The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-05-08
Churches Observe Bible Society Centennia Church Conseca
BIBLE IS FOUNDATION
OF LAWS OF NATION

VI LIMO vi NAHUM
DIR. w. Asbury Christian Says Bible is
Most Revolutionary Power
In Existence.
DR.. Asbury Christian preached last
night at Union Station Church on
The Bible. the Foundation OF the
Nation" He took as his text the
words from the Psalms: The en-
trance Of Thy word giveth light.u DR.
Christian said that there were few
more important anniversaries than
the one which Is being celebrated at
this time throughout the nation. The
one hundredth anniversary of the
founding OF the American Bible So
ciety.
The work of this society was a
potent factor In the esta 5lishment OF
the nation. When 1t is remembered
that this society has distributed an
hundred and ten millions of copies of
the Word of God. we begin to get
some idea Of its mighty work
The Bible Is the most revolution
airy power In existence. It's powerful,
silent influence making for the tear
ing down Of the strongholds OF sin
The nations of the Bible are the lead
ing nations of the world. To the
Bible more than any other cause Is
due the awakening of China, the
progress of Japan, the new era in
Korea, the uplift in india and the
new life Of the islands of the sea. But
special attention is directed to the
Bible as the great factor in the max
ing OF our own nation There were
two important ways in which the
Bible had done so much In establish
/ Ing the nation. In the formation Of
her laws, in the establishment of her
institutions and in establishing the
proper relations between man and
man. The other was In building the
/ character or the people who make the
nation.
Laws Based on Bibles Teaching.
'lt would be an interesting study ia
trace the Influence of the Bible upon
the laws OF the land and TO note how
these laws were elevated as the iizht
or the Bible was sent abroad. Through
its influence laws haze been enacted
esta hlishing Justice and promoting
righteousness The beginning of our
| system Of education was the direct
effect OF the teaching OF the Word OF
God and our first institutions y:
learning were esta hlished through the
influence OF the Bible. The revival OF
4 learning In this country as In others
/ is promoted by the Bible The
/ churches everywhere are but the prod
/ uct of His Word Until the light OF
the Word entered hospitals were I'M
known. 1t was a meaningful sign that
at entrance OF the great Johns Hoo
kins Hospital in Baltimore there was
a large figure of Jesus. The home
/ for the erphan and the home of the
"A nd ia fsyrr
until the Bible diffused It's light Tho
freedom of man from bodily slavery
and from industrial servitude was
/ brought about through the power OF
! the living Word OF God, and the up
! lift of women and TIN emancinatlon
I OF children from the serfdom of self
ishness and greed is part of its work
! The civic betterment which is now ad-
vancing along the avenues OF temper
ance and social services has it's incep-
ton and inspiration In the Word OF
God. Thus, in sending out the Word
of God. the American Bible Sociat,
has been aiding in the upbuilding OF
the nation.
TBut IN a greater sense has the
I Weird If vGea been the foundation OF
the nation. 1t has been the founda
tion of the character OF the people
who have made America. If our navy
were destroyed. the country would
survive; II our army were disbanded
the nation would live. or If our grea;
Constitution were torn TO shreds we
should not he ruined; but If the char
acter OF the people were wrecked, the
nation would be destroyed.
The words OF Mason in the i'm
mortal bill Of rights are in place here
No free government or the blessings
of liberty can be preserved to any peo-
pie but by firm adherence to justice
moderation temperance frugality and
virtue, and by the frequent recurrence
to fundamental PRINCIPLES The
mighty power producing these quail,
ties in the lives OF men and women is
the Word OF God. And It speaks NOT
with the variety OF human authority
but with the fixed authority of divine
I wisdom Take the Bible from the
American people. or any other people
as for that matter, and you knock the
keystone out of the arch OF govern
/ ment- which can no longer stand
Hence the Bible Society. in spreading
the Bible, has helped to build the
character of the people who have
builded the nation.
There has never been a time when
so many men and women were dill.
gently studying the Word Of God as a
this time. and this can but mean an
uplft of the people, which means The
rapid progress of the nation. Let the
flood-tide Of light from His Word pour
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