"Remember me!" when life's last hour OPINIONS OF DISTINGUISHED MEN CONCERNING THE BIBLE. ORIGEN-Would to God we would all do accordingly as it is written, "Search the Scriptures." CHRYSOSTOM.-This is the cause of all ill, that the Scriptures are not known. * * * * Hear ye me, men of the world, get ye the Bible, that most wholesome remedy for the soul; if ye will have nothing else, yet at the least get the New Testament, St. Paul's Epistles, the Gospels, and the Acts, that they may be your continual and earnest teachers. BISHOP JEWELL.-In adversity, in prosperity, in life and in death, the Scriptures are our special comfort. If we must fight, they are a sword; if we hunger, they are meat; if we thirst, they are drink; if we have no dwelling-place, they are a house; if we be naked, they are a garment; if we be in darkness, they are a light unto our going. * * *They are comfortable in peace, in war; in heaviness, in joy; in health, in sickness; in abundance, in poverty; in the day time, in the night season; in the town, in the wilderness; in company, and when thou art alone. For they teach faith, hope, patience, charity, sobriety, humility, righteousness, and all godliness. They teach us to live, and they teach us to die. BISHOP HORNE.-Indited under the influence of Him, to whom all hearts are known, and all secrets foreknown, they (the Psalms) suit mankind in all situations,-grateful as the manna which descended from above, and conformed itself to every palate. The fairest productions of human art, after a few perusals, like gathered flowers, wither in our hands, and lose their fragrancy; but these unfading plants of paradise be come, as we are accustomed to them, still more and more beautiful; their bloom appears to be daily heightened, fresh odours are emitted, and new sweets are extracted from them. He who hath once tasted their excellencies will desire to taste them yet again; and he who tastes them oftenest will relish them best. SIR WILLIAM JONES.-I have regularly and attentively read the Holy Scriptures, and am of opinion this volume, indepen dent of its Divine origin, contains more sublimity and beauty, more pure morality, more important history, and finer strains of poetry and eloquence, than can be collected from all other books, in whatever language or age they may have been composed. FLAVEL.-The Scriptures teach us the best way of living, the noblest way of suffering, and the most comfortable way of dying. PRESIDENT EDWARDS.- Wherefore, with great seriousness and importunity, I request the reader that he entertain such thoughts and persuasions as these, that Bible learning is the highest accomplishment, that this book is the most valuable upon earth, that here is a library in one single volume, that this alone is sufficient for us, though all the libraries in the world were destroyed. ERASMUS. I am firmly resolved to die in the study of the Scriptures; in them are my joy and my peace. MATTHEW HENRY.-The Bible is incomparably the best book that ever was written. LOCKE. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth without any mixture of error for its matter. DR. OWEN.-The whole Scripture is divinely inspired and profitable; being written by the Holy Ghost for this purpose, that in it, as a common healing office for souls, all men may choose the medicine suited to cure their own distempers. REV. ROWLAND HILL.-Oh the simplicity, the energy, the beauty of the language of the Bible-the spiritual language of God the Holy Spirit! The longer I live in the world, and the more I read my Bible, the more I am struck at the excessive energy, the glorious strength of its phraseology,-so far beyond any thing that is human. DAVID SIMPSON.- We defy all the sons of infidelity to show us any thing like the Bible, or second to it. Where will you meet with such a number of instructive proverbs, fervent prayers, sublime songs, beneficent miracles, apposite parables, infalli ble prophecies, affectionate epistles, eloquent orations, instru tive histories, pure laws, rich promises, awful denunciation useful examples, as are set before us in this richly fraug magazine of all true excellence in matter and compositionThe Holy Bible? REV. T. HALYBURTON.-Oh the wisdom which is laid up i the Book of God, that is to be found only there ! WESLEY.—Oh, give me that book! at any price give me th Book of God! I have it. Here is knowledge enough for m DR. BEATTIE. -All the genius and learning of the heathe world, all the penetration of Pythagoras, Socrates, and Ari: totle, had never been able to produce such a system of mora duty, and so rational account of Providence and of man, as to be found in the New Testament. REV. T. H. HORNE.-Were all men sincerely and cordiall to believe the Bible to be a Divine revelation, and to obey it precepts, how would the moral face of the world be changed HOOKER.-What is there necessary for man to know, which the Psalms are not able to teach? EXCELLENCY OF THE SCRIPTURES. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.-2 Tim. iii. 16, 17. I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil.—Psalm cxix. 162. The law is holy, and the commandment holy.—Rom. vii. 12. Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.-Psalm cxix. 165. The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.-Psalm xii. 6. Thy testimonies that thou hast commanded are righteous and very faithful.-Psalm cxix. 138. Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them.-Psalm cxix. 129. y statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilge.-Psalm exix. 54. n doth not live by bread only, but by every word that edeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live.viii. 3. e entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth undering unto the simple.-Psalm exix. 130. ou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.-Psalm iii. 2. how I love thy law! it is my meditation all the day. a cxix. 97. have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy nonies are my meditation.-Psalm exix. 99. ow sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than y to my mouth!-Psalm cxix. 103. y word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. alm cxix. 105. ove thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold. alm cxix. 127. THE ONE THING NEEDFUL. BY W. OSBORNE. R our blessed Saviour had escaped from Jerusalem at feast of tabernacles, he with his disciples set out for ee. And it came to pass as they went that they entered a certain village. Now this village was Bethany, at that a place of some note, but now quite inconsiderable. the inhabitants still pretend to show you Lazarus's castle, h the Mahometans use for a place of devotion; and a I way from that they show you the house of Mary Magne; and at the foot of the hill you are shown the well the tles used to drink at. There was a very pious woman in place, whose name was Martha who hospitably received Saviour into her house. She had a sister residing with her whose name was Mary, and who, as a humble disciple of Jesus, sat at his feet, and with grateful and pleasing attention listened to his heavenly discourse. Martha was very anxiously engaged in making provision for her eminent and extraordinary guest, and she came unto him and complainingly said, "Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me." The blessed Jesus took occasion to improve this circumstance to the spiritual welfare of those around him. Here he wisely blended gentle reproof with practical instruction, and said, " Martha, Martha, thou art troubled about many things, but one thing is needful, and Mary has chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her." O what faithfulness as well as compassion was there in this rebuke! Blessed are they who do not permit their whole time to be absorbed in their secular employment, and who are not so cumbered and entangled with the affairs of this present life, as to neglect and forget that most important and valuable thing which alone is absolutely needful, but who will with determination choose the better part, and resolutely hold it fast, that no man take from them their unfading crown. One thing is needful, and I would ask what is that one thing needful. I. It is an anxious care for the welfare of the soul. If we lose our soul it does not matter what we save in this world; and if we save our soul it does not matter what we lose in this world. The undying principle in man is of so vast importance that nothing is to be compared to it. Men do not lock up manure in a chest, but their gold and silver, or whatever they count precious. And in this respect the soul deserves more care than all things in the world besides. But what thousands care more for their silver than their souls. They care more for their treasure in this world, than to secure a treasure in heaven. Their thoughts are principally on gain, instead of godliness. And instead of saying, Return to thy rest, O my soUL, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee," they exclaim in their superabundance, SOUL, eat, drink, and be merry, for thou hast much goods laid up for many years." Oh, that this divine sentence might be deeply impressed on all our hearts, "ONE THING IS NEEDFUL!" 66 66 II. It is an humble attention to the voice of Christ in his gospel. O how attentive was Mary! She sat at his feet and heard his words. Those words which bestow unspeakable |