[IMPERFECT MEDIUM FOR
A PERFECT REVELATION.]
HUMAN language, perfect or imperfect, is the only medium through which a revelation to man ever was or ever can be made. We do not claim for the medium that it is perfect, but the revelation itself is perfect. The imperfection of language and instability form the occasion for new translations and revisions. Revelation, when first given to man, was perfect and the language employed to convey it to the mind of man answered the purpose. In the providence of God, the original languages through which revelation was made died, and consequently ceased to change. But, in the very nature of things, a living language is always changing. The circumstance, however, that language is an imperfect vehicle through which to convey divine things, is no objection to the divine things thus conveyed to us. It maybe a reason why our knowledge of revelation will never be perfect in this life; but certainly no reason why revelation itself shall be considered imperfect. It may be alleged that revelation to man is more difficult on account of the imperfection and instability of language; but the same difficulty lies in the way of every kind of communications to men.
The true state of the case is, that the medium of language is sufficiently perfect and entirely adequate for all the purposes of a revelation to mankind. The communication from God to man found in the Bible is sufficiently clear and intelligible for all the purposes of its original design. The man who will make an honest effort, can understand the will of God concerning him—can discriminate between good and evil, right and wrong, the way to hell and the way to heaven. But the man who will not make an honest effort, would not be a Christian if one would rise from the dead before his eyes. If he had seen the Lord in person he would have found occasion for caviling. The seed of the kingdom must fall into a good and honest heart.
It is useless to fall out with the medium through which revelation has come to man. The best medium in existence was employed, the very one through which we communicate man with man, and the one with which man is more familiar than any other—the medium of language.
[OVERLOOKING HUMBLE
BUT GOOD MEN.]
WE have lately been reflecting upon an opportunity for doing great good perfectly within our reach, to which many are paying but little attention. Who among our brethren are thinking how many humble, unassuming and comparatively obscure men we have, who are actually doing a great work, and not only doing it at their own charges, but doing it without thanks or even credit from their brethren? While we are paying much attention to a few men of popularity, influence and fame, we are overlooking a large number of the best, truest, most self-sacrificing men the Lord has given us. These, too, are the men who are doing the main body of the work, and they are the main supports of the cause. They are men of good sense, piety and devotion; men of excellent character, an honor to the cause and a credit to the brotherhood, who are penetrating the private neighborhoods, preaching in private houses, school houses, barns, shops, and open groves, and bringing thousands to the fold every year; and in the place of the brethren making any arrangement to support them, or even saying anything to encourage them, they are saying discouraging things of them, such as that “they can’t preach”—“they are little preachers,” etc., etc.