THE DIVINE CLAIMS OF THE BIBLE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 75, 28 March 1879, Page 4

THE DIVINE CLAIMS OF THE BIBLE.

1> lecture; by the rev. r. bavin.! According to advertisement, Mr Bavin preached on this subject in the Wesleyan Church, in Hardy-street, last Sunday evening, when there was a ▼cry crowded congregation After announcing as his text, Psalm xviii, 30, and I. Peter, i., 25,—" The Word of the Lord is tried : n " The Word of the Lord endareth for ever t "—and making •ome brief, preliminary remarks, Mr.; BaViu proceeded to show that the Boot, designated by way of pre-eminence, The Bible, or Tbe Book, must be acknowledged by all classes to be a wonderfoi volume — altogether unique. In its authority it stands alone, for it comes to ua as God's Word ; addressing us in Hia name, and professing His inspiration. In Us antiquity it stands unrivalled, taking us baok to remotest periods, Nearly three centuries before the Christian era, seventy learned men translated the Hebrew portion of it ioto Greek — the popular tongue of the day. Moses preceded by more than a thousand years Buch writers as Manethb and Serosa*, Confucius, and Herodotus. In sublimity , the Bible bas no compeer. The greatest of England's dramatistsShakespeare— borrowed largely from this source, while the inimitable MiitOh kindled his genius at its altars. The writings of the most Tenowneil, whether ancient or modern, were feeble indeed, compared with tbe majesty and r*l£*H»* of -Moses, a David, an Isaiah, or a Paul. Io pure, refined, morality the Bible is altogether singular, inculcating •H dutiw, nnd enforcing them hj the biftb aotqority of Jehovab. Io its wouderou* ducoverieg 100, the Bible hag-no rival ; discoveries! relating to God, toioip, aud to eternity. These abatements *r© made net to prove the Bible ia a Divine production, but to •how What a wonderful book tt is, and ho% imperative is tbe duty of giving 1 calm, unprejudiced attention to the claims which it has to be considered a Divine Revelation. The speaker next vrged upon his bearers the fitness of an earnest spirit in conducting ibis enquiry, depreoating all4evity,and showing tbat reason is not to be ignored, as •ome seem to think, io such an investigaciob. Yoa are not required to take truth on trust (Mr Bavin continued), on the other hand, the Bible iteelf holds you responsible to " prove all tbingß," •nd to "hold fast" only what is " good " and true. So much has been written on this subject tbat it would be impossible to attempt to advance any new arguments. Tbe time would not per. Mit even to mention the names of those whose works on this subject \e.g. Peley,- -Leslie, Watsonj etc.) were bo valuable. I ought, however, specially to mention the name of Dr Cooke, whose pages I have closely consulted, aod io •pd_£ cases summarised. Leavujg the great mass f "of evidence *T*M »We ior the present purpose, Mr Bavin said he would aeleot bat one princi-p-ttfidqgljh. ami expand ii ; ti show that ttoSitypu c divine Revelation, via., -Sow it ia? survived in ihe past every form of opposition, and the position U occupies in the world to-day. Every quality jaf testih&t could be applied has been-, and tbe result is such as to assure oa it is io very deed what it professes y to be, tbe Word of the living God. I. Tbe Bible, as a divine Revelation, has ttood the test of logical investi' GATION. - Never has tb^Btble ebunned * Da . o * r ?> od tbe other band, it has courted it. There bis beenample time for this investigation. For promulgating its doctrines, and exhibiting its credentials tbe Bible has never gone into the daik corners of the earth; it has cbo.eo the great ceutres of population iiud nTinement. In Chaldai, io Egypt, in Greece, in Judea, i D Rome. «r., when these places were iv tbeir palmiest days, tbe seats of all laming and culture, thence tbe Bit le emanated. If tbe B<ble bad been oilier than what it professes those pretentions must have bten put to shame long ago. Soch bat not been its fate. Ntver Us the voice of authentic history, or ihe testimony of true sciei cc contradicted the genuine teaehjoge of tbia Hot k. (I ) History hafc". tried it/* It WM a b0(tfll * Volaey'i. tbA when the hieroglyphics of Egypt were deciphered the Bible would have an end. They bave be>n deciphered and tbe Bible survive* TbizfoepticeT Frenrhmen : wboaccotcpanied N,pole6p I. into Egypt declared tbai.the inscriptions on the temples of Deodera and : Eaoeh »howe4 an antiquity of 17,000 years, and this U was tbougbt must silence Revelation. Tb tf_k.holarly and accomplished Champojta discovered, on reading these inscriptions that they dated back no farther than' the Christian era. In hke manner the objections against the ?x K ® falmloUß chronologies of t>mo* and India have been abandoned as wtenabie. (2) Science has tried the Divine Word with like results. At theAKginning of the present century toeacience of astronomy attracted great attention; and there were^those who tned to construct a theory opposed to Kevelation upon its teachings. The wonderful book of a truly wonderful jaan^J*The Astronomical Discourses," try Dr. Chalmers, just then made its appearance, and so completely silenced all . the^nemies of tbe Bible that it met with no reply. More recently the interesting, though still youthful science of Geology hi* "tried" this Book. Where, however, this science re not made to say what in troth she does not, ja, where conjecture is not substituted for feet, and speculation for demonstration, there is no contradiction between her, and the BiWe, as the writings of

