General Conference Bulletin, vol. 7

Bible Study Hour - THE WORD AND THE HOLY SPIRIT

S. N. HASKELL

May 29, 8:30 A. M.

Truth is taught by God in his written Word not only through plain counsels as to what men should or should not do, but also by examples of what men have done. Duties and responsibilities are illustrated in the Word by incidents revealing the providential dealings of a merciful Heavenly Father with his children. The results of disobedience are plainly set forth, as are the rewards of loyalty. There are many instances given in both the Old Testament and the New. Some may regard these Biblical stories as unimportant; but, my brethren, they are not only interesting, but very instructive; for we who are living on the earth today are just like the men and women who lived in Bible times, so far as our natural tendencies are concerned. GCB June 1, 1913, page 209.1

We are living in a time when the truth of God is finally to triumph over every opposing influence; and it seems to me that, in view of this fact, those who claim to be children of God in this age of the world should be most diligent students of the Word. It is by GCB June 1, 1913, page 209.2

Bible study that we may learn how to guard against evil, and to do that which is right. It is in this age that we may expect truth to triumph as it never has triumphed before; for it is in this age that the whole earth is to be lightened with the glory of God. GCB June 1, 1913, page 209.3

This enlightenment of the whole world, of all the dark corners of the earth, will be accomplished largely by means of the printed page. Years ago our brethren began to appreciate the important part that our publications would have in the closing work of the third angel’s message; and as early as the year 1867, some began forming little tract societies for the systematic distribution of the printed page. I well remember the time, during the 70’s, when the little church at South Lancaster took a thousand copies of the Signs of the Times every week. You may inquire, “Were they all distributed?”—Yes; they were. We used to barrel up the surplus numbers, and send them down to a ship mission in New York. GCB June 1, 1913, page 209.4

PHOTO-CONGRESSIONAL LIBRARY, WASHINGTON, D. C.

I must tell you a circumstance in connection with the papers sent this mission. I had never visited the mission, and was unacquainted with the parties connected with it, so I thought I would hunt them up and have some conversation with them. And so, during my talk with the man in charge, I asked him how he supplied himself with reading-matter. He answered: “O, we get it from all denominations; but there is a man by the name of Haskell in South Lancaster, Mass., who sends to us, every once in a while, a barrel of the Signs of the Times. I’ll get a copy and show it to you.” So be ran and got me a copy of the Signs, that I might see it. “The paper is all good,” he volunteered; “but the first article in every number, by Mrs. E. G. White, is worth the subscription price for a whole year.” I said, “What do you do with these papers?” “Well,” he replied, “I send them to every port to which the ships go from New York City.” GCB June 1, 1913, page 209.5

This, my friends, is one part of the story. There is more that I must tell you. Some years later, when in Calcutta, India, I became acquainted with a storekeeper whose wife was a mission worker among the seamen. I became quite well acquainted with him. One night, as we were going home in a cab, our conversation turned to the topic of literature, and we talked over the various periodicals we read. I asked him where he secured his reading-matter. “My wife gets papers every once in a while,” he replied, “from a New York mission.” Then he asked me if I knew anything about the Signs of the Times. I told him I had seen the paper. “Is your name the same as that Haskell who writes for the Signs?” he continued. I told him I did not know of any Haskell who wrote for it, excepting myself. He jumped up and seized both my hands, and exclaimed: “I know all about you. I used to tie up packages of those papers for my wife, and put them on every boat that leaves Calcutta.” Later on. I found in South Africa some who had already begun keeping the Sabbath as the result of reading-matter they had received in a similar way. GCB June 1, 1913, page 209.6

Brethren, we cannot be too much in earnest in the work of scattering the printed page. And the more earnest we become, the more of God’s blessing and power we shall enjoy. But the sad part of this is, that while some become increasingly active in missionary endeavor, there are others who will let opportunity after opportunity slip, and will never realize what they might have done, had they been wide awake to see and to do. I believe there will be hundreds, yea, thousands, of Seventh-day Adventists who will pass through the loud cry of the third angel’s message, and never know it. They will not be prepared to appreciate it. While events will be taking place all about them in fulfillment of prophecy, revealing their position in respect to the loud cry of the message, they will be blind to all these evidences of their returning Lord. They will continue living in sin, and will fail of fulfilling God’s purpose, so far as they individually are concerned. GCB June 1, 1913, page 209.7

