THE BIBLE by S. S. Smith

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 22, 1877

THE BIBLE.

By S. S. Smith

[The following printed eulogy I find in an Edinburgh, Scotland, edition of the Bible, by Sir D. Hunter Blair and M. F. Bruce, 1838. The title of the preface is, “The Bible: by an Old Author.” It is refreshing in these days of creeds and disciplines to know that once our fathers had confidence in the Bible as “its own interpreter.” S. S. Smith.]

A nation must be truly blessed if it were governed by no other laws than those of this blessed book; it is so complete a system, that nothing can be added to it, or taken from it: it contains everything needful to be known or done: it affords a copy for a king, and a rule for a subject: it gives instruction and counsel to a senate: authority and direction to a magistrate: it cautions a witness, requires an impartial verdict of a jury, and furnishes a judge with his sentence: it sets the husband as lord of the household, and the wife as mistress of the table; tells him how to rule, and her how to manage. It entails honor to parents, and enjoins obedience to children: it prescribes and limits the sway of sovereigns, the rule of the ruler, and the authority of the master; commands the subject to honor, and the servant to obey; and promises the blessing and protection of its Author to all that obey its rules.

It gives direction for weddings, and for burials: it promises food and raiment and limits the use of both: it points out a faithful and an eternal Guardian to the departing husband and father; tells with whom to leave his fatherless children, and in whom his widow is to trust; and promises a father to the former, and a husband to the latter. It teaches a man how to set his house in order, and how to make his will: it appoints a dowry for the wife, and entails the right of the first-born; and shows how the younger branches shall be left. It defends the rights of all; and reveals vengeance to every defrauder, over-reacher, and oppressor. It is the first book, the best book, and the oldest book in the world. It contains the choicest matter, gives the best instruction, and affords the greatest pleasure and satisfaction that ever was revealed. It contains the best laws and profoundest mysteries that were ever penned. It brings the best tidings, and affords the best of comfort to the inquiring and disconsolate. It exhibits life and immortality, and shows the way to everlasting glory. It is a brief recital of all that is past, and certain prediction of all that is to come. It settles all matters of debate, resolves all doubts, eases the mind and conscience of all their scruples. It reveals the only living and true God, and shows the way to him; and sets aside all other gods, and describes the vanity of them, and all that trust in them.

In short, it is a book of laws to show right and wrong; a book of wisdom, that condemns all folly, and makes the foolish wise; a book of truth, that detects all lies, and confutes all errors; and a book of life, and shows the way from everlasting death. It is the most compendious book in all the world; the most authentic, and the most entertaining history that ever was published: it contains the most early antiquities, strange events, wonderful occurrences, heroic deeds, unparalleled wars. It describes the terrestrial, celestial, and infernal worlds; the origin of the angelic myriads, human tribes, and infernal legions. It will instruct the most accomplished mechanic, and the most profound artist; it will teach the best rhetorician, and exercise every power of the most skilful arithmetician; puzzle the wisest anatomist, and exercise the nicest critic. It corrects the vain philosopher, and guides the wise astronomer; it exposes the subtile sophist, and makes diviners mad. It is a complete code of laws, a perfect book of divinity, an unequaled narrative; a book of travels, and a book of voyages. It is the best covenant that was ever agreed on, the best deed that ever was sealed, the best evidence that ever was produced, the best will that ever was made, and the best testament that ever was signed.

To understand it is to be wise indeed; to be ignorant of it, is to be destitute of wisdom. It is the king's best copy, the magistrate's best rule, the housewife's best guide, the servant's best directory, and the young man's best companion. It is the school boy's spelling book, and the learned man's master-piece: it contains choice grammar for a novice, and a profound treatise for a sage: it is the ignorant man's dictionary, and the wise man's directory. It affords knowledge of witty inventions for the ingenious, and dark sayings for the grave; and it is its own interpreter. It encourages the wise, the warrior, the racer, and the overcomer; and promises an eternal reward to the conqueror. And that which crowns all is, that its Author is without partiality, and without hypocrisy; for in him is no variableness, nor shadow of turning.