The Portland daily press., 1896-12-21
BIBLE THE CONSIDER OF MANKIND.
sermon by Rev. e. P. woodward at sec
ond Advent Church.

At the Second Advent church, Rev. y.
p. Wood ward, preached on the above
subject In response to DR.. Blanchard's
sermon of November 80. The text was
Samuel, 1U:l1-"Is Saul also among
the prophets2'' This WAS proysrb
originating with Saul's temporary
possession of the prophetic gift. and is
now used when person takes stand
for truth which is utterly unexpected. 1t
seems appropriate today, when a man
who has labored SO assiduously to con-
vince this city that the Bible Is "lltera-
ture, and not revelation, who mas IN
sisted that it has no AUTHORITY Wnas-
more. because it is 1.-THE CONSIDER OF
mankind," that we should say, Is
Saul also among the prophetsf'
The circumstances which led to the
doctors sermon were given, Whatever bhe
Cause of this apparent change OF front,
whether ohildhoOd's training, or solne-
thing else; we inquire today. Is tnls
statement true, hCW Tar Is IL true, anu
why ID il true? For, as the statement
stands. quoted from Kenan, its contains
fallncy. not easily detected. l. 1t may
| ha said that the Bible is not the CONSIDER
o of rnankina as whole. Murderers
| drnnkards libsrtines, oppressors, sinners
| in general. find not one atom OF cohsoia-
| ton in the Bible. Dr.. b. says lts con-
Seif the nressnce of God very near. But
[ tbnt ia inst what sinners do not want.
ti1ha Go5l who shall Judge whoremonRers
| a nd adulterers. is not desired ga living
| nresence by that class of people. A
| thousand things in the Book are veritnbie
words of fire to those who love and follow
the ways of sin. 1t is the consider only
eonsness. The pure in heart, the meek,
the merciful etc.. these alone are COLI
soled by its teachings.
| The Bible is the CONSIDER OF men. /,
Racanse n does not ignore the troubles
of earth. no comfort, we need to admit
tbe trouble we desire to allev1ats. This
| tbe Bible does, and saye to men crushed
with trouble. II is al real. Gnr!so.
4 living example of sympathy, derives
nowar first because he could "weep with
tposo That weep More than til is. Q,
@The Bible says these things can
he cnred. sin can be and is forgiven,
main shall some day cease, when
Sin has ceased. Death itself shall be no
more.'' and that not whom men die or
are dead, but when the Lore OF lie snail
1 raiaa the dead, and destroy death itself.
2 The world at large shall be bettsred.
| Now trouble is increasing, physical and
oat;o,al disasters abound. The Bible
nas,o.as an end to Z all this, when
N ftSod "a lory shall I'll the earth.
n Thsse statements Of the Bible are a
oonsoiation to men first. because they arc
founaf in no other BOOK. In all 'ltera-
I'VE; no other book makes positive
Du nau,;ss If these desirable things. Be-
pruanae s.se,f and all other books, "tbere
w, $500 oraat oulf fixed. 2, men are consoled
10 re-, .sSr,s because they are spoken
J ~ i+ -, smthority. In the Old Testament.
: - 10 athus saith the Lord. = In the New
Iesnz saws. "We speak that which we do
know" aud his Learers wondered bs-
cause he snake, as one having authority
e eau not 1t rs ns the acribes. . and Higher
H Hru ns Of that day. The Book at least
I e1ai.,s y, 70 contain Hthe word of God, /"
ond rbose-and those only-who believe
- 20 n ,.sceiye the wealth. of it's consola-
tieus. In the lives OF those who do thus
acrent il. it works marvellous transfor-
nation. We need not argue ABOUT that,
! : thousands of living witnesses attest
e this fact And hence comes joy, 1.-THE
uaaca ~ hich passath all understanding, -
songs of triumph in the weary way, TO
which others are strangers.
:. Ana IL IS the Higher Critics are try
i,g Tn conviuca us, and DR.. Blanchard
amona them, the principal and founda-
, tim doctrines ana 6UaU5iHeAts VI oHe
Bihie from Genesis to Revelation are
simply myths, legends, alleg 'ries, addi-
tions, accretions, Interpretations, etc,
in the book, then imagination fails t.
where the consolation s oo,nss IT.
consoIipe. how do we know he was right:
What right had he to speak SO positively
of tho love of God? How did he know
there was any God, or any future life for
man? Where did he find out all about
: these thingsa If the Bible is nlttsratu r.
the doctor 90 to literature" for eonsols-
; tiop: to Shakespeare, or Long elbow, G.
some one else? They have al said con
soling things why not be satisfied witt
that? And certainly it is strange tho'
Renan, the destructive critic, should %
, the one to awaken the doctor to this
thought of Biblical consolation, rathel
than the words OF Him who "spake a
never man spake.
: Friends, ii we give up the idea O
t Biblical authority, if we admit its state
|