The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-03-16

FTgurgtise Names for the Bible ~ Ps.. ll9.
There are other expressions in Ps.. Il9. for the
Bible Why is Gods Word like honey and the
honey comb? We have one case in Ps.. il9.
See " i03 Glow sweet are Thy words 70 my
taste! yea sweeter than honey to my mouth"
In Ps., 10: 10 David speaks of the Holy Scrip
lures as sweeter than honey and the honey
comb How sweet An exclamation. No
attempt is made 20 tell just how sweet arc
Gods words. We cannot measure or determine
the degree of such taste. AS honey is pleasant
to the eater so Gods Word is delightful to the
Christian reader. As honey is healthfu food.
giving strength to the body. so Gods Word IS
nourishing to the soul. We enjoy the study OF
the Holy Scriptures as we would desirabls
meal.
The Hebrew in Ps.. 10: 10 could be rendered,
"sweeter than the dropping of honey combs"
1t is said the overlooking OF the honey COMO
the drops which fall Of their own accord with
out any artificial pressure to exude them, are
of the purest and sweetest honey.
We may read with profit what Sturgeon
thought of Gods Word considered as honey;
There are texts of Scripture which are exceed
ingly sweet, and marvelously free in the giving
forth of their sweetness, needing little study
or meditation. Children have their drops
and their little candies which melt sway in
their mouths. and even so certain Scrip
lures are prepared for the Lords little chill
~
the mouth of faith and their enjoyment is
great Some words of the Lord are as nuts
that need cracking, or grapes that need
treadipg in the winepress, for their mean
ing lieth not upon the surface; but those
to which 1 refer are ready for use; they are
simple sweetnesses prepared pleasures-in fact.
drops of delight. To enjoy these one does not
need to be theologian or a grammariaD, much
less philosopher mystic. The honey OF
the meaning flows out of the comb of the words
as fluid consolation, liquid love- pure JOY. aud
perfect truth. The student does not have to
pore over his book, or the preacher to consult
his library or the hearer to collect his knowl-
edge; the dainty comfort offers itself to the
palate. and goeth down sweetly, spreading its
SAVIOR over the whole inner man without effort"
So is Gods word. We should often seek that
Wand. 1t is worth great effort We must do
our best get it, if necessary even to get at it.
We may learn something, as TO the degree OF
our desire for the spiritual honey. by state
ment made in the Springfield KeRtack'aR in reia-
ton to a mans eagernes5 to get literal honey
simply for physical enjoyment. He discovered
bees had made hive in poplar tree at hight
of I07 feet. There was not single branch
below the hollow in which was the hive. The
account says: How could the honey be got Sc,
was the question. The ingenuity Of the finder
was adequate TO the emergency. He made
lot of stout wooden pegs. He then bored
large hole with anger in the tree, into which
he drove one of the pegs. Taking his seat GA
this peg, he bored another hole in the tree at a
convenient hight above. In this he drove an
other peg: and so he worked his way up the
tree until be got up to the honey, when he de-
liberately cut off the top of the tree and secured
his prize; the pegs serving him as q ladder on
which to pass up and down"
We have suggestion as TO how much va
should love the Bible, and how much effort,
were il necessary, we should be willing TO put
forth to get copy. We have many interesting
accounts of wondrous sacrifices made to secure
Gods word. Up to as late as 1872 laborer
would have been obliged to devote ali his
wages for Is years to buy Bible.
If Sir Isaac Newton was right when he said,
1--WE account the Scriptures Of God to be the
most sublime philosophy" we should rejoice
we can now obtain copies so readily and so
cheapiy.