The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-10-06
THE VOICE OF THE PULPIT
BTBIE STUDY HOW 1T SHOULD BE
DONE, AND THE REASONS O 1T.
By Rev. Prof. c. v. Anthony, ID. ID,
of the Methodist Theological
University, Denver. Col

Search the Scriptures. for In them We
fh.ak We have eternal life: and they are
they that testify OF me@John v q
There is perhaps no better equivalent for
the word here translated search" than one
word. study. This may be substituted
without violence TO the text.
II is the opinion Of many critics that the
form of the text should De in the indicative
rather than in the imperative mood: I'VE
search the Scriptures because in them we
think We have eternal life" If we accept
this form it will not materially alter the
sense. II these Scriptures testify OF Christ,
and IL He only is our Savior, surely He can
but commend our zeal in studying them.
There is a latent reproof in the words. indi-
eating that the people Christ was address,
Ing had studied these Scriptures 10 little
purpose or they would have already known
THAI He was the Compromised Messiah.
II - possible for us 10 fall into the same
error and have a profound reverence for
the Bible. and even quote II as authority,
without receiving from It what II was in
tended TO give 10 US.
And what were these Scriptures? They
were Identical with what we now call the
Old Testament. With the Pharisees. as
wels as with most Of the Jews in all periods
OF time, these books, not one omitted nor
oneladded. were considered sacred and the
very oracles OF God. They were classified
a li.tle differently, but were the same in
fact The New Testament was added after
these words were spoken. They. too, were
recognized by the whole church as inspired.
ands to this conclusion there were never
anyibut the most insignificant exceptions.
These two departments OF the Bible sup
pleniented each other. The Old Testament
cannot be understood without the New.
The New Is best understood in connection
with the Old. This whole Bible is, or ought
to bk, our most constant study. Let US see
Rowland why.
HOW TO STUDY.
L How shall we study it2
F1Ist-By carefully studying each word.
We so often read as though we under
stOOc. when really we do not stop TO see
whether we understand or not. We read
becahse we think we should. and are i'll at
ease III we do not read. We read a chapter
becahse it is a chapter. without stopping
10 see what are its connections and whether
we have not a fragment OF truth that is IN
applicable outside Of its kindred parts. DR.
perhaps we read so many chapters a day in
the order Of their occurrence. mainly be-
cause we want TO read our Bible through in
q given length OF time; whereas. some
parts OF It need ten times the amount OF
thought that other parts do, and we should
bestow our labor in accordance with the
nature OF the composition.
Sec.nd-By a systematic study of ideas.
Just IS there are veins Of silver and gold in
the solid rocks Of the earth's crust, so there
--,-A -
book: showing the bonds by which the
Dfvins Author kept all in one. II we search
for truth as one searches for hidden treas
ure We shall find IL.
Three-By careful study OF its history. One
OF the great mistakes OF inhdels has been
the Judgment OF all parts OF the Bible from
one standpoint OF observation. We should
not consider the theology nor morality Of
Genesis, or even OF the Psalms, in the
clearer light OF the New Testament. Every
au.ho~ should be studied in the light Of
his oyn age and the particular circum-
stanc6s in which he was placed. Sunlight
carries with it the peculiar characteristic
of the media through which il passes. Why
NAV slot the divine truth be still divine
though somewhat influenced by the imper-
fectioEs OF the medium employed in writ
ing itf
Four-By a careful study OF the land and
people where the Bible was written. Every
other land is changed. Egypt is no more
as II was in the days of the prophets,
Babylsn and Nineveh are not. Greece and
Rome have little now in common with
the days Of antiquity. How strange that
in Palestine we should still find so much
that 4 in explanation OF the Bible! Has
not GOD kept this as an object lesson for
students of the Bible? And are we not
remisss when we neglect a source Of ex-
PLANTATION so important?
HEASONS FOR THE STUDY.
II-xhy shall we study it?
One-SBecause IL Is historically worthy OF
study. ! History is incomplete without it
How IAtIe we know of a period more thar
400 years before Christ but for what this
Book t,lls US,
S-ecurtl-Because as literature II Is worthy
of STUDY. Its poetry is OF the highest or
der. TIE poetry of it's rhetoric and the wis
dom of its sayings are unsurpassed in the
whole geld OF literature and charm the can
did STUDENT. amply repaying him for his
time AID toll.
ThirdS Because its morals are a neces-
sity. IN the first place. unless God has
spoken ,Se have no foundation for a moral
eyStem,s and never can have one that viii
not be l. ~changeable as the popular fancy
and as Tickle as q national election.
But nbt only does the Bible present q
sure foundation for its moral system, II
presents the only system the world can
safely fbllow. Put the Koran. the Zenda
Vesta. he vedas. the writings of the
Buddhi1s. o. any other religious writ
ings be{de the Bible. and ask yourself II
you carl turn from this fountain OF liv-
ing WATERS 10 take in its stead these brok-
en- c~istels that can hold no water.
Fourtli-Because it presents Christ to US.
There las never been another Savior;
there ne4er will be another. If we live we
must live by Him. He is "the way. the
truth add the ZEE" Here we find Him.
In the Gd Testament He is seen in proph-
ecy. In the New Testament He is seen in
history. lin the first He is brought TO our
hearts q glorious promise. In the Sec
ond He homes to US in a living presence.
If we nd Christ we find what the Bible
was intetIded TO teach: IL we find Him not.
the highsst end OF The Bible has not been
served ii our case. Search the Scriptures
for in thsm ye have eternal life; they testi-
~ Of Nh
SUBURBAN SOCIETY NEWS.
BrIGhtvoOd.