The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-10-24
National Presby terianC

=
A class of persons who profess to
love the Bible excuse their neglect of
it by saying that they have no time for
Bible reading. But is there any per.
son in this land that cannot command
the time to read a chapter from the
Scriptures every day? 1t may be
doubted whether there ia such per-
son. There are many who cannot do
this and at the same time do all
that they desire to do in other d.
rections. But that is not q reason for
neglecting the Bible. Our Bible read.
Ing should be one of the first duties Of
every day. A good rule is TO read
nothing else until we have read por-
ton of Scripture. If we adopt this
rule and rigidly adhere to it. we shall
never lack the time to read at least
few verses from the Bible. This can
be done at home and it can be done
abroad; 1t can be done on a journey.
The man of the world can read his
newspaper on the cars If we are as
much interested in the Bible as he Is
In the daily news, we shall be able to
read q chapter on railroad train.
And if it is always in mind, we shall
find no day too short to read lesson
from the Scriptures.
(Kentncky Baptist.)
The time will never come when it
will not be immensely important 70
memorize Scripture. This is one OF
the neglected parental duties of the
times, and Sunday school teachers can
do their pupils no greater service than
to induce them to commit as much
Scripture as possible. But some one
may say, it is harmful to induce chill
dren TO memorize Scripture they do
not understand, 1t Is a mere mechani-
cal task. and will create a distaste for
the word Of God. We are sure this Is
a mistaken notion. While the child
may not understand the Scripture at
the time it is committed still 1t Is stor-
ed away in mind; and there is magic
about memory, for after awhile those
passages will begin to yield meaning,
and these progressive discoveries OF
sweet blessings in words formerly
meaningless will awaken the very
liveliest desire for the word of God.
tCongregationalist)
A prevailing prayer is one which is
go founded in penitence and faith as to
illustrate ones desire to be right in bis
own spirit before God. 1t is one
which, no matter what its form or Its
aim, subordinates the human will TO
the divine, always tempering its Ut
most intensity with the proviso, "Yet
not My will, but Thine, be done" It
recognizes the superiority Of Gods
knowledge and the rightfulness of His
rule over US. 1t understands the fact
that prayer may he answered best by
seeming to deny It. 1t is the cry of q
trusting child to loving father for q
favor, not q clamorous suitor for some
just but as yet ungranted right.
Is. 8. Times.)
Once a friend, always a frien d
Most of us are ready to apply this
truth to one who claims to be our
friend; but we are not 30 ready to
apply it to ourselves as test of our
friendship. If we claim to be true
friend TO another, our friendship-love
ought not to pivot on his fidelity, but
on ours. Even though he fails US. we
ought not to fail him or fail ourselves.
IF we were ever his friend, we shall
ever be his friend. Nothing that be
does or fails to do, oug ht to cause us to
be untrue.
"a. R. Presbyterlan.)
It is wise to follow the Apostl els ad-
vice to be swift to hear and slow to
to speak. 1t Is easy tosay things that we
regret after calm thought. Not many
but are in danger of expressing them
selves too hastily at times. We often
say things which afterwards we wish
had never been said at all or said with
more calmness and moderation. The
remedy for this is slowness to speak
calm thought before rather than after
speaking. It is not always wise to say
lust what we believe nor as positively
as we believe.
IN. Y. Advocate)
The best sermons are not those
which make the hearers smile or weep
but which make truth real and effect
i've. Anecdotes and illustrations are
good In moderation, but the only ef'
fective.and abiding preaching is that
which impresses the thoughts of God
upon minds and hearts. Truth abides
and is immortal, and the power of the
Gospel is the power of divine thought
which finds its highest expression II
Him who is spoken of as 1.-The Word,
and who "dwelt among u.s."
Havana, Cuba.-A terrible storm
prevails throughout the length ant
breadth of tbs Island of Cuba. 1t be-
gan last evening, and continued will
1ndiminished fury through the night
J and there are no signs of Its abatement
Great damage has been done to proper
, ty, many houses having been blow