Life in the Word 163 bring out more conspicuously the fact that the “Word of God is LIVING,’' and with an indestructible life. Should any other book incur the hatred of man (which no other book ever has, seeing that all others are man’s own pro ductions) it would not be necessary to take measures for its destruction. A book produced by dying men need only be let alone to die of its own accord. The seeds of death are in it from the start. One Book alone has incurred man’s hatred, because it is the one Book that is not his own. It is the only thing in the whole world that is hostile to the whole world- system. One Book only has man attempted to destroy; and yet, in this attempt, though in it all his powers and resources have been employed, he has most conspicuously and igno- miniously failed. Why ? A little less than a century and a half ago a book made its appearance which attracted wide attention, particularly in the upper circles of intellect and culture. It was vauhtingly en titled the “Age of Reason,” and its author, Thomas Paine, was probably without superior in intelligence among his con temporaries. So confident was the author of this book that his reasonings proved the untrustworthiness of Scripture, and destroyed its claim upon the consciences of men as the revela tion of the living God, that he predicted that in fifty years the Bible would be practically out of print. But nearly thrice fifty years have passed since this boast was uttered. The boaster and his book have passed away; and their very names are well- nigh forgotten. But the Word of God has maintained its place, and not by human power. They who believe and cherish it are a feeble folk. Not many wise, not many mighty, not many high-born are among them. They have no might of their own to stand against the enemies of the Bible. The situation resembles a scene recorded in 1 Kings 20:2 7, where the Is raelites went out against the Syrians, and we read that “The 'children of Israel pitched before them like two little flocks of kids; but the Syrians filled the country.”
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