Thoughtful Moments

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 18, 20 October 1944, Page 2

Thoughtful Moments

(Supplied by the Whakatmu.- Ministers' Association)

A REMARKABLE DOCUMENT ON THE BIBLE "The Above, Document was found in Westminster Abbey nameless and dateless.''—Herbert Garrison. A nation would be truly blest if it were governed by no other laws than this blessed Book. It is so complete a system that nothing need be added to it or taken from it. It contains most things needful to be known or done. It affords a copy for a king and a rule for a subject, ft gives instruction and counsel lo a senate authority and direction to a magistrate. It cautions a witness requires an impartial verdict from the jury and furnishes the judge with his sentence. It sets the husband as lord of the household and the wife as mistress of the. table; tells him how to rule and her how to manage. It entails honour to parents and enjoins obedience in children. It prescribes, and limits the swav of the sovereign the rule => >, of the ruler, and the authority of the master; commands the subjects to honour, and the servants to obey, and pronrises the blessing and protection of Its' Author to all who walk by its rules. It promises food and raiment and limits the. use of both. It points out a faithful and eternal Guardian to the departing husband and father, tells him with whom to leave his fatherless children and in J whom his widow is to trust and

promises to be a Father to the. former and a Husband to the. latter. It defends the rights of all, and reveals vengeance to every del'rauder ove.r-reacher and oppressor. It is the. first Book,, and the best Book and the oldest Book in the-world. It contains the choicest mattcr_ gives the best instruction and affords the greatest pleasure and satisfaction that can be revealed. It contains the best laws and the profoundest mysteries that ever were perused. It brings, the best of tidings and affords the best of comfort to the inquiring and disconsolate.. It exhibits life and immortality and shows the way to eve.rlasting glory. It is a brief recital of all that is past, and is a certain prediction of Avhat is to come. It settles all mat-i ters in debate resolves all doubt and eases the mind and conscience of all their scruples. It reveals the only and true God ; shows- the May to Him set aside all other gods and describes the vanity of them and of all Avho trust in them.

I'n. short,, it is a Book of laws to show right and a Book -of wisdom that condemns all folly and makes the. foolish wise. A Book of truth that detects all lies and confronts all errors, and a Book of life thai ©hows the way from everlasting death. It is the most compendious Book in the world the

most authentic and the most entertaining history that ever Avas published. It contains the most early antiquities and heroic deeds. It describes the. celestial terrestial and ' >

OUR SUNDAY MESSAGE

—"Life

With a rare effulgent: glory that will brighten all the wajWhen comes a sore temptation and your feet are near a snareYou may count them, like a rosary, and make each one a prayer.

A moment in the morning—a mo

If you fail to gather early—alas ! it melts away.

infernal worlds human tribes and •» angelic myriads. It will instruct the most accomplished mechanic and tlie profoundest artist. It teaehes Ihe best rhetorician and exercises the power of the most skilful arithmetician. It puzzles the wisest anatomist and finds, employment for the niccs't critic. it corrects the vain philosopher and guides the. wise astronomer. It exposes the subtle sophist, and makes diviners mad. I t is tlie best evidence that ever was produced and best deed that ever was sealed, the best will that ever was made and the best testament that ever was signed. To understand it is to be wise, indeed but to be ignorant of it is to be destitute of wisdom. It is a complete code of laws, a perfect body of an unequalled narrative a Book of lives, of travels, and voj r ages. It is the king's best -copy the housewife's best guide, the servant's best, directory % the young man's best companion the school boy's spelling Book and the learned man's masterpiece,. It affords knowledge of witty inventions for the ingenious and dark sayings for the grave. It encourages the wise and the warrior; and promises an eternal reward to the conqueror. And that which crowns it all is—the Author is One in Whom is no variableness nor the shadow of turning.

A moment in the morning, ere the cares of day begin^

Ere the heart's wide door is open for the world to enter in; Ah then alone with Jesus in the

silence of the morn, In the heavenly sweet communion let your duty day be born. In the quietude that with a prelude of repose, Let your soul be soothed and softened, as the dew revives a rose.

A moment in the morning take your Bible in your hand J J. And catch a glimpse of glory from the peaceful promised land; It will linger still before you when you seek the busy mart And like flowers of hope will blossom into beauty in your heart. The precious words like jewels, will glisten all the day^

ment if no more— Is better than an hour when the trying day is o'er.

'Tis. the gentle <lew of heaven, the manna for the day;

So, in the blush of morning take the offered hand of love And walk io heaven's pathway and the peacefulness thereof. —Arthur L. Tubbs.