The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1913-04-11
TEXT-II Tim. 3:l6.

Ex2AA VA armament shows
his handiwork, we
do not for a moment deny. Nature Is
vocal with theology. Nor would we
think of contradicting the statement
that God manifests himself through
history and providence Victor Hugo
said: Waterloo was God" by that
he meant that God showed his hand
in that great war and turned the
stream of civilization into another
channel The history Of all nations
is replete with marked interferences
OF God. Promotion cometh neither
from the east nor from the west. lt
is God who setteth up one nation,
and putteth down another.
The knowledge of God that comes
TO us from these sources, however, Is
not sufficient fully TO satisfy the hui
man heart Nature tells us of God.
but does not adequately describe him
to US. We might infer from the di-
vine manifestations in history and
providence that God is a great force
or power. but such definition OF God
by no means satisfies humanity. We
God. We need to know something
about his person, nature and attri-
butes; his relations with his creatures,
what things are pleasing and what
displeasing to him; what are his
ethical, moral and spiritual standards.
To these questions not nature, nor
history. nor yet providence affords an
answer. Nature may show the head
and wisdom of God, and providence
and history the hand and power OF
God, but we need a revelation such
as we have in the Bible to reveal to
us the heart and the grace Of our God.
Sometimes the Bible is compared
with other sacred books-Bibles OF
other religions: the Koran. the Vedas,
etc. There can be no real comparison.
The Bible is not to be put on the
same plane as these books. None OF
them claims for itself what the Bible
claims for itself; nor did any one OF
their authors claim for himself what
Jesus Christ and the inspired writer's
Of the Bible claim for themselves. The
Christian must be very careful in the
matter OF comparing his Bible with
other sacred books. Such comparison
is attended with grave danger. There
is practically no difference, so far as
the disastrous effects of such COM
parlsons are concerned. whether you
drag the Bible down to the level OF
these other books, or lift these other
books up to the level of the Bible.
The effect Is the same; you rob the
Bible Of it's unique character and au-
thority. Let us be careful In this
matter.
The Bible is not only the book OF
! God. il is also the book from God. At
least this is the way in which it gives
| its own account OF it's origin: "All
! Scripture is given by inspiration OF
! God"-that is TO say, is God
| breathed" QI Timothy 8 :16). Again, in
| II. Peter 1920. 81. we read: Know
| ing this first, that no prophecy of the
scripture is OF any private interpreta-
tion Cor origin, for 1t seems clear
that Il Is to the source rather than TO
the exposition OF the scripture that
reference is here made). For the
prophecy came not in old time by the
will OF man; hut holy men of God
spake as they were moved by the
| Holy Ghost" Here are some very
clear and definite statements concern
ing the source OF the scripture. IL Is
this God -breathed" element that diff
ferentiates this book from all other
writings. The Bible is quite often re-
ferred to nowadays as splendid liter
| Ill hn fc
is more than that-it Is scripture
Literature is the letter; scripture is
the letter inbreathed by the holy spir
n lust as in the creation OF man We
learn that man became a living sou
whom that frame OF dust, as IL lay or
the ground. became inbreathed by the
spirit of life from God. Man Is dust
inbreathed by Deity; and IL you take
away the spirit of life from man, h'
, returns TO dust So is 1t with th'
bible; Il Is the letter. but II Is the
letter inbreathed by Gods spirit tha
; makes that letter scripture. And wher
Won rob the Bible OF its inspiration
Won have nothing but mere literature
left-you have no scripture.
! The message OF the Bible is a re
n ueious message. It's aim and purpos'
: is 20 bring man. who has been es
trangcd from God by reason OF sin
= back 20 the God from whom he ha
! been estranged The scriptures. whicl
; are given by inspiration OF God. ar
for the man of God. that he may b
, Instructed in righteousness; mark you
in righteousness. not in science. o
ART. or poetry. or history. important a
1 - A. .kn..-.f.o. VI