HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1893-2-17, Page 9ontoop000ffoneoffeurffizatorlmfarmsfoom
s
BRUSSELS, ONTARIO, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY
17, 18H.
THE LITERARY PRE-EMiN-
ENCE AND POWER OF
THE SCRIPTURES.
hl: inn rev. n 11n,SV1. attoo+I•:I,a.
The following address was recently
delivered at a meeting of the .Bible So-
ciety, held hi Ethel Presbyterian
church :--
The Bible is the ,nu.ot n_ opnlar of all
hooks ; it was once, and still is, with
in 111V people, the mast despised. 1t is
( , 1'a Book ; it to "the hook" ; it is "the
Gospel" ; "the Good News of Salvation"
to sinners. It is an honest book ; all
hooks are not honest. It is profound in
its thoughts; at the s,una time it is
ailnple in its statements. To many it 18
stn c.nit;tna—it lo paradoxical ; still it is
noited to the conditions of All men.
[lead knowledge of the Bible is to be
commended ; heart knowledge is indis-
pensable to the man who would study its
Mages aright. It is a book which many
of the wisest of man fail to comprehend,
and yet the most illiterate may apprehend
its truths. The subject matter treated of
in the Holy Scriptures to most complex,
though its themes cure suited to every
mind. It affords food both for mind and
hsart. A knowledge of the Scriptures as
e. whole is lo be sought after, but a simple
eeoteuco may, and often does, answer the
purposes intended byita Divine Author.
't'ila beauty of the Bible does not consist
in "the got.up" of the book ; it would be
priceless If printed upon stripe of rags.
A copy con be procured for a few Dents,
yet tho world full of diamonds or rubies
or the most costly pearls could not
purchase its saving power. It is a use-
less book if improperly applied. To the
aeeptio it becomes a destroying sword ;
to the atheist it says, "Thou art a fool 1"
to the man of the world It is "dry as
duet,'(
Use the Bible aright, and it becomes
instinctive with light, because its author,
7eetla Christ, is "The Light of elle
World." The the Word aright, and it
becomes instinctive with love, because
”(141. is love." "It is the power of God
WAD salvation to every ono that belie,-
eth "
Let me illootrate, Philosophers have
for ages boon troubling their minds as to
idea constitutes "tile highest good,"
"true happiness." The little child an
savers this knotty query when she sings
the simple gospel hymn ;
"Gentle Jesus meek and mild,
Look neon a little child."
The highest good is God incarnate—
the Christ—the Saviour of the world.
Power and meekness and moray in Him
aro the highest qualities of goodness.
True happiness is exehnplifed in bumble,
ahild•li1re faith in God, in tho Saviour,
end in the sanctifying work of the Iloly
Spirit, "Except ye be converted and be-
come as little children," says Janus, "ye
shall not enter into the 'kingdom of
heaven "
Theologians stumble upon the rooks of
"eteotion," "effectual calling," "perfeo•
tion," and such like doctrines. It is said
that a poor woman once appeared before
an cid Scottish divine as a candidate for
nhnrch membership. Iu those days a
fanitloas mental knowledge of the
"Shorter Catechism" was the avowed
oriterion of discipleship, and a sore pass-
port into tho uhuroh militant. The old
divine looked over his "epees" at the
candidate with an air of wiedom and
00lolnll awe, and asked in a most pro-
found tone of voice : "What fa Effeo.
teal Calling?" "What is Adoption 7"
"What ie Snnotificatioa ?" "What is
Justification 7" "What ie Faith 7" The
old lady hong her head ; she could not
answer one of those profound quoties.
At length the minister said, "I am
afraid, dear woman, I cannot admit you
to the Lord's Table," Tears gently stole
down the old lady's cheeks, and, as she
was leaving the audience -chamber of the
stern man of God, she meekly ejaculat•
erl : "Well sir, if 100113111 answer those
(ltlestions, I tau feel the moanih' o' them
a' the same 1"
Tho foregoing story, if nob the actual
words, is at least the stlbota tae of the in•
oident as originally recorded, and goes to
slime that the poor woman tvae far ahead
spirit eliy of tun t of one profound theo.
lonians, She felt the truth, because x118
lived the truth ; "the truth had made
her free." The good old minister said,
in reply to the Anon woman's avowal:
"That is enough." The oid lady partook
of the Lord's Supper ; and few indeed
celebrated on that communion occasion
the Saviour's dying love with a deeper
sense of unworthiness and inward joy
and peace.
We hear some men ep0all as if the
Bible is easy of comprehension. Jo it?
And others imagine that they know all
that is to be known about the way of
salvation. Do they ? Without the Bible
where would be the main force and
beauty of our English literature ? Per-
haps, without exception, stripped of Bible
quotations and scriptural ideas, the
writings of most men would become mere
inloltectuel skeletons, Eliminate the
Bible from Shakespeare, Tennyson,
Burns, Longfellow, for instance, and the
remaining ideas in their worko might be
found to be commonplace enough. The
thoughts of L'iblioal writers -otherwise,
the thoughts of God Himself—permeate,
more or less, all literary nrodnotions, and
the best of our writers have found food
for the growth of their noblest exprea•
sinus from the much -despised Word of
God. And has not the man of science
also been put upon the track of invests.
gation from the same names ; and from
which light hue been gained which led up
to the production of many of our modern
improvements 7
Let mo illustrate. Where did Shakes.
pear° learn the true nature of mercy
which he puts in intelligible form into
the month of "Portia," in "The Mercb•
ant of Venice ?" He nays
"The anality of meroy is not strained ;
It d roppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath ; it is twine
bless'd ;
It bleoseth him that gives and him that
takes.
