The Colored Man and the Bible.
THE tree is known by its fruits, and the book is known by its effects. A skeptic once told a colored man the Bible was not true. "Dat book not true? Dat book is true. I was once a drunkard, and a liar, and a blasphemer, and I used to steal; and dat book taught me to be honest and true. If dat was a bad book, it would not make bad men good." A bad book may make a good man bad, but it will not make a bad man good. The men who read the Bible and obey it are the best men in the world; the men who are ignorant of it, or hate and despise it, are the worst. Where this book goes, it carries with it safety, peace, and blessing; and where this book is unknown, rejected, and hated, there wickedness, and cruelty, and wrong prevail. And the influence of this book goes everywhere; in humble dwellings and in lofty palaces, men and women are living faithful, righteous, and spotless lives under the influence of this book. Guided by the light of Christ, cheered by his smile, happy in his forgiving love, and hoping for the rewards which he has promised, the influences of this book follow them through all the walks of life, scattering blessing wherever they go.—Sel.