In “Early Writings,” in the chapter entitled “Preparation for the End,” we read: “I saw that many were neglecting the preparation so needful, and were looking to the time of “refreshing” and the “latter rain” to fit them to stand in the day of the Lord.... O, how many I saw in the time of trouble without a shelter! They had neglected the needful preparation; therefore they could not receive the refreshing that all must have to fit them to live in the sight of a holy God.” GCB June 1, 1913, page 210.1

Now I will read another expression from the same chapter:— GCB June 1, 1913, page 210.2

“I saw that none could share the refreshing, unless they obtained the victory over every besetment, over pride, selfishness, love of the world, and over every wrong word and action. We should, therefore, be drawing nearer and nearer to the Lord, and be earnestly seeking that preparation necessary to enable us to stand in the battle in the day of the Lord. Let all remember that God is holy, and that none but holy beings can ever dwell in his presence.” GCB June 1, 1913, page 210.3

Here is another paragraph which I will read from the chapter entitled, “Duty in View of the Time of Trouble:”— GCB June 1, 1913, page 210.4

“Now is the time to lay up treasure in heaven.... The Lord has shown me the danger of letting our minds be filled with worldly thoughts and cares. I saw that some minds are led away from present truth and a love of the Holy Bible, by reading other exciting books; others are filled with perplexity and care for what they shall eat, drink, and wear. Some are looking too far off for the coming of the Lord.... I saw great danger; for if the mind is filled with other things, present truth is shut out, and there is no place in our foreheads for the seal of the living God. I saw that the time for Jesus to be in the most holy place was nearly finished, and that time can last but a very little longer. What leisure time we have should be spent in searching the Bible, which is to judge us in the last day.” GCB June 1, 1913, page 210.5

Much more might be read, but this is sufficient to show that a study of the Bible, and preparation for the coming of Christ, go hand in land. Those who prepare to meet God, will be students of his Word. In the Bible are plain counsels as to just what man should do in order to be saved. In it are clearly revealed the things that God requires of every one who desires to be a follower of Christ. GCB June 1, 1913, page 210.6

In my earliest childhood my mother taught me to read the Bible and to pray to God. One of my first recollections is her practice of gathering us about her at night, and especially every Sunday night, and teaching us some Scripture lesson; and helping us to commit some passage to memory, and then teaching us to pray to God, and to believe that he heard us, and would answer us, if we desired the things for which we presented our petitions before him. I am grateful to God for these early influences that helped me to prize the teachings of this blessed Book. GCB June 1, 1913, page 210.7

The Bible is a wonderful book. We can ever find instruction in it regarding the holding of Bible readings. There is a chapter that gives a description of a Bible reading. I think I will not tell you where it is, because I suppose you all know. GCB June 1, 1913, page 210.8

Many voices: Tell us! Tell us, please! We want to know! GCB June 1, 1913, page 210.9

You ought to know where this is, without my telling you; but I will tell you. It is the eighth chapter of Nehemiah. There we are told who should be present, how the Scriptures, should be read, and also, by illustration, how be read, and also, by illustration, how the Bible should be taught. GCB June 1, 1913, page 210.10

The teaching of the Bible has been connected with every great reform that has come to God’s people in the past. The truths of the Word have been taught, as well as preached, in these reform movements of Bible times. I suppose the Bible readings of those days were not conducted as we conduct them today; but they certainly read the Bible with the people, and taught its precepts; and the people certainly took part in the study. GCB June 1, 1913, page 210.11

You remember the days when there was no “teaching priest” in Israel. It was then that Jehoshaphat organized a system of Bible teaching, and the result was that the fear of God fell upon all the nations round about. Brethren, there is power in God’s Word. This Word has been given us for a purpose; God asks us to study it. The Saviour admonishes us, “Search the Scriptures.” These words do not mean that we are casually to read the Bible for a few minutes in the morning, and then, with a hurried prayer, go about the day’s duties, with not another thought about it; the words mean just what they say,—“Search the Scriptures.” We are to search them diligently as for hid treasure. GCB June 1, 1913, page 210.12

I suppose if we knew that on this camp ground, buried somewhere, there was a mint of money, and we all had the privilege of digging for it, there would be a great deal of digging going on all the while. And we would keep on digging until we found the money. There would not be an inch of this ground unturned. My brethren, there is salvation in the Word; therein are revealed God, and Christ, and the Holy Spirit. No need to fear any so-called “sanctification of the Spirit” with which there is connected no real study of the Word of God. I should rather have the Word of God, and stand on that, than to stand on all the mere theory and joyous feeling that comes through a misconception of the teaching of the Word regarding true sanctification. I know that when I stand on the living Word, I am on a sure foundation. Those who make the Word their basis of belief, will obey God in every crisis. GCB June 1, 1913, page 210.13

