The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-04-29

"A question this afternoon that shall go In
some hearts across the seas. and to the an
tipodcs, and ask II in the name Of what
! hold TO be an absolutely self-evident
truth. that unless man Is washed
from the love OF sin, and the guilt OF
sin, he cannot be at peace in the pres
ence of Infinite Holiness.
ut is a certainty and strategic GER
tainty that except Christianity, there
rs no religion under Heaven or amohs
men that effectually provides for the
peace of the soul by its harinonization
with itself, its God. and It's record OF SIN.
at must be confessed by all reasohdo'e
people that the Bible is absolutely unique
in this that whether II IL true or false
whether It is divine or human in Us or
igin. il speaks oracuiarly cOncsrni1g tHe
way of deliverance from SIN II points
out specifically the way Of pardon anu
peace In terms unmistakaby pam u.
tells men how they may become sons vi
God, and heirs TO an uncOrruptlDie III
heritance.
Whence came this unique book, What
nouat have been the origin of book
which EFFORTS such declarations ana CON
feselons az have been quoted In tbls
address from men holding high posito.H
I'm the republic Of letters. and IN 'ne
departments OF science. Whence AM
this book? Is II of God, or is 1t OF man
II must be that this is supernalJr'r
book. II ig supernatural in its cont-n-o'
Attemnt 10 erase from the Bible the ST.
nernaturaI. and what is left2 You wiz
erase-to present but partial summary
the Mosaic account OF creation; Inc
delivering OF the law on Mount SlAal,
the doctrine OF human REDEMPTION as
laid down in both the old and Tie New
Testaments. You will erase the stores
of the transIatOns OF Enoch and J llJdn
~ ba nnOd and IcllNProrEc
Of Noah; the wanderings in Egypt ana
The wilderness Of sin: the dell y-"tnce OF
Daniel In Babylon from the fury OF The
| lions: the escape Of the three Hebrew
| Young men from the burning merry lur-
mace: the fire from Heaven consun'.is
| Eiiah's sacrifice on Mount Sathei' we
| handwriting on the wall at BelShazz;.r
| goast. Tho anpearance Of angels TO Aha
| ham. TO Jacob, 10 Moses, and Others
| the story OF the burning bush, ari the
call of the great emancipat0r anu Jaw
| e1ver: tha appearance OF the angel 10
Daniel: the annuncietion OF the same "a
| briel to Mary; the overshado"'nS o. tne
| Holy Ghost: the miraculous cohcep''2l
| OF the worlds Redeemer; the appearance
| os me anyels to the shepherds On Rein
lehem's plains announcing the Dir,h OF
the King of the Jews: the luminous ap-
| tr.arance in the sky which guided TIE
wise men Of the East; the scene nj the
| baptism of Jesus the voice from heaven
saying, this is my Son; the sc@oe on tps
| mount Of TRANSPORTATION. in when Hou
| declared audlbly that men must hear THIS
| Son. the nrotracted fast and the thrice
| repeated temptation Of the NazdIehf'
| the turning Of the water into vine the
| giving OF sight to the blind; the cleans
| ing OF 1eprOus bodies; the raising OF ueau
ones; the descent Of the Spirit on zen.
/ tecost: the ascension ana coronanoh %
| Messiah; the resurrection or the oo"
| OF Man; the appearance during iofty
| davs after His resurrection ana before
| his ascension: the gift OF tongues, and SO
| on and on. from Genesis 10 ReVelauoh
| Eliminate the miraculous from this III
| erature. and there is absolutely nolhlns
left.
Rut not only is the Bible a supernat-
| ural book in its contents, but II Is super
| natural in it's origin and in It's enects'
| Here IS a fact, we look upon 1t, we walk
| about IT, we handle e. We examine H.
we name IT. we call II the Bible. ms
Bible is either the work Of good men OF
| had men. or angels, or devils, OF pVu
Himself. You cannot think Of any otner
| intelligences to whom the authorship ol
this book can possibly be referred ~
| is impossible that good men, upaldeu ~
the Divine Spirit are the authors Oh tnis
! literature, because In every part Oh -
in every chapter in every paragraph III
| every line. directly or by implication lheS
| saw God is the author OF TINS. ii, no"
ever they were doing this work OF th eili-
selves without supernatural Mu-t"eS
| lie when they so affirm. When they
| affirm that God is the author. bad men
| cannot be the authors OF this DOOR un-
| Lose n stream can rise higher thah It's
fountain. because, in the first place
| from beginning 10 end, this book con
| demns evil thoughts, evil purposes eVii
plans. evil words, evil deeds. can you
conceive of bad men combining to pro
| duce a literature which always anu
everywhere condemns Them al eVely
point? We need not stop nor nave we
| time 10 pause to consider the suBSes-
,ion that possibly this book originated
with disembodled spirits, good or Dau'
ANGELS or demons What does any man
| know about such spirits aside from me
revelation contained in the Bible! Inc
conci dsion, therefore, is irresistloie INA.
| the Bible is OF supernatural origin tha'
| II is in this sense supernatural DUN
| 81 has God for its author IL is UNIQUE
in this. There is no otner 'lera.uie
| among man, nor has there eyer peeu,
nor will there ever be, inspired or Coo
In the sense in which this literature Is
| given by inspiration. g..
| FINALLY. the Bible is unique In tnas IL
| Is a book Of promise. The life OF CHRIST
| &c the story of the beginning OF the lui
| olment OF the promises which had cheer-
| ga the faithful in the darkest hours o.
| Iudea's apostasy and ruin. The letters
of paul am, the unfolding Of that fulhi-
| ment In spiritual experience ever POM
inc 10 a richer and yet richer fulflmenl
in the ever increasing crescendo move
| mont of the future, and the literature Oh
promise ends with an apocalypuc ylsiVA
| of perfecting, but never perfected iuiiii-
| ment in the latter days. ,,.
The Bible is like a symphony "eatliie
| endless variations around one siinpie
! theme which, obscure at iirst, grows
| stronger and clearer until nnaAly' the
| whole orchestra takes 1t up in one mashE
fcent choral conquering all obstacles anu
| breaking through all hidings. Abraham
| &c beckoned out of this land OF idoiaalIS
| nv the finger of promise; joseph ID
| cheered in danger and In prison by the
memory of a dream OF promise; MOSS
| &c ca1ed by dreams from his herdinS III
| tho wilderness to lead a nation OF prom
| ise out of bondage into promised ianu
| Joshua IS called TO his captaincy WIN
| reneated promis IS: Gideon is inspired
| Tor his campaigning by repeated prom.
ises: David is sustained In the care VI
| Adullam. and strengthened in the palace
,n Jerusalem by promise. From isaiah
80 Malachi the note of promise before
broken and fragmentary sounds Withou.
| a pause The shepherds are proushl ~
the Christ by an angelic message Oh
n~ou,ise. lie begins His ministry oy
sermon at Nazareth, when Is Pio'a.