reverence；　to　whose　authority　they　had　been　accustomed　implicitly　to　bow。
  〃How　is　it；〃　they　asked；　〃that　our　rulers　and　learned　scribes　do　not　believe
  on　Jesus？　Would　not　these　pious　men　receive　Him　if　He　were
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  the　Christ？〃　It　was　the　influence　of　such　teachers　that　led　the　Jewish
  nation　to　reject　their　Redeemer。
  The　spirit　which　actuated　those　priests　and　rulers　is　still　manifested　by
  many　who　make　a　high　profession　of　piety。　They　refuse　to　examine　the
  testimony　of　the　Scriptures　concerning　the　special　truths　for　this　time。
  They　point　to　their　own　numbers；　wealth；　and　popularity；　and　look　with
  contempt　upon　the　advocates　of　truth　as　few；　poor；　and　unpopular；　having　a
  faith　that　separates　them　from　the　world。
  Christ　foresaw　that　the　undue　assumption　of　authority　indulged　by　the
  scribes　and　Pharisees　would　not　cease　with　the　dispersion　of　the　Jews。　He
  had　a　prophetic　view　of　the　work　of　exalting　human　authority　to　rule　the
  conscience；　which　has　been　so　terrible　a　curse　to　the　church　in　all　ages。
  And　His　fearful　denunciations　of　the　scribes　and　Pharisees；　and　His　warnings
  to　the　people　not　to　follow　these　blind　leaders；　were　placed　on　record　as　an
  admonition　to　future　generations。
  The　Roman　Church　reserves　to　the　clergy　the　right　to　interpret　the
  Scriptures。　On　the　ground　that　ecclesiastics　alone　are　competent　to　explain
  God's　word；　it　is　withheld　from　the　common　people。＇*　SEE　APPENDIX　NOTE　FOR
  PAGE　340。＇　Though　the　Reformation　gave　the　Scriptures　to　all；　yet　the
  selfsame　principle　which　was　maintained　by　Rome　prevents　multitudes　in
  Protestant　churches　from　searching　the　Bible　for　themselves。　They　are　taught
  to　accept　its　teachings　as　interpreted　by　the　church；　and　there　are
  thousands　who　dare　receive　nothing；　however　plainly　revealed　in　Scripture；
  that　is　contrary　to　their　creed　or　the　established　teaching　of　their　church。
  Notwithstanding　the　Bible　is　full　of　warnings　against　false　teachers；　many
  are　ready　thus　to　commit　the　keeping　of　their　souls　to　the　clergy。　There　are
  today　thousands　of　professors　of　religion　who　can　give　no　other　reason　for
  points　of　faith　which　they　hold　than　that　they　were　so　instructed　by　their
  religious　leaders。　They　pass　by　the　Saviour's　teachings　almost
  597
  unnoticed；　and　place　implicit　confidence　in　the　words　of　the　ministers。　But
  are　ministers　infallible？　How　can　we　trust　our　souls　to　their　guidance
  unless　we　know　from　God's　word　that　they　are　light　bearers？　A　lack　of　moral
  courage　to　step　aside　from　the　beaten　track　of　the　world　leads　many　to
  follow　in　the　steps　of　learned　men；　and　by　their　reluctance　to　investigate
  for　themselves；　they　are　becoming　hopelessly　fastened　in　the　chains　of
  error。　They　see　that　the　truth　for　this　time　is　plainly　brought　to　view　in
  the　Bible；　and　they　feel　the　power　of　the　Holy　Spirit　attending　its
  proclamation；　yet　they　allow　the　opposition　of　the　clergy　to　turn　them　from
  the　light。　Though　reason　and　conscience　are　convinced；　these　deluded　souls
  dare　not　think　differently　from　the　minister；　and　their　individual　judgment；
  their　eternal　interests；　are　sacrificed　to　the　unbelief；　the　pride　and
  prejudice；　of　another。
  Many　are　the　ways　by　which　Satan　works　through　human　influence　to　bind　his
  captives。　He　secures　multitudes　to　himself　by　attaching　them　by　the　silken
  cords　of　affection　to　those　who　are　enemies　of　the　cross　of　Christ。　Whatever
  this　attachment　may　be；　parental；　filial；　conjugal；　or　social；　the　effect　is
  the　same；　the　opposers　of　truth　exert　their　power　to　control　the　conscience；
  and　the　souls　held　under　their　sway　have　not　sufficient　courage　or
  independence　to　obey　their　own　convictions　of　duty。
  The　truth　and　the　glory　of　God　are　inseparable；　it　is　impossible　for　us；
  with　the　Bible　within　our　reach；　to　honor　God　by　erroneous　opinions。　Many
  claim　that　it　matters　not　what　one　believes；　if　his　life　is　only　right。　But
  the　life　is　molded　by　the　faith。　If　light　and　truth　is　within　our　reach；　and
  we　neglect　to　improve　the　privilege　of　hearing　and　seeing　it；　we　virtually
  reject　it；　we　are　choosing　darkness　rather　than　light。
  〃There　is　a　way　that　seemeth　right　unto　a　man；　but　the　end　thereof　are　the
  ways　of　death。〃　Proverbs　16：25。　Ignorance　is　no　excuse　for　error　or　sin；
  when　there　is　every　opportunity
  598
  to　know　the　will　of　God。　A　man　is　traveling　and　comes　to　a　place　where　there
  are　several　roads　and　a　guideboard　indicating　where　each　one　leads。　If　he
  disregards　the　guideboard；　and　takes　whichever　road　seems　to　him　to　be
