The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1914-04-03

l.. L,
Knowing this
first, that no prophecy of the Scrip
ture is of any private Interpretation
Tor origin, for it seems clear that 1t
Is to the source rather than to the
exposition of the Scripture that refer
ence is here made.1 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 1t is the letter, in.
breathed 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.
Tho Bible the Authority In Matters Of
Faith and Practice.
Where is the seat of authority In
matters of religion? This is always
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 der
lusions to satisfy himself that the seat
Of authority does not lie in the rear
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 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 incalculable 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
conscience men have written deadly
heresies in their books, and under
the sanctions Of a religious conscience
have performed deeds Of violence and
shame" 5
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
bishops and councils-surely the
church is a sufficient guide. Yet what
enormities have f1ourished 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.
hn
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 1t to so sacred book
even as the Bible. We are willing
to 60 ''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 fnd Christ?
So we see that in order to 'get back
to Christ" we are in duty bound to
fall back upon the Scriptures.
For our master himself the Scrip
lures were considered sufficient au.
thority in matters of faith and prac-
tice 1t would repay anyone to look
up all the passages in which these
words Of the master occur, rs 1t not
written?" "Have ye not read?"
What saith the Scriptures?" 'It is
written" A careful strdy of such
Scripture references will 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 it was to the churshs master?
We think not.
A Roman Catholic priest on being
asked 10 prove that the church. /. e..
the Roman Catholic church, is the
final authority, referred the inquirer
to Matthew 1913, 19: Thou art
Peter, and upon this roc g." etc., say
ing: There is my authority for
claiming authority for my church" Do
you not see the ludicrousness of his
position-he had to get back to the
Scriptures for authority to prove that
his church had any authority, and so
the Bible, in the last analysis. was
the final authority.