Articles
