The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-12-21
SUNDAY MEDITATION.
The Bible as thsp Foundation of Our
Ecclesiastical and National Advan-
). &guI


No lesson has been designated for Dec 81.
Each Sunday-scho may have either review
or some subject self,selacted. We would sng-
gest study OF the names for the Bible. If
familiar with these we shall see the Holy
Scripture from different points, and be able
more fully TO take it all into comprehension.
Each name applied to the Bible will set US to
thinking of it in several of its more conspicuous
and important relations to us We shall also
have an Illustration of the richness Of our Eng
lish language.
Concentrations Of the Holy Bible
II would be interesting to know the opinions
of most famous men as to the Holy Scriptures.
Rev. John Hall, ID. d., of New York City,
has said: 1.-The Bible is the young mans own
book 1t denounces vice without feeding a
dangerous curiosity. 1t dignifes virtue not as
means of getting on. but as success and
happiness now; and, best OF ALL 1t gives the
young man the exclusive way in which
vice is vanqnished and virtue attained. 1t
lifts up Christ. 1t invites TO the cross. 1t
offers the new heart and the right spirit 1t
penetrates the DISCUSSES of elegant sin, aud ex-
poses the sophistry of cultivated inquity. 1t
flashes its revealing rays upon the opening
abyss to which the tempter leads. 1t unmasks
the voluptuous angel of light. and shows the
malicious fend. Into the scale against the
pleasures OF sin for a season 1t throws the
peace of God,' and the pleasure for evermore."
An anonymous author declares: "One great
nd vantage of the Bib" over other books is that
with the latter we have first to inquire into
the truth of their statements. while with the
Bible we need only inquire into the sense of
the passage; God vouches for its truth"
Hon. John Quincy Adams wrote letter.
dated June o. 1888. to literary society OF
Baltimore, Nd, consisting of young men who
had sought his counsel to a course of reading.
In his answer is the following: "The first and
almost the only book deserving universal
attention Is the Bible; and in recommending
that, fear that some Of you will think am
performing superHuous, and others very
unnecessary office; yet such is my deliberate
| opinion. The Bible is the book Of all others to
DO read at all ages and in all conditions Of
human life; not to be read oBce or twice or
thrice through, and then laid aside. but TO be
read in small portions Of one or two chapters
every day, and never to he intermitted, unless
by some everything necessity.
:" speak man of the world to men OF the
world and say to you. Search the ScripturesH
If ever you tire of them in seeking rule of
faith and standard Of morals search them as
records of history. The Bible contains the
only authentic introduction to the history Of
the world. 1t ia book VIII ch neither the most
ignorant and weakest nor the most learned and
intelligent mind can read without improve
ment."
The poet s. Stennett. wrote:
The counseIs Of redeeming grace
The sacred leaves unfold;
And here the Stviors lovely face
Our raptured eyes behold.
Here light descending from above
Directs doubIfI feet;
Here promises of heavenly love
Our ardent wishes meet.
Our num- rous sriefs sre here redress'd.
Aud all our wants supplied;
Naught ask TO make US blest
Is in This book denied
For these inestimnbie gains
That enrich the mind,
o. may we search with eager pains.
Assured that>ye shall find.
The following grand eulogy on the Bible IL
the more valuable as il was written by Prof.
Huxley Let il be read everywhere. In an
age falling 10 grasp fully as it ought Gods Book
tn Man, these words are vertebrating: Il have
always been strongly in favor of secular edu-
cation in the sense, OF education without
theology; but. must Mess. have been no
less seriously perplexed to know by what prac-
tcal measures the religious feeling, which ia
the essential basis of conduct. was to be kept
up, in the present uttery-chaOtic state of
opinion on these matters. without the use OF
the Bible. The pagan moraists lack life and
color, and even the noble stole, Marcus
Antonius, is too high and refined for an ordi-
nary child. Take the Bible as a whole; make
the severest deduction which fair criticism
diciate tor shortcomings and positive errors;
eliminate, as a sensible lay teacher wonId do
If left TO himself, all that is not desirable for
children to occupy themselves with. aud there
still remains in this old literature vast resi-
dunn of moral grandeur. Aud then consider
the great historical fact that for three centuries
this book has heen woven into the life of all
that is hest and noblest in English history
that it has become the national epic of Britain.
aud is familiar TO noble and simple from John
o. Groat's house to Lands End. as Dante and
Tasso were once to the Italians; that it was
written in the nobest and pnrest English aud
abounds in exquisite beauties of merely
literary form, and finally. that il forbids the
veriest hind, who never left his village, to be
ignorant OF the existence of other countries
and other civilizations. and of great past
stretching back to the funniest limits of the
oldest nations in the world. By the study of
what other books could children be SO much
humanized and made to feel that each figure
in that vast historical procession fills. like
themselves. but a momentary space in the
interval between the two eternities, and earns
the blessings the curses OF all time. accord
ing to lis effort To do COOL and hate evil, even
as they earning their payment for their
work 2"
SUBJECT: The NAMES OF THE CHURCH
Textbook.
The English Names.
Almost all books have variety of appelia-
tious by which they are known. This is well.
We have to speak so often Of the Bible that if
we were obliged invariably to use the same
lille for it, our diction in this respect might
seem quite monotonous
l. The Alphabetical List Of Names.
We have the following names:
/. Bible (Tbe).
2. Book tThe).
3. Book Divine.
4. Book of God Tor OF the Lordh.
s. Book of Life
6. Holy Bible Tor Book.
z. Holy Library (TheI
8. Holy Scripture Tor Scripturesl
9. Holy Writ Tor Writing).
10. Law and Gospel.
II. Sacred Word.
IL. Scriptures (The1. he
10. Word (of God or of the Lord)
9 Miscellaneous English Names of the Bible