The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1918-05-30

1t and reread II and reread 1t. 1t re-
qulres heart determination TO do
that, for our threefold enemy Will
rise up and say mo" when we at
tempt to read the Book.
The world will say "You are too
busy" or you will think There are
too many important things requiring
my time to use 1t reading the Bible"
Many look to the preacher to give
them their spiritual food The Lord
does give his people pastors but the
pastors study can never take the
place of ones own individual study.
The world will do what II can TO op-
pose the reading Of the Book. The
world has subtle ability to fill our
lives so full Of seemingly important
things, will bring so many crowdlng
opportunities for the use Of our time
that we need heart determination to
make time for Bible reading.
The flesh will also oppose II. We
become so tired physically. 1t Is a
remarkable thing that one can sit
down with an interesting book and be-
come so absorbed In II as to read far
into the night and not feel sleepy.
But how quickly the flesh wants to
sleep and how the head mods when we
would read the Bible for an hour or
two In the evening.
The devil also will hinder II he
can. He will suggest the difficulty of
understanding what we read, will say
the Bible Is closed book to our
minds and do all he can to bring dis
couragement. But If we are to come
TO an understanding of the truth and
keep our souls strong and healthy, we
must read and reread the Book itself.
Not books about the Bible, nor eX.
positions by man, but the Bible itself
In the second place, we must have
heart determination TO allow the
Book TO mean what 1t says. We must
permit II TO define Its own terms. We
must make II explain itself. 1t will
answer questions concerning the words
and terms II uses. We go to the Bible
unconsciously prejudiced. We think
we know the truth and naturally sup
pose what the Bible says ought &c
agree with our thought. If II does
not agree we are In danger of fore
ing into II our own ideas rather than
let II mean what II says. We come tC
II too often for confirmation instead
of information. | do not mean that
one shall determine to accept all II
says at once, nor to believe all IL says
ut once, but | mean that we shall al
low II to mean what II says and &c
define Its own terms whether that
agrees with us or not. And soon We
will find that we agree with It, In
this way much confusion will be avoid
ed. In the third place, there must be
heart determination to allow II tC
speak to oneself. II am to study the
Bible profitably | must allow 1t tC
speak to me and not try to dodge. w,
are all more or less adept as spiritual
dodgers The incident, recorded II
the fourth chapter Of st. John is {
very human picture. Our Lord en-
cages the woman In conversation. Sht
Is hesitant about II because II is {
strange thing for jew to speak L
Samaritan, but she enters into the
conversation. Gradually our Lord goe!
n little deeper into her history unit
finally he puts his finger on the sor'
spot. She tries TO escape the issue b!
attempting to sldetrack him. The mo
ment he gets his finger on the sor,
spot, she says "Our fathers worshlpet
In this mountain and We say that II
Jerusalem Is the place for worship.
That sounds religious and interesting
but II Is mere subterfuge to avoi,
the issue. We will do that IN ou
minds to dodge what the Book says &
us personally.
II Is difficult to allow the Book I,
speak to our own hearts but Blbl
study Is valueless and indeed danger
Gus unless 1t is allowed to bear frul
I'm our lives. II cannot be studle,
merely as literature. This then Is tn
needed preparation for profitable Bibl
study-a heart determination to rca,
the Book-to allow II TO mean wha
II says and to permit It to speak 4
our own hearts.