The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-19
ADEFENsE OF THE BIBLE.
vi. ID. Williams, of Georgia, Speaks
from Historical Standpoint.


A DEFENSE OF THE BIBLE.
NJ. ID. williams, of Georgia, Speaks
from Historical Standpoint.
NJ. B. Williams, of Atlanta, Ga, follow
ing Mr. Tracy, made a powerful address
on THE Bible. the Word Of God" Mr..
Williams is an evangelist of note in the
United Presbyterian Church. and is We'll
known throughout the country. He is a
keen, forcible speaker, of pleasing manner
and convincing air. With the other strong
men in the union, he is less than middle
aged. He defended the Bible as historically
accurate, challenging any one to show an
error historical or literary, in any part of
it, and declared that both Testaments are
so closely interviewer that they must be
accepted or rejected together. For over
hour he held the audience in close atten-
ton. AT times he was interrupted by APP
plause and again by laughter when he
scored some telling point against the skep-
tics and doubters who deny the divine
origin and authenticity of the book. His in
innate knowledge of the historical fea-
lures of the Bible, Egyptology and the re-
search that has been made by modern
scientists enabled him to arouse a keen in
terest in his subject. His address is given
below:
My pleasant task tonight is to speak
to you concerning the book of books. Few,
if any, of you lack faith in it's diViSe origin
or authenticity, yet with the view of seek
ing to strengthen the foundations of our
intellectual faith in this day of skeptical
inquiry we must be ever ready with strong
reasons for the hope that is within us. We
meet on the battlefleld OF sin all classes,
from the atheist, who says there is no God,
the infidel, which is a general term to de-
note one not of the faith, the agnostic,
who, as his name signifies is the know
n
believes only that which is susceptible of
material demonstration, the nationalist, ac-
cepting only that which appeals to his own
reason-his reason not necessarily gigantic
the Skeptic, who believes more or less,
generally less, to the honest doubter, who,
in his perpleXity, is ever seeking aid.
I'm each and every case the patient be-
lieVes this book to be the source of his
difficulty, yet this book has been loved and
reVerenced by the good of great mind and
small alike for ages and hated by the bad.
Uncounted millions have died in the faith
and millions more of every tribe and nation
await in reStful expectation the conSum-
nation of its promises. Some doubt only
the Old Testament, receiving the New les
lament as q revelation from God, but re-
member that 499 times in the tWenty-seYen
New Testament books the thirty-nlne Old
Testament books are either quoted from or
directly alluded to. In every instance
most confidence in these authentic Scrip
lures The sublmation of blasphemous and
blazon affrontery is found to-day in the
claims to expound the life and teachings
of Jesus, yet waves aside the expositions
of Jesus concerning the Old Testament
with a. plying smile for the Savior, be-
cause deprived of the privilege OF knowing
Darwin or Herbert Spencer. There is one
book and one Christ throughout, Wnether
in history or prophecy, type or fulhllment,
law or gospel. The blood OF beasts put
pointed to the blood of Gods own lamb.
Let me call your attention to the fact that
this is a book of majestic proportions,
matchless harmony and evident design
The ancient people from whom these writ
ihgs came called through the merry trlals
of slavery and from out the most intricate
idolatries which the world has ever known
to become the nation renowned Tor
monotheism. the cleanest and also the
bravest that the world has ever known.
How much we owe to them for TINS care
absurd some Of the multiplex redactor
schemes set forth by modern writers APP
pear in the face of these simple historical
facts. The Jewish nation sun continues
standing by their ancient revelations ana
traditions. A Jew still remains Jew,
wherever you find him. whether on the
frozen hills of Germany or the rocky
steppes of Russia, or drifted to our own
more hospitable shores. Everywhere he
witnesses for the truth.
CRADLE OF UNIVERSAL FAITH.
The land in which these sacred writings
had their birth was a piece of ground per-
haps one-fifth to one-seventh the area of
Indiana, yet the only piece of ground of its
size upon the earth exactly fulfilling the
conditions for the birthplace and cradle of
universal faith. The returning pilgrim may
come from the torrid zone, but he stands
among the blossoms and the grasses of his
cline He may come from the hill country,
vet he need but only raise his eyes to the
long stretch of hills in the distance to re-
mind him of his fatherland. He may come
from the banks of rivers or the shores Of
seas but the majestic Jordan, rushing at
his feet or the great receptacle of its surg
ing waters is music such as he has known
in childhood. If from the land of brooks
and fountains, he need but take one step
from river banks or sandy shore to where
the gushing fountains and the meadow
brooks are murmuring unsteady towards
the sea. Had he come from the far-ott
north, then he may look where, in the dis
lance snowy Hermann lifts his icy head,
crowned with eternal winter. and he, too,
is reminded of home. Here flora and
fauna alike welcome him. Here is the bay
tree and the bramble, the cedar and the
chestnut, the cookie and the corn. Here
from the bittern to the blackbird. the blue
jay to the crow, the magpie to the quail,
he may, IN fact hear the roar OF the lion,
the growl of the bear, the bray of the
and the neigh of the horse. Sounds
unite on every side to make him think of
home. The one place let me repeat it. in
al the earth fitted by nature, or natures
Cod to be the birthplace and cradle of the
worlds greatest hope. For Christianity,
however, which was to be the evolution
OF local Judaism, the world needed special
preparation. That preparation having been
completed, the universal gospel could be
disseminated. The Capitalization of Roman
power had enabled their DICTIONARIES to cut
a system of roadways throughout the then
known world When the day of persecution
came the heralds of the cross availed them
selves of these highways to carry the gos-
pei TO every creature in an incOnceiVably
short space of time.
God must avail Himself of written Ian
guageS. Those languages must likewise be
perfect for the discharge of their peculiar
functions. There must be a language rich
in archaic and monotheistic terms. For the
later revelation of Christianity there must
be a language more flexible and richer in
the intricitieS of close expression.
A close look at the Hebrew and Greek lam
guages will show you how marvelously
they have met the requirements of the
time. We call them dead languages now.
They to literature and Bible criticism
what fossils are to natural sciences Had
the Hebrew and the Greek continued
changing till now it would have been inn
possible to know with any degree of GER
tainty the meaning of the words which
came from prophetic and apostolic pens
To illustrate this point you need but turn
TO Chaucer. who four hundred years ago
was called a well Of pure English. pure
and undehled. The average college student