The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-01-15
HOW TO GET HELP
FROM A SINCERE
STUDY OF BIBLE
DR.. GiIroy Gives Pointers on
Best Way to Study
Great Book.

The International Uniform Sunday
School Lesson for Jan. IS. How tC
Get Help From the Bible. Deut
6:4-9; 2 Tim. SHALT.
BY VIM. f.. GilrOy, ID. ID.
Editor of The CongregatiOnalist.
Few themes are Of more practica
Importance than this. There is a
sense in which to read the Bible nj
all is to get help. One can hardly
think of anybody reading that book
even If he had never heard of it OF
read it before, without immediate
ly finding truth and help for life
This is particularly true of those
who would read without their minds
being in any way biased or corrupted
by theories or presuppositions.
When one reads the Bible more
closely and thoroughly, however
questions and difficulties begir
TO develop. One does not find II
a book of which all teachings are
upon the same level. 1t is the story
of a progressive revelation, and g
gradual discovery of truth that found
its elimination In the life and teach
ing Of Jesus of Nazareth.
IF the early books of the Bible
gave us the full revelation of God
there would be no need of the
Gospels; but no man can read the
Bible from cover to cover without
being conscious of the fact that ir
the New Testament he is lifted t.
a higher plane, upon which one
finds the fulf1llment of the deeI
and prophetic truth of the earlier
quest for God. So the method OF
Bible study, and common sense in
the use of the great book, become
of vital Importance.
Need of Such a Book
The actual text of our lesson does
not emphasize in detail the nature
of this help. 1t does lay great stress
upon the need In religion of a book
Of membranes, the Importance OF
sacred writings for a sacred life. We
call the Bible the Book of Life,
and no name for it could be>more APP.
propriate. 1t is the book that pre-.
eminently teaches men how to live
We can offer here only few great
general suggestions for the most
profitable reading of the Bible.
1. 1t should be remembered that
it is not one book but many. Sixty
six books, covering in their author
ship period at least twice as long
as that of American history, have
been gathered together to Jconsti
tute the one book. There were
other sacred writings which, for
various reasons, were excluded from
the list of books that we call the
Bible.
The Bible, as we have It, could
have come to US only through the
work of scholars. and thinkers, anc
critics who studied the ancient
manuscripts and whose Judgment
on the whole is upheld. The great
work that these have done should
make us reverent toward all sincere
scholarship today, for men have not
always been any more agreed about
various matters in connection with
these books of the Bible than they
are agreed at the present time.
We should study the Bible will
open minds and with regard for its
supreme truth. realizing that mary
details are of minor importance II
relation to the supreme purpose Of
the Bible in leading men to God.
.. When. the Christian has dis.
covered the Christ of the Bible,
the book takes on new meaning,
everything becomes related to the
Christ spirit, and the progressive ma
ture of revelation is readily per
Ceived and understood.
One does. not think longer Of new
truth as opposed to old truth; 1t is
matter of truth assuming newer
and larger forms of expression
What happens in the experience OF
the Christian, whose prayer for
growth and grace in the knowledge
OF Christ is answered. illustrates
the process by which the Bible came
into being.
Man and His Fellows
3. The Bible is a great textbook
of mans relationship to his fellows
1t is the story of religion In civiliza
ton, and of how truth may become
expressed in the lives of men among
their fellows. The man who is
studying the Bible simply as q
theoretical book without putting il
into practice in his life will never
derive its help.
It's purpose is to enlarge oul
vision, to give us a true sense Of
standards, and of values, to lead
us to God so that we may see the
world more as God sees, 1t. Thi.
is the great fact of the Bible anc
it is a fact concerning 1t from
cover to cover@that it brings Coo
and man together. On it's frs
page is the glorious conception o.
man as made in the image and like
ness of God.
That is the most profound fact o.
religion-that God and man are one
and it was this fact that Jesus came
to make real and effective. His worl
was that of atonement.
After all, Bible helps will help us
only as much as we desire to bt
helped. The great thing is TO come t.
our Bible with prayerful spirit
with the reverent quest of grace anc
knowledge, and above all with oper