The Glorious Bible

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Oct 28, 1875

The Glorious Bible.

UNDER the caption, The Bible Defended, the Bible Banner gives the following collection of testimony from eminent men concerning the inspiration and invaluable worth of the Sacred Scriptures:—

I have examined all, as well as my narrow sphere, my straightened means, and my busy life would allow me; and the result is, that the Bible is the best book in the world.—Hon. John Adams, second President of the United States.

The first and almost the only book deserving universal attention is the Bible. For pathos of narrative; for the selection of incidents that go directly to the heart; for the picturesque of character and manner; for copiousness, grandeur, and sublimity of imagery; for unanswerable cogency and closeness of reasoning; and for irresistible force of persuasion, no book in the world deserves to be so unceasingly studied and so profoundly meditated upon, as the Bible.—Hon. John Quincy Adams.

Though I have been very laborious in my literary inquiries, and have possessed myself of a great number of valuable books and manuscripts upon all ancient subjects yet I can rest the happiness of my soul on none of them except the Holy Scriptures.—John Sheldon, the Oriental scholar.

Read the Bible, read the Bible! Let no religious book take its place. Through all my perplexities and distresses, I seldom read any other book, and I as rarely felt the want of any other. It has been my hourly study.—Wm. Wilberforce.

The Scriptures are wonderful with respect to the matter which they contain, the manner in which they are written, and the effects which they produce. They contain the sublimest truths, many of which are veiled under external ceremonies and figurative descriptions. When they are properly opened and enforced, they terrify and humble, they convert and transform, they console and strengthen.—Bishop Horne.

The pure and noble, the graceful and dignified simplicity of language is nowhere in such perfection as in the Scriptures and in Homer. The whole book of Job, with regard to simplicity of thought and morality, exceeds, beyond all comparison, the most noble parts of Homer.—Alexander Pope, the poet.

The most learned, acute and diligent student, cannot, in the longest life, obtain a knowledge of this one volume. The more deeply he works the mine the richer and more abundant he finds the ore. New light continually beams from this source of heavenly knowledge to direct the conduct, and illustrate the works of God and the ways of men.—Sir Walter Scott.

I have regularly and attentively read the Holy Scriptures, and am of the opinion that this volume, independently of its divine origin, contains more true sublimity, more exquisite beauty, more pure morality, more important history, and finer strains both of poetry and eloquence, than could be collected from all other books.—Sir Wm. Jones the linguist.

The most wonderful volume in existence is, beyond a doubt, the Bible. It is wonderful for its daring chronology, its positive history, its prophetic declarations. It is wonderful on account of its sublime philosophy, its exquisite poetry, its magnificent figures, its overwhelming language of description.—Prof. O. M. Mitchell, the astronomer.

Let others dread and shun the Scriptures for their darkness: I shall wish I may deserve to be reckoned among those who admire and dwell upon them for their clearness. There are no songs comparable to the songs of Zion, no orations equal to those of prophets, and no politics like those which the Scriptures teach.—John Milton, poet and statesman.

That the Holy Scriptures are one of the greatest blessings which God bestows upon the sons of men, is generally acknowledged by all who know anything of the value and worth of them.—John Locke, the philosopher.

I have read it (the Bible) through many times. I now make a practice of going through it once a year. It is the book of all others for lawyers as well as divines; and I pity the man who cannot find in it a rich supply of thought and rules for conduct.—Daniel Webster.

I have always said, and always will say, that the studious perusal of the Sacred Volume, will make better citizens, better fathers, and better husbands.—Thomas Jefferson.

I find more sure marks of authenticity in the Bible than in any profane history whatever.—Sir Isaac Newton.

I have been blamed by men of science, for quoting the Bible in confirmation of the doctrines of physical geography. The Bible, they say, was not written for scientific purposes, and is, therefore, of no authority. I beg pardon. The Bible is authority for everything it touches. What would you think of the historian who should refuse to consult the historical records of the Bible because the Bible was not written for the purpose of history? The Bible is true, and science is true; and when your man of science, with vain and hasty conceit, announces the discovery of a disagreement between them, rely upon it, the fault is not with the witness or his records, but with the “worm” who essays to interpret evidence which he does not understand.—M. F. Maury, LL. D.

The relation of geology, as well as astronomy, to the Bible, when both are well understood, is that of perfect harmony. The word and the works of God cannot be in conflict; and the more they are studied the more perfect will their harmony appear.—Prof. Benj. Silliman, LL. D.

This antiquated volume is still the “Book of books”—the oracle of oracles—the beacon of beacons—the poor man's treasury—the child's companion—the sick man's health—the dying man's life; shallows for the infant to walk in—depths for giant intellects to explore and adore! Philosophy, if she would own it, is indebted here for the noblest of her maxims; poetry, for the loftiest of her themes. Painting has gathered here her noblest inspirations. Music has ransacked these golden stores for the grandest of her strains.—J. A. Macduff, D. D.

Hold up the great truth that the Bible is the book to educate the age. Why not have it the chief thing in the family, in the school, in the academy, in the university? I can please and instruct a child from the Bible. I can teach logic, ethics, rhetoric, and salvation from the Bible.—J. W. Alexander, D. D.

The Bible is older than any sect in the world. The Bible is the only Catholicity—the only form in which religion can be taught without a sectarian religious bias; and that is a great and mighty reason why it should be taught, or enter in some way as an acknowledged divine element into our public school system.—George B. Cheever, D. D.

Let this precious volume have its proper influence on the hearts of men, and our liberties are safe, our country blessed, and the world happy. There is not a tie that unites us to our families, not a virtue that endears us to our country, nor a hope that thrills our bosoms in the prospect of future happiness, that has not its foundation in this Bible. It is the charter of charters, the palladium of liberty, the standard of righteousness.—Hon. Joseph C. Hornblower, late Chief Justice of New Jersey.