Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1913-06-21

his handiwork. We
do not for a moment deny Nature is
vocal with theology Nor would we
think OF contradicting the statement
that cod 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 interferenccs
OF God Promotion cometh neither
from the east nor from the west. II
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 hu-
man heart Nature tells US OF God.
bur does not adequately describe him
10 US. We might infer from the di-
vine manifestations in history and
providence that God Is 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 attr-
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.
I he 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 writers
Of the Bible claim for themselves The
/ Christian must be very careful IN the
matter OF comparing his Bible with
other acred books Such comparison
is attended with grave danger. There
il practically no difference, so far as
the disastrous effects OF such com
PARSONS are concerned. whether you
drag the Bible down to the level OF
these other hooks or lift these other
books up 10 the level OF the Bible
The effect IS the same you rob the
Bible OF its unique character and au
ihority Let US be careful IN this
matter
The Bible Is not only the book OF
God il Is also the book from God Al
least this is the way in which il gives
its own account Of its origin An
Scripture Is given by inspiration OF
/ God" that is to say. is God.
breathed" Il II Timothy 3l6) Again. in
II Peter leo. Fl. we read Know.
ing this first. that no prophecy OF the
scripture is Of any private interpreta
ton Tor origin. for II seems clear
that II Is to the source rather than to
the exposition OF the scripture that
q
prophecy came not In old time by the
will OF man: but holy men OF God
spake as they were moved b. the
Holy Ghost" Here are some very
clear and definite statements concern.
ing the source OF the scripture II 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
ature" Well the Bible Is that. but Il
Is more than that-it is scripture
Literature is the letter. scripture is
the letter inbreathed By the holy spir.
IT, Just as In the creation OF man we
learn that man became a living soul
when that frame OF dust. as II lay on
the ground. became inbreathed by the
spirit OF life from God Man is dust
inbreathed by Deity. and II you take
away the spirit Of life from man, he
returns To dust So Is IL with the
Bible. It Is the letter. but It is the
letter inbreaihod By Gods spirit that
makes that letter scripture And when
YOU rob the Bible OF its inspiration
you have nothing but mere literature
left you have no scripture
The message of the Bible is re.
ligious message Its aim and purpose
Is 20 bring man who has been es.
,ranged from God By reason Of sin
back to the God from whom he has
been estranged The scriptures. which
are given by inspiration Of God. are
for the man OF God. that he may be
instructed in righteousness; mark you.
in righteousness, not In science. or
art. or poetry. or history. important as
these things are In Themselves We