The St. Louis Republic., 1903-12-07

THE REVEREND JESSE X. BRENNAN
Rector OF St. Marks Episcopal Church.
classic text. 1t is filed with suggestive
ness. First. ii asserts that there are writ
ings inspired of God
And the question arises What is in
Spiration?' Many unwarranted definitions
have been given. But it can only mean
the arousinE of mans spirit by God S
spirit. Just as every good man at his best
stirs and stimulates the best in other men
so. but TO II far more transccndant de-
gree. God stirs and stimulates TO their
best those who accept his influence. Are
there. then. degrees of inspiration? Most
assuredly. since men differ in natural ca
pacity and also in susceptibility to the di-
vine influence. Docs inspira ton make
those under its influence incapable of mis-
takes and errors? How can il unless Gods
spirit completely supersedes the human
spirit?
"A great deal of human limitation re-
mains in the most exalted moods. In
spired writings must retain this human
element in varying degree. However eX-
halted q mans spiritual faculty he must
still be limited by the scientific and his
torical knowledge of his day. The univer.
sal human testimony finds the quality OF
inspiration in the writings we call the
Bible. Through all the varying SUBJECTS
and treatment there runs this unifylns
principle of high spiritual exaitation.
This gives to the Bible the power to
kindle in others the same fire in the soul
the writer's felt when they ,,, wrote. P,,t ,.erv-
where throughout its pages. the Bible Is a
live book, kindllng spiritual life In those
who read it, stimulating and encouraging
and instructing the best in us. the God
life in us, the immortal fire of the Holy
Ghost. 1t is not alone in this power-oth-
or good books have it in their degrec-but
it transcends all others in this direction,
md In fact Is the source of much that
the best books give.
I'VE are told. first, that it is profitable
for teaching, or knowledge Where else
man soul? Where such a history of all Its
manifold experiences. from the murderer
whipped by the awful lash of conscience
to the saint caught up in ecstatic vision
OF heavens hiCdcn heights? Where else
shall we find such knowledge of God. from
hadread jehovah of natural law and un-
relaxing justice to the ali-pitying. all
forgiving. self-renouncing Christ?
I'VE are told. again. il is good for re-
proof. All the sins of all the world stand
the sinners of yesterday and to-day and
to-morrow-deslctic Kings, selfish poll
ticians, libertines. drunkards. money wor-
shippers. the towards the cruel, the
l;:zy-here they all are. painted in the hid
eous colors OF sin; here all their subter
fnges are unveiled. and We see them rs
God sees them-lepers. hideous grinung
their heads the thunders of divine wrath
reverberate and the lishtninss of destruc-
deluslon here hides the awful face of Evil
We are told. again. that it is profitable
FOR correction OF reformation. The Bible
doom without hope of pardon and peace.
1t bids him turn from evil and put on
righteousness. for God loves to pardon
rather than to slay:: has provided way
through repentance to peace. 1t sings the
triumph song of restored lives. of re-
formed characters: from David to Saul of
Iarsns. from the Masdalen to the |
az scarlet. they shall be as white as |
snow cries Isaiah There is joy in the |
presence of the angels of God over one |
sinner that repenteth. speaks the Master. |
Again we are told that the Bible is |
proiitaele for instruction in righteousness |
from the storm-capped top of Sinai the !
fears of ages of sinners: From the green. I
iiower-decked slopes of the Mount the |
heatituces watt their perfume of hope to /
psalm and proverb. from history and
prophecy. from parable and epistie from
ihe majestic prelude of Genesis to the s8t- /
"nces and 1000 voices join in teaching the
ways Of Righteousness. SO that the way-
faring man. though Il fool, cannot err
therein.
NO words OF orator or of poet can tell |
the large place the Bible holds in the life
NJ man. All literature is enriched by ii.
all art gets inspiration from it: all Gov
ernments get their Justice and their au-
tnority from it: its heroes and saints. its
toets and propnets. It's apostles and mar
iyrs walk with us in the home. in the
church and in the market place.
Men who never open its covers are vet
surrounded by IT.: as by an impalpable at
mcsphere. and lives that never had the
gratitude to acknowledge their indebted
ness owc to ii what of sweetness and light
their lives have known
It's power is as undyinc as the sun
light. as unfading as the blue sky as
gentle as the summer showers or the soft
ati-rar rroniag, all-purifying snow. When
our hodies are dust and our names ,r,,rn |
l,led from the marble generations yet lIn-
drci med shall gladly pay tribute more fine
ard apprecia tive than any we can render
II their undyiny gratitude and its unfad.
Ing power