84 TALKS TO MEN was the Bible given to the world be:fore men dis covered three things about it: First, that it con demned sin. Second, that it demanded renun ciation o:f self. Third, that it laid human pride in the dust. Men were not willing to give up sin, not willing to renounce self, not willing to have their pride laid in the dust, therefore they hated the Book that made these demands. Man's hatred of the Bible bas been most intense and most active. It determined on the destruction of the Book that it hated. Man after man has arisen with the determination to destroy this Book. Celsus tried it, with the brilliancy of his genius, and he failed. Then Porphyry tried it, with the depth of his philosophy, and he failed. Lucien tried it, with the keenness of his satire, and he failed. Then Diocletian came on the scene of action and tried other weapons ; he brought tG bear against the Bible all the military and political power of the strongest empire the world ever knew at the height of its glory. He issued edicts that every Bible should be burned, but that failed. Stronger edicts were issued that those who owned Bibles should be put to death, and that failed. For eighteen centuries the attack upon the Bible has gone on. Every engine of destruction that human wisdom, hu man science, human philosophy, human wit, human satire, human force, and human brutality could bring to bear against a book have been brought to bear against this Book, and the Bible
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