Miller, Hitchcock, aud many others show. (3) The researches of tbe traveller and tbe antiquarian bave " tried " the Word. Mr Bavin here alluded to tjhe researches of modern times in Egypt, Nineveh, and the Holy Land, and how strikingly they corroborated Bible testimony and teaching. One very interesting instance was quoted, viz.: the discovery in 1854 by Professor Opperfc and Sir H. Rowlinson of a clay cylinder among the ruins of Babylon with an inscription which completely solved a difficulty that had long been felt, as to the last King of the Babylonian dynasty, and cast very remarkable light upon portions of the Book of Daniel. (4) One other test of thia kind, continued tbe speaker, the Bible has stood, viz., that of a strict and careful comparison of one part of the divine word with other parts. The writers of this volume lived, many of them centuries apart one from the other, in some instances, more than 1000 years distant, and yet there was a uniform consensus of opinion, a striking' oneness of design everywhere manifested. Thus has the Bible been cast into the crucible of a keen and protracted logical investigation from which ifc comes out unscathed. Ancient history, chonology, antiquity, natural history, geology, aud modern research, instead ot giving their voice against the Bible all unite to bear their testimony in its favour. The Word of the Lord has been "tried" but it " enduretb. '

11. The Bible has stood another and yet severer test, vix., the Test of Experience. The Bible is much more than a series of facts said to have transpired, or a set of opinions to be believed. It passes beyond the region of theory .into that of actual experiment, It claims to be a divine mirror reflecting our moral image. The likeness is not flattering, but who will dare to say it [is not faithful? The Bible further professes to contain a grand remedial measure. In plainer words it professes to give peace to the weary— pardon to the guilt-burdened — joy in sorrow — a victory in temptation. Ifc claims to change entirely the moral nature. Does°ifc effect all this? or are these professions falseP If it does— then the only conclusion .is — ifc is a divine revelation. But if otherwise it could never have survived a single generation. As a batter of fact it can be affirmed with respect to the grand remedy for sin revealed in the Bible —in no case has it ever failed* Some of the vilest and worst of mankind have become morally transformed. A polluted Magdalene— a bigoted Saul— a dying thief— have come under its regenerating influence, and have been made " new creatures." Never yet could man say, I have honestly tried your promise of salvation contained in the Bible audit has failed. It never can be, never will be so. "The Word of the Lord endureth for ever." 111. The: Bible has stood the test of violent and protracted persecution. In-stances-of determined opposition to the Bible and sa%uinary attempts to prevent its tsircu^fcion were cited— (l) Under Pagan Borne ; (2) under Papal £ome; (3) undei- the reign of Atheism m France about the close of the last century; <4) i D the annals of the Martyr Church of Madagascar. In these, and other cases, Mr Bavin showed the Bible had been tried, while like Moses 1 bush ifc " Flourish'd unconsumed in fire." IV. The present position and prospects of the Bible were reviewed briefly. It was shown that never had the Bible such a mighty sway over the world's thought as to-day. Never, in fact, were there so many devout and earnest believers in it as God's revelation to man. A few facts in reference to the scope and operations of the British and Foreign Bible Society were adduced io proof of this Tbat Society had issued in all 82 millioua of copies of the Divine Word in whole or in part. More than eight millions of money it had expended in printing these Bibles in 220 different languages. Never were its aims more fully npprociated or its funds so liberally supported as now. And this was the work of one Society. There were 57 other Bible Societies in Europe alone, which, with tbe American Societies, have given to the world over 52 millions of copies of the inspired book. Surely none— after reviewing soberly these facts and arguments could say the Bible was merely a human bo. k. As God's revelation it endurfeth for ever. Mr Ba.vin concluded by appealing to his hearers to live the Bible as well as read it, and recited an anecdote of Sir Walter Scott, who, shortly before he died, asked bis attendant to reach him a book. " What book?" it was asked. '♦What book," said Sir Walter, "there is but one book, and that is 'The Bible? "