The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1911-09-01

Eddas from the eleventh century;
tn Tripietaka from the seventh CEN
fury b. c.; the Five Kings of the
Chinese from 100 B. c.; the vedas
are supposed by the best scholars
to antedate 100 B. c., and the Zen
davesta about 1900 BIC THE Chris
ton Scriptures. the Old and New
Testaments. were written during a
period covering about sixteen hum
dred years by about forty authors
beginning with Moses and closing
with the Revelation by John the
Beloved. Truly there is no lack
of variety in Bibles and religious in
this world, and these foreign BIZ
bles and religions in this world,
and these foreign Bibles. let us
generously remember. are Just as
dear to the hearts of hundreds OF
millions OF people as is our own
precious Book to us, and these
various religions are just as de-
voutly believed in and propagated
by their respective votaries as is
our beloved Christianity by us. If
we cannot approve all the teach
ings of these various Sacred Books,
nor endorse the practices of these
different systems of religion, we
can, at least, look with true Chris
tian charity on things that are dear
to the hearts OF hundreds of mill
ions OF our fellowmen in this wide,
wide world. If the ancient test of
judging tree by its fruit is to be
applied to these Books and Sys-
tens, without any doubt whatever
the award will be made
to our own beloved Billie
and Christianity, This is not the
place to enter into comparative
study of Books and Systems, but
let the history OF civilization set
tie the question in the mind of ey-
cry competent judge
Accepting our Bible as the word
of God to meE, let us frankly face
the uestion Is it sufficient as a
rule OF faith and practice? or must
1t be supplemented by the teach
ings of men? Or is it superfluous
and should its teachings be curtail-
ed by human wisdom? These are
serious and practical questions
which should not be either evaded
or treated indifferently- If it were
purely human product, it would
surely be found wanting when
weighed in the balances of human
needs and experience. Truly it
was written by men and bears some
of the marks OF human finiteness
In minor matters. But ii is also
Super-human; it is Divine in its or
igin and mission. Its message is
God-breathed, inspired, and is in
fallible within its scope Its voice
is that of God, but its language is
that of the sons of men. Since it
is Gods Book, we would naturally
expect to find il entirely suffici-
ent for its proper purpose. But what
is that purpose? Surely not to tell
us all that God knows. No indeed.
When q gave us the Book. He
never attempted to exhaust His own
infinite store-house of knowledge
in its pages. All He meant to do
was to tell men Just what they need
ed to know in order TO fulfil their
proper mission here in this world.
Hence it is primarily a Book for
this life and this world. To be
sure its light shines beyond the
bounds of time occasionally, but
not so frequently as we may be
wont to think. IL was designed for
immediate use to men. and inciden-
tally to forecast the future. but
the great bulk of its message APP
plies here and now. II is chiefly a
Time Book. 1t contains all we
need to know lin this life along
with just a foretaste OF what we
shall know hereafter. But 1t is
eminently sut2nA for its purpose.
Otherwise = be justified
= -