The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-10-08

but this book will be justified and vindi-
Gated at the last. Therefore, study it
above all others.
study It, also, because you want to
know what the end, aim and purpose OF
man is. II is more than to be a Qhiloso-
pher, however profound, or a phllan-
thropist, however benevolent. It Is more
than TO be great in the worlds estimation,
however worthy. The great aim, purpose
and object Of mankind according TO this
Book Is TO be the sons and daughters
of the living God through faith that
is In Jesus Christ. Let us bear in mind
that 1t is this Book alone which upholds
such a theory for man which makes
such a glorious result possible. In the
next place remember that the Key of
the Word of God Is the Holy Spirit
To explain the Book according to mans
ordinary rules Of Interpretation Is not
always possible The secrets Of the Word
OF God lie in the teaching only Of the
Holy Spirit. Let me point you 10 an ex-
ample Of studying the Word az Gcd
without the Holy Spirit. Who first rejec-
ted the Lord Jesus Christ? They were
the Bible students Of the Jewish nation.
The people that cried cruelty him. cruel
fy HIM were the men composing the
Bible classes OF that day. The bitterest
foes that the dear Lord ever had were the
Scribes and the Pharisees. When you
met them they could explain the number
Of the Hebrew points and tell every iota,
jot and little Of that wonderous Book,
but when there stood before them, as
Adolph Saphir has said, that One 10
whom Abraham. Isaac and Jacob looked,
who was the autotype OF all the types
OF Leviticus, the theme OF Davids
psalmody the sublime subject OF all the
prophets from Isaiah 10 Malachi, the
Prophet, Priest and King, the One that
bore upon his shoulders the government
of earth and heaven they said not this
man but Barabbas,' They were thus
blind because they had not the Spirit
of God. They could tell that the Christ
was to be born in Bethlehem but when
He was born they could not perceive
HIM.
"As you study the Word you will grow
first by appropriation. Congregations Of
ten sit under gospel preaching only TO lis
ten. applaud and admire. They come
away saying 1t was sublime but they
go away and forget what they heard
What is the trouble? Is It want Of appro-
priation? God reveals TO us certain truths
They are mighty. God expects us TO
seize and asslmilate them to our spiritual
being Think OF your spiritual life.
Some great truth was once brought
to your notice God revealed IT to you
through some PERSONS fundamentally.
You admired IT but you did not bring IL
home and use II for your spiritual
growth so after a while the impression
faded. So with many young men who
are trying to grow in grace and God
shows them the power Of the living Christ.
They admire but they do not appropriate
It, Now, young men, when Israel found
themselves hemmed In by Egyptian troops
God made a path through those great
waters. Supposing they had said that is
a wonderful way for crossing the Red
Sea and had stood admiring II without
taking step in advance. God would
certainly have told the waters to come
back again. So when God makes a path
through the great waters in our spiritual
life. He means that we should go over
dry shod. He gives us the opportunity
that we may grow thereby. l utter these
words of warning because these solemn
moments when Divine truth is revealed to
us do not come every day. st. Paul.
speaking Of himself. said L was not dis
obedient TO the heavenly vision; I fol-
lowed the path II opened before me-"
mot long since set out with the in
tCntior of catching train. Having reach
ed the neightorhood Of the station and
finding there was a little time 10 spare.
/ TUNED aside to make a small purchase
end then leisu-ely walked up the.pproach
10 the station. l entered the waiting room
and under the impression that there was
still at least minute till the time Of
stirling l turned to the time table on the
wall for some information which wanted
Everything In the waiting room and the
station was Unusually quiet, and tended
TO confirm the impression that there
was still time enough. But mine was mis-
taken confidence for In an instant the
door was closed and / missed the train.
l well remember the sting OF the disap-
polntment was not so much the fact that
l had missed the train or that was so
nearly catching 1t. but the reflection that
was In time enough IL had nor fingered
SO careiessly on the way. and who can
portray the singing remorse of the lost
from this land OF Bibles and gospel
light remembering through an unending
eternity how they fretted away the time
when they might have been saved-tilI
1t was too late?'