Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1913-08-21
TRULY WORLD or GOD
Inspiration of Bible Can Never Be
Doubted by One VINO Has
Read 1t.
THE Bible was never so thoroughly
studied as during the last half
n century and IL never had so many

readers as today. The amount of
writing that is being done on the
Bible at this time is astonishing, and
this fact is significant of the vitality
Of it's teaching.
But there are writer's that anaIyZe
the Bible as one might analyze
house-by taking it to pieces, and re-
ferring each several part to its origin.
These pine boards" they would say,
came from Oregon; this flooring Is
oak from Missouri; these nails are OF
wire, machine made, from Wisconsin
iron; this plaster was made from I'LL
nois limestone, and is surface-coated
with calcined gypsum from Iowa; this
furniture is mahogany from the West
Indies. originally freighted in Ameri-
can vessels; these are wool rugs, OF
European weave, and from Scotch
sheep" Similarly they would analyze
and refer to its "original source" ev-
cry piece of bric-a-brac, every personal
ornament, and every token of affec-
ton.
The one important fact about
house. and the fact lost sight OF III
such analysis, Is that 1t is home.
Here young man brought his bride,
and they began life together; here ey-
erything was consecrated by the sa-
credness Of affection and Is eloquent
with devotion; here children were
born and joy abounded; here the angel
Of death entered and tears of sorrow
flowed; here hope burned, fiickered,
and revived; here faith was tried.
fidelity proved, and love tested. The
analysis of the house is comparatively
unimportant This was a home, and
that is the significant fact.
Bible Spiritual Home.
The Bible likewise is both house
and home. Many writers busy them
selves analyzing only the house, per
forming their work with such real zeal
that onlookers are apt to overestimate
its Importance. The writer's seem to
forget, or fail to discern, that the BIZ
BILE is spiritual home, place where
hearts learn to love, where spiritual
children are born, reared and trained
to live as one family.
who go to the opposite extreme, who
simply reiterate the old things in the
old way, who read into the Bible much
medieval theology and keep on dealing
with questions which have lost their
vitality, who catch no new vision, and
feel no thrill of new meanings and
applications.
U>I,, oh
the inspiration of the Bible, but one
need not spend moment arguing
that the Bible is inspired. Read it,
Does not the voice of God speak to
your soul through it? There can be
no revelation to him who has not ears
to hear" The very atmosphere may
be vibrant with voices of God without
revealing anything to deaf ears. was
walking one day with a friend who,
as we walked, inquired about the song
Of bird | described the sound as
best l could, and then asked: Can
you not hear it?" NO." he replied.
Where? The bird is not singing now,
Is it?' But the bird was singing near
us in ecstatic strain, The revelation Of
Gods voice comes, like the song OF a
bird, not by description or argument,
but by hearing. Christ was ever say
ing to the multitude: HE that hath
ears to hear, let him hear" Two men
look at painting of one Of the great
masters, or at landscape when ma
ture has on her garments of glory.
One remains stolid and unmoved,
while the other Is thrilled and uplifted.
Argument is unavailing for the stolid
man. Great paintaings or landscapes
are not things to be argued about or
even described. They must be seen.
There is no revelation of beauty ex-
cept for the soul that can discern
beauty. The Bible has beauty for
eyes that can see, music for ears that
can hear and wealth of revelation for
souls that can discern and appreciate.
Bible Ever Practical.
1t Is alleged that the Bible Is inn
practical. Those who find the Bible
impracticable are those who find it in
terfering with their selfish desires.
II you put the Bible into the hand of
the thief when he is caught with
stolen SOOQS, ne Will say. IL Is an
impracticable book. If l follow this
book I must restore the products of
my theft and possibly go to prison"
That is precisely the practical thing
required II homes are to be safe and
society secure. Put the Bible into
the hands Of those who have stolen
and grated from the government, and
they will tell you that it Is not practi-
cal, that If they follow this book they
must disgorge millions. The people
think that such disgorging is the one
thing that needs doing. Put the Bible
into the hands of the great trusts,
which control the necessities of life.
and they will at once say that It ID
not practical, that If they follow this
book they must stop exploiting the
people, and squeeze the water out of
dividend-bearing stocks. The people
think that just these things must be
done before society can come to fair
living basis, to say nothing of condi-
4.