The Prescott daily news., 1918-03-19
THE BIBLE
By H. B. NJ.

Bible is a great book and accept the saving as true without making any special investigation to verify it. In what does it's greatness consist? The answer to this question depends much on the point of view. It is great ln- deed from many standpoints. 1t IS an epitome of the spiritual life of a race who gave to the world the true meaning of the god idea which cul- inmates in Jesus Christ. Its great ness lies in it's spirit rather than in it's form and yet in many respects it is a model in form. Its beauty and strength lie in it's subject matter rather than in it's style and yet its style is the most fascinating among all literatures.
 In all Christendom the Bible stands as the most unique of books because therein Christians look to find the very word of God. It is to them a divine message, pure and full and they gladly accept it as binding rule of faith and life. This alone is sufficient to make it the greatest of books. In it God speaks to men and from it men learn of God Hebrew history was dominated by God. From Him came all the messages of the prophets and out of Him came the sagacity of the statesmen, the wis dom of the lawgivers, the inspiration of the poets, the faith and zeal of the great missionaries of civilizations dawn All the disclosures of Hebrew civilization find their most perfect ultimate expression in Jesus Christ, record of whose life we have in the gospels. He is Gods word incarnate. Thus througout, the Bible makes claim to be the very word of God and this determines it's nature.
 Christ since he came into the world and especially since his death and resurrection has been the greatest figure in history. The spirit of Christian faith and doctrine finds in Him it's most perfect utterance. He stands in the center of the Book. On Him all prophesies converge. In Him all excellency, all grace and all beauty combine. From Him all-instructions and all mercies and all judgments proceed. He is the Son of God. In his words to the woman in John 4-24 he says, "God is a spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth" This funda- mental fact stands forth as brilliant ly clear as the noon day sun in all the obscurity of Genesis i-xi, and again in the bewildering mysteries of the Apocalypse. This inexpressibly profound teaching concerning God, more than anything else, gives the Bible its peerless worth. It is not abstract but stands out in life su- preme principle, a profound thought, an overwhelming conviction.
 The Bible then is a book of life. It appeals to men and commands them. It is a record of the life of men. It is always dealing with per sons. It is searcher of hearts, crucible wherein character is tested and refined. Its love is as pure as crystal, it's truth as indestructible as granite, it's judgment as just as God himself, it's rebukes as stern as an irresistible force and it's mercies as tender as soldiers last farewell. It is book always handling values of the highest character, but dealing with them in the simplest forms. It 1 has an amazing amount of matter on righteousness and sin, on law and ob- ligation, on duty and responsibility It is a book of ethics supreme ethics which spring from the very heart of God in which Christ alone is again the norm.
 Such is the Bible, revealing Gods true being, perpetually enshrined in history, it's central religious and ethi- cal teachings fundamental postulates voicing Gods message to men.
 Is such book worth while? Is it worth while in Prescott? Has it a message appealing to all conditions of men among us and is it worthy of serious systematic study in the Sun 
 day school, in the training class, in | the pew?