The Book of Books

All would pronounce the Bible the most interesting book they ever perused if their imagination had not become perverted by exciting stories of a fictitious character.

If we study the word of God with interest, and pray to understand it, new beauties will be seen in every line. God will reveal precious truths so clearly that the mind will derive sincere pleasure and have a continual feast as its comforting and sublime truths are unfolded.

To the diligent Bible student new light, new ideas, new gems of truth will constantly appear and be eagerly grasped, for it is impossible for any mind to comprehend all the richness and greatness of even one promise of God. One catches the glory from one point of view, and another the beauty and grace from another point, and the soul is filled with the heavenly light.

After the first acquaintance with the Bible the interest of the earnest seeker grows rapidly. The discipline gained by a regular study of the word of God enables him to see a freshness and beauty in truth that he never before discerned.

The Bible may be studied as a branch of human science would be; but its beauty, the evidence of its power to save souls that believe, is a lesson that is never thus learned. It is a leaf from the tree of life, and by eating it, by receiving it into our minds, we grow strong to do the will of God.

Those who bring to the investigation of the word a spirit of which it does not approve, will take away from the search a spirit which it has not imparted. We should take up the study of God’s word with humble hearts. All selfishness, all love of originality, should be laid aside. Long cherished opinions must not be regarded as infallible.

Those who study the Bible simply to find texts to prove their theory or vindicate their opinion, will not be enlightened by the Spirit of God. Not through controversy and discussion is the soul enlightened. We must look and live. We must search the scriptures in order to receive life for the soul.

When the heart is brought into harmony with the word, a new life will spring up within, a new light will shine upon every line of the word, and it will become the voice of God to the soul. Then the truth of God’s word will be regarded with new interest, and will be explored as if it were a revelation just from the courts above. Every declaration of inspiration concerning Christ will take hold of the in-most soul of those who love Him. Envy, jealousy and evil surmising will cease The Bible will be regarded as a character from heaven. Its study will absorb the mind, and its truths will feast the soul.

Several times each day, precious golden moments should be consecrated to prayer and the study of the scriptures, if it is only to commit a text to memory, that spiritual life may exist in the soul. We should take one verse and concentrate the mind on the task of ascertaining the thought which God has put in that verse for us until it becomes our own, and we know ‘what saith the Lord.’

The mind must be restrained and not allowed to wander. It should be trained to dwell upon the scriptures; even whole chapters may be committed to memory, to be repeated when Satan comes with his temptations. Even while you are walking on the streets, you may read a passage and meditate upon it, thus fixing it in your mind, and God will flash the knowledge obtained into the memory at the very time when it is needed.

We should open the scriptures with reverence, and never allow one expression of lightness and trifling to escape our lips when quoting scripture. As we take our Bible into our hands let us remember that we are on holy ground.

There is little benefit derived from hasty reading of the scriptures. One may read the whole Bible through, and yet fail to see its beauty or comprehend its deep hidden meaning. One passage studied until its significance is clear to the mind, and its relation to the plan of salvation is evident, is of more value than the perusal of many chapters with no definite purpose in view and no positive instruction gained.

If Christians would earnestly search the scriptures more hearts would burn with the vivid truths therein revealed. Their hopes would brighten with the precious promises strewn like pearls all along through the sacred writings. In contemplating the history of patriarchs and prophets, the men who loved and feared God and walked with Him, hearts will glow with the spirit that animated these worthies. As the mind dwells on the virtue and piety of holy men of old, the spirit which inspired them will kindle a flame of love and holy fervor in the hearts of those who would be like them in character, and as they gather the golden truth from the word, the heavenly Instructor is close by their side.

In the word is poetry, wisdom, history, biography and the most profound philosophy. Here is a study that quickens the mind into a vigorous and healthy life, and awakens it to the highest exercise. Studied and obeyed, the word of God would give to the world men of stronger and more active intellect than will the closest application to all the subjects which human philosophy embraces. It would give men of strength and solidity of character, of keen perception and sound judgment: men who would be an honor to God and a blessing to the world, for it enlarges the mind, expands, elevates and endows it with new vigor, by bringing its faculties in contact with stupendous truths.

