Editorial May 14, 1927 Issue

The Holy Bible

Ella W. Hoag

What earnest Christian heart does not thrill at the mere mention of the name, "The Holy Bible"! And still who, of all the unnumbered who love and revere it, has yet more than touched the depths of its treasures of counsel and meaning? Even though one may be a devout student of its pages, how much of its fathomless wealth of good still remains to him all unexplored! How enthusiastically the people of God in the olden time, when the very first compilation of the Scriptures was presented to them, would come together to hear it read! Through such practice they were sure their knowledge of God's law and the way to obey it would be refreshed! With what a spirit of obedience and reverence did they look to these Scriptures for instruction and guidance! How certainly they expected the prophecies therein to be fulfilled!

Although only the writings contained in what we now call the Old Testament were in existence in Jesus' time, still how thoughtfully and with what consecration he must have pondered them; for did he not see therein his entire earthly experiences mapped out before him? And was it not there he must find the Word of God to guide him in his obedience to God's demand that he point out—yes, demonstrate completely—the way of salvation from all evil for all men? We know this to be literally true from his own words: "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me."

For centuries the world has had in the Bible not only the Old Testament writings which Jesus esteemed of such inestimable value, but also the New Testament, wherein is recorded the entire and perfect fulfillment of the older prophecies in connection with our Lord and Master, Christ Jesus, as well as the further prophecies of this and all time to come. Men have believed this; they have accepted the fact that in the Bible, as we now have it, there is undoubtedly defined the perfect method for all true living; they have admitted that only as they understand and obey its teachings can they attain that eternal life which Jesus was enabled to find and prove. But where, they have continually asked, is the key which will open the pages of the Bible so that even he who runs may read and understand; yes, and go and do as Jesus did?

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