THE BIBLE by H. F. PHILIPS

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 2, 1867

THE BIBLE.

By H. F. PHILIPS

The Book of books, the word of God, full of truth, light, and wisdom, containing instruction for every body. Old and young, rich and poor, great and small, may alike, receive therefrom words of admonition or reproof; as it were, a brother’s advice, a father’s counsel. It shines as a lamp from Heaven, through the darkened corners of the earth. “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.”

It contains a rule which we can apply to our character, and by which it will be tried in the final judgment. It far surpasses all other books that have ever been written. All the wisdom of the ancients, the wit and the genius of modern days combined, when compared with this, is like the dim shining of a candle beside the noonday sun.

Take the professed bibles, the Yi King, and Vedas, the Koran, and the Book of Mormon; lay them by the side of this “Book of books,” and upon the one write “Tekel,” and upon the other, the words of our Saviour, “Thy word is truth,” and the whole is expressed.

It contains such a variety of language, that the greatest philosopher may well admire. As a history it is complete, containing in brief outline the history of this world, from the time it was first spoken into existence, to the time when the earth and the heavens flee, aye, more, even to that time when the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and when the New Jerusalem shall have been planted as the capitol of that kingdom, and the saints possess it forever and ever.

As a Law Book, how perfect! none are, or can be more so. The eminent of earth’s law-givers, a Minos, a Pythagoras, a Solon, all combined, fall very far behind. It is even to be surmised upon pretty good evidence, that their laws, rules and regulations, were in a measure taken from the Bible.

Let the lawyer study it, it will not hurt him; let the statesman peruse it, the philosopher admire it, and let every one obey it. In it is food for all. By it the greatest and the least of troubles might be adjusted. It contains rules by which to try the manslayer and the manstealer, and so on down to the settlement of difficulties caused by your neighbor’s unruly ox. Even more; it goes into your domestic affairs. You can there find counsel and rules, sufficient to regulate your every-day affairs. It goes even farther; it will give you advice by which you can regulate your own conduct: it will tell you how to appear in company, how to behave toward superiors and inferiors; in short, if you have any trouble with self, go and peruse its pages and you will see yourself just as you are. It is as though you behold your “natural face in a glass,” it will point out all your deformities, your failings. Through it I once saw myself, and now daily see a guilty, condemned, sinner, my sins as mountains. But while it points out our defects, it also gives the sure remedy. It is through Jesus Christ. Thanks to the Author of this wonderful book. Without it we should be like a ship in the midst of ocean, without chart or compass, without pilot or engineer; we should float unconsciously down the stream of time, and suddenly land in the midst of destruction. What danger! Again I say, thanks to the Author of this book. Oh! sinner, feeling guilty and condemned, would you weep over your sins? There is weeping Jeremiah, lamenting over the sins of his people, and the destruction of his city, he can weep with you. Would you know something of the past and also of the future? then study the prophecies. Do you feel like rejoicing? there are the Songs, and also the Psalms of the sweet singer of Israel. Would you like a sermon? there is the greatest of sermons, by the Son of God, on the mount. Would you like some friendly advice? you can find it upon almost every page. From the epistles of a learned St. Paul as well as those of the humble fisherman, flow words of comfort to the afflicted, courage to the despairing, consolation to those persecuted for their faith, and also admonition to those who might falter. Exhortation follows upon exhortation, “precept upon precept, line upon line.” Oh! what a book! who would not admire it? who would not love it? aye, more, who would not obey it? But it is scoffed at and ridiculed. Men pass it by, crying, forgery! But their course is short, their race is almost run. Reader, may you and I be found students of that book; may we love and obey it. “Blessed are they who do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life.” H. F. PHILIPS.