The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1897-01-14
Chapel Services.

Divine services were held in the
prison chapel Sunday. In the absence
of the regular chaplain, Rev. c. II. Nc
Intosh, of River Falls, Wis.,, conducted
the services, which opened by the choir
singing the anthem Light of Life
The scripture lesson was taken from
the 18th Psalm. After invocation and
the congregation singing the hymn
''Onward, Christian Soldier the visit
ing minister preached an interesting
and instructive sermon on the Bible, of
which the following is synopsis.
Our belief in the bible begins in
childhood. We learn at our mothers
knee, it's beautiful passages, its pre-
cepts, its sacred history and it's grand
truths which past writers, inspired by
God, have transmitted for the guidance
of men, The lessons of life we have
learned, and are yet to learn, spring
from it as the water flows from the
fountain head. 1t is the inspiration
of love, of charity and of faith in all
they imply and all they have done and
are yet to do for the uplifting of man.
kind from the mire of sin to the higher
and nobler life Of Righteousness. That
reverential feeling for our Creator, eX
pressed in prayer, religion and forms
of worship, is derived from its pages,
from the victories it has won and from
the consolation it gives and the rewards
it promises.
All criticism that has been directed
at the Bible has emanated from those
whose moral nature is out of tune with
what it teaches and what it commands.
The Book needs no propping up: the
experience of centuries and the lessons
that the human race has CLEANED from
them, support every claim that has
ever been made for it, every truth it
enunciates and every scrap of evidence
tending to prove its divine inspiration.
Every part of it is in harmony with
every other part. From Genesis to
Revelation, the under fact, the key
stone. the very foundation of the Bible
is to be found in the great truth that
God is love and that He wishes to for
give and save His children from the
destroying-power of sin. Moses, David
and Isaiah taught it and passed it on
through the centuries to be taken up
by Paul, John and the other followers
of Christ. No mind can conceive of
anything that could replace the Bible
in the hearts of men. 1t breathes into
every field of human endeavor, in
thought, word and action. 1t perme-
ates literature, sculpture, music, by al
legory or expression. Take biblical
references from poetry and the result
would be blank-a world without
beauty or light. Every discovery of
science agrees with it, philosophy
proves it's truths and reason points out
the wisdom of following the course it
directs. Disenthrone it and there would
be nothing to replace it; nothing that
could be used as substitute, leaving
duynC DuC dill ttllOCCuplcU CIlIOuc, WIFI
out the flame of divine love.
BY studying the Bible, we learn Gods
word: we learn what we should accept
as our guides of life and what should
be avoided if we are to escape sin, suf
fering and the pangs of remOrse. 1t is
the model from which we must pat
tern our lives. Every duty it teaches
is a duty devolving upon us, and if we
live and act in accordance with what
it commands, the tie that binds us to
our Creator is made closer and our
happiness increased as we glorify
Him.
The Rev. speaker received the closest
attention from the congregation. In
his closing remarks he exhorted all to
accept the Bible as both a moral and |
material guide. Even though it's divine
inspiration may be denied, the value of |
what it teaches must remain living |
truths. Services closed by the Congre-
CATION singing the gospel hymn Peace!
Re StillP'