Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-08-17


and clearer and fuller of meaning
than any other, there is a difference
in Bibles. The passing of the cum
bersonfe family Bible is not to be re-
gretted where 1t is supplanted by the
more convenient and usable indi-
Vidual Bibles in the best translation.
He is poor indeed who does not
possess his own Bible, more IA
miliar to his fingers than any other
book.
King Josiah found his in a tenn
pie. That Is where it would natur-
ally be looked for; although it is
sometimes lost from modern church
es. People go to church to find out
| what the word of God is; they do
not want a garbled edition of the
daliy paper, nor some mans homilet-
lcal essay on the topics OF. the times,
nor even mans Ingenious comments
on the Book itself; they want the
WORD, plainly and directly presented
and expounded.
The Cornerstone of Reform
This great find was exactly what
was needed to make Josiah's reforms
deep and abiding. There is no per-
manent basis for religious progress
except generally read Bible. There
N~NNNA
ethical revival" bpt no merely eth
zeal revival can come to stay; it must
be sustained by study of the Scrip
| lures. Impulses and emotions pass
the Bible remains. No matter how
many converts revival may GAIN
most of them Will lapse unless they
are fed and nurtured by intelligent
persistent study of the quickening
Word. 1t is a portentiousi fact that
only where the Bible has been a liv-
| ing book has Christianity fiourished
In vitality and fruitlessness. Many
a soldier will testify that it was
| worth his while to go into the
trenches to become acquainted with
a pocket Testament.
Even purely secular body like
| the National Educational Associa-
lon, has spoken out in unmistakable
| terms concerning the Indispensable
lty OF the Bible in any complete
scheme of modern education. The
| pre-emlnent Importance of the Bible
in public instruction and progress is
indicated by Huxley's saying, The
Bible has been the Magma Charta of
the poor and oppressed"
After all, the world needs and
must have, some ihvariable rule of
| conduct. The final appeal is not to
convention, reason or conscience; for
those are fallible. The supreme
court of ethics is the old Bible,
which has for centuries moulded the
| llVes of the best people of the world.
A Book That Does Things
No other writings have the Bibles
power to make men squirm. 1t has
| the keenest, subtlest, most biting and
most burning language ever penned,
as we'll as the gentlest, tenderest and
most comforting. The power of the
| Book to move men to action is pro-
| turned empires and been the domi-
mating influence in shaping the
course of history. 1t has nerved men
to battle and it has bent them to the
dust in contrition. The power of the
| simple Word of God to transform
| lives is none the less marvellous be-
cause an everyday spectacle. Presi-
dent Wilson's long training in the
| ethics and language of the Bible has
been wonderful fruit for the world.
| Well did the Psalmist say, THE en-
trance of Thy Word giveth light"
and again, "Wherewithal shall a
young man cleanse his way? BY
taking heed thereto according to
| Thy Word"
Young King Josiah SO felt. The
| reading of the newly discovered Law
stirred his spirits depths. He rent
| his clothes in anguish as he contem-
| plated his peoples sins afresh in the
| light of this revelation. 1t has been
said that truth can only be under
| stood in the light of a deed; con-
Versely, a deed can only be under
stood in the light of truth. Josiah
| felt as if the unshaped stone from
the mountain was about to fall upon
his nation to crush it. For the first
result of an accession of Gods light
| is an intense hatred for sin. That is
| why the purest souls are most con-
cerned over their own impurity.
What he learned, moved Josiah to
| know more. We go through present
! knowledge to greater knowledge. He
has that pre-eminently royal trait of
| the noblest human spirits, a thirst
| for truth. Therefore he sent the
priests to inquire further concerning
| the will of Jehovah. Willingness to
| know the will of God is a sign of the
truly religious. Some there be who
| lament the decline of the old-fash-
ioned, hilarious camp meeting from
this continent; but since its place
| is being more than filled by the
Summer Bible conferences, which
are characterized by education in
stead of excitement, though with no
less devotion, one can scarcely regret
the change which the times are wit
| Messing.
The messengers repaired to a
woman prophet, 1ulda. she gave
| Jehovah's word to Josiah and 1t was
dire message. With a THUS saith
Jehovah" she foretold the fulfillment
! of the curses which the King has
read in the newly discovered Law,
because the chosen people had for
! saken God ana worshiped idols
Causes produce effects; righteous
ness exalteth a nation, but sin is a
reproach to any people," Suffering
follows SHINING. God is not mock
ed; whatsoever a man soweth. that
shall he also reap" Doom was the
destiny of the derelict Jews.
Right here comes in the working
of a higher law than the laws of ma
ture; law written in the character
of God. The gracious Jehovah was
mindful of Josiah's faithfulness. His
tender-hearted humility had pleased
the great King. Thus, for Josiah's
sake, He promised to avert the evil
prophesied, so that His faithful SER
want should never see it. In this
manner, Josiah stood in the breach
between the nation and it's Just
Lord. For his sake the people were
spaed; even as many a community
has been spared by the remnant of
~ -S..I,k T..