The Washington herald., 1922-03-20
FAITH IS INDUCED
BY BIBLElAND NOT
GREAT EDUCATION
Pastor Long Says God
Speaks as Through In
,spired Word.
PASTOR w, 8. LONG.
Church of Christ (Disciples).

Church Of Christ (DIscipies).
subject-"God Is Speaking to U.s."
or The Word OF God n Nations
Life"
Text-',God. who nj sundry times
and in diverse manners spaae in
times past unto the fathers, by the
prophets, hath in these last days
sRoken, unto us.by Ills Son"
Many are the reasons we have to
rejoice that God has not left the
human race in darkness. but Is ten
derby speaking to us through His
inspired Word. the Bible. Evidence
Is growing stronger every day that
man. Is diligently seeking the light
that will lead him to happiness.
purity. success. and to heaven when
he departs this life. What we need
to learn. in the outset of this dis
course. IL that God Is the source
of. all spiritual light and that the
Bible is the medium through which
He reveals His will to man. What
would we know of God without the
Bible? Imagine world without
the Bible!
Nations that are attempting 10
know God and are without the Bible
crimes in attempting to pay holy
reverence to u Supreme Being. Think
of a. mother throwing her little
child into the GanGes River as an
act of worship, or burning the ch'l-
dren to give praise to a god! Oar
thanksgiving ought to be multi @.
piled a thousand times because God
has given to man the Bible to lead
him out of such criminal darkness
into a life of purity. and We ought
to sacrifice more than we have to
give this wonderful Book to those
who have II not. Thanks to the
Gideons who have placed the Bible
in THOUSANDS OF hotels. and to those
who are giving time and money to
have the Bible published In all the
languages of earth.
Bible From God.
am going to assume that every
one here today believes the Bible
to be Gods perfect will to man, and
that 1t is here that God is speak
ing TO you and me. But if you
should doubt II, there is one fact
that would satisfy every sane and
reasonable man. The Bible has been
proven to be Gods word as many
humanity, The reception of its
truth has lifted heather nations
from the lowest depths of corrup-
ton to the greatest heights of pur-
ity, intelligence. and usefulness
Our Lord said in that great Sermon
on the Mount, by their fruits you
shall know them" Matt. 1850 go
the fruit produced by the Bible
stamps 1T with the seal Of God
Intuition. conscience, nor great
learning will lead man to God Man
may look upon the wonders and
beauties of nature. and feel that
there is some great being. yet he
remains in darkness. When the
Great Apostle Paul made his first
visit to Athens he found II a city
of learning and philosophy. They
had placed before them Iaily the
wonders of God in nature; they had
a conscience: and they had much
learning in art and science, and
yet they were worshipping idols
With all this learning they could
not find God. and knew nothing Of
what to do to be saved. or of the
life beyond the grave.
Their Real Guide.
In the memorable discourse. by
the Apostle Paul, found in the Eth
chapter Of Acts he revealed to these
scholarly men the true God ana
that there would be a resurrection.
All of this was new to them, and
some scoffed at it. but others wanted
to know more about God. So intui-
ton, conscience. nor nature. can be
our guide. Often you hear some one
say: Il will follow the dictates of
my conscience" The office of con-
science is not for an infallible
guide. Conscience. Is that faculty
that urges man tc do what he is
taught to be right. 1t is the i'm
perative power of the soul. and the
voice of the intellect that cries out
in man 70 follow what he believes
to be Gods will. Faith comes from
hearing thes Word of God. the Bible.
This is his guide book and not
conscience. So II man will read the
Bible then conscience will say:
Follow the Divine Guide Book, -"
and he will be led by the law Of
God. and not by his own will.
My text says: God spake to our
fathers by the prophets but In these
last days He has spoken to us by
his Son." Had you been living in the
days of Abraham. or the days of
Moses you would have offered ami
NAL sacrifices which was a figure of
things to come. But since Christ
has come and nailed that law to
the cross. we are no longer under
the law of Moses" He now speaks
to US through his Son. and the New
Testament is. our guide today.