Now, secure a fair sized post or board. Have it nicely planed and painted, if possible, polished, so it will present a finished appearance. Take now a hammer and nail and drive one in, at short distances, at every evil deed mentioned. He told a lie—drive in a nail. He said a swear word—drive in a nail. He stole a book—drive in a nail, and so continue this operation until there are fifteen or twenty nails driven in. "How shall I get rid of my sins?" Let us see. For every good word said, pull out a nail and continue in this fashion until the nails are extracted. But good works will not blot out our evil deeds, for you notice that the nail holes are there. We cannot pull the nail holes out, the scar of sin is left, The only way the scar can be blotted out is by the planing off of the board, or filling up the nail holes, or better still, get a new piece of board. So God must give us a new heart, and this He will do if we pray "Create in me a new heart, O God."
CHAPTER XXIX
"THE BURIED BIBLE"
Objects: A Large Bible; a Daily Newspaper; a Sunday Newspaper; a Cash Book; Entertainment Program; a Theatrical Window Poster; a Book of Fashions; a Book of Personal Engagements; a Popular Work of Fiction; School Books; a Phonograph Catalogue
THE BURIED BIBLE
IN the Old Testament days we read of the Scriptures or "The Law" being hidden away under the rubbish of the neglected temple. There is great danger in these days that we might lose our Bible in this way also. We so easily and frequently put it aside, neglect it, and then forget it and often forget where we put it. The cares of this world and its sinful pleasures are the dust which so often covers our Bible, and which covers it over to such an extent that we find it is not even in our thoughts.
In many of our homes, the Bible is out of sight. The children do not find it open and ever before their eyes. It is a buried book. There should be a Bible in every room, always kept open, which will speak in a silent tongue of power "Search me, and in so doing you will find eternal life." To illustrate the fact that in most homes this is not done, and that the Bible has been covered with the rubbish of life, secure a good sized Bible, and before the children assemble, cover it all over so it is entirely out of sight with, first, a Sunday newspaper, next, a cash book used in business, next an entertainment program, then a theatrical window poster folded up, then a fashion plate picture, after this a book containing your engagements for every night, and late night affairs; also a popular work of fiction, a pile of school books; a well worn catalogue of Victor records, and at last a daily newspaper. When the audience is assembled, explain you will talk to them about the neglected book of God or the buried Bible. Let us all look and see what we use to cover up our Bible, and thus put it out of sight. This pile of stuff on the table covers up the dear word of God, and prevents us from reading it as we should. The Bible is the world's greatest medicine chest, and it is lost. The world is in dreadful pain and we cannot find the medicine. Let us see together what has covered it up, and search together under the rubbish until we find it.
First lift off the daily newspaper. This is always read first by most people, and when we have finished reading it, there is no time to read the Bible, and we are not in a good mental state to grasp its meaning, so we neglect to read our Bible. We should go to the Holy Book first, if only to find one verse for the day, for in so doing, we begin the day with God. But the daily newspaper has hid it out of sight. Next take up the Victor talking machine catalogue, which should be much worn by frequent use, and in so doing explain that one-half the time listening to God speak through His word, as we give to the popular song and music of the day, our Bibles would be in as prominent a place as the talking machine. Popular music is good in its place but when it takes the Bible's place, it is all wrong and out of its place. Don't hide the Bible back of the talking machine, or you will lose it some day.
Next, take off the School books. "No time to read the Bible, | have so many lessons to study." This is often the cry we hear from boys who attend school. Sometimes the school books are enemies to the word of God and destroy all taste for the Bible. Often when the boys and girls have finished their book learning, they have not only no time for the Bible but no use for it at all. They cast it into the rubbish and say "The world has outgrown the Bible." So under the books of the school, they have buried it and called it dead and that is the reason they buried it. Bright boys and girls should know the Bible is the king of all books of learning, and the highest crowning wisdom of all is to know God, that alone is the perfect education. Don't therefore, hide your Bible under your school books. Now pick from the rubbish heap—the novel. "I am so interested in reading fiction I have no time to read the Bible." This is just what the boys and girls often say. They will sit up all night if possible to see how the story "turns out." Of course there is no time to read the Bible if this is the way we spend our reading time and so the Bible once more is pushed aside by the novel. Reading is a splendid means of mental culture, and it makes a full man, but the best reading of all is the Bible. Mix a chapter of the good Book in with your other reading, and you have a superb mixture. The Bible contains the world's best literature, and it is more than good literature. Its words are life and concentrated power. They are bits of radium. They glow with inside light, they never lose their lustre. Their light is as penetrating as the X-ray. They shine into the other life. Don't hide the light of the mighty word with the novel or secular reading of the present day.
Now take from the pile of stuff your book of engagements. Open it, and discover you have an engagement for every night in the week. They are social functions. You must go; you will lose your standing among the "high class" if you don't. Put down among your engagements this one. I have an engagement of thirty minutes with my Bible. This is imperative. Keep that engagement with your Bible as you would keep all other engagements and you will never lose your Bible under a heap of dates.