Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1914-04-11

Again, in II Peter
- 1920, Fl, we read:
knowing h $
first, that no prophecy of the Scrip
ture is of any private Interpretation
Tor origin, for it seems clear that it
Is to the source rather than to the
exposition of the Scripture that refer
ence is here made.l For the prophecy
came not in old time by the will of
man, but holy men of God spake as
they were moved by the Holy Ghost"
Here are some very clear and definite
statements concerning the source OF
the Scripture. 1t is this God-breathed'
element that differentiates this book
from all other writings The Bible is
quite often referred to nowadays as
splendid literature Well, the Bible
is that, but it is more than that-it
is Scripture. Literature is the letter;
Scripture is the letter inbreathed by
the holy spirit. Just as in the crea-
ton of man we learn that man be-
came a living soul when that frame
of dust, as it lay on the ground, be-
came inbreathed by the spirit of life
from God. Man is dust inbreathed
by deity, and if you take away the
spirit of life from man he returns to
dust So is it with the Bible; it Is
the letter, but it is the letter in
breathed by Gods spirit that makes
that letter Scripture. And when you
rob the Bible of it's inspiration you
nave nothing but mere literature left
you have no Scripture.
The Bible the Authority in Matters of
Faith and Practice.
Where is the seat of authority in
0E III, oh
the problem of the day Various re-
plies are given to the question
Reason, says one, is the seat of final
authority. May not the intellect with
it's various functions be relied upon
to render sure judgments? One has
only to recall the grotesQue fancies
that have from time to time taken
hold of the finest and brainiest men
and led them into the grossest de-
lusions to satisfy himself that the seat
of authority does not lie in the rea-
son. Not that we are to throw rea-
son away in matters of religion; for
while faith is ofttimes above reason,
it is by no means contrary to it. The
voice of reason. however, is not to be
considered final and authoritative.
Can we not depend upon conscience.
that organ as delicate and sensitive
as the balance turned by a speck of
dust, to admonish us of evil, to praise
US for the good, and settle for US
the right and wrong of matters re-
ligious? We have but to recall into
what incalculab1e mischief the con-
sciences of some men have led them
Saul of Tarsus, for example-to recog-
nize speedily that we must look else
where for our authority. I'm all good
I rs% 12nr "
heresies in their books, and under
the sanctions of religious conscience
| have performed deeds of violence and
shame
There are people who claim that
the church is the ultimate authority
In matters of faith and practice. This
| Is the position of the Roman church
Called of God, divinely founded, with
| perpetual witnesses to the truth, with
| bishops and councils-surely the
church is a sufficient guide. Yet what
enormities have fourished under the
| banner of the church! So long as
she is composed of fallible human be-
| ings the church can never be final
and authoritative in matters of faith
| and practice.
On every hand we hear the cry,
| Back to Christ" he and he alone,
| is the final and ultimate authority in
| all these matters We certainly have
no desire to take any glory away
from the church's Lord and Master
in order to give it to so sacred book
even as the. Bible. We are willing
| to go back to Christ But where
| shall we find him? With the excep-
| ton of a reference in Josephus and
a line or two in Tacitus where, out
| side of the Bible, shall we find Christ
So we see that in order to get back
to Christ we are In duty bound tc
1 fall back upon the Scriptures.
For our master himself the Scrip
1 lures were considered sufficient au
| thority in matters of faith and prac
/ tice It would repay. anyone to looh
| up all the passages in which these
| words of the master occur, is it not
1 written?' Have We not read?'
What saith the Scriptures?" 1T IL
written" A careful study of such
i Scripture references viii reveal the
fact that Christ referred to the Scrip
lures as the authority which settled
matters of faith and practice for him
Should the Bible be less to the church
than 1t was to the church's master
/ We think not