'Tie mightiest in the mightiest, It be.
comes
The throned monarch better than his
crown ;
His sceptre shows the force of temporal
power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of
kings.
But meroy is above this ooeptred sway ;
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings ;
It is an attribute to God Himself ;
And earthly power doth then show likeat
God's
When mercy seasons justice."
Jeans in Matt. v. 7, teaches this truism
expressed by Shakespeare, when he says:
"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall
obtain mercy."
Again, instance Longfellow. Who
taught him to write, "Blessed are the
dead I" and of "the blessed dead" thus
to sing :
"Christ hits wiped away your tears for
over ;
Ye have that for which we stilt endeavour,
To you are chanted
Songs whioll yet no mortal ear have
Haunted.
"Ah 1 who would not then depart with
gladness,
To inherit heaven for earthly sadness ?
Who here would languish
Longer in bewailing and in anguish ?"
"Come, 0 Christ, and loose the chains
that bind is 1
Leming forth, and oast this world bo•
hind us 1
With thee, the Anointed,
Finds the soul its joy and rest appointed."
Doe8 Lo10f0llow 111 111,80 veroea not
probably draw inspiration from the
apootloPaul, when he exolafma ; "For
m° to live is Christ ; to die is gain."
Des Clarke' idea of God was not self -
originated. He says : "By the name of
God I understand a substance infinite,
eternal, immutable, independent, all -
r3100'018000 ON orrasri0 0408,,
1HE COOK'S BEST FRIEND
1 RGE.S-T SALE IN CANADA.
MONEY 1110 LOAN.
Any Amount of Money to Loan
on Farm or Village Pro-
perty at
6 & 6,1 Per Cent., Yearly.
Straight Loans with privilege of
repaying when required.
Apply to
A. Hunter,
Division C'ourt Clerk, Brussels.
17cLE0 D'S
System nenovator
—•—AxU 0'111011
TESTED REMEDIES
SPRING AND ANTIDOTE
For Impnre, Weak and Impoverished
Blood, Dyspepsia, Sleeplessness, Palpate:
tion of the Heart, Liver Complaint, Neur.
algia, Lose of Memory, Bronchitis, Con-
anmption, Ga11 Stones, Jaundice, Kidney
and Urinary Diseases, St. Vitus' Dance,
Female Irregularities and General De-
bility,
LABORATORY GOOERICH, ONT.
J. M. IVIcLEOD,
Prop. and Manufacturer,
Sold by J. T. PEPPER,
Druggist, Brussels.
10013 OOTTE ROOT
('f ill POUND.
A reenni ,ilaeocc, y by an
nhl pby,noian, t;monisstul-
ly ase,l , n0,1110 l,y tboua-
110118 Ed' 1,111[I:e, to the
only v, efeetly unto and
roliabl..dlssov-
fired, Seware of 1111111'lnell ed drn11R1ntn wb.l
offer inferior u,o•lieluns 10 ,lase of 11110, Ault
for (loo1(s COTTON Roan 0•.1(100x», 211318 nn
snbatltute 1 00 il,cioso 81 '2nd 4 throe -00W
email, -postage vtalups i , letter, aid we
will send, coaled, by ratan filial. 1 ull seal-
ed particulars 111 31111i11 01 0e1011e, 10 ladies
only, 2 ((001116, Atldre08 ('111111 Lily ('1111•
patty. No, •i Fisher tilos'1, 111 \ta"daurd
aye., Detroit, Minn,
in Brussels; by 1, T. PIa'l (Ul, (i.
A. DE ADMAN u1 1 all ron;'311*1ble,drugp1sts
everywhere,
el'
•
I Have opened out a prime stock
of new Confectionary, Fruits,
Nuts, Canned Goods, Tobaccoes,
Cigars, &c., in the
Vai stOxle
OYSTERS
Cooked, Raw or by the Gloss.
Riot Tea and Coffee
Served at all Hours. Lunch
Room. Everything neat, clean,
and sold at slosh prices.
Pickles by the Bottle or Quart.
Salt and Fresh Fish.
Before Buying your Iloliday Confeolion-
ery and Fruits cal, on me.
JA.S( Nc GPIN1.
ostpancem
Auction Sale Announced for this week at
liCE COOD'S STJRE
Unavoidably Postponed�*but special bar aaiimi will be given at
eller" Ru bwJ ;,7LL 1 "—J ,.#t E7,..
The whole stock of Fine Hoots and Shoes. Rubbers,
Overshoes, Felt Boots, Pare Gum Rubbers and Sock, Shop
Furniture, &c.,
11AS GOT TO BE SPEEDILY SOLD,
A large quantity of'general goods comprising. groceries,
crockery, glassware, &c , will be sent from Seafol'th for the
Auction Sale. Private Sale at Greatly Reduced Prices
110w going 011.
J. R. G-REGORY,
LIQUID AT()].