Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1899-07-05


thoroughly known is literature of it.
self, the rarest ana richest in all depart
ments of thought and imagery" We
may truthfully add that this book con-
tains the basis of the best systems of
law and political economy; its philoso-
ply is the most satisfying the world has
ever known; its ethical system is I'M
equalled in the worlds history; its bio
graphies are the most truthful and in
spring ever written.
The life tendency in whatever occu-
patton is too narrow. Bible study broad.
ems the sympathies and the life. Itleads
onward to the inner self; and outward,
out of self, out of smallness, out of
wrong" 1t builds character, and it
builds nations. 1t appeals to each in
dividual in all the varying phases of
life. We might go on indefinitely with
with the value of bible study but we
hasten to prove the evident lack of the
same. Not one in four of the profess
eddy christian students in the colleges
are systematically studying the bible.
Statistics show that fully one half of
the Christian men in the Y. M. G. A.
are engaged in no form of practical or
devotional Bible study. 1t has been
observed that students are good deal
more familiar with classical references
in literature than with biblical. Recent
ly a college president, deploring the
prevalent ignorance of the teachings of
the bible decided to make fair test
in one of his classes. The Freshman
class was made up of thirty four young
men. who with one exception, were
from christian homes and, were atiili-
ated with christian churches, the Pres
byterian, Methodist, Baptist, Congre-
gational and Roman Catholic denom-
nations being represented. These
young men were the sons of lawyers,
preachers, teachers, merchants and farm
ers. To them, he gave twenty two
quotations from Tennyson with biblical
references to be explained. The result
was appalling. Nineteen had appsr.
emily never read the idyll of Ruth and
Boaz. Eleven failed to apprehend "the
Mama on My Wilderness" Similar
tests have been made in many of our
colleges, with the same results.
| We may turn to our home county.
For six months, we have been studying
the gospel of John. What think you
would be the result, if we ask the aver
age member of the Sunday School,
above twelve years of age, some such
questions as these. What do you know
of the author of this gospel? How
does John set forth Christ? What il
the central thought of the gospel
What are the great ~ ans of Johns
gospel? In what verse does John sci
forth the reason for writing these
things? Does the word repent occur in
John? What important word occurs
nearly one hundred times? What
verses have you learned from Johns
gospel? What is your favorite chap.
teri Can you enumerste the events Of
the passion week as they occurred each
day? Simple questions, these, but
what of permanent value have the
pupils of our 5. S. acquired during the
six months study of that most delight
full of books, the gospel of John
Have they greater love and spprecia
tion of the Christ life, and q greater de.
sire to know more Of God as he has
manifested himself in his word? II
, they haven't, whose fault is it? To
know the bible is to love it. am moi
a pessimist, on the contrary, l am g
strong optimist. Doubtless more PEG
pie are today reaching out after the
better things of the christian life than
ever before, but the current In thai
direction is not swift enough mol
strong enoug. Let US do what we cal
to increase its power.
NJ Shall we attempt this in our S. S.:
We do not have bible study in our pub
lie schools;it is not found in our homes
it is being introduced into our colleges
but slowly. OF number of catalogues
of schools in Iowa, recently examined
. only one has bible study in the curri
culum. Our Y. M. and Y. w. G. A. ii
the colleges are doing a great worl
along this line. But what of the many
who never go to college and who have
no bible training in the home? They
must be reached through the Sunda.
: School or through the efforts of person
al workers. The question for this con
vention is: what can be done in practl
, cal way to bring about less hsphazart
bible reading and more systematic bibl,
study in Delaware county during tn,
next year. With few suggestions,
will leave this to the general discussion
of the convention.
There are three methods of bibl
study; the devotional, the object o.
+ which is to deepen mans spiritual life
4 the practical, which is to make man
wise soul-winner; the intellectual O
scientific, which aims to give one
scholarly grasp of the sacred writings
These are in measure, inseparable
y one cannot be carried on without tn
other, yet either of the three OBJECT
can be uppermost, and we believe tn
Il last mentioned should be uppermost ii
= the minds of our S. S. workers. w
would not be misunderstood; soul.win
ming is ever the fundamental, that of til
earnest christian; but you are 8. S
!, teacher, you are not expected to trail
your class which may be composed Q
Q christians and non professors to becom
8 personal workers; neither are you sup
t, posed to spend the hour in a devotiona