Waterbury Democrat., 1901-06-03
BROOKLYN BRIEFS

| F
 Michael Maher Of 90 Charles street has returned from ! short visit to New
 York
 A regular meeting of the St Tho
 mas Cadets 4. A. will be held in the l Lyceum tonight.
 Tlle Misses McGrath and Tidley
 have returned from short visit with ] the latter's parents in Hartford An anniversary mass of requem 1 was celebrated at St Patrick's this morning at 7:30 for John Murphy of 1 Bank street.
 At the 10:45 mass at St Patrick a church yesterday tho bans of mar 1 riage were published for the first timc l between James Bresnahan, nil engi- neer at the Jewelry shop and Miss Mary Cunningham of South Wilson 1 street. also T popular employc of the: l Jewelry shop.
 1 "A few of the games played by teams in this section yesterday were
 as follows. Brooklyn Eagles 5, Lafay- 1 cites 19; Brooklyn Eagles 1G. West Ends IT; Fourth Wards 15, North End l A. c. 5. The Bank street school nine defeated tue St Mary's team st the l West end grounds on Saturday after noon by 3o-2, thus winning the chaln-i pionship of the city.
 "A reception was held at the home 1 of Miss Agnes McGrath on South Leonard street Saturday night. Piano l selections were rendered by the Misses Nellie Lynch and Mamie tMcGrath. and q violin and piano duet was well
 rendered by Messrs BropIy. and Ear-i l ty- The Misses Nfollie Noonan aud hlttie Donahue were heard in vocal solos. Dancing was q feature of tho evening.
 l -The following is n part of the ser mon delivered by the Rev Charles II. 1 Granger at tho Third Congregational church yesterday morning at 10:30 and i'll the afternoon at 4:50 on "A Spirit Level to Live Ry,'' based OH the text, Search the Scriptures; for III them ye think ye have eternal life:
 and they arc they which testify to
 me" John v. 3g "A little boy saw his father using spirit level to sec l 1T the board he was blaming was trilc and straight. What's the use Of being l so careful, papa :! he asked. It's pret- l ty good, l guess. 1t looks SO. aGuess- ing wouldn't do in carpenter work, said his father, sighting along the edge of the board and shaving it the least bit in the world. You have to be just right. Folks guess at too many things. God doesn't like that way of living Guess there aren't any spirit levels for living by laughed the liftlc boy, watching him. Yes, there are, said the father, earnestly You'll find 1 them in the Bible. Try all your sc-s l tions by that. Make them true and straight and no gllesswork about them Now the advice given in that 1 little dialogue is wholesome and prof. litable for all, young or old Take the l Bible as your spirit levels Try all 1 actions by that. We have been pass l ing through an age which has not been devoted to Bible study y-that is, among l the masses. Scholars have been busy l in. this particular as never before. There is q great need felt by men and women to-day, one of better knowl- edge of the Scriptures, of greater love for and devotion to them. There Was a time 90 years ago, more or less, l when people took delight in learning chapter after chapter of the Bible. Parents compelled their children to learn and recite large portions do not think approve this method. But 1 though we do not believe in that kind of Bible study, we do believe in m affectionate, aye, loving zeal in the study of the word of God. The Bible l is most charming and interesting in every way. Tn its structure and make l up it at once inspires tlIe keenest i'm | terest, the number of boohs-their
 names, the meaning of these names, the order of the books, who wrote them and how they came to be writ 1 tenthe old method of writing the Bible, upon stone and clay parchment, l etc, the difficulties through which the
 Bible passed In getting to the nlasses- l All these things are of great interest,"
 and grows in interest as we study l them: Then in it's history, 1t IS in- 1 teresting and valuable, How Interest ing also is it as it gives us an insight l to the habits and customs of those old l en times. How little do we know of
 this wonderful book, after all And l yet how interesting are these things. I Again, how charming is the Bible from literary standpoint, Tn poetry ] it exceeds Milton in drama it exceeds ! Shakespeare, in romance it exceeds l Arabian Nights Think of the Psalms 1 of Joel, of Ruth and Esther, and many 1 more masterpieces beyond anything l the world has known. It's live stories l for the school girl it's vivid descrip 1 tions of battles for the school boy, it's l words of wisdom for the sage, its lofty propositions for the scientist; ah, 1 it excels all others as q literary work. ] We must study the Bible because it4 is Gods word and contains the way of salvation. Nor must we study it siln- ply for a knowledge of the better-thc
 old Jews had plenty of that but they did not know the Scriptures We
 know that the true value of this pre- cious volume is not only in knowing it better but in receiving it's spirit of divinity and inspiration. Dear friends, let US study it more. We can safely depend upon 1t as a lamp unto our feet and a guide unto our faith. Let the older people start in anew and
 road the good old book. Let the young
 people take lively interest in it. Let
 tho parents instruct their children. not
 as punishment but as love And when
 we Have all entered upon a new era
 of Bible study, then will the expres-
 sion of the Rsalmist be true when he
 sang, sOh. Lord, love thy law! It. is
 my meditation all the day"