The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-06-12
BIG Time STARTS.
Celebration of Washburn's 10th
Anniversary Begins.
DR.. Archibald McCullagh's Bac-
calaureate Sermon.
POINTS TO THE BIBLE.
Calls It ''The ImpregnabIe Rock
Of Scripture"
Big Time Is Planned for Tuesday
at Auditorium.
POINTS TO THE BIBLE.


anniversary days opened on Sunday.
The chapel could hold no larger audi
ence. The stage was decorated with
taste and profusion. Bouquets and
chains of daisies, and banking palms
filing every space not occupied by the
speakers and ladies' chorus. There
were 81 graduates duly capped and
gowned. and they made a company for
any college to be proud of. DR.. Archi-
bald McCullagh of Worcester. Mass,
preached the able baccalaureate ser
mon. His subject was THE Impregna-
bic Rock of Scripture" and his text
was from Peter but the Word of the
Lord Endureth Forever"
He said:
Contemplated from any. standpoint
of investigation the Bible, unique in it's
facts and truths, in its effect in the
past, and in the impression it is still
producing is the most wonderful book
in existence To it we are indebted for
mans most simple and most sublime
system of religious faith. which is the
most potent factor in settling the des-
tiny of man. Though the Bible is not
d mere history of the rise, progress and
decay Of nations, yet no history can
push its Investigations very far without
being compelled to reckon with and
seek light from its Illuminating pages.
The Bible Is not a poem but no poetry
of the world has ever risen SO high in
rhythm, inspiration or diction as the
lyrics and epics of the Bible. The
Scriptures teach no particular system
OF philosophy, but no true or enduring
philosophy exists that does not have to
adjust itself to the fundamental postu-
lates Of the Bible. The Bible is COM
posite in authorship, diverse in times of
its composition spread over 500 years,
written in different geographical re-
gions,-by the turbid Nile, in the des-
erts Of Arabia, in classic Greece, at inn
perial Rome, in pOlyglOt speech and
yet it has unity from Genesis to Rev
citation. How shall we explain this I'M
matched phenomenon, a result attained
nowhere else by the loftiest products
of intellect, whose very translatiOns
have crystallfzed the great languages
OF Germany and England,-how, unless
we concede its divine origin? 1t is
unique because it contains the most
Inatchless message that ever. challenged
and appealed to the mind of man.
Value of Education.
I'VE are wont to say that education is
the. most potent factor to elevate man,
and that If this great experiment in
democracy Is to succeed, If we are to
have upright leaders, equitable laws,
and. honest administration it IS abso-
lutely necessary to educate the masses.
But how? The great Stole, Epictetus,
has said: The best way to help a coun-
try is not to raise the roofs of the
houses but to elevate the minds of its
citizens The Incompatible orator, Wen
dell Phillips. said: The only subject
worthy of a nations solicitude is educa-
ton Now what shall that education
be? There never was a time when pfi-
Vate wealth was so laviShly poured out
to found schools, to equip colleges. to
endow libraries, to make the treasures
of WOrld-WiSdOm level to the grasp of all
classes as today. What Of the Bible as
an education? Let US momently leave
out all question of its especial inspira-
ton, let US look at these writings sim
ply as literature, and still it may safe
ly be claimed that these Scriptures have
done more to expand the minds of the
generations than any other intellectual
products in existence. The best way to
evoke latent powers is to face them
with great truths. Is any truth so Won
derful as God? his being and nature;
as the Immortality of soul2 as the mys-
terry Of World-redemption as portrayed
in these cleaning pages? Have any of
the startling discoveries of the telescope,
or the unveiled wonders of the magical
microscope, or the secrets of nature
brought to light in the laboratories of
the chemists or biologists-have any or
all Of these been grander than the reve-
lations of the Bible?
Lord Bacon said that some books
were to be tasted, some swallowed and
some digested. The Bible belongs to the
latter class.
The Bible as a Literary Gem.
mot only does the Bible contain
the loftiest system of truth, but it also
may claim to embody these truths in
most exquisite literary firms. God
has not given man a dictionary, a dry
summary of bald facts. Have we not
the lyrical graces of David, the SEN
tentious wisdom Of Solomon the ten
der poetry of Isaiah, the eIegy of
jeremiah, the oracular concealment
of Ezekiel the impetuosity of Peter,
the involved augmentation of Paul,
the pellucid style of John? For dig
nifty of narrative, for grandeur of
poetry, for 1oftiness of wisdom the
Bible is without a peer.
If illustration be called for, let the
denunciation of Saul by Samuel, the
challenge of Elijah at Carmel, the
valedictory of Jesus-every sentence
of which is enough to make an angel
thrill-the oratory of Paul on the
Areopa gus-let these be cited If eff
feet of eloquence on an audience is to
accepted as the measure of oratorical
power. then let the imprisoned words
of Paul before Felix, Festus, or
Agrippa be compared with any words
of that conceded master of Greek elo-
quence, Demothenes, even of his mas
terpiece, the Grafton on the Crown.
In the field of the fine arts, what poet
Of fire, what artist Of permanent re-
nown has there been who has not been
under inestimable obligation to the
themes of the Scriptures? To them