Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-14
THE BOOK OF ISAIAH.
A Discussion of the Arraignment
Against the Prophets People.
DEFENSE AND THE PUNISHMENT.
The Advantage of Reading the Bible in
Some Foreign Language.
NEED OF RELIGION IN POLITICS
twRIrTEN FOR THE DISPATCH.

rwRrrTEN FOR THE DIsPATcH.l
II makes great deal of difference how
one reads the Bible Some parts OF thu
Bible are so familiar that we know thu
words by heart. The consequence is tha
they make little impression upon us. Othel
parts of the Bible are SO difficult that w
| cannot understand them. The Bible, &C
cordingly, is to many people, one of the
dullest books in the world. Leave mar
in a room alone with two books, one OF then
Bible, and the other any stupid book you
please, and see if he will not take the Other
book. The Bible is really the most inter
esting, the most uplifting, the most wonder.
full book that was ever written. But it hai
to be read in the right way.
talked once with a. Kentucky farmer
who lived five miles from the Mammoth
Cave. He was aware that there was such a
cave in the neighborhood, and that people
came from long distances to see it, and that
wonderful things were said about it. But
he had never explored it. He informed
me, however, that he had ventured con-
siderable distance into number of other
caves! Somehow, we too know great deal
about number of lesser books, while we
lack interest in the supreme book.
The Bible in a Foreign Tongue.
Let me make some suggestions about
reading the Bible If you know French or
German, let me advise you for time to
You will be surprised at the new meanings
that will be discovered in it. If you do not
know French or German, let me offer
another counsel We are not yet very far
from the beginning of the new year. There
is still opportunity for good resolutions.
This year do not read the Bible at all In
stead of the Bible read these four books,
which follow along the lines of the Bible:
Stanley's "History of the Jewish Church,
Edersheim's Life and Times of Jesus, the
Messiah" Conybeare and Howson's "Life
of st. Paul." and Farrar's early Days of
Christianity" You will find that you will
presently be reading the Bible in spiteNof
yourself.
Ii, however, instead of accepting either
of these suggestions, you desire to read the
English Bible in the King James Version,
you will find great help in good COM
mentary. The little Cambridge "Bible for
Schools" in quite number of inexpensive
volumes, is the best general commentary
know Of
want to study to-day, the first five chap
ters of the book of Isaiah. The first Of
these five chapters can be set under four
headings; % the charge, (2) the defense,
80 the promise, a. the punishment.
The RebelIious Children.
God makes the charges, and the defend
ants are the people of Judah and Jerusalem.
The charge is that they are rebellious chill
dren. That sums it all up. God is their
Father; He has brought them up, and cared
for them, and loved them, and they have
turned away from Him.
And what is the peoples defense? Why,
that the services in the temple are more
elaborate and beautiful than they have ever
been before, that sacrifices are daily offered,
prayer is hourly uttered, and all The holy
seasons reverently kept. To which God
that ritual without righteousness is
in His sight, that no magnifcence
Of ecclesiastical architecture, no beauty of
ornate service, no costliness of sacrifice,
can be of any value apart from genuine
obedience to His moral laws. "Wash you,
make you clean, put away the evil of your
doings from before Mine eyes. Cease to do
evil, learn to do we'll" Thus alone can man
expect to win the appreciation of the righte-
Gus God Do justice to the fatherless, pro-
tect the widow, help the poor.
That was more than 2, 500 years agol And
Jesus of Nazareth has lived in the world
since the words were spoken, and brought
all the emphasis of His divine life into the
,ause of true religion. And yet even to-
lay we
Need Two Sermons Every Sunday
lerstand but dimly that theology and soci- |
hem together into two commandments |
which He pronounced alike in their essen
ial value. And Lowells poem, which, if |
t had been written in Hebrew might have |
,een ftly set here among the sermons of
.saiah, needs to be read to-day.
with gates Of silver and bars Of gold
1e have fenced my sheep from their
! have heard the dropping of their tears
In heaven these eighteen hundred years.
40 Lord and Master, not ours the guilt,
We build but as our fathers built;
Behold Thine images, how they stand
Sovereign and sole, through all our land"
Then Christ sought out an artisan,
low-browed, stunted, haggard man, |
And motherless girl, whose fingers thin
Pushed from her family want and sin.
These set he in the midst of them,
And as they drew back their rgarment-hem,
For fear of deflement, "Lo, here" said He,
"The images ye have made of me!'
The Promise of . Pardon.
Nevertheless, there is promise. Who
yer turns back to God and seeks to do Him
srvice, offering to Him the acceptable sac
fce of just, and upright, and helpful life,
,ying to serve God, not only in the temple,
ut out of it also, at home, and in the street.
nd through the hours of business, God will
eceive and forgive. Yet God knows that
1e promise of pardon will not be needed.
he chapter closes with a prophecy of pun
hment. And yet not universal nor a
nal punishment Some will turn and be
wed; and after punishment there will be
ghteousness.
a. LII |