The morning call., 1894-12-31
It's Truth Is Like Gold in
Quartz.
1T IS NOT ALL INSPIRED.
Nothing Done by Human Agency
Is Infallible.
REV. III. r. HAWEIS AT TRINITY.
A" The Key of the Arch" Explained
by Rev. George Waik-Rev. w.
II. Moreiand on Sociology.

'The Bible is not the word of God: it
not inspired; it is the history of an in
splred race"
These were the words by which Rev. Il.
r. Haweis OF London drew distinction
between right and a wrong conception
of the Scriptures in his sermon ON the
Bible at Trinity Episcopal Church last
night There was a large attendance in
spite of the rain. and the eloquence and
logic of the gifted speaker held the audi
ence as If spellbound from beginning 10
close of the discourse. 1t was the second
of a series of sermons which Mr.. Haweis
will deliver on eight consecutive Sunday
evenings.
The speaker began by referring to the
skeptclsm on Bible truths that has pre-
vailed in the past, prevails in the present
and will prevail in the future. He hoped
10 give his hearers some valuable poln Is
by which they could confront and confuse
such men as Robert G. Ingersoll and other
would-be destr0yers OF human faith in
Holy Writ
There is no book in the whole world
like the Bible" the speaker began. None
has had such influence. All scripture is
written by the aspiration of God. yet all
is not inspired. There are many other
religious books of ancient and modern
nations, but there is great difference be-
tween them and the Bible. La the Bible
there is great deal of gold and very little
quartz; in the others there is great deal
of quartz and very little gold. There is
in the Bible an element OF transmission
like quartz transmits the pure gold. This
written by human hands, and these hands
left their marks here and there. Hence
the imperfections.
''But we need not be alarmed. We need
not fear for the safety OF the Bible. It is
safe. 1t 10 the classic of classics; the
acme of all literature. The Bible is and
always must be the great religious teacher
of the world. You need not fear it will
fade away. 1t is the word of the holy men
of God.
"Why is there feeling Of distrust, of
anxiety? You say. we shonld like TO be-
lieve this. We should like to feel it. But
there are disturbing voices in the air.
Such questions as these are asked: How
could the sun stand still al the word OF
Joshua? Or. suppose we put it ID the line
of modern science, how could the earth
stand still? These are Inaccuracies of
science and history in the Bible. how,
then. can that be the word of God? This
makes many unhappy.
well, TO begin with, you must restate
enlist have done about astronomy. The
statements made about astronomy in an
Gent times would be absurd now. But
those absurd statements did not alter the
facts or change the course or positions of
the heavenly bodies in space. Ptolemy
taught that the earth was fixed ana thai
the sun moved around it. Well, that was
pretty good astronomy. But then came
CoperDicus, who said that the earth moves
around the sun. That was better astron-
omy. Later on came Newton who said
that the earth moves in an elliptic. That
was still better astronomy.
I'VE say the Bible is the word of God.
but it is more correct 10 say that the word
of God is in the Bible. We say that the
Bible is inspired. but it would be more ac-
curate to say that the Bible is the history
of an inspired people. David was in
spired. but not always so. The Bible is
inspired, but it stands to reason that MOTH
ing which has to do with human hands is
infallible. man may be inspired and
yet not infallible The extent of truth
depends on your power to see 1t.
What is the nature of the Bible? 1t IS
q compilation of siXty-siX books into one
sixty-siX books written at intervals of
and distinct, but a golden thread runs
through them all. and that is the moral
and spiritual history of man. The legfsla-
ton OF Moses was the wisdom of the old
seer, written as he thought best and
adapted to the times and conditions. In
the ten commandments there is no law
against lying, because it would have been
useless. Lying was too common in the
East in those days. But Moses made an
ordinance against making oath to false
hoods The uses of the Bible are many.
The Bible is useful as guide through all
earthly life.
First 1t reveals TO you God as father !:
that he has human side: that he is love-
The Bible gives you the right ideal of
human life in Christ. By this we SEQ the
folio wing precepts to follow: First en-.
ergy, second control, third sincerity,
fourth aspiration, fifth benefcence. Here
you have the true ideal of Chrlst's life as
taught by the Bible.
1.-THE Bible gives you the great recon-
Citation. You know the right, you dc the
wrong. You do not do as well as you
ought. There is great gulf between you
and your God. You cannot go to him
unless some one leads you. The Bible and
Christ lead the way.
'The Bible gives you the great consola-
ton. Christ said: My peace 1 leave with
you.' The Bible gives you the holy spirit
the noble influence that tends to good
The Bible does one more thing for you,
1t proves its authority to you. It is the
master over all human nature and fur
nishes eff1cacious remedies for SIM"