The record-union., 1899-06-05
THE BIBI ES
SUPREMACY.
Third Of Rev. j. B. Silcox's Series Of Sermons
on the Holy Scriptures

1.-THE. Supremacy of the Bible" was
the subject of Rev. ]. B. Silcox's SER
mon last evening at the Congregational
Church. His text was taken from
Genesis i'll: In the beginning God Gre
ated heavenaand earth
The Bible begins by assuming the ex-
istence of God. 1t brings us at once
face to face with our Maker. All the
way through, from Genesis to Revela-
ton, it exalts God. The Bible is rev.
citation of God. 1t is the word of God
that IS, 1t is God manifes,ing Himself
in human experience and revealing
Himself in human speech. The Bible
brings God into fellowship with man.
We believe in, the divine origin of the
Bible. 1t is as reasonable. to believe
that the Bible is the word Of God as to
believe that nature is the work of God.
That the Bible is unique book and
has had a unique influence on the civil
ization of the world, Will be admitted by
all who have studied the book and its
history. There is a. quality in the
Bible that is not to be met With in any
other book.
Years ago Henry Rogers wrote a book
on the Bible entitled The Superhuman
Origin Of the Bible Inferred from
Itself" The authors argument is that
the study of the Bible will show how
impossible it is to account for its ex-
astence by referring it's origin to purely
human sources. The leading idea of the
book is tersely expressed in one SEN
tence: The Bible is not such a book as
man would have made if he could, OF
could have made if he would. A state
ment like that is of advantage because
at puts the issue clearly and definitely
before us and compels those who deny
the divine origin of the book to study
. the book itself, its structure and its his
tory, its position and influence in the
world to-day.
The best way to defend the Bible is
to produce the book itself, show what it
is, What 1T teaches, what it has done
and what it is doing in the world to-
day. Give her of the fruit of her hand
and let her own works praise her in
the gates.
Horace BushneHs argument for the
divinity of Christ was That the char
acter of Christ forbids His possible clas-
slflca1on with men" So | argue that
the character and contents of the Bible
forbid its possible classification with
other books. What l contend for is
this: the facts of the Bible lead to the
faith that is not of man, but of God
rms book cannot be accounted for on q
purely human basis. The Bible is moi
such book as man would have made
II he could, or could have made if he
would.
DO not for one moment imagine that
the Bible shrinks from investigation. Il
welcomes inquiry. 1t courts the closes
scrutiny. 1t goes out into the oper
helds where the light is strongest, an6
challenges the most searching inuuisi.
ton. 1t says: Dissect me, investigate
me, cross examine me. 1t so1icits criti-
clsm. 1t provokes discussion Produce
your cause, saith the Lord; bring forth
your strong reasons" Let truth and
falsehood grapple.
Strong organizations have done theil
utmost to put the Bible down, but il
VIII not stay down. 1t has been burned
ana buried again and again, but like
the tabled Phoenix it rises from its
ashes and flies abroad with immorta
youth, laughing at the discontinue OF
its enemies
Voltadre in his day prophesied the
speedy annihilation Of the teachings
and influence of this book What 6
commentary on his prophecy are the
millions of Bibles issued by the PRINTING
presses of the English and American
Bible Societies. There are more Bible:
In the world to-day than at any othe1
period of its history. There is no better
selling book in the market to-day thar
the Bible. The book is steadily push.
ing itself into every corner of the earth
Men all oyer the world are reading il
their own tongue the wonderful word O.
God Notwithstanding this, you vii
near men talk about destroying tn,
worlds faith in the religion of tn.
Bible. Ignatius Donnelly has writer
book to show that Shakespeare never
wrote those immortal dramas l d,
not think his book will unsettle men.
faith in Shakespeare much. A locomo
tive is not likely to be derailed by {
wheelbarrow. But Ignatius DonneIly il
as modest as a girl and his contract t,
annfhilate Shakespeare mere child
play compared with the man who af
firms that he will show the world tina
the Bible is merely human production
The Bible has come into collision Will
many such men and books. The BooI
has suffered no damage; but what O
the books? They have had their da,
and cease to be. How history confirms
the prophecy, They that strive agains
Thee shall perish" The fate of tn.
Pharaohs and the Herods should war,
smaller men of the fatal folly of fight
Ing against God and Christ. The Cali
lean has conquered always
Before men undertake to demolish TIN
Bible they should count the cost.
would counsel them to try somethin,
easy first. Take a sponge and wipe GU
few small stars from the jeweled fir
nlament above. Do not tackle the bi,
ones and do not erase the fixed stars
Their absence might disaIrange tn
planetary system. Go out to the sea
shore and hold back the tides 70
twenty-four hours. Do not keep then