Even unconsciously we imitate that with which we are familiar. By having a knowledge of Christ-His words-and His Lessons of instruction, we instinctively bor Wisconsin Reporter

Talk by Sister White, at Morning Worship, Monday, Aug. Sixteenth

Our experiences every day are of the highest value to us. We must have a daily experience in living with the Lord. We have a tempting devil. He will be tempting us to the end. When one says something to provoke you, shut your lips and say in your mind, «Silence is Eloquence.» Don’t put magazines on your table. Let the magazines alone. It is like eating trash. Now, if we profess to be children of God, we will do just as He teaches us in His word. We will not go to magazines and such light trifling things and feed on these but get something right from the word and commit it to memory and we will find that when the enemy combats us, we can resist him.

When he came to Christ did he come as a very offensive looking man? No, he came as an angel of glory and said in regard to Christ’s hunger, «If thou be the son of God, command that these stones be made bread.» Did Christ take him right up? Not a word did He say. He only took the scripture, «It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.» Think of that. Be full of scripture, not these old magazines. You want to commit to memory scripture.

Satan could not do anything with Christ on that point. Then he took him up onto a pinnacle of the temple and said to him. «If thou be the son of God cast thyself down, for it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways.» God did not want Christ to take up an argument with Satan. Satan continued, «Throw thyself down; It is written that His angels shall have charge over thee.» And so Christ quoted the scriptures, «It is written that thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.» He would not place himself in peril to show his greater power. He was hungry. He had fasted forty days. Satan came to him in his weakness thinking to get the better of him, but was disappointed.

«He will keep thee in all thy ways,»—not Satan’s ways. Temptations will come to us and we have got to be storing our minds now with scripture lessons and the blessing of God will come to every one in this institution and there will be sick ones here to whom you can speak a word in season. Nothing helps so much as a word of sympathy, kindness and love and let that come into the Sanitarium and it will do you just as much good as it would do them and perhaps a good deal more.

Well, the devil found out that he could not tempt Christ in that way so he took him up onto a high mountain and showed him the glory of the world and said, «This is mine. I have the right to give it and if thou wilt fall down and worship me, I will give it to thee.» Then Christ’s time came. He said, «Get thee hence Satan. It is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.» Now, these are the very lessons we have got to go over. We must live, every one of us, by the simplicity of true Godliness. It brings such a power, for the angels of God are right around us. We are not left to our own dispositions and to have no help. There are angels of God that will encourage every thought that is sent up to God in prayer even when walking wherever we are. We have a God who understands every move that we make and these Sanitariums are established in the order of God, that we might be co-laborers with Jesus Christ. He is just as merciful in heaven as he was here upon earth, just as glad to take hold and help if we will take hold of him by faith, and because he is in the heavens, it is not at all for you to feel that you are left alone to struggle and struggle and struggle with difficulties. Thank God you can speak a word in season to some one around you. You can fight the devil in that very way. «It is written.» You can thus meet the enemy with words out of the scripture and you will become strengthened; your living experience will grow day by day and you will find that you are perfecting such a character that you can be transferred to the future immortal life, and there is no danger of your being overthrown by the devil there. Then let every one, young and old, put entire trust in the word and let all heaven see that you understand the word of the living God, that you have studied it and that you will meet the devil on his own ground by a power that he has no influence to oppose. He can’t do it. Why? Your hand has a hold on the Infinite; by living faith you grasp a power and Satan cannot come in to lead you away from that word while you have it in your mind and heart and your lips. How much you can help those who come to this institution who know nothing hardly about God, by dropping a word in season. God help every one of you.

I am thankful to see so many here and feel that every one of us will struggle on, for we must, in the name of the overcomer, with the strength of the overcomer, and we can say, «I overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of His testimony,»—that testimony that Christ has given and let us strive to see how much missionary work we can do right here in this blessed Sanitarium, and if we do we shall bring light here. We shall bring the presence of God here and our own hearts will be strengthened to resist temptations. Well, no let us launch right out upon the path of faith, «It is written,» and the blessing of God will abide upon us abundantly.