The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-04-15
POWER OF Bible.
Very Able Address Delivered
by Chief Justice StinSSs,

Chief Justice suness of the supreme
court delivered an address at the Fourth
Baptist church last evening, his subject
being Christianity" and his address was
fun of interest and was remarkably clear
in statement
Judge Stiness said i'm substance: Every
Christian should be able 10 give the rea-
son Cor his faith. The question why do
we believe the Bible 10 be the Word OF
God? is one that he should be ready to
answer Many. however, do not give Il
the study due to it's importance. We see
enough to convince reasonable men of
the great first cause and SO we say as the
first article of our faith: I believe i'm God
the Father Almighty, maker OF heaven
and earth
THE Bible is essentially a history OF
the church of God. Eleven short chapters
cover all that has ever been written of
the 1000 years down to the call OF Abra-
ham and from that time on the Old Test
ament deals with the chosen people alone,
with incidental references to other ma
tions.
THE new testament deals wholly with
Christ and the Christian church In this
way God has seen fit to lead men to Him
self by personal righteousness and the
power of association in His name.
HAS STOOD THE TEST.
Bearing in mind the purpose of the
book, we believe 1t to be His revelation
by what II has incidentally told us. which
40 man could ever have known otherwise
or even could ever have surmised IL has
stood the test of time With all OF mans
discoveries, with all the development of
knowledge, there has never been a time
when the essential truth of it's sta tements
has been shaken.
'The Word Of God is also attested by
miracles which could only be wrought by
divine power. / know II is thought by
some TO be puerile to believe In miracles,
but | cannot see il 40. Is IL puerile TO be-
lieve in the stupendous miracle of crea-
ton, of our own existence and of all that
we see around us? Yet no part OF the
Bible tells of any greater miracle than
these
III we believe in an omnipotent Crea-
tor. Maker of heaven and earth and of
all things visible and Invisible. has He
exha ustcd or limited His power i'm crea-
ton itself? Cannot He who made the sun
and planets hold them al his win? Can
not He who gives life restore IL 20 one
who has 1led?
Cannot He who formed the eye give
II sight. or hearing to the ear? Cannot lie
who has given speech TO man, give II as
well 10 the serpent or the ass? If He can
not do these things He is not omnipotent.
lie gave TO the vine its life. 10 the earth
power TO nourish IL, to the fruit its
qualities.
Gould He not as well create the wine
without the processes of nature and the
aid of man? can see no reason for scep-
ticism about the miracle at Cana, for ex-
ample Indeed, one may almost accept the
ancient epgram: The conscious water
saw it's Lord and blushed.'
I'VE say IL Is hard To believe the mira
Gle, because we have never seen water
turned into wine, and cannot conceive |
how IL can be done.
REVELATION FROM GOD.
THE position OF disbelievers. who will |
accept nothing apparently contrary 20 the |
laws ~ nature. come To this. They must |
either deny that there IL an omnpotent |
Tod. or else they must hold that. He. |
having given the laws 60 nature has |
created something superior to Himself |
which lie can neither change, suspend |
nor modify.
This position is not only unreasonable |
In itself, but ~ assumes full knowledge |
OF the laws Of nature, which are act up /
as the standard Of judgment. and as To |
which our Information, theories and opin-
ions are constantly changing.
In short We believe tho Bible 90 he a /
revelation from God. by it's necessity. l
by its fitness: by what II has told us that /
man could not have known; by prophecies 4
and miracles by the unity of It's parts
with different writer's at different times
through a period OF hfteen hundred years
by the living witness OF Jewish and /
hristian churches and observances; by l
the death and resurrection OF our Lord: /
By the pure characters snd motives the
unfalterins testimony and martyr death
Of those who have written and thousands
besides them aud by the corrobors tions
OF the Biblical record which in our own
time have been 50 frequently unearthed
from the sands 90 Egrpt and the hihs OF
Palestine"