Semi-weekly interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1881-1905, 1891-05-22

a. L. Well to Read the Original Text n
One Has Had Time TO Learn IL, bat
Their. l. Power Unto salvation In tn.
Common version.
The Apollos, who il mentioned in the
Book Of Acts, and also by Paul i'm his
First Epistle to the Corinthians. is spoken
Of IA ian eloquent man and mighty in
the Scriptures" When he first came TO
Ephesus he knew "only the baptism of
John" the Baptist; but after Auuila and
Priscilla had "expounded unto him the
way of God more perfectly" so that ms
knowledge Of Christ extended beyond
the baptism Of John" and he under
stood the doctrine of Christ as preached
by the Apostles. he went 10 Corinth.
where Paul had just organized church,
and in regard 10 his work in that city il
l. said that he nightly convinced the
Jews, and that publicly, showing by the
Scriptures that Jesus was Christ" Acts
xviii. 2t-2s).
The term Scriptures" as here used
means the Old Testament, Ia which ref.
erence - so often made in the New TEES.
lament Apollos had acquired an ac-
curate knowledge Of these Scriptures.
believed in their divine authority. and
was able To explain and apply them with
argumentative vigor and force He was
thus mighty in convincing the Jews
IN Corinth with respect Ia the Messiah.
ship OF Jesus Of Nazareth. We have no
statement of the precise method Of his
argument, but we can well suppose that.
peing familiar with the Mcs-ianic
prophecies, and also with the facts IN re
gard To Jesus, he showed that these
prophecies were fulfilled in him. and
thus established his claims 10 be ac-
cepted as the long expected Messiah.
Ministers in modern times, and in this
country, especially when preaching to
ordinary Christian congregations. have
no occasion for this kind of logical con
test with the Jews. and yet they greatly
need 10 IT, mighty in the Scriptures" OF
both T.stAmeuts as the bert possible
equipment for the service They are.
by the very terms Of the service. public
teachers Of Bible facts and doctrines.
and the first condition Of doing the work
as II should be done Is a thorough knowl-
edge Of the contents of the Bible itself
This knowledge is not innate or intuitive
and is not to Ice gained by chitchats in
the social circle. or by simply reading
newspapers, or 10y general scientific cul-
ture. IL is To be gained only 10y direct.
positive. personal and continuous study
OF the Bible itself The study Uf the
theological seminary is merely the begin. f.
ming Of the process. and unless il shall /
be supplemented and pursued afterward, /,
and made practically the business of /
ones life, nothing like the highest re-
suits will be- attained
The Bible Is indeed a wonderful book, .
alike inviting aud rewarding the study .
Of ia contents. II Is immense in its Iii 4
mansions aud relations Of these contents.
IL covers a vast field in the history Of .
this world, is full and copious in its
ethics. and is as high "a God himself in
its spirituality. II deals with the great
problem Of sin aud its remedy. In
Christ and its offices il discloses the fact
and the doctrine Of saviour, and in
both the plan of God for the salvation Of
sinners, ltpours light upon the great fut-
ure, and by the lasting ISSUES Of immor-
tally shows what this life really means
The Bible is not, upon its own showing,
a book for hasty glance, or merely an
occasional and careless thought 1t So
licits protrac,cd and earnest study, and
1t is only upon this condition that it
Yields 10 the soul its richest treasures.
A lifetime thus spent will not exhaust
II or make 1t tame and commonplace by
reason of familiarity The experience
Of all Bible students is that the more
they study the Book the greater are its
interest and charms 90 their minds.
They learn 10 love the study.
The real wants of human nature
whether cultured or uncultured. in pow
erty or in opulence, in "A cottage or on
throne-are essentially the same, and the
great salvation" of Jesus Christ is the
one all sufficient remedy to meet these
wants. Preach this salvation precisely
as it is revealed in the Bible, and let it
tell its own story and produce its own
Ii was good enough in the
age of Christ and his apostles, and
wrought wonders then, and has not
passed out of date in this Nineteenth
What the world wants is Bible
and the ministry of Christ
should seek To be mighty" in expound-
ing and applying that salvation. Here
is field for all its power exercised in the
best possible form.-Independent.