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THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE.
The book of all books is the Bible. Yet very few
read it, much less study it: fewer still understand it.
I once knew an old negro that drew $3.50 from
his employer with which Io buy a Bible. After some
time hi* came back for money to get another Bible
with, and when reminded that he had already
bought one and that his employer wanted to know
what he was doing with so many Bibles he said
that he had read that one and now wanted another.
The Bible publishing houses cannot complain
at the sale of their books; there's scarcely a home
that superstitious fear has not bribed into taking
one, but ministerial and theological workers who
have the reading and understanding id' them to look
after will not be accused of any too much pessimism
if they register strong protests against the growing
preference for “Nick Cartel*." “Buffalo Bill” and
“Strangers Once But Lovers Now."
Tim trouble with us is that we buy too many
Bibles and read and understand them too little. The
result is that we preach but fail to practice and get
religion without repentance and so have to go and
do it all over again and again.
Now. there is a power that will reverse this order
of things and help us to do more and talk less and
do so no more after true repentance, and that power
is the spirit of the Bible. If a man lives in it he can
not be bad but will always think what is true and
do what is right. This being so and true, how can
he ever get in it and become a part of it except he
be made to understand it ?
Tie* literal facts as to whether Samson's strength
really lay in his hair or whether -Jonah was swal
lowed by a whale or not does not or should not
concern us so much as a proper understanding of
the stories and the application of them to our lives.
I don’t care a whit about the literal part of either.
All that 1 am continually worried and disturbed
about is, where does my strength lie? If I have any,
am 1 very careful about protecting it and putting
it Io a proper use?
It may be that mine is teaching, yours farming
ami another's merchandizing. Unless I go to the
text books and make* them my servants and so
familiarize myself with all nature and men and
events as will enable me to unfold the mean
ing of things to those whom I teach, I am
quite sure that 1 shall lose my strength, no
matter whether a woman makes me drunk and
steals it or not. 1 am equally certain that if you
THE REASON
BY E. LAMAR PARKER.
arc a farmer, ami this occupation is your strength,
that you will not have it long unless you study the
soil, the climate and the plants and plow deep and
work hard. Likewise, a merchant who does not
keep up with his competitors, improve with them
and work for the interest of his customers is asleep
in Delilah's lap and had better wake up and shake
himself of all that is against his success or he too
will find after a while that he has been robbed of
his strength.
Then will it be that our creditors, who are the
Philistines, will come and get us and take us down
to Gaza and put out our eyes and bind us with
fetters of brass and make us grind in the prison
house.
Suppose that the strength of this nation is char
acter; that is, that behind the members of Congress
and the President are men who put them in office
that would have this government deal honestly and
justly with our own people and the people of all
the earth; but that Avarice and Revenge should
step in and make us drunk and get us to join our
public servants in cheating, swindling, plundering
and murdering? Would we still continue to have
our strength, that is, our character?
It i> against the nature of things that we should
and anything and everything not according to nature
is certain of a bad ending.
Our enemies, the Monarchs. Kings and despots
far across the sea. after they had bound us hand
and foot and put out our eyes and worked us to
the point of death in the treadmill, would call for,
us that we might make sport for them.
Our cry would then be, O Lord God, remember
us, we pray Thee, and give us strength, O God, that
we may be avenged of the wicked rulers for our
eyes.
In avenging whom, if the Lord should see fit to
hear our prayer, it might happen that we also should
lose our lives, just as Samson lost his life.
This thing character, which we can call our
strength only so long as we think what is true and
do what is right, is the most radiant, the most beau
tiful, the most blessed, the most divine thing on
earth or in Heaven. It is the Lord, the God, the
Christ, the Truth, the everlasting living Water that
never dryeth up.
May it be our strength; it was Solomon's, Paul’s,
David’s, and Christ's to the most remarkable extent
of any man that ever lived. Tliei way to attain it