The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-06-28
SERMON FOR THU SHUT-NS.
.rHs Hxr1Tgs WoED,.-sy Rev. w. H. 9. rs~p1s
Try yoED,,,-Bv R<v. W.. III. @. Temple.


who knows nothing OF struggle advise 50
"a our daily conflict Shall he WHO knows
Ittle OF harmony set the key OF our soEe
How shall are shape our plans BY ne aa-
vice % one eno has never made his OVID
successfully l thank God that On tnss
zro-e the Bible Stands out pre-entnenfiy
useful 20 Us q trustworthy cou1S&4of-
Its writer's not only wrote or tneI Own
experiences. bat they proated oy them.
We have she benefir OF their training. and
consequently Of their nafured opinion.
There were no hypothesis IN those Gays
Men id not write as though they were
gropsng in the dark. their oEn shadows
fell not on the page they covered Iney
wrote under Tremendous conviction nat
their utfera1ces were the truth Ahey
not only chronscled events long past arlc
somewhat obscured and nossed over Win
the growths OF tradition. a. though they
we're eye witnesses OF the sans-so GEAR
were Their descriptions-bu they psereo
Centuries into the future and saw a. WV
idly as though the scenes and characters
lay Immediately within the boundaries OF
their ordinary vision They reached BACK
ard touched the creation with one nan9.
and then reached forward and placed TIA
other upon the heavenly consummauon-
They we're never daunted because or their
holiness Of fight or uttsrance, they spske
the truth OF God and defied contradiction.
Had they not been specialists they conia
not have impressed the world so perma-
nsntly We fesl now that when We con-
cult this certain oracle. we shall get no
uncertain sound. The superstition OK me
world may stand amazed Al our fastn; tns
ignorance OF the world may cape az our
clear views OF life and duty. the criticism
Of the world may sheer al the source OF
our information and hesitate 10 snare our
confidence: the business world may won
der how We can stop long enough In the
rush snd turmoil OF human experience 10
ponder over and m.nufely study these
problems OF life: but We know the basis
OF our confidence. and in answer TO All
the taunters end tempters We say III
umphantly: 1T Is written"
The Bible Inspired.
Again. the Bible Is an inspired book
What 90 ] mean bv that? That II was
composed By men OF experience. by ex-
perfz who threw their OWE enthusiasm IN
10 their work. 70 that the written page
stiil retains its warmth and giowg IhAt
II was 40 completely an outcome OF their
own lives that their magnetism may %
said 10 have passed into III That X was
10 far above any collection OF writings IN
merit. that this term has been applied 70
Il as a fitting distinguishing MARK Or
do / mean that these we're holy men.
dwelling In conscious agreement vita
Gods will and therefore imparting their
virtue to THAR performance Wen. none
or these things. have higher idea
OF inspiration than that That would be
too careless. too uncertain condition or
mind 10 guarantee complete oneness 70
the books OF the Bible. Now. while nnd
many books find but one volume; while
I perceive many writers and compilers,
discover but one Author. While discern
varied styles ana many personal peculiar
tiles Of thouvht and expression. nnd but
one harmonious progressive revelation OF
af.a sal E%s h.
er and more convincing still. i notice
through all these pages reference TO one
central Character, without whom the
whole book would be meaningless.
therefore conclude that there are not dif-
ferant sources OF inspiration. but only
one source: that One Mind guided all
these contributing minds: that as this IS
the Word of God, so the Spirit OF GOO
must have been the chief element IN It's
construction. I am tho more stout In my
claim for this position when ] ind the
Scriptures themselves making the Same
claim. The evidences that support this
demand are historical. internal. direct and
collateral, and they are all conclusive.
You ask me 10 define in a single word
what inspiration Is? ] shall give you no
fine spun theory. | have read dozens or
opinions on this contested doctrine. and
have seen no two separate opinions which
no not In some points clash. have come
TO thu conclusion that the rampant desire
for originality which seems 10 be q prom
inent inherent quality In man. had better
be expended on some other subject. / am
AFRAID that II the threads OF human theory
be spun much more finely on the subject
OF inspiration, there won't be enough left
20 hang a decent hope OF salvation on.
This Hevelation OF Gods VIII 20 man ~
either the truth or \ lie. II can't be both
any more than Il can be neither. For one.
4
probably knows n few things thai some OF
as 10 not know. Men set 20 be ridicu-
lousy tumptious about their wisdom be
cause they can strsighten ont crooked
Greek roots. ard have made familiar
friends 81 Hebrew jots and TITLES: but this
tendency on the part OF some nresumptuous
spectators 20 faunt their own conflicting
opinions IN the face Of Chrfstendom Is sx-
ceedingly dangerous and may end IN
worse dissertation Of the precious Book
than that which Jeremish's prophecy sus-
fered from the penknife of the enraEed
Jehaiachim. At the present rate OF clip
ping and carving we shall have nothing
left US but the two blank covers 70 guide
our souls through a world 81 sin 20 a
heaven o. purity and perennial love. Let
us thoroughly believe the statements Of
the Bible, not because they contain the
Word OF Gc-i. but hecaN<c they are the
Wore OF God let VS. be sac--icd with no
theory ~ Inspiration which contends for
truthfulness IN spots. let us take his
tory. precept ana miracs without the
slightest hesitation. " Ne get puzzled n
It's perusai and We al probably 90. let US
attribute that u our tncspsciiy. and not
20 the fact that God only partly inspired
HIS human sgents % tell the truth. Crea-
t'en Itself "a 50 grand a miracle. that we
nect not Re in the least bothered With the
serpent IN the garden. Jonah In the whale
IrRhHs AnN the sun. NNarfaU and the
muddy Jordan. or any ~ the wonderful
ard mysterious statements which oil The
+ Bible.
Of course Nc must admit. right here
/ that Ne sre rot claiming Inspiration for
the English Eibie, hnf for the original He
brew. Aranaic ana Creek documents. We
( 80 rot believe that Goa inspired either the
/ copytsts NJ TIRE trsaslators. sny more than
~ has tire conpcsitors: heaca errors and
glosSes have crept IN during the multiply
taF - copies ans words have become OBJ
/ soicse. Or % opposite meanings. in the
( progress of language. bat we must claim
{ thar. having once launched this revelation
90 TITS will. God Is carsele Of steering It's
( co,srse. Ard that He viii - protest - by
{ IT'S providence thas this Nsok viii always
( rr-naGa tAe ore Sivtne message 20 the race.
( corrs->t fn az iis statements. the oalv in-
! fafNhio guide far fnan. written Or dictated
/ - men sh0Se Jnluas wsre hruatheG ieto
. - the Holy Spfft. 50 thAt thev were en-
/ ahfed 70 communicate the absolute truth
+ without error. tnfrsnlty or defect But
+ whra We so1d up thts oze volume - =
I place II the scho'a rss1F esteem ard rev
{ ereace % ;h~ C-hrisslan World. ussaarc3
as nre's lrncf hv ary otheT voiunse les rs
/ - careful ~e A. net sarroRna 81 wttA ua-
/ becoming sueFrSttficrs. ara make ~ a
( 8uxx1rr's Instrument. Or fsfish possessed.
( IN itself ~ supernatural power II many
( thInss she Eth1s Be- ret 1lffsrrrt frcsn arv