Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-02-25
LuSrEN SUGGESTIONS,


The Lenten season. which commences
today Feb. 25, VIII be more generally
observed than formerly, II the sugges-
tons OF the so-calcd Central Com
mittee Of the Twentieth Century Ma
tIonal Gospel Campaign are acted up
on. That committee proposes that Ash
Wednesday" be observed as a special
day Of humiliation and prayer by all
who cali themselves Christians OF all
denominations 10 De- further suggested
by the committee thar one Of the sub
jects Of prayer shah be nor q return
to absolute faith In the Bible as the
ipgp,rJd. authoritative word OF God and
as fuwshus the churches their only
credentials and messages; and for an
lmwcdiate revival OF earnest and sys-
tematc study Of chat Word The
committee urges that during the whole
Of lent lhe church doors be kept con-
slanuy open 10 the public and that not
only N churches but IN theaters. halls
and other public places there shah be
divine services where non church go
ing young pcopl. m6y be reached.
This movement "a a natural reaction
against the onslaughts that have been
made on the Bible even in many pull
pits The people have been taught to
look upon the venerable writings as
mere myths; they have heard that the
inspired authors ala not mean what
they said but something else, and Il Is
no wonder that they have lost interest
IN the Bible and ceased studying IT, It
1t is mostly myth, there Is really no
more motive Tor reading H. than there
Is for reading Greek or Icelandic my
thoIogy. People cannot be expected to
find time for H. however interesting
from a historical point Of view Il may
be.
Hence the necessity for a return to
absolute faith in the Bible az the in.
gplred. authoritative word Of Cod For
the Bible ia either that or IL ia merely
feeble echo from the past. But
when II Is proposed TO pray
that faith be restored In the
Bible os furnishing the only
credentials and message" the prayer
cannot be heard It contrldicts the
Bible itself For the Bible teaches "the
restoration Of an things. and that can
not be accomplished without insplra-
ton and visions and revelations and
angels and messages from the Father,
as IN the ages In which the holy writ
ings were penned.
II we 90 not misjudgc present ten
denotes, there is a marked movement
back toward sacred ground It is shown
IN the interest manifested In plays
founded ON Bible history it is shown
In the recognition OF the fact, that edu-
cation without religion Is defective. 1t
ls shown In the fact that critical dis
cusslon commands almost universal at
tehtIon The Bible may never again be-
come the book OF inscrutable myster-
les Il once was but It viii be restored
to It's place as a true witness to the
dealings OF the All Mercful with His
children 90 the past, and am inspired
forecast Of the future As such il win
be valuable AS the book OF books. 1t
will help the searcher after truth to
find the living oracles, and TO under
stand their teachings And that is MS
mission II was never intended to take
the place Of living messengers Itlsa
record of the course steered by those
who in the uhst have been entrusted
with position at the helm OF the ship.
IL may be a perfect chart. but how
ever Iniallible % may be, Il does not
DO away with the necessity OF living
pilots whenever It is intended to steer
over the same course, It is this fact
in regard TO the Bible that must be rec.
oguizod and We believe the tendncy is
in that direction now.