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. ' + " " ( . + . t v 99te Lancaster ledger. fabBMfW ^ OABi'iH, I * ""' "^'"L"' 'ji. wimmmmt tJforflto ^omcrtoa ih* Political, Aa<^ -?*ii><iiwfr? ii?#a?iwiiinf fbTiwfa j TgRfifir W? a iS??R Bmzob jjo? Majuohl f - ~ j Trawi n I?n i ? " " ' L - - ' " - ' * .-=3gZ=. 1 .' r . >U> WEEKLY L A N C A 6 1 L H. h. O. A 1/ G U S T 13, 1 9 0 2 K8TABLN HIED 1852 Some Wonders of the Bible. Address of Hov. J. K. Hull Hefore the Waxhaw and Shiloh Bible Society Aug. 2. [Published by Request. ] It is a pleasure tor mo to bo present today. I am glad to make an address to the Wuxbaw and Shiloh Bible Society. The compound name which designates your society is an honorable one. Both Waxhaw and Shiloh are honorable names in the twe branches wf the Presbyterian church which they represent. There is much of historical interest in the. place in which we meet: The Waxliaws was one of ,? 11 , A me urn parts or tne up-country settled, and here one of the first churches was organized. To me there is an element of personal interest in this place from the fact that one of the tirst pastor's of this church, the Rev. William Richardson, who lies buried in yonder cemetery, was the organizer of the. church of which 1 hare been pastor for eight years. But the thing that makes this occasion most plcasaut of all is that 1 am asked to make an address on the Bible. The Bible is the he6t and most wonderful book in all the world, andK 1 wish to point out to you today some of the wonderful things about that book. 1. It is wonderful in the variety of its contents. It contains history, biography, poetry and philosophy as well as religion. There* is no more interesting history than the history of Israel as it is recorded in God's word. There are no more thrilling biographies than those of Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David Daniel and Paul. No poetry has ever so touched the human heart as the psalms of David. Other pooais attract for a time, but the psalms of David are as fresh as they were when they were penned three thousand years ago. There is no philosophy more practical tha the book of Proverbs. The whole Bible is a store house of religion. 2. The beauty and variety of style in the Bible is as remarksable as the variety of i*s contents. There is no finer specimen of eloquence than is to be found in the eighth chapter of Romans There is nothing more pathetic in all literature than the lament of David over Absalom. There is nothing more exquisitely beautiful than the 13th chapter of 1 Corinthins, which describes that ^charity which suffereth long and is kind." There are no grander descriptions than the Savior't description of the last judgtnenl and SGUio of the dascriiittnnti in the book of Revelation. 3. The Bible is wonderful in its harmony. Jt is mude up of ixty-six books, written by c groat number of men, written over u period of more than fifteen hundred years. The rule i9 thai no two men left to themselves ever write on the same subject with perfect harmeny, and tb< greater the number of writers the greater the discord. Men do not usually hold the same opinion foi any great length of time. On< generation burns witches, aud th< next gen ration looks upon theii act with horror. The pbiloaophj of h hundred years ago is ante quuted today. Men usually change their opinion* iu their lifetime. The views of the old man are very different from the youth. And yet in the Bible, made up of so many books, written by so many hands, and written over such a vast period of time, there is perfect harmony. Christ is the central figure, and the wholo Bible is written around him. In Genesis wo have the promise of a deliverer when we are told that the seed of the woroa- will bruise the serpeuts head. We got still clearer information as wo pass through tho historical books. Ir. the pro phots the descriptions are most minute. 44IIe is despised and re jected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief." In the Gospels we have the records of the Savior's life on earth. In the Epistles we have *he meaning of his life and death set forth* 4'He died for our sins, and rose again for our justification." In Genesis we have the tender plant. Tho plant grows in tho historical hooks. Its growth is most luxu* riant in tho prophets. It blooms in the Gospels. It bears its fruit in the Epistles. This wonderful harmony and symmetry shows that the Hible is not the work of man, but tho work of God. It is like a vast cathedral. The plan j of the cathedral is made by a master architect. Great numbers of men are employed to do nil kinds of woi k for a great many years. At last the cathedral stands forth in all its beauty. It is brought to completion only because one mind is controlling it all. Just o, so many books, written by so many bands over such a vast poriod of time make one harmonious whole, because God was controlling it. Ilia mind was guiding the writers. This is the only explanation that can bs given for the wonderful harmony that pervades the Bible. 4. It is'wonderful in its methi od of teaching. There are few, if any, modes of teaching truth not found in the Bible. It teaches i by precept, by example, by warning, by history, by parable, and i by miracle Precepts are found on almost every page. "Thou shult have 1 no othor godq before me." "Thou , shalt not make unto thee any graven image." "Thou shall not , take the name of the Lord Thy i God in vain." "Remeaiber the i Sabbath day to keep it holy." "Honor thy father and thy ! mother." "Thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy strength, with ull thy mind, and ; thy neighbor as thyself." "Be i ye kind ono to another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, i even as God for Christ's sake ; hath forgiven us." "Grow ic i grace, and in the knowledge ol the Lord and Savior Jesui , Christ." Examples too are very numeri ous. The lives of good men are i recorded to show us how to live, i The chief example, however, it t the Lo: d Jesus Christ. His ex* ample comes to us with all the t force of a command. "For oven j hereunto were ye called: because 3 Christ also suffered for us, lenv[ ing us an example, that ye should follow in his steps." When w< > seo how Christ lived, we knov 3 how to live. r l'hero aro warnings as well m / examples. In a country tillei - with dangers, not only are thoi I Have Bargains All t he Time In E very Line I 9 !Here Are a Few THAT AR| "HUMMERS." V 1000 yards striped and check' ed Dimities, worth 12 1-2 eh CV - 'A- * now S ets. 1000 yards Ginghams, wortl 0 ets, now 4 cts. 8 or 10 pieces Grenadette newest thing for ladies unlinec skirts, former price 25 cts, nov 15 ets. 10 pieces Point de Bruxelles former price 30 ets, now 23. 