,-
ISL; families supplied, AIS, 604; other indi-
yiduals supplied, 299,053; and work OF year
ending March 81, 1891 (estimated): Families
visited, $4,000; families found without the
Bible, 10000; families supplied, $4,000; other
individuals supplied, 2S,000 Total issues
of the society during the seventy-tiye years
OF its history, 81, 2oS. 720.
The following summary of work done in
California and Nevada during the eight
years which closed on March 81, 1890, was
also read: Families visited, 425, 4l4; families
without The Bible, 81, 746; families supplied,
So l26; other individuals supplied, 1929;
humane Institutions supplied, SOL; sailors
supplied, 7664 Work in California and Ne
vada for the year ending March 81, 1891:
Families visited, Il, lob; families without the
Bible, 6lS2; families supplied, 3ll3; other
ind vdualS supplied, 3352; sailors supplied
IN San francisco, 1l06.
The total income of the American Bible
Society for the year ending March, 81 1890,
was S267 .631 So which Mr.. Thompson
claimed ought TO prove that the society was
poor. instead Of being rich as reported.
''THY TESTIMONIES ARE WONDERFUL"
After hearing the report and the taking
of a collection, DIR. EastOn preached a SER
mon on The Book OF Wonders" Ia king his
text from Psalms cXiX :129: Thy teStimo-
MES are wonderful He said few thought
ful minds probably wondered at the silence
Of God. as they considered how nigh the
divine presence IS; how constant and uni
veroal The eXerton Of his power; how deep
the ignorance that enVelopS Us, and how
manifold the mysteries we long 10 pene-
trate, and yet 10 divine voice is ever heard
10 q courage OIL enllghtCn the perpleXed and
inQuiTing spirit.
Sometimes. too, when great wrongs were
perpetIated, When tue innocent suffer and
the guilty escape, vi hen WickednesS ana
violence trampie right aud truth III the
dust and the Injuries OF the oppressed plead
la tears Of anguish tor redress, It seems
strange that there should be no sound or
sign from the ail-Seeng one; or when the
mind IS agitated by perpleXIng doubts, when
the mysteries of the unseen, the INFINITE and
the eternal oYeTwhelm the baffled reason
yet attempts in vain TO fathOm them-hoW
welcome would be a voice from within the
veil, giving assurance that there Is one,
person Who knows cur thoughts and our
sympatLies Tor human wants and weak
nesses.
This is not an unnatural feeling, and yet
il would not be difficult TO show that The
utterance Of voice fTCm heaven would
hardly persuade those who are not con-
Viuced by divine adm0nitionS they already
IpKra or 10 ba SIfa nj 1on
TO be, he has spoken anu still speaks
through the revelation which lie has given Us.
SUPERIORITY OF THE BIBLE.
If audible voices from the sky had been
best adapted TO our circumstances and
nature. doubtless we should have heard
them, but how vast the superiority Of our
written revelation to an occasional utter
ance, audible To a few, or to one. but not
the common property or the whole human
race
Such is the Bible, the word of God speak
ing in every land, III every tongue, conveying
to the ends of the earth knowledge of God
and OF himself, which man most urgently
needs.
After speaking Of the older revelation, the
book OF Dalure, winch man failed 10 inter
pref by reason OF his blindness, DIR. Easton
said: 'At time when the authority of
The Bible as a divine revelation Is Impeached
by some and doubted by the many, il is not
unreasonable to dwell upon some of its
characteristics and claims to our yeneTatiOn
and Ialth. These points were as follows:
The Bible Is wonderful for Its great an-
tiQuily; it is wonderful Tor its contents; the
Bible IS wonderful in lis adaptation TO man;
the BiUle is oHderful for its political ana
moral influence; the Bible is wonderful for
its authorship" Each Of these points were
discussed at length and expUuuded with
force OF reasoning and wealth Of lllustra-
ton.
In closing Dr. Easton said: docs it not
SPEAK for itself? Is it conceivable that
b Ok 50 perfect in It's adaptation to men. 50
high aud holy III its doctrine, SO benign IN
its influence, so rich in wonders, should be
tie contTiyance of impOsters or the prOduc-
tiun of barbarian sages guessing at truth?
Impossible The Bible is worthy of the
authorship it claims. 1t wins from every
candid and thoughtful mind an assent TO its
tvuthfuIuess. and when studied with rever-
ence ana prayer carries with II the eyiden e,
the convincing demonstration OF its inspira-
ton by God"
DR.. Easton also spoke of the trust TepOsed
in this book by noted men on their death
beds as the strongest proof Of its needs to
show them the way 10 another and better
life