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That Book

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The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 11, 1861

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 18, No. 3.

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That Book.

THERE it lies, attracts little attention; yet it is the most wonderful object the eye can look upon, and the most valuable thing the hand can and so poise. The sun in the heavens, the multitude of the starry host, are not so glorious; nor are the wedges of gold, or gems of brightest lustre, to be compared with it in value, or any of the dear relations of life to be esteemed so precious as that book. Let us ever try to realize the following points or properties of this book, and treat it accordingly.
In truthfulness. The facts are real, wonderful, and not at all exaggerated. Its histories are all-important. There is no invention, no surmise. The characters drawn of God and of men, the descriptions given of this world and of the next are all true. The truth, the one truth above all others, that shines brightest in it, is redemption wrought by One in our nature. Therein it is revealed as accomplished, accepted and honored. It is full, free, eternal.
The tenderness of that Book. The invitations, histories, encouragements, promises, are all full of tenderness. The names of God, the titles of Christ, the offices of the Holy Spirit, and the names by which God calls his people, are all running over with tenderness.
The terribleness of that Book. Predictions of wrath to come, threatenings on the impenitent, descriptions of judgment, how full of awful terms!
The triumphs of that Book. It has been victorious over all enemies and cavilers, and over all the fears of God's people, already in thousands of instances. It is destined to triumph over all the world. O how glorious will its victories appear when all God's purposes concerning it are accomplished, and all written out! The history of the Bible will be one of the delightful studies of the saints through eternity. Then its contents will be understood and its victories be celebrated by its multitudes of trophies, and the universe shall wonder at THAT BOOK.