The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1894-08-16
Source Of Power.
Nrm York Ucr0Id.

Matthew MIN, '''-
IF for no other reason. we must
need. give respectful attention to the
teachinn Of the Bible because they
have stood the test Of time and sur
viewed the adverse criticism OF the
ages
If the law of the survival OF the
fittest holds good in the domain OF 1T
erature. then the ideas which are still
Young and vigorous after eighteen cen
trries would seem to be founded on
eternal truth.
1t is safe to predict that the Bible
will continue to control the llVes OF
men until we reach the hlther bound
arv Of the millennium.
It has been an encouragement to the
oppressed, a warning to the wrongdoer
and consolation to the bereaved, and
IS long as oppression is to he borne, as
long as warnings are needed, as long
as Human nature needs to be cOnSOled
in its sorrrows. so long Will the Bible
occupy its place in the household as
an indispensable volume.
1t NAV contain chronological errors
for arght we know the authorship OF
its various parts may be disputed !;
we may shake our heads in doubt at
the records of miracles which it con-
tains we may stOutly deny its verbal
inspiration and refuse to accept 1t as
the direct and final word OF God to the
race-these matters of minor cOnse-
uuence can affect value OF the book
very little.
AgnoStic and believer, thoughtful
heather and devout Christian, how
or. must needs acknowledge with one
accord that it has occupied a
prominent place in the history of ely
ilizatlon. and that not all the Libraries
O. the planet can so entirely I'LL Its
place that we can afford to throw that
magnificent volume aside.
Take it as a whole, conform yOul
life to its spirit, follow its injunctions.
absorb its essential elements, accept
its declaration, that the unfettered soul
shall rise from the enthralment OF bodily
limitations and Join the company O
the departed in the land whose flowers
never fade and whose joys are never
o,crshadowed by sorrow, and YOU
wears will be satisfaction to yoursel
and Il bcnefi; to your fellows.
All that is beyond a peradventure
The statement has been proven tru'
by Il thousand times a thousand eX
periments 1t is too late to deny tn,
fact. Make the trial in your persona
experience and you will become al
enthusiast in its defence The ole
Book holds its own uSt as 4 granite
headland does against which the wave
OF countless storms have broken an,
only dashed themselves INTO starr
spray.
II YOU visit the Patent Office il
Washington YOU will observe the i'm
portant facts F!rSt-There are mod
els Of machinery which has far outliN
ed the inventor, and If YOU ask why
the answer is that it is still! uSefu
SecOnd-The:e are models of cOntri>
anceS which were useful Tor q tim
and then became relics and curi0sitie,
Third-There are inventions whic
promised to be useful. but utterl
failed in their purpose. They wer
thought BY the inventor to be valuabl
but when subjected to practical te>
were found to be useless and Wer
therefore discarded at once and we hay
never given them a second though
Here, then, is the memorable an
relentless !aw-namelv, that what
useful lives us long as 1t remains usefl
and not moment longer, while tn
useless raises Its head above the waite
for and instant only, and then sink
under the drowning wave, never
reappear.
That law Is applied with despoti
energy. The good remains the bad
lost sight Of. Nothing under heave
can keen m idea on tho c,,,f, =