The Bible has been compared to a river in which a child may wade, and an elephant swim; by which is meant that it is full of practical truth so plainly revealed that a little child may rejoice in it, while at the same time it is full of truth so deep that the loftiest intellect of man is very soon out of its depth in the study of it.  Thus there are few things more beautifully simple than a living faith.  It is the unquestioning trust of one who loves his God and Saviour; the calm repose of the

It is not an uncommon thing in these days to set science in opposition to the Scriptures, and to speak as if the one were opposed to the other.  As a general rule, the persons who do so are persons who have a very shallow acquaintance with either, for the truly scientific man, and the true student of the Scriptures, are both so conscious of their own limited attainments in the face of the vast fields of unlimited knowledge which are still unexplored, that they are sure to feel humbly on the subj

Thus far we have not gone beyond the historical truth of the Pentateuch; but now let us turn to the prophecy ,—that most remarkable prophecy of Noah, in which he foreshadowed the future destiny of the great families.  Let us consider the three prophecies in the order in which they stand. (1.)  Canaan.  There is something inexpressibly awful in the words respecting Canaan, and they are full of instruction respecting sin.  They show what an awful thing sin is in the sight of God, and how superfici

I am about, if God permit, to speak now of, by far, the most remarkable people in the world.  In the last chapter we studied the Races, and found that through the labours of scientific men the three patriarchs of 4,000 years ago reappear in this nineteenth century as most important “witnesses to truth.”  We put, as it were, Shem, Ham, and Japheth into the witness-box, and the result of their testimony was that Noah was inspired, and the Bible true.  Such a subject as that has a tendency to lose

We must remember that a large portion of the Old Testament consists in the history of that chosen line which connected the Lord Jesus Christ with Abraham, and that the country which we generally call “Palestine” was given to that family as their home.  It was in that country that Abraham sojourned, and that his family lived for the 1,400 years between the Exodus and the Advent.  It is obvious therefore that the history of that family during all those centuries must abound in allusions to the dif

To this I turn with deeper interest, because it has been denied.  Voltaire, for example, describes Palestine as one of the worst countries of Asia, comparing it to Switzerland, and says it can only be esteemed fertile “when compared with the desert.” ( Keith , p. 106.)  There cannot be one moment’s doubt that in such statements he exceeded fact.  But others have pointed to the desolate hillsides, and asked the question whether such a country could ever have supported a population as dense as tha

But we have not yet done with those barren hills; for we have not yet exhausted their evidence.  Some may enquire how it is that a country which was once so fertile is now become so desolate; and the answer may be given that the villages have been burned, the terraces neglected, the cisterns broken, and the water-courses choked, which is all perfectly true.  But that is not enough to satisfy a real enquirer.  “How was it,” the thoughtful man will ask, “that the villages were burned and the terra

I propose to call the evidence of an unwilling witness, and to ask the scoffer himself to bear his “testimony to the truth” against which he scoffs.  There is no better evidence than that which is given unwillingly—than that of a man who is put into the witness-box in order to prove one thing, and when closely examined is compelled by the force of truth to prove the opposite.  Now as a general rule the scoffers desire to dishonour the Scriptures; they ridicule its statements, and deny its inspir

It was one of the principles of the ancient Jewish law, that “in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.”  I have already exceeded that requirement in having brought before you no less than five “witnesses” to establish the truth and inspiration of the Scriptures; but I propose, if God permit, to conclude my series with two more: They shall be very simple witnesses, and to the eye of man quite insignificant.  They shall not have in themselves any apparent power of te

WITNESSES TO TRUTH.  Authorized Edition.  80 pages, crown 8vo, in tinted paper cover, 9d.; neatly bound in cloth, 1s. 6d. Contents .—(1) Difficulties; (2) The Races; (3) The Jews; (4) Palestine; (5) Scoffers; (6) The Sacraments. CONFORMITY TO THE WORLD.  Third Edition, revised.  64 pages, imperial 32mo, in tinted paper cover, 4d.; in limp cloth, neat, 9d. Contents .—(1) Introduction; (2) “The World;” (3) Conformity to the World:—General Principles—Recognition of the Distinction—Dress—Society—Fri

ROME, TURKEY, AND JERUSALEM.  17th Thousand.  16mo, paper cover, 1s.; Cloth, 1s. 6d. PALESTINE AND RUSSIA.  5th Thousand.  16mo, paper cover, 1s.; cloth, 1s. 6d. REDEMPTION.  A companion volume to “Sanctification.”  Square fcap. 8vo, cloth, 2s. 6d. SANCTIFICATION.  Third Edition.  Square fcap. 8vo, cloth, 2s. 6d. DOCTRINE OF THE LORD’S SUPPER, as Taught by the Church of England.  Fcap. 8vo, paper cover, 6d. INSPIRATION: ITS NATURE AND EXTENT.  New Edition, revised.  16mo, paper cover, 1s.; cloth

THE NEW DEPARTURE.  1d....