The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1909-12-17
THE BIBLE
TIE POSITION Or The CATHOLIC CHURGs
With Reference 10 the Bible as GiTss
ina Public Lecture Before
a faFmVilIe Audience.

which were delivered in our armory
evening after evening in presensbs.-
and defense Of the Catholic faith bad
as its theme The Bible. and the reh
ton of the Church to the Word Of
God
Here in brief is the line Of args
ment as it was given The Catholic
Church does not tolerate the private
Interpretation Of the Scriptures, and
yet is no enemy OF the Bible Under
he fostering care Of the Church the
Word was preserved during The Dark
Ages. and but for this care. il would
have been destroyed. and lost 10 the
world Before Luther's Bible many
editions Of it had been published aRd
issued. Catholics are encouraged ID
read the Bible. and the priests while
al the seminary training for their
work are required to read it at least
one hour OF each day. and upon their
knees. And yet, with all this care Of.
and reverence for the Word of God
the lecturer went on 10 say that
Christ did not order his apostles 70
write a book. but to 90 out into the
world and preach the Gospel No
nation has ever been evangelical by
a printed book but only by the living
words OF living men. Private inter
probation has divided the church Of
God ON earth into innumerabie fac
tions-whi.e the Catholic Church which
allows Of no such Interpretation mas
preserved It's oneness Throughout, al
the ages. This presented bya pleas
ing speaker was plausible, but now 10
the Law and Testimony as conclusive
answer.
Christ did not discredit the potency
of preaching, and Paul affirmed that
the foolishness Of preaching" would
convert the world but Christ and
Paul and all the Apostles magnified the
Word Of God True. they had only
the Old Scriptures to refer to and
quote from. and this they did on in
Vulnerable occasions. The space at
our command is too limited TO allow OF
any full Bible quotations on the sub
ject Of Bible influence in Gods econ
omy Of grace A few must suffice,
and are as we believe, all sufficient.
In John 5:39 the Saviour himself
said Search the Scriptures for in thes
We think We have eternal life and they
are they which testify of me-
In John l7l4, he also said. ! haVs
given them thy Word. 80 and in the
same chapter, the whole OF which is
the memorable prayer uttered by the
Lord in the very shadow OF the cross,
and in the 18th verse he adds Sane
tify them through thy truth; thy Word
is truth
In Acts l7:ll. We read, These
we're more noble than those in Thes-
salonica in that they received the
Word with all readiness OF mind, and
searched the scriptures daily, whether
those things were so.
Andin Timothy 3:5 We read And
that from a child thou hast known
the Holy Scriptures. which are able to
make thee wise unto salvation through
faith which is in Christ Jesus.
In Psalm 1879 we read Where
withal shall a young man cleanse his
ways by taking heed thereto accord
inc to thy word And so we might
90 on with quotation after quotations
TO the same effect. but as the Catholic
hinges his chief doctrine or dogma on
one text of the Bible We will content
ourselves with the number here gwen
10 demonstrate that the Bible is peo-
a ple's Bible and not that Of pope or
priests. It is subject OF profound sat
isfaction 10 know that even the foolish
I may understand il. he who runs as
he reads. little children as well as the
wisest Of earth. No protestant OF sense
! discredts the value. the importance
Of the preached word. but no protest
t ant needs to run to the preacher to tel
D him the meaning Of ask ~ seek
e knock follow me, learn o.
me. The prodigal simply said
Il will. and then went to his home
and his father and Daniel away from
country and kindred and in SHINING
court circles. purposed' not to 81
l and maintained MS Christian integrity
1t Through the ages the God OF tn.
at Bible has taken care Of the Word
'e through human agency It IS true. an
.e today it is being printed IN all lar
l. ouages Of earth, that the people ma
a read and not the priests alone.
le Holy Bible book divine.
Precious treasure, thou art NINE