The Savannah morning news., 1902-06-30
THE SCRIPTURES INSPIRED.
THEME OF REV. DIR. JORDAN's SER
MON AT FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH.

Auhcs Anll1ty TO Receive ArRu-
ments as Well ms to Present Them.
Person Not Pleased with Gods
Word Not Likely to BE Pleased
With Preachers Presentation of 1t.
The Scriptures Inspired of God"
was the subject of Rev. DIR. J. D. Jor-
dams sermon at the First Baptist
Church yesterday morning. 1t was
founded on 2 Timothy, iii; 16, "All
scripture is given by inspiration of
God, and is profitable for doctrine, for
reproof, for correction. for instruction
in righteousness"
"a few days since" said DIR. Jor-
dan, Il had occasion to speak inciden-
tally from this pulpit about the in
SEPARATION of the Bible. Some unknown
person saw fit to write me an anony-
nous letter, taking issue with my
statement. l do not even read anony-
nous letters, much less make reply to
them, for they are usually written by
ignorant or vicious persons. The two
or three sentences which 1 read of the
letter referred to convinced me that
the author was ignorant, about some
things at least. He claims that neither
God nor the writer's of the Bible claim
that it inspired and that God made no
provision for the preservation,
translation or distribution of the Bible.
by the inspiration of the Bible we
mean that God has transmitted His
word through agents of His own APP
pointment and under His own direc-
tion-that the writer's and speakers,
called of God wrote and spoke as they
were moved upon by God-that they
gave out what God had previously
communicated to them.
When the Lord was directing Moses
to become His leader and mouthpiece
to Israel the Lord said to Moses,
Now therefore go, and L will be with
thy mouth, and teach thee what thou
shalt say. All through the life of Moses
we find that he spoke as directed, Of
ten the very words were given
When God called jeremiah to be a
prophet, He said, All, Lord God, be-
hold 1 cannot speak, for l am child.
But the Lord said unto me, say not, L
am child for thou shalt go to all
that shall send thee, and whatsoever
l command thee thou shalt speak. Then
the Lord put forth His hand and
touched my mouth. And the Lord said
unto me, behold, 1 have put my words
in thy mouth
"The Christ said, have not spoken
of myself; but the Father which sent
me. He gave me a commandment, what
l should speak Whatsoever l speak.
therefore, even as the Father said unto
me, so l speak The word which We
hear is not mine, but the Fathers
which sent me- My Doctrine is not
mine, but his that sent me.
man, then shall we know that 1 am he.
and that l do nothing of myself; but
as my Father hath fought me, speak
these things. L do always those things
that please him. Certainly the son of
God himself could not have made a
clearer and stronger argument for the
inspiration of God on his part of the
Scriptures.
He said in regard to others, The
Spirit shall take of the things which
are mine, and show them to YOU shall
lead you into all TRUTH shall teach
you all things
Furthermore the Lord taught the
Apostles that they should receive not
only general messages from the Lord
but messages for special occasion and
emergencies. And when they bring
you unto the synagogues, and unto
magistrates, and powers, take no
thought how or what thing we shall
answer, or what we shall say: For the
Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same
hour what we ought to say
What The Writers Say.
Consider the prophets. The very
name of office is an argument for
the inspiration of the Bible. The
prophet was a speaker for God-the
medium through which God commune
wifi he
were unable as mass to stand the
presensce of the Lord, so the Lord Sc
lected chosen ones with whom to COM
municate, and they bore His message
to the people.
Their. regular formula before speak
ing to the people is, Thus saith the
Lord The word of the Lord came
and Hear year the word of the Lord
God talked with Moses face to face
on the mount and then sent him with
the message to the people The law
and the Interpretation thereof were
direct from Gud After the death
of Moses the Lord spake unto joshua
When Joshua was not the Lord said,
Judah shall go up With the Pa
triarchs, Kings and Prophets, the Lord
dealt direct. What they received and
impaired was not only by direct reve-
lation, but was inspired of God, for
tuey SpohS as tHey were ulONSu VI NOu
to speak.
Consider the New Testament writ
ers? Peter says, No prophecy of the
scripture is of any private interpreta-
ton. For the prophecy came not in
old time by the will of man; but holy
men of God spake as they were moved
by the Holy Ghost?
Paul says, Which things also we
speak, not in the words which mans
wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy
Ghost teacheth, comparing spiritual
things with spiritual Here Paul
claims inspiration or divine guidance
for both his words and his COMPARE
sons. He recognizes the Holy Ghost
as his tutor and guide.
Again says Paul. If any man
thinketh himself to be a prophet or
spiritual. let him acknowledge that tho
things which | write unto you are the
commandments of the Lord. Here
Paul is challenging any who may ques-
ton his inspiration. Moreover he says,
I delivered unto you first Of all that
which also received Paul here
claims that his speech and writings
are from the Lord direth. hence inspir-
ed.
the Lords day. and heard behind me
a great voice. saying, What thou seest,
write IN a book and sens II unto the
seven churches which are IN Asia.
John described what the Lord showed
htn. repeated what the Lord told him,
ana discussed what the Holy Spirit
directed him.
IN the epistie ~ che Hebrews Paul
eave. God. who a. suudrF times ana
la divers manners spoke in time pest
MO che fathers 81 fhe prophets. hath