The times., 1899-11-13
THE HOLY WORD.
InfalIlbIlttr of the RtbIe The subie.

TnfalIibiIity of the Bible the Subject
of the Rev. DIR. EnstOu's Sermon.
Rev. Thomas Chalmers Easton, pastor
of the Eastern Presbyterian Church, at
the corner of Maryland Avenue and Sixth
Street southeast. took as his text for his
Sunday morning discourse a part of the
twenty-ffth verse of the first chapter OF
the First EpistIe General of Peter: The
word of the Lord endureth forever"
The Rev. MIR. Easton spoke of the in
spiration Of the holy word, and those who
cherished it, bled and died for it. and
those who rejected its authenticity and d.
trines. All have passed away. but the
word still lives in perennial freshness.
The minister compared the permanency
of the Bible TO a fortress which, though
violently assailed, has never been crushed
or captured-to a rock which no tempest5
can shake and no elements deStroy-a
true history which cannot be explained in
the terms of mythology and fabe lie
also spoke of many who are unable TO ac
cept the Old Testament-who cannot
understand why it is necessary that it
should contain its revolving stories. The
Old Testament, as stated, was the Saw
iouT's Bible. He was pure, yet he did
not seem to be shocked at its stories. as
are many with their refined tastes OF the
nineteenth century. If Jesus held the Old
Testament so dear the unbeHevers must
consider themselves better than the Saw
iour.
There are some who claim that their
moral sense must reject the Old Tes a
nent because Jehovah ordered the destruc-
tion of the Canaanites Had God no
hand" said the speaker, in the sinking
Of the Spanish navy? There are mystic
ries in Providence. We must bow to the
evidence which, on the whole, shows th-t
God is love, and the Scriptures are his
precious word The Old Testament is
the root from which springs the buds.
flowers, and fruits of the New and VIII
stand forever as a part of the Divine
revelation
Mr.. Easton referred to an after dinner
speech by Hon. Chauncey Depew in reply
to some skeptical views presented by a
previous speaker, in which he said: Il
believe in the Old Testament and in the
New precisely as they are presented by
the Christian faith. Where are the old
philosophers who detained against it.?
They are dead, but the Bible lives in
stronger evidence than ever of divine in
spiration 1t was for no one generation,
nor fifty but for millions" Continuing,
he said The Bible speaks to US from
1t speaks to children and to the aged. 1t
addresses itself to the magistrate alS to
the criminal The strong and the dying
hear its message. There is every reason
why We should cherish its revelation in
glowing faith and glowing life"
The speaker alluded to great men who
spoke OF the Bible in their last moments
and mentioned Newton. Heall, Michael
Angelo. Colridge, and others as men who
rested their hope for immortality not on
the works of their hands and minds, but
in the everlasting truths of Holy Writ.
In conclusion. Mr.. EastOn spoke of the
decay of all things earthly and drew pic
lures from the autumn sOmbreness of the
landscape, the dying vegetation. and bare
trees, of all things Of this life which
wither and pass away in the GOODNESS Of
the world; but the Book of Life, he said
is ever fresh and pure and those who be-
leve it's teachings shall forever live
among the green trees along the river Of
life.