30 pieces Scotch Lawns, fas colors, cheap at 5 cts, now 3 1-S I cents. 4 tCie* SHOES! SHOES , We also have a lot of shoe > that we have thrown on onr bar ' gain counter and are selling at i ' sacrifice. I i 'Lancaster lereuUIr (o. r t / "As tho hurt p&uteth nfier the water brooks, so pnn*eth my soul iftcr thee, O Mod. My soul Ihirsteth for Mod, for tho living Mod." Tho soul struggling with ilespondcney can find expression for its feelings in the satno psalm: "Whv art thy cast down, O my soul* and why art thou disquieted within mef hope thou in Mod: for ; I guide posts, hnt there are danger signals as well. There are many danger signals in the Bible. The i lives of bad men, and the follies 1 of good men, are recorded as 1 warnings to us. Aclinn is a warn- < ing against covetousness. Nebuchadnezzar is a warning against pride. lie said, "Is not this i great Babylon I have built?" That day he was driven forth to live among the beasts of the tield. Judas, who sold his Master for thirty pieces of silver, is a warning against avarice, l'etor is a warning against self-confidence. The history in the Bible is most instructive. The history of God's dealings with Israel shows us haw God deals with his people as a whole. The history of A braham tenches us that we have no continuing city here. The history of Joseph teaches us how God makes the seeming evils of life , work out for our good. Tho history of Moses teaches us how God leads his people. Tho history of Dauiel teaches us how God delir-i era his people. The history of ? Paul teachos us thnt God's grace is always sufficient for us. The history of Abraham teaches ns that the way of the transgressor is hard. Almost every conceivable truth is set forth in the parables. Teaching Wy parables was a favor ito mode of teaching with the Sa vior. With a parable he would illustrate a obscure truth, or drive homo to the heart a needful one. How could the lovo of God be ^ more beautifully act forth than it is done in the purable of the Prodigal Son? How- could ' the duty of man te his fellow man be more improtsibly taught than is ^ done in the parable of the Good Samaritan? How could the contrast between true humility and self righteousness bo more strikingly prescutod than it is dono in ' tho parable of the Pharisee and Publican? X * The miracles as well as the parables teach spiritual truth. 1 J will take but ono example?the healing of the paralytic. A paralytic was brought by four determined men, and let down before tho Master. The Master said, 1 shall yet praise him, who is thfi_ heulth <>f toy countenance, and tnv God." The soul, conscious of the blessings of God and overflowing with gratitude, can find tit expression of its feelings in the 103rd psalm: "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name." flow could the soul burdened with sin ultcr a more appropriate prayer than the olst ps.ilm? "Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving kindness: according to the multitude of thy tender mercies, blot out my transgressions, purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Create in me a clean heart, O God: and renew a right spirit within me?cast 1110 not away from thy presence; and lake not thy Holy Spirit from me." The soul surrounded with dangers, yet still trusting in gcd can cry out with Datid: "Yea, in the shadow of thy wings will 1 make my refuge until these calamities he overpast." In the Bible there is a message for men in every condition of life. To the poor this message is sent: "When the poor and needy seek for, water, aud there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will' hear tliciji, 1 the God of Israel will not forsake them". Is. 41:17. This is the message sent to the rich: "Charge them that are rich that they he not high minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God". I Tim. G:-17. This tho message sent to the weary and heavy laden: "Come unto aio all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest &c." To the desolate and afflicted this message is sent: "Let not your heart bo troubled; on believe on God, believe also on 1110 &c". "And God shall wipe all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, I nouner sorrow, nor crying,neitnar shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away". To those who are hungering and thirsting for righteousness this message is sent: "1 am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believcth en me shall never thirst". To widows and orphans this message is sent: "A father to the fatherless and a judge unto the widows, is God iu his holy habitation". The Bible is suite-* ble to every class of men . It is ^ tho book for the ignorant. In it the plan of salvation is made so plain that a wayfaring man, though a fool,need not err therein. It is the book for tho learned. In it there are problems that have never been solved bj men. Dr. Robert J. Breckinridge said that he could master in a fow weeks [Concluded on fourth page.] Genuine (Lamped C. C. C. Never sold In buB( 1 Beware of the dealer who tries to sell ; "something lust as good." 9 "Son, bo of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee." But there happened to be certain scribes sitting there. They reasoned in ? their nnnds, "Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? Who y can forgive sins but God only!" * The Master saw into their hearts, and replied, "Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins bo forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, take up thy bed, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of tho palsy) I say unto 1 thee, Arise, take up thy bed, and 2 go thy way into thine house." His healing of the paralytic showed that ho was no impostor, c that ho had power to do what ho claimed to do, that ho who claimed to forgive sins had the po ver. t Wo can now see the numerous methods the Bible has of presenting truth. This fact also leads us to the conclusion that the Bible is not tho work of man, but of God. 5. Tho Bible is wonderful in its adaptation to the needsof men. In the Bible men can find oxpros p sion for every proper longing of the heart. The soul's lon^inj* for a closer walk with Go<l can find expression in the 42nd psalm: