Inspiration
37 tion and estimate of the Scriptures must be no lower and no less than were the high conception and estimate of the “Vol- ume of the Book” by our Lord and His Apostles; that what they regarded as the “Breath o f God", she must so regard in opposition to every breath of man that dares to breathe other- wise. Say, with the immortal Athanasius, who knew how to r.Ca<\5*reek better than the “drift of scholarly opinion” “in our time : ‘O my child, not only the ancient, but the new Scrip- tures are God-breathed, as Paul saith, ‘Every Scripture is God- breathed Say to the rising ministry, “Speak as the Oracles of God speak”—t he words that “God hath spoken,” the words that Christ has written. Be at least, as decent as Balaam ! Whatsoever He saith unto you, do;” and whatsoever He saith unto you, say. Tell it to every reader and hearer of the Word, that what “Moses saith” and “David ' saith” and ^Isaiah, Peter, Paul, John and the Scripture, saith”, is what God saith". Tell it to the dying saint, when his last pulse quivers at the wrist, and friends are weeping by his bed, and Science has exhausted in vain all her poor resources, that God, who breathed the Scriptures, "cannot lie”, that Jesus is a Rock, and that the “firm Foundation” laid in the Word for his faith can never disappoint his trust. To every ques- tion of Exegesis or of Criticism, return the answer, “What saith the Scriptures” ? “How readest thou?” “I t is writ- ten!” ^ And cease to deride the most sacred, age-established, and time-honored tradition the Apostolic Church has left us. With such an attitude as this, the days will revisit the Church, as once they were “in the beginning”, and God, honored in His Word, will no longer restrain the Spirit, but open the windows of heaven, and pour upon her a blessing so great that there will not be room to receive it. God hasten the day!
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker