THE BIBLE | AdventAI

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Nov 11, 1889

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 15, No. 43.

THE BIBLE.

THE Bible has been and still is the fruitful source of more remarks and criticisms than any other, perhaps than all other books put together. The reason of this is obvious, as it treats of subjects which in their nature affect all mankind in all ages of the world. Its leading subjects being God and man, all others may be considered as modifications of these.

Again, it goes further back in its narrative than does any other book. Other authors select a point in time at which to begin their histories, and generally have celebrity in proportion to their ancientness and authenticity. But in the Bible we have a book that dates its origin "from the beginning," and is at the same time the fountain of truth to us.

But the inspired penman, in his backward flight, "prompted by the spirit of inspiration," stops not in the morning of time, but carries us back, as it were, to the morning of eternity, ere the creative energy of the Almighty had been put forth in calling into existence the infinite number of worlds that now occupy space and proclaim the handiwork of God; or ere the "morning-stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy," at the birth of a new world.

But again, as we have seen that the Bible goes back to the cycles of the past, anterior to the morning of time, even so does it now, after passing through the boundaries of time, grasp the future and speak clearly of the condition and occupation of God's creatures in the eternity to come. Such being the case, the Bible is just the book we need. Indeed, it is man's greatest want. It accounts for all things that now exist, and brings to man the information that he should most desire—information, too, that cannot be obtained elsewhere.

The Bible comes to us, as the golden seal suspended to the chain of time, that unites the eternal past to the eternal future. Like a light-house in mid ocean, shedding its light far out o'er the dark expanse of waters, and guiding the weary mariner to his desired haven, so does the Bible come to man, dissipating the moral darkness that would otherwise environ the world; and, casting its benign and heavenly light across the billows of time, it points the earthly voyager to the haven of eternal repose. Well might the poet say:—

"The Bible is a lamp which the Father threw down from his palace above, To guide his wandering children home."

—Selected.