Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-15

Phillips Brooks claimed that "religi-
Gus people read thin superficial books
of religious sentiment, but do not
meet face-to-face the strong, eXacting
masculine pages of their Bibles" If
any Christian neglects to use the
Bible, the fault rests with him. 1t can
be carried with us at all times and in
every place as a constant companion,
ready at any moment to impart unto
us more abundant life. The Bible
differs from the sacred volumes of
other faith, like the MaXims of Con-
fucius and the Koran, in that it is
book of life The pagan writings
command, but the Holy Sculptures seek
to persuade men through their reve-
lations of the love Of Jehovah for His
people. Throughout the centuries He
has been struggling with men to make
them know Him, burdened for the
welfare of His people, and unwilling
to give them up to reap the results
of their neglect of His word.
The Bible Surasses all other books
in the world by it's wonderful unity.
1t is composed of Sc separate books,
that were penned by 40 different
writer's during the period of fifteen
hundred years. These authors were
| drawn from all the varied walks of
life, of varied culture, and yet.
although each one of these books had
| a definite message, the Bible is not a
compilation of heterogeneous pam
phlets, but is one book, with a teach
ing of the One God running through
it from the beginning to the end. 1t
) required centuries to produce this
book, because it had to be lived be-
fore it was written. "Out of the life,
| for the life, must the word of life be
understood" While the Bible grew
out of religion that produced men
willing to hear Gods voice, it was to
souls open to receive His message
that Jehovah spoke, with the result
that holy men of God spake as they
were moved by the Holy Ghost" The
messages of these men under the
leadership of the Holy Spirit have
produced Christianity by imparting to
men the message of redemption, that
has given them life from above.
Divine Author.
In Deuteronomy, that has been
called the evangel of law, we find
Moses calling upon Israel to hear
Gods voice. In the opening verse
we have the third revelation that the
great teacher and law-giver of Israel
gave of the being of Jehovah, telling
the nation that He was One. In Cen
esis he spoke of God as the Almighty
and in Exodus he said that He was
Eternal. Having revealed Jehovah as
the highest Power, Eternity, and
Unity, Moses called upon Israel to
learn and obey Gods law. The per-
petuity, perfection, and power OF the
Bible is due to the fact that the
author of the sacred Scriptures Is
none other than Jehovah, who made
known the reality of His interest In
their affairs by His revelations given
to the holy men, who were moved Dy
he Holy Spirit to speak.
Although 'the world is ablaze with
God from atom to archangel," that
illustrates the message of the Blble
to men, the foundation Of our faltn
and our hopes of salvation are all
drawn from the Scriptures. Inc
Bible makes the reader frankly race
| the fact that the mystery OF lie
gives us a blessed experience by which
| the secret purpose of Coo Is mace
known to us. and even more IN a
passionate belief in love. the love OF
friend and neighbor, and the love
of God" and in the absolute falth
that we are all of us. from the lowest
and most degfiraded human soul TO
the Hottest and wiSeSt, knit together
with chains of infinite nearness ana
DEAFNESS under God and lin Him ana
through His Grace we have been given
a fellowship with Him." The Bible has
brought us our freedom and fa1th.
1t has offered itself to us through
out all it's pages as a servant or our
souls, as an enduring and perfect
standard of truth and light to illumi-
nate our pathway and to guide our
steps
The secret of understa nding the
Bible depends upon our knowing and
doing Gods will. IF any man willeth
to do His will, he shall know of the
teaching" There is a spirit in man
and the inspiration of the Almighty
giveth him understanding when he
comes to the Bible to learn it's revela-
tons concerning Gods thoughts,
desires and purpose for men and
nations.
The Bibles Message.
We should approach the Bible in
spirit of Willingness to know God and
do His will, If we expect to hear the
revelations it contains for us con
corning God and our fellowship with
Him. We can't know Him without
loving Him, as we are called upon to
do in the commandment that sums
up our obligations to Jehovah. we
will love Him Wnen we see now
throughout the centuries He has been
seeking to save the lost and impart
His life unto men. Meyer calls our
attention to the fact that 1--WE are not
called upon to love God with our
heart alone, which stands for our
emotional nature; nor with our soul.
which represents our individuality;
but with our might"
The Christian is not satisfied to
obtain for himself information con-
corning his own life. that would de-
velop his spiritual life and fit him for
Gods service; he has been summoned
to pass on to others the message of
Divine Grace. Ever since the days of
Abraham, the religious faiths that
recognize the part he has played as
, Gods friend, SO that they speak of
him as Father Abraham, have taught
the obligation has rested upon the par
ents to teach their children the way of
life. The home has always been the
source of our largest knowledge of
Gods word. This is the almost univer-
sal testimony of men of all creeds and
countries. The strength of Judaism
has been due to the religious teachings
given to the Jewish children In the
home where the wearing Of the
phylactery and the reverent touching