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ng； the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it； the excellency of Carmel and Sharon； they shall see the glory of the Lord； and the excellency of our God。 Strengthen ye the weak hands； and confirm the feeble knees。 Say to them that are of a fearful heart； Be strong； fear not： behold； your God will come with vengeance； even God with a recompense； He will come and save you。 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened； and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped。 Then shall the lame man leap as a hart； and the tongue of the dumb sing： for in the wilderness shall waters break out； and streams in the desert。 And the parched ground shall become a pool； and the thirsty land springs of water： in the habitation of dragons； where each lay； shall be grass with reeds and rushes。 And a highway shall be there； and a way； and it shall be called The way of holiness； the unclean shall not pass over it； but it shall be for those： the wayfaring men； though fools； shall not err therein。 No lion shall be there； nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon； it shall not be found there； but the redeemed shall walk there： and the ransomed of the Lord shall return； and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads； they shall obtain joy and gladness； and sorrow and sighing shall flee away。〃
That can be set to music as it stands。 You catch the same form in the familiar 13th chapter of I Corinthians； the chapter on Charity。 It could be almost sung throughout。 This musical element is in sharp contrast with much else in the Scripture； where necessity does not permit that literary form。 For example； in the Epistle to the Hebrews； which is argumentative throughout； there is no part except its quotations which has ever been set to music for uses in Christian worship。 It is rugged and protracted in its form； and has no musical element about it。 The contrast within the Scripture of the musical and the unmusical is a very marked one。
Add to the thought of the earnestness and variety of the Scripture a word about the simplicity of its literary expression。 There is nothing meretricious in its style。 There is no effort to say a thing finely。 The translators have avoided all temptation to grow dramatic in reproducing the original。 Contrast the actual English Bible with the narratives or other literary works that have been built up out of it。 Read all that the Bible tells about the loss of Paradise； and then read Milton's 〃Paradise Lost。〃 Nearly all of the conceptions of Milton's greatest poem are built up from brief Scripture references。 But Milton becomes subtle in his analysis of motives； he enlarges greatly on events。 Scripture never does that。 It gives us very few analyses of motive from first to last。 That is not the method nor the purpose of Scripture。 It tells the story in terms that move on the middle level of speech and the middle level of understanding； while Milton labors with it； complicates it； entangling it with countless
details which are to the Scripture unimportant。 It goes straight to the simple and fundamental elements in the account。 Take a more modern illustration。 Probably the finest poem of its length in the English language is Browning's 〃Saul。〃 It is built out of one incident and a single expression in the Bible story of Saul and David。 The incident is David's being called from his sheep to play his harp and to sing before Saul in the fits of gloom which overcome him； the expression is the single saying that David loved Saul。 Taking that incident and that expression； Browning writes a beautiful poem with many decorative details； with keen analysis of motive； with long accounts of the way David felt when he rendered his service； and how his heart leaped or sang。 Imagine finding Browning's familiar phrases in Scripture： 〃The lilies we twine round the harp…chords； lest they snap neath the stress of the noontide those sunbeams like swords〃； 〃Oh； the wild joy of living！〃 〃Spring's arrowy summons；〃 going 〃straight to the aim。〃 That is very well for Browning； but it is not the Scripture way； it is too complicated。 All that the Bible says can be said anywhere； Browning's 〃Saul〃 could not possibly be reproduced in other languages。 It would need a glossary or a commentary to make it intelligible。 It is beautiful English； and great because it has taken a great idea and clothed it in worthy expression。 But the simplicity of the Bible narrative appears in sharp contrast with it。 In my childhood my father used to tell of a man who preached on the creation； and with great detail and much elaboration and decoration told the story of creation as it is suggested in the first chapter of Genesis。 When it was over he asked an old listener what he thought of his effort； and the only comment was； 〃You can't beat Moses！〃 Well； it would be difficult to surpass these Bible writers in simplicity； in going straight to the point； and making that plain and leaving it。 Where the Bible takes a hundred words to tell the whole story Browning takes several hundred lines to tell it。
The simplicity of the Bible is largely because there is so little abstract reasoning in it。 Having few or no abstract ideas； it does not need abstract words。 Rather； it groups its whole movement around characters。 Three eminent literary men were once asked to select the best reviews of a novel which had just appeared。 One of the three statements which they rated highest said of the book that it 〃achieves the true purpose of a novel； which is to make comprehensible the philosophy of life of a whole community or race of men by showing us how that philosophy accords with the impulses and yearnings of typical individuals。〃 Few phrases could be more foreign to Bible phrases than those。 But there is valuable suggestion in it for more than the literature of the novel。 That is exactly what the Scripture does。 Its reasoning is kept concrete by the fact that it is dealing with characters more than movements； and so it can speak in concrete words。 That always makes for simplicity。
There are two elements common to the history of literature about which a special word is deserved。 I mean the dramatic and the oratorical elements。 The difference between the dramatic and the oratorical is chiefly that in dramatic writing there is a scene in which many take part； and in the oratorical writing one man presents the whole scene； however dramatic the surroundings。 There is not a great deal of either in the Scripture。 There is no formal drama； nothing that could be acted as it stands。 It is true； to be sure； that Job can be cast into dramatic form by a sufficient manipulation； but it is quite unlikely； in spite of some scholars； that it was ever meant to be a formal drama for action。 It does move in cycles in the appearance of its characters； and it does close in a way to take one back to the beginning。 It has many marks of the drama； and yet it seems very unlikely that it was ever prepared with that definitely in mind。 On the other hand； a most likely explanation of the Song of Solomon is that it is a short drama which appears in our Bible without any character names； as though you should take 〃Hamlet〃 and print it continuously； indicating in no way the change of speakers nor any movement。 The effort has been measurably successful to discover and insert the names of the probable speakers。 That seems to be the one exception to the general statement that there is no formal drama in the Scripture。 But there are some very striking dramatic episodes； and they are made dramatic for us very largely by the way they are told。 One of the earlier is in I Kings xviii：21…39。 It is almost impossible to read it aloud without dramatic expression：
〃And Elijah came unto all the people； and said； How long halt ye between two opinions？ if the Lord be God； follow him： but if Baal； then follow him。 And the people answered him not a word。 Then said Elijah unto the people； I； even I only； remain a prophet of the Lord； but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men。 Let them therefore give us two bullocks； and let them choose one bullock for themselves； and cut it in pieces； and lay it on wood； and put no fire under； and I will dress the other bullock； and lay it on wood； and put no fire under： and call ye on the name of your gods； and I will call on the name of the Lord： and the God that answereth by fire； let him be God。 And all the people answered and said； It is well spoken。 And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal； Choose you one bullock for yourselves； and dress it first； for ye are many； and call on the name of your gods； but put no fire under。 And they took the bullock which was given them； and they dressed it； and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon； saying； O Baal； hear us。 But there was no voice； nor any that answered。 And they leaped upon the altar which was made。 And it came to pass at noon； that Elijah mocked them； and said； Cry aloud； for he is a god； either he is talking； or he is pursuing； or； he is in a journey； or peradventure he sleepeth； and must be awakened。 And they cried aloud； and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets； till the blood gushed out upon them。 And it came to pass； when midday was past； and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the eve