Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-04-24
Interchangeable Book.

The book that may not be enlarged or
abridged, amended or in any way al
tered is the worlds supreme booh
"Cities fall" said Bishop Jewell,
Kingdoms come to nothing, empires
fade away as smoke. Where is Numa.
Minos. Lycursus" Where are their
books" What has become of their
should have been able to consume, no
tradition to choke, no hereto malici-
ously to corrupt: that it should stand
unto this day, amid the wreck of all
that is human. without the alteration
of one sentence SO as to change the
doctrine taught therein surely there is
a very singular providence claiming
our attention in this most remarkable
manner"
The supremacy of a book is disclosed
brings to the world. That the Bible is
the worlds greatest and best book is
demonstrated by the fact that wherever
it has gone social and political condi-
tions have been made better.
1t has lifted heavy burdens from the
poor and the oppressed; it has brought
comfort to the hopeless and sorrowing
it has impaired strength to the wea X
and erring: it has given knowledge and
understanding to the ignorant, and 1t
has given higher and nobler aspiratlo
to men, and everywhere added to the
sum of human happiness.
There is nothing truer than the words
of the psalmist, 1.-The entrance of Thy
word giveth light"
Where the Bible is unknown moral
darkness envelopes the people as a
thick cloud. but wherever the Bible is
placed In the hands of a non-Chrtstian
people there will begin an elevation In
the moral tone of the people. The Bible
the world to higher ideals Of life.
No other book has ever nodded ma
lions into higher forms of morality and
civilization.
The test of a book is its results. and
by that test the Bible is without
competitor.
Literary Excellence.
The Bible has no equal in the line of
literary excellence. 1t has i'll il finer
strains of poetry and eloquence OF
thought and expression than can be
collected from all other DOCKS VI an!
age or language.
An amusing illustration of the Bibles
superior literary merit is found in the
story told by Daniel Webster of noted
French infidel. who happened to find In
a. drawer of his library some stray
leaves Of an unknown volume. AL
though this man had been in the con-
slant habit of denounctng the Bible,
like most of the so-called free thinkers,
he had never Teau any part VI IL. Lie
leaves he found contained the prayer
of Habakkuk (TIab -.
Being a man of fine literary taste, he
was charmed with its poetic beauty, and
FASTENED TO the clubhouse to an
nounce the discovery to his associates
OF course, they were anxious to know
the name of the gifted author. to which
question the elated infidel replied:
"A writer by the name of Hab-ba-
koop, of course, Frenchman.'
Of h rISn han Far ~
that the passage he was SO enthusi
q Frenchman, or even by one of his own
class of free thinkers, but was penned by
one of Gods ancient prophets. and was
contained in the book he so greatly de-
spised, the Bible.
1t can be readily accorded that this
Frenchman was at least q fine judge
of literary merit, for the great scholars
and writer's have always regarded the
third chapter of Habakkuk as one of
the sublimest passages of inspired liter
allure.
The Bible is the worlds supreme
book not primarily on account of its
superior poetry and eloquence and its
excellence in style of expression, hut
by reason of the eternal truths it re-
veals for mans guidance on the road
to happiness and heaven.
The Bible is one of the worlds great
facts. 1t is here, and should be the su-
preme book In the estimation of all
men, for 1t is the plenary deliverance
Of the ono only true God
Reader, Is the Bible the supreme book
10 yoi"