152 The Fundamentals This is true of no other book. What man’s book has to say we can get the first time; and the exceptions arise merely from lack of clearness on the writer’s part, or lack of apprehension on the part of the reader. Man can touch only the surface of things, and he cares only about surface appearances. So, in all his writings, whatever substance they contain lies on the sur face, and can be gathered by a capable reader at once. If the Word of God may be compared in this particular to a living person, the books of men may be compared to pictures or statues of living persons. However beautifully or artistically executed, a single view may readily exhaust the latter, and a second and third look will be mere repetitions. The difference is that which exists between the living and the dead'. The Word of God is LIVING. But while the Bible resembles in this important respect a living person, who is our familiar, sympathetic, and responsive companion, it differs from, such a human companion in that the counsel, comfort, and support it furnishes are far above and beyond what any human being can supply; and the only explanation of this is that the source of its life and powers is not human, but Divine. IV. THE BIBLE DOES NOT BECOME OBSOLETE One of the most prominent characteristics of books written by men for the purpose of imparting information and instruc tion is that they very quickly become obsolete, and must be cast aside and replaced by others. This is particularly true of books on science, text-books, school-books and the like. Indeed it is a matter of boasting (though it would be hard to explain why) that “progress” is so rapid in all departments of learning as to render the scientific books of one generation almost worthless to the next. Changes in human knowledge, thought and opinion occur so swiftly, that books, which were the standards yesterday, are set aside today for others, which in turn will be discarded for yet other “authorities” tomorrow. In fact, every
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