The Saviour, during his earthly ministry, taught us how to study the Bible, how to preach, and how to teach. He is our great Exemplar. And if we should study his life more carefully than we do, we would become more Christ-like than we are in our methods of teaching truth. GCB June 1, 1913, page 210.14

The Saviour’s life was a revelation of the power of God manifest in the flesh. And his was a Spirit-filled life. Did you ever stop to consider that he was a most diligent student of the Scriptures? He was. At the time of his baptism, when the Spirit of God descended upon him in the form of a dove, he had gone forward with the baptismal rite “that the Scripture might be fulfilled.” Throughout his ministry, he was a living exemplification of God’s Holy Word. He was that Word made flesh, dwelling among men. GCB June 1, 1913, page 210.15

There is scarcely a promise in the Word so oft-repeated as is the promise of the Holy Spirit. And we are bidden to pray for it. This promise is mentioned eleven times in the eleventh chapter of Luke. But this precious gift is bestowed most freely upon those who, realizing their need of divine guidance, give most faithful study to the teachings of the Holy Scriptures. The two go hand in hand,—the study of the Bible, and the reception of the Holy Spirit. This fact will become more and more manifest as you trace the dealings of God with his children in ages past, as recorded in the Word. GCB June 1, 1913, page 210.16

Take, for example, a passage found in the twenty-fourth of Luke. As the Saviour journeyed with the two disciples on their way to Emmaus, “he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” And, later, when he appeared to them in Jerusalem, he declared: “These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures.” GCB June 1, 1913, page 210.17

Notice that he gave them the Holy Spirit, to open their understanding, at the very time they were searching the Scriptures. GCB June 1, 1913, page 210.18

Turn to John 20. In verses 19-12 we read: “The same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he showed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained.” GCB June 1, 1913, page 210.19

In the passage we have just read, the thought of the reception of the Spirit in connection with the study of God’s Word, is stated clearly. God is ready to give of his Spirit to those who desire to study his Word and to fulfill his purpose. We do not half live up to our privileges, brethren and sisters. We might be strong in God, strong in a knowledge of truth, strong in ministry. GCB June 1, 1913, page 210.20

I shall never forget the force the words in this passage concerning the remission of sins, seemed to have one time, many years ago, when I was laboring with Elder J. N. Andrews. We were trying to lift a man out of despair. We labored long with him, but seemed unable to make any impression, because of the cloud of discouragement overshadowing his mind. Finally Elder Andrews, who was a very tall man, straightened up before him, and said, “My brother, I offer you pardon on the authority of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, which he has given to his disciples in the promise, Whosoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them.’” Elder Andrews spoke very deliberately, yet with decided conviction; and while at first I was startled by the thought of any man’s claiming to have power to remit sins, yet the words had no sooner been uttered, than it seemed as if the very atmosphere about us cleared up. and the man who had been under a cloud of discouragement, rejoiced in God and in a knowledge of sins forgiven. GCB June 1, 1913, page 211.1

I believe, brethren and sisters, that God is with his people, though our sins ofttimes separate us from him. O, let us believe him; let us trust him; let us lean upon him, and look to him for an understanding of his Word! GCB June 1, 1913, page 211.2

You remember that it was when Daniel was giving special study to the Word, that the Lord revealed to him that which is recorded in the ninth chapter of his prophecy. God draws near to those who search his Word; he gives them understanding by imparting to them of his Holy Spirit; he never disappoints any seeker after truth who has an earnest desire to acquaint himself with God through a study of the Word. GCB June 1, 1913, page 211.3

We could cite many other cases of those who were taught of God as they read his Holy Word. We are all familiar with the story of the Ethiopian, to whom Philip was sent with the question, “Understandeth thou what thou readest?” There are many honest hearts who long to know more of God’s Word. Why should we not all become earnest Bible students, and competent Bible teachers? Why should we not all study so diligently that we would have a reserve in store for all who may inquire of us a reason for the hope that is within us? Everywhere we go, we shall find those who are more ready to talk with us about the truths of the Bible than we think. GCB June 1, 1913, page 211.4

In all our study of the Word, we should think not only of those to whom we expect to impart, we should also ask: “What do these words say to me? What lesson can I get for my own heart out of this counsel?” God will help us individually to feed upon the bread of life; he will strengthen us for service; and as we go forth to minister, the presence of his Spirit will be with us to sustain and help and give success. - GCB June 1, 1913, page 211.5

“O Lord, thou knowest: remember me, and visit me.... Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts.” Jeremiah 15:15, 16. GCB June 1, 1913, page 211.6