The Iron Pen #95

Pastor David L. Brown, Ph.D.

Recently I was invited to speak for a week of meetings on the History of the English Bible. As I was preparing the Bible collection for travel, I came across my file of rare Bible pages. The first page in that file was a page from the Eliot Indian Bible, translated by "The Apostle to the Indians," John Eliot. This Bible, which is not an English Bible, was the first Bible printed in America. It was in the language of the Algonquin Indian tribe. Eliot was the pastor of a church in Roxbury, Massachusetts. He had a burden to preach the Gospel to the Indians of the area but did not know exactly how to start, so he prayed and God answered in a unique way. Pastor Eliot rescued an Indian from the cruelty of a local farmer and taught him how to speak, read and write English. In turn that Indian, who Eliot named Job Neustan, taught him the language and customs of the Algonquins, making it possible for Pastor Eliot to translate the Bible into the native tongue. Here is what the written language looks like -- "Newutche ken wofketompae wunnaumoniin, ayeuhkonittue quosheo missohhaman Gog, kah noowath, yeu wussin Lord Jehovah;" (Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD;") Ezekiel 39:1. The New Testament was printed in 1661 and the complete Bible in 1663. Eliot preached to the Algonquin people in their own language and from the Bible in their own language and God gave the increase. Many came to know Christ as Savior. Pastor Eliot helped these "praying Indians" as they were called, establish villages where more than 1000 of them lived.

Anyone who says there is no God (Psalm 14:1; 53:1)

Anyone who trusts in his own heart (Proverbs 28:6; Jeremiah 17:9)

Anyone whose ways are right in their own eyes (Proverbs 12:15)

Anyone whose heart is set on riches (Luke 12:16-21)

Anyone who despises wisdom and instruction (Proverbs 1:7, 22; 18:2)

Anyone who is soon angry (Ecclesiastes 7:9; Proverbs 14:16-17)

Anyone who hides hatred with lies (Proverbs 10:18)

Anyone who mocks sin (Proverbs 14:9; 10:23)

WE CANNOT TOO OFTEN or too plainly tell the seeking soul that his only hope for salvation lies in the Lord Jesus Christ. It lies in him completely, only, and alone. To save both from the guilt and the power of sin, Jesus is all-sufficient. His name is called Jesus, because "he shall save his people from their sins." "The Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins." He is exalted on high "to give repentance and remission of sins." It pleased God from of old to devise a method of salvation, which should be all contained in his only-begotten Son. The Lord Jesus, for the working out of this salvation, became man, and being found in fashion as a man, became obedient to death, even the death of the cross. If another way of deliverance had been possible, the cup of bitterness would have passed from him. It stands to reason that the darling of heaven would not have died to save us if we could have been rescued at less expense. Infinite grace provided the great sacrifice; infinite love submitted to death for our sakes. How can we dream that there can be another way than the way which God has provided at such cost, and set forth in Holy Scripture so simply and so pressingly? Surely it is true that "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."

Dr. John Owen (1616-1683)

The mind of man is far more apt and able to comprehend and retain fables, errors, and superstitions, than evangelical truths. The former are natural unto it; against the latter it hath a dislike and enmity, until they are removed by grace. Hence, some will make a more appearing proficiency in a false religion in four or five days than others will do in the knowledge of the truth almost in so many years.