The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-10-02
THE BOOK OF BOOKS.
! Sermon In the Interests Of the
American Bible
Society.
at tho Grand Straet
Methodist Church by Rev.
u, j. q. Squires.
fho Chart by which We Escape The Rsoks
and Shoals Of Lies

An interesting sermon was delivered at
10 Grand street Methodist church yester-
~ morning by Rev. J. Z. squires. His
nbjeet was ''The Bible. What It Is and Our
puty Toward IT," The sermon WAS de-
vered in the interests Of the American
fibls society. the texs being found in Tim.
II. He said in part:
All scripture 10 given by inspiration of
Fod;'' and again In John ', 80, ''searoh tho
psiptures." The word scriptures At hrst
hsant simply Writings. % the void bible
My meant book; but BY : natural develop
lent Of Language. speaking out the deepest
Fuths OF the heart, VI como. TO use these
My in the sacred sense, the scriptures.
fhe completed scriptures consist Of sixty
x books written by q number Of different
uthors writing through a period OF about
900 years. "Holy men Of God wrote a.
hey wore moved by the Holy Ghost" is tho
Information given at this point by the book
self. Tho text says "All scripture was
ave the sense in which the book is o reve-
atom. ''all inspired but not all revealed"
nd yet all Of equal saoredness.
Man is "fearfully and wonderfully
hsde." Life with its obligations and
responsibilities is upon Us. The problems
+ our origin. duty and destiny face every
linking mind and press upon every SEN
ent soul. Whence am I and whittier
sndinR; what are my relationships to
hinRs about mo and above me. and What
utiss follow; what are my past. present
nd future? Who shall read to Us the
orange, inexplioible riddle of human life?
he Bible comes with a solution to all
kese problems. II speaks in simplicity.
a. with authority aud not as the soribes;'
10 the only voice that reaches earth from
sayen: IL tells US of our high origin, made
b ths image of God;" il tells MS Ut duty.
Fear God and keep his commandments for
his is the whole duty OF man. and shows
DO possible destiny before every N Of ~.
be gun dial, by which to set our lives; the
hart BY means of which VI escape the
poks and shoals on the great high sea OF
fe, Tho compass telling the souls posi-
ION in the moral aud spiritual universe of
Tod.
Take it away from the human family and
GU shut out the sun from the moral and
~piritual heavens; destroy il and you dry
D the ocean from which the human heart
raws its supply Of hope and joy. Rob US
+ the Bible and you poison the atmosphere
nd stiis the breathing OF universal nun
ind. But not only for intrinsic character.
ut because of its history and sssooiations
oes 1t challenge our reverence and devo-
ion. Moro than 1000 years old in some OF
q parts, II ia flesh and new a. though
enned but yesterday. Subjected to tho
ercest fres of persecution and abuse for
cnturier. ID has ooms out unsosthed BY oil
hese and stands hrn amid the fall of
mpires and the wreck of nations. Hum
reds Of books have been written since its
ages were penned which promised immor-
Atty to their authors. and long since are
prRottsn, while the BiblS has been spread
b all the ends of the earth and 1900
bO. 600 human beings are reading. IL.
t least they have it now, translated Into
heir vernaoular tongue. In the midst OF
/ change on every hand. and mutation In
II things human, the word of God stands
nchaneed forever. and will never pass
way though heaven and earth should pass
way"
Where nre the things that environed our
fe in childhood and carly YOUTH The old
ono il gone into other hands. the trees are
ut down, the buildings are changed or re-
poved, and the loved ones who surrounded
18th us the old henrthstone, have passed.
way. The church house from which their
REGIONS dust was borne Is torn down and
hose who sang the sad requiem nre Sleep
low, aud the very hymns they sang are fast
nssing out of use. The minister who
tood up before the open volume to solaoe
10 broken hearts has gone on to his re-
ard. hat the book from which he read tho
Fords of hope and promise 10 unchanged
nd Interchangeable as it's divine author
fesh and sweet, it is the priceless legacy of
ach one Of US to-day.
rVhpp hlacnaI Ro0k If f06 inv md nono.
prt of the millions of earth who have
ought life and light in thee; stay Of my
atuer and mother in life. and solace and
ope in death. l press thee to nv heart to-
ny and pledge again my lifetime allegiance
4, thee! Tn, attitude Of the sou toward
his book shout certainly be that of dovo-
on and highest respect. The spirit which
olds tho very book itself sacred and the
nves of the Bible as too precious to tear
r waste, is certainly the true and worthy
ne. l read Of II little boy who wanted to
e bu led with his Testament on his breast.
nd no devotion 10 more beautiful in the
nnals OF history than that of a soldier
tho fell before Richmond in the late war;
nd whose body, found some days later.
hen tho fowls of the mir had picked tho
esh off his fingers. WAS lying prone, his
f'ble open upon his BOSOM, pressed BY
he fesh!ess band, at th1s inspir-
Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me-"
Int the toxt urges upon tho living the So
RENE duty of the holy scriptures. Search
be SO, ipturep." is the command given in
he book. 1t would seem supefhuous to
ommand men who have q guide book"
nd who show deep devotion to 1t; to look
hto the depths and secure all, aud the best
here is in it. But alas. we need onlv to re-
all the number Of cases of duet oovered'
opies of the holJ book found all over the
and to sec tho need. Not only read. az for
eviction, but study vigorously and con-
~inuously through all the years OF your life.
ike a mine it yields Its best when tho shaft
as gone we'll down.
No amount Of reading OF other hooks, or
( hearing the word rend n exoonded,
i'll take the place of the actual "search'
I tho boob of God. There is no danger
hat this study will lessen our devotion TO
, for tho better. drvout souls have known
he word the moro they have appreciated 1t.
br. Elliott-when nenr d~enth-nskad his
on-in-lnw to read him the ncwr.' and
ointed to the vol worn Bible on the table
rom which to read. Sir Walter SCOTT,
hen very feeble, ca led for the book"
n when some one near asked what
ook 2" he replied. "Ihero is Lut one book"
ONE have excused themselves from study
nG the bible by referring to what seemed
iffioult thinQs found Ia it. shall say first
I all that many OF these arc imaginary and
OF real. Ono has said that this class re-
minded him OF a man who would take UP a
andful OF dirt aud throw ii up into the air
nd when his eyes were filed with dust
Fould say. Now. whero Ia your earth."
Imposing he had torn mp the entire terra