The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1912-02-16
Beginning at the Beginning.

beginning al tne 6S9innlng.
Editor Vinita Chieftain: If this dis
cussion is to go into print we will be-
gin at the beginning.
The first inspired writings so far as
we have any record began with Moses.
OF the inspired writings contained in
the Bible we have clear and definite
records that Moses wrote all the words
the Lord, Exod, XXXIv 4; that David
wrote the Psalms, 2 Sam. XIII. l, .;
that Luke wrote his Gospel, Luke /, IA,
and that John wrote the Revelations,
Rev. 1, IL. Although there were holy
men in those early days, such as Noah,
Abraham and Joseph, with whom the
Almighty had frequent verbal commun-
ication, yet we do not read that any
one of them was ever inspired to put
Gods words into writing. From the
days of Moses onwards the inspired
writings Of the Bible, as we have them,
were constantly referred to by
prophets, priests and rulers as the
final court of appeals, Exod. XXXII,
8, Joshua 1.S Our Lord also frequent
ly referred to the Old Testament
scriptures in the familiar words 1T
is written" And the most natural
inference is that had there been any
sacred writings in those days, some
reference would have been given by
such men as Noah and Abraham, or
some of the later prophets, or even by
our Lord himself.
There is no known proof of any such
writings prior to Moses. Uninspired
writings existed before Moses day
and are still in existence.
The Book of Job, was probably writ
ten about the time of Moses, and pos
sibly by Moses-though many scholars
are not sure, indicates that there were
writings prior to Moses day. that con
veyed a knowledge of God and his
equity, as portrayed by the history of
| his three friends who attempted to
instruct him during his Affections, evil
IDENTITY these were days when God was
pleased to verbally direct individuals,
Adam, Abram, Ablmeleck, Isaac Jacob
an dthe three friends of Job. In this
way also it appears that God first in
structed man concerning many of the
flaws which were afterwards embodied
| in the Pentatench, such as the Sabbath
Gen. 11.3. Thus we see from earliest
times man possessed, even before
Gods inspired word knowledge of
God and his laws
1t should be remembered that with
or without the Bible, there have ever
been two independent witnesses for
the works of God in
creation Ps. XIX, 1-3; Rom. 1. 1920,
and conscience Rom. H. 14,15 In those
early days man appears to have been
i'm his relation to God, under conscience
But nature merely teaches us the fact
THAT there is creator-God; while
lconscience may be so abused as to
lrender it practically imperative. Hence
the necessity for such revelation as
lis contained in the Bible, which "liveth
and abideth forever" Pet. 1.23, and
(which not only tells us that there is a
creator. but reveals to us who that
Icreator is. This brings us to the
birth of the bible.
Man, under conscience, failed. Now
lhe was to be placed under law; and
therefore about the close of the frs
1.-TWO thousand years God called Abran
out from the idolations surrounding
of his native home. Gen. XIII, /,
Joshua XIV. s, Is, changed his name
to Abraham Gen. XVII 5. Neh. TX.
. and made him the head of a peopl'
Gen. XII 2 and XIV, ) known rs thu
Hebrews or Jews, whom He was pleas
ed to call his peculiar possession, Deut
XIV. 2, and whom he specially fittet
, land prepared during many generations
t THAT they might in due time become
: the dispositions of a Revelation com
, mitted to writing Rom. III. 2; whicl
: would be more permanent in its natur
and less liable to be either forgotten
f or corrupted, and that they as ma
, ton, separated from all other people
on the earth, might themselves frs
: learn to do all the words OF the lay
2 Deut. XXXIX. 20, and in the fullnes
f or time might spread the blessings o
: this heritage among all nations. Mar
/ XVI Is; Luke XXIV. AZ and Acts is
Respectfully.
+ CAPT. G. S. WHITE.