Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-03-17
as1iseellaneuus 8eaaing.
POWER OF THB Bible.
Continued from First Page.)

arts that are the necessary conditions
of all progress and civilization, and
opened the way that leads on to
all the triumphs of human intellect
and national greatness" Certainly
any book that has thus much of vital
power.in it that it can unbar the gate
that has been shut for centuries in the
face of a barbarous people, lead them
out of darkness into light and liberty,
and then quicken their joyous foot
steps on the road to glory and great
ness, will not likely pass away.
As further illustration of our theme,
it must be noted that the Bible has
won its commanding position in the
face of fierce and persistent opposition
The opposition of individuals Ii Ike Vol
taire and Paine and Ingersoll has been
as nothing compared with the organ
lied opposition of mighty governments
which, from time to time, has been
arrayed against it. In the early days
of the Roman empire, when as yet
Christianity was an unlawful religion,
Diocletian set himself with deliberate
purpose to destroy the Word of God.
| He issued an edict, which was publish.
ed in every province of his far reach
/ ing dominions, demanding that every
copy of the Scriptures should be given
up, and the penalty of refusal was
death. The Christians numbered only
one-twelfth of the population. Diocle'
tian had all the armed power of the
empire at his command, and he called
into play all the terrible instruments
of terror and torture that could be de.
vised. But when Diocletian abdicated
the throne, the task of exterminatlng
the Bible had not been accomplished.
1t was taken up eagerly and earnestly
by his successor, the cruel Galerius.
He had no pity in his heart for the
Christians. By his orders, they were
hung up by their heels and fires built
under them. Their ears were cut OH
and their eyes were thrust out. Mol
ten lead was poured over their bodies,
and when life was extinct burial was
denied to their mangled forms and
they were left exposed to be devoured
by vultures and dogs. While thou
sands who loved the Bible perished,
the Bible lived on; and not only 30, it
grew in strength and had practically
conquered the empire by the time Gal
erius died.
Another striking illustration is fur
rished in the history Of Madagascar.
In 1920, the inhabitants of that island
were heather. They had no litera-
ture, no books, not even an alphabet.
English missionaries entered the is
land. They invented an alphabet and
reduced the languages to written form.
Printing presses were sent over by the
London Missionary society. In 1880
the New Testament was translated and
publishedin the native language. The
next year 20 converts were baptized ;
the first fruits of II years of toll.
Only four years later, persecution
arose. 1t ragged for 25 years, pitiless-
ly, relentlessly. The missionaries
were banished. A decree was issued
threatening death to any who were
found reading the Bible, offering pray
er to God or receiving the rite of bap.
tism. During that terrible reign of
blood, it is estimated that 10000 per-
sons were subjected to various penal.
ties including torture and death. The
Bibles were hidden in the earth and
read by stealth. What was the result
of this fanatical effort to exterminate
the Word of God? At the beginning
of the persecution, there were only
200 Christians. At its close there were
1000. During this desperate conflict
the Bible was left to fight alone. No
European preacher or teacher was
permitted to enter the island. Under
the blessing Of God, the Bible alone
won the victory and today Madagascar
is reckoned among Christian nations.
Well might the rugged Carlisle say
there never was book like the Bible
and there never will be such another.
1t has held on its way down the CEN
turies, gathered power with the pass
ing years, coming off victor over every
enemy that has ventured to contest its
progress. AS we stand today on the
lofty heights of the closing years of this,
the greatest of the centuries, and cast
our eyes over the world, we see it
swaying its benignant sceptre over the
hearts of all of earth's mightiest ma
tions. Other men have written words
which the world will not willingly let
die. Only the Man of Gallilee has
spoken words which the world cannot
let die. Whether the world is willing
or not, these words will live on. They
can never pass because Jesus breathed
into them the soul of truth, and
"Truth crushed to earth will rise again,
The eternal years Of God are hers"
The ancient enemies of this blessed
Book are silent in the dust, and their
tombs have been lost amidst the rub
bish of time. More recent enemies are
also sleeping in the dust and their
names are fast fading from the memo
ries of men; but the Book lives Oh, in
ever growing vigor, "as time chronicles
her tens of centuries passed BY"
What is our duty to this Book ? OF