Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 127, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 June 1917 — THE LAMP OF LIFE [ARTICLE]

THE LAMP OF LIFE

God’s Word the Marvelous Guide Book to Righteousness, Truth and Glory. The Bible is a marvelous book—• Done other like it —consisting of 60 books, written by 88 authors, stretching over a period of 16 centuries, containing history, poetry, prose, prophecy, warnings, admonitions, entreaties, promises and a glimpse of the beautiful world of the future. Heb. 1:1a “God, who at sundry times and la divers manners spake in times past: unto the fathers by the prophets, hath! in these last times spoken unto u» by his Son.” The Old Testament, says Rev. A. L« Zink In the Christian* Herald, was the* Jews’ schoolmaster to bring them unto Christ (Gal. 3:24, 25). “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith ia come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus,” say* Paul to his brethren. As the wires are the conductors of the electric current! that makes the light, so is the word of. God the conveyance of the SpiritJesus says, in speaking to his disciples (John 6:68): “It is the spirit! that qulckeneth; the flesh profited* nothing; the words that I speak unto; you, they are spirit, and they are life.” Hence the Word Is the wires. Go<£ the storehouse, and the Holy Spirit: the current, and man the where the light shines for the world, of unbelief. When the bulb is screwed, close up into the socket, the light la bright; when it Is loose it shines butl dimly or not at all; hence we are tot keep close up to God by prayer, Bible! study, giving of our means and service to the needy, and then our light! shines for the world. Pointe the Way Through Life. This Book is our guide while traveling through this world, and, if we follow it, it will guide us past all places of sinful danger into the most: blessed experiences of heart and souland at last bring us into the land of! perfect light and happiness. That Psalmist says (119:105), “Thy word ia a lamp unto my feet, and a light te my pathway,” and at the end bursts on> our spirits the superior vision of immortal life. There is often too much; turning aside for other things than! those spoken in the Word. Too often; churches hire preachers to preach great sermons of literary, philosophical and other merit, and the preacher sometimes caters to the hearers with Itching ears. The Bible is a book unsurpassed in the power of its truth. The Word of God is pure gold—needs to have no part thrown out. Spine say there are things In it our children should not read. There are many things in a school education that a child should not learn until the proper time, and a wise teacher will carefully guide the reading of the word of God by the child until such time as he should know the things to be known. But a study of the Book reveals the fact that not an emotion that ever nestled in the human heart but is most faith-: fully pictured there. All the unholy: passions, all the high and sublime experiences, are also there, and all there to guide us away from the evil and into the good. Source of All Comfort and Help. The power of all griefs and trials of man are hidden beneath its verses. The Psalmist (23) says: “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow df death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff shall comfort me.” Jesus says (John 14 :l-3): “In my Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you; I go to prepare a place Tor you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” Jesus, when’he came to the sorrowing sisters at Bethany, said (John 11:25, 26): “l am the resurrection and the life; he that belleveth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and belleveth in me shall never die.” Every case is here met and dealt with; no matter what alls you, here you will find just what is needed. Richard Baxter has beautifully classified our needs and their satisfaction, and I here give his classification ta you: If you are Impatient, sit down quietly and commune with Job. If you are strong-headed, read Moses and Peter. If you are weak-kneed, look at Elijah. If there is no song in your hear*, listen to David. If you are a politician, read Daniel. Ts you are getting sordid, read Isaiah. If you are chilly, read the beloved John. If your faith is low, read Paul. If you are getting lazy, read James, If you are losing sight of heaven, read Revelation.