p. 19 | A Bible Year by M. E. K.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 17, 1914

A Bible Year

By M. E. K.

“On one of the highways near the heart of London's city stand two great publishing houses. The one is that of the Times newspaper and the other is that of the British and Foreign Bible Society. Over the first is a clock and a figure of Father Time, suggestive of things transient and passing. On the facade of the other is an open Bible with the words of my text inscribed thereon, ‘The Word of the Lord endureth forever;’ a reminder, in the midst of transient and passing and perishing things, of the things that abide.”

These facts are very suggestive. Newspapers are records of the events of time. The Bible is a revelation of the great principles of eternity. Newspapers record the doings of sinful men; the Bible presents a remedy for sin and the way into life's greatest values. Newspapers are only for the passing hour. The Bible is a book for all time. And yet, to which do we give the more time? That may seem a queer question to ask Seventh-day Adventists. But will you, dear reader,—you who believe in the soon coming of Jesus,—will you please keep count for a week and see with which you spend more time, the newspaper or the Bible?

“But,” says one, “I have learned the relative value of things. I usually read only the headlines of the newspapers. I spend my leisure on science, the romance of the achievements of this wonderful age.”

This is a wonderful age in material progress, and science is worth studying—if its study does not crowd out time for study of life's highest values, but is made contributory to them. Secretary Bryan recently said: “In all matters except in the science of how to live, man has made wonderful progress. The mastery of the mind over the forces of nature seems almost complete, so far do we surpass the ancients in harnessing the water, the wind, and the lightning.

“For ages the rivers plunged down the mountains' sides and exhausted their energies without any appreciable contribution to man's service; now they are estimated as so many units of horsepower and we find that their fretting and foaming was merely a language which they employed to tell us of their strength and of their willingness to work for us. And while falling water is becoming each day a larger factor in burden bearing, water, in the form of steam, is revolutionizing the transportation methods of the world.

“The wind, which first whispered its secret of strength to the flapping sail, is now turning the wheel at the well.

“Lightning, the dread demon that, from the dawn of creation, has been rushing down its zigzag path through the clouds as if intent only upon spreading death, has been metamorphosed into an errand boy, and brings us illumination from the sun, and carries our messages around the globe.

“Inventive genius has multiplied the power of a human arm and supplied the masses with comforts of which the rich did not dare to dream a few centuries ago. Science is ferreting out the hidden causes of disease and teaching us how to prolong life. In every line, except in the line of character building, the world seems to have been made over; but the marvelous changes by which old things have become new only emphasize the fact that man, too, must be born again, while they show how impotent are material things to touch the soul of man and transform him into a spiritual being. Wherever the moral standard is being lifted up, wherever life is becoming larger in the vision that directs it and richer in its fruitage, the improvement is traceable to the Bible and to the influence of the God and Christ of whom the Bible tells.”

Is it not clear that the Bible should have first place in our hearts and in our study? All answer, Yes. What we need is power to help us make it so. To help our young people (and all others who desire) to become more familiar with the Bible, the Bible Year Course has been planned. Week by week assignments will be made in the Instructor, together with short introductions to the books of the Bible and a few helpful notes. This will begin in the Instructor of January 5.

We appeal to our parents, adult church members, ministers, and workers to present to our young people the great value of the plan. And a good way to promote the plan is to adopt it yourselves.

M. E. K.