  right；　he　may　be　ever　so　sincere；　but　will　in　all　probability　find　himself
  on　the　wrong　road。
  God　has　given　us　His　word　that　we　may　become　acquainted　with　its　teachings
  and　know　for　ourselves　what　He　requires　of　us。　When　the　lawyer　came　to　Jesus
  with　the　inquiry；　〃What　shall　I　do　to　inherit　eternal　life？〃　the　Saviour
  referred　him　to　the　Scriptures；　saying：　〃What　is　written　in　the　law？　how
  readest　thou？〃　Ignorance　will　not　excuse　young　or　old；　nor　release　them　from
  the　punishment　due　for　the　transgression　of　God's　law；　because　there　is　in
  their　hands　a　faithful　presentation　of　that　law　and　of　its　principles　and
  claims。　It　is　not　enough　to　have　good　intentions；　it　is　not　enough　to　do
  what　a　man　thinks　is　right　or　what　the　minister　tells　him　is　right。　His
  soul's　salvation　is　at　stake；　and　he　should　search　the　Scriptures　for
  himself。　However　strong　may　be　his　convictions；　however　confident　he　may　be
  that　the　minister　knows　what　is　truth；　this　is　not　his　foundation。　He　has　a
  chart　pointing　out　every　waymark　on　the　heavenward　journey；　and　he　ought　not
  to　guess　at　anything。
  It　is　the　first　and　highest　duty　of　every　rational　being　to　learn　from　the
  Scriptures　what　is　truth；　and　then　to　walk　in　the　light　and　encourage　others
  to　follow　his　example。　We　should　day　by　day　study　the　Bible　diligently；
  weighing　every　thought　and　comparing　scripture　with　scripture。　With　divine
  help　we　are　to　form　our　opinions　for　ourselves　as　we　are　to　answer　for
  ourselves　before　God。
  The　truths　most　plainly　revealed　in　the　Bible　have　been　involved　in　doubt
  and　darkness　by　learned　men；　who；　with　a　pretense　of　great　wisdom；　teach
  that　the　Scriptures　have　a　mystical；　a　secret；　spiritual　meaning　not
  apparent　in　the　language　employed。　These　men　are　false　teachers。　It　was　to
  599
  such　a　class　that　Jesus　declared：　〃Ye　know　not　the　Scriptures；　neither　the
  power　of　God。〃　Mark　12：24。　The　language　of　the　Bible　should　be　explained
  according　to　its　obvious　meaning；　unless　a　symbol　or　figure　is　employed。
  Christ　has　given　the　promise：　〃If　any　man　will　do　His　will；　he　shall　know　of
  the　doctrine。〃　John　7：17。　If　men　would　but　take　the　Bible　as　it　reads；　if
  there　were　no　false　teachers　to　mislead　and　confuse　their　minds；　a　work
  would　be　accomplished　that　would　make　angels　glad　and　that　would　bring　into
  the　fold　of　Christ　thousands　upon　thousands　who　are　now　wandering　in　error。
  We　should　exert　all　the　powers　of　the　mind　in　the　study　of　the　Scriptures
  and　should　task　the　understanding　to　comprehend；　as　far　as　mortals　can；　the
  deep　things　of　God；　yet　we　must　not　forget　that　the　docility　and　submission
  of　a　child　is　the　true　spirit　of　the　learner。　Scriptural　difficulties　can
  never　be　mastered　by　the　same　methods　that　are　employed　in　grappling　with
  philosophical　problems。　We　should　not　engage　in　the　study　of　the　Bible　with
  that　self…reliance　with　which　so　many　enter　the　domains　of　science；　but　with
  a　prayerful　dependence　upon　God　and　a　sincere　desire　to　learn　His　will。　We
  must　come　with　a　humble　and　teachable　spirit　to　obtain　knowledge　from　the
  great　I　AM。　Otherwise；　evil　angels　will　so　blind　our　minds　and　harden　our
  hearts　that　we　shall　not　be　impressed　by　the　truth。
  Many　a　portion　of　Scripture　which　learned　men　pronounce　a　mystery；　or　pass
  over　as　unimportant；　is　full　of　comfort　and　instruction　to　him　who　has　been
  taught　in　the　school　of　Christ。　One　reason　why　many　theologians　have　no
  clearer　understanding　of　God's　word　is；　they　close　their　eyes　to　truths
  which　they　do　not　wish　to　practice。　As　understanding　of　Bible　truth　depends
  not　so　much　on　the　power　of　intellect　brought　to　the　search　as　on　the
  singleness　of　purpose；　the　earnest　longing　after　righteousness。
  The　Bible　should　never　be　studied　without　prayer。　The　Holy　Spirit　alone　can
  cause　us　to　feel　the　importance　of　those
  600
  things　easy　to　be　understood；　or　prevent　us　from　wresting　truths　difficult
  of　comprehension。　It　is　the　office　of　heavenly　angels　to　prepare　the　heart
  so　to　comprehend　God's　word　that　we　shall　be　charmed　with　its　beauty；
  admonished　by　its　warnings；　or　animated　and　strengthened　by　its　promises。　We
  should　make　the　psalmist's　petition　our　own：　〃Open　Thou　mine　eyes；　that　I
  may　behold　wondrous　things　out　of　Thy　law。〃　Psalm　119：18。　Temptations　often
  appear　irresistible　because；　through　neglect　of　prayer　and　the　study　of　the
  Bible；　the　tempted　one　cannot　readily　remember　God's　promises　and　meet　Satan
  with　the　Scripture　weapons。　But　angels　are　round　about　those　who　are　willing
  to　be　taught　in　divine　things；　and　in　the　time　of　great　nec