The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1903-11-07

a{snETlX W. HIS teachings
:NyEy&HyxIN and the remaining
:MEZlEX part of the tex
. * Is the testimony
borne in respect to the Berean jews
to whom Paul and Silas came with tne
message of salvation. after they had
been SO shamefully driven out OF ines
salonica. Here we have precept anu
example-Jesus' command and beau
tiful and striking obedience to the let
ter and spirit of that command. Jesus
recognized the Scriptures as the au-
thoritative word of God. and they were
always His last source Of appeal. He
held up to the Jews who rejected His
claims as the promised Messiah the
very Scriptures which they recognized
as the Word Of God. and with which
they were familiar. and challenged
them to study the sacred writings
again. for they testify Of Me-" They
had read the Scriptures and yet they
had not learned the truth. The ines
salonian Jews had the same heart OF
unbelief. They read in blind bigotry,
1nstead of openness Of mind which
characterized the Berean Jews. The
latter searched the Scriptures daily,
whether those things were So" Here
was neglect of the Scriptures on the
one hand. and on the other a daily
reading and studying Of Gods Word
In search for the truth. The Thessa-
Ionians recognized the Scriptures as
the Word of God Generally speaking.
they undoubtedly were familiar with
them. They heard them read In the
synagogue from week to week. They
observed the externalities Of the Jew
fish faith. as revealed in those Scrip
lures. But notwithstanding all this
there was neglect OF Gods Word, and
in this respect the Bereans were In
striking contrast to them. for they did
that which the Thessalonians refused
to do, searched the Scriptures daily"
IS there neglect of Gods Word to-
! day? Are the Berean type Of people
sadly In the minority. and the Thessa-
lonians vastly in the majority every
where? How generally Is 0hrist's
command: Search the Scriptures"
being obeyed? and how often do we
ind 1t possible to say of individuals or
communities or churches: They re-
ceived the Word with all readiness Of
mind and searched the Scriptures
daily, whether those things were so?"
, Is the Bible, the Word of God. being
neglected? We ask. Certainly not In
respect to the printing OF the Bible
and sending II broadcast over the
earth More Bibles and Testaments
are being printed every year. Several
million copies of the Bible and parts
of the Bible are being issued every
year by the different Bible societies
and denominations. Already the Bible
has been translated into over 400 diff
ferent languages and dialects. and each
year sees some new translation added
TO the long list. Millions of copies of
the Bible and parts of the Bible are
being sent each year from the United
States to other lands. Surely 1t can
not be charged that In the publication
and distribution of the Word of God
the Bible is being neglected. In the
purchase of Bibles 1t cannot be claimed
that the Bible is neglected, for a news
paper man who visited the book de-
partment of all the large department
stores of New York city was told that
the Bible was the best selling book
handled. not excepting the popular
novels Of the day. The sales were
steady and from 10000 to 10000 copies
Of all styles of bindings were sold
each year. And at Christmas time q
special Bible department was neces
sary. requiring the constant attention
Of three or four clerks. Taking mi.
rs guide to the general popularity o.
the Bible. 1t can be said that in tn,
purchase of the Bible the sacred Bool
is not being neglected. And in dis
cussion Of the Bible 1t Is not beln,
neglected. The higher critics and tn
lower critics. too. for that matter, ar
not neglecting the Bible. 1t Is tn
most talked of book in the world
Each year multiplies the myriad @
books which treat of the Bible In som
respect or other. And SO II cannot b
charged that the Bible is being neg
lected by the scholars of the day. An
in the direction OF archaeology ther
is no neglect OF the Bible. Almos
every year some new monument, c
tablet. or parchment IL being disco,
cred which establishes more firmly I'll
authenticity OF the sacred writing
and throws light upon the countrie
and peoples and times with which II
history and biography and literatur
had to do.
DUT the fact that the publishing house
II and Bible societies. the book store,
the scholars. and archaeologists of tn
day are not neglecting the Bible as
commercial commodity or as subjec
of research and discussion does no
prove that the Bible is not being mel
lected. II after the printing press, an
distributing agent have done their par