East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1911-09-25

tality and spiritual force. They are
| not verbal, technical or formal. They
are the divine sources of civilizations
! llfe. Ordinary artists usually spend
their energies upon the branches and
leaves and blossoms in painting trees,
giving but little attention to the
trunk as It fastens to the ground But
when we rise to a great artist like
Millet, we find him giving special at
tention to the roofing of the tree
Likewise with many when they think
of civilization, they think of the ex-
ternal grandeur of nations-the
wealth, the pomp, literature, art and
luXury-giving but little heed to the
sources, that is. the roots slop.ng
| away into the dim vistas of the past
! But when we search for the secrets
! of our civilization, we find them in
the teachings of the New Testament,
the Words of Life.
| The Greeks are said to have fur
shed the framework of modern civ
iliZation. From them we are told we
inherit our legal code. our theories of
government, our artistic and lltera-
tury ideals, our philosophical con-
cepts, our genius in arms and COM
merce. But if Greece furnished the
! framework" Christianity has sup
piled the life. 1t is a significant CO.
/ incidence that the revival of national
life IS invariably associated with the
republication of the New re e.tament.
Five hundred years ago John Wyclif
| translated the Bible iuto the language
of the English people, and this event
marked the opening of a grander era
or English history, an era of fresh in
teliectual, political and moral life In
a recent excavation of Pompeii a
buried fountain was uncovered, and
no sooner were the choking ashes re-
moved than the springing waters
made the desolate neighborhood TO
smile. So when Wyclif gave the BIZ
BILE to the English people. he unsealed
living waters which have vitalized her
civilization ever since. One hundred
and fifty years later Luther likewise
gave the Bible to the German people,
and once again it proved itself
source of life, Legend tells that an
explorer in the Pyramids discovered
a harp which when sm.tted yielded
music as in the morning of the world:
| but had no magic to waken the dead
sleeping in their painted shrouds. But
when Luther rescued the Word of
God from the dust of ages there was
a stir among the dry bones and the
dead stood upon their feet, an ex-
| ceeding great army. Later Philippe
de MarniX, from a prison in Utrecht,
whence he had been thrust by the
| nj
| acles into the tongue of his people.
And this became the cornerstone of
the Dutch republic. How significant
also to recall the subsequent history
of the two nations, the Spaniards sink
ing from that date into oblivion.
while the Dutch have added splendid
chapters to the story of the race.
And the American republic. it is only
epitomizing to say, derives it's present
splendor and glorious history from
| this same divine source, the Word of
Life. All the sovereign civilizations
testify to the efficiency of Christian
| Truth.
In spring-time a strange power
| pulses through nature; the jasmine
| shoots its stars, the crocus paints the
|
| burning bush made purple with sac
rificial blood, and the whole land
scape is softened with green and lit
with flowers like lamps of many COL
ored fires. So when nation vs.
brought into close fresh contact with
revelation, it throbs with a new life.
The Bible is truly not the Book of
the Dead but the Book of Life, not
only for nation but for the indiyid-
ual Think Of its revealing words. 1t
Is the mirror in which we see what
manner of men we are. Come see
a man who told me all things that
ever did" The microscope takes a
photograph of the bottom Of the sea.
| But more marvellous is this spiritual
MICROSCOPE which penetrates the
abyss of the human heart and reveals
the secrets of the inner man. "Thou
mast set our iniquities before Thee,
our secret sins in the light of Thy
countenance," The Words of our
Lord are searchlights revealing a
man to h-mselm with startling clear
ness and convincing the world of sin,
righteousness and judgment
The Words of Life are also con.
verting, Characterization and
most preciously comforting. but space
forbids the illustrations of these char.
acterist,cs. What the azon,
Of the sea, the tonic of the hills, anG
the balm Of the sunshine is to the
health of the body, such are thu
Words of Life to the health of char
acter and soul.
. Dearly beloved. it remains only foI
, us to appropriate this life. Let us no
be poor aenemic weaklings, SUFFERING
, with spiritual tuberculosis, in tn,
, presence Of this source of life.
pauper died the other day in rags ant
starvation; but when his miserable
, hovel was entered, hundreds of SOY
ereigns were found buried in tn
dirt. Shall we be spiritual pauper
jim the presence oe inappropriate
treasures of truth. Beloved children
of my flock, do not leave the Bibl
madden and dust covered. Make /
thumb-marked. What does all you
culture, prosperity and social amenl
ties amount to If the spiritual natur
/, is starved Young people OF ou
schools, give the Bible a first plac,
,, in your studies. Without a knowledg,
, of the Bible you are forever ignorant
no matter how many diplomas adori