The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1917-12-28

#Aa & Alright is life eter-
nal. OF h e r wise
there would not be so many weak and
wasted lives, so much doubt and fear,
and despair, so much cruel oppres-
sion, and bitter hatred, and rivers red
with human blood
For some time the Moody Bible insti-
tute has been urged to add to it's ac-
tivities the work of promoting daily
Bible reading. There are several or
CARNATIONS already doing excellent
work along this line, but most of them
reach only a limited number of people
For this reason, and for the further
reason that in spite of all that is being
done, there yet remains a large num-
Der Of processing Christians who are
doing no systematic reading, of the
Bible, and millions of others who al
most ignore the book, we feel led to
urge the readers of this column to CO.
operate in this work.
We realize that the members of
Christian Endeavor societies, and
smaller organizations, are already
pledged to read the Bible daily. Fur
thermore, the covenants of most
churches require their members to do
the same, but large proportion of
Gods people, both young and old, are
not doing 1t, and therein lies their
weakness.
Make 1t Interesting.
How to induce them to do what they
already admit is their duty, is the
problem. To scold them is worse than
useless. To bind upon them addi-
tional pledges is Improbable. The only
method which seems likely to succeed,
is for pastors and lay workers to make
the Bible so interesting and attractive
that people will feel that they cannot
afford to neglect 1t. That we cannot
make 1t interesting to others, unless
we enjoy it ourselves, is evident, but
we must enjoy it, or resign our posi-
ton as leaders to those who do enjoy
it.
A man might lecture eloquently on
the geological formation of Alaska
and the possibility of finding gold
there, without persuading any of his
audience to become miners; but the
Ildi WHO CODleS lIDlu tUt ukDI Will
his pockets full Of nuggets will fire the
community and start a stream OF
miners toward the great Northwest
Even so, the pastor or lay worker who
is continually opening up the riches OF
Gods Word, and showing his people
how to find it for themselves, will soor
have q Bible-reading, Bible-loving flocl
who will n be satisfied with anything
else, and who will cooperate with hin
in any reasonable effort for the exten
sion of the kingdom.
If all church officers would, with tn,
pastors, insist upon daily worship ant
daily Bible reading in the homes o
all the Christians in the land, them
selves becoming examples and In
spirers therein, God would answer tn
effort and service with such a bless
ing to his church as the world ha
never known. The people would b.
more godly, and the world would hav
preached to them the greatest sermon
Of these nineteen centuries.
To Pastors Especially.
And now, pastors, will you help us
unu let us utlp you! we 10 not Gull
to have any special light or wisdom o.
this matter, and we would not pre-
sumo to teach you who have long an
prayerfully pondered this problem Blu
we have a vision of a widespread an
appalling need, q mighty famine of th
Word of God and we believe that
wise and persistent campaign to pre-
mote daily Bible reading is great
needed.
We know there is power in the Wore
Almighty power, power sufficient fo
every need, and we believe that wit
your cooperation we can let loos
some of that power, and make thi
column a blessing to multitudes {
hungry hearts and homes. BY givin
helpful methods, timely illustration
brief expositions, and stirring test
monies, we believe that you and we t.
gether can prove a blessing to tho
sands and tens of thousands.
VIII you join hands with US in tn
campaign? VIII you preach on II
theme of daily Bible reading and st
up your people on the subject? Wi
you tell us of any plans you have four
helpful in arousing an interest in Il
Bible? And will you pray for US, ,
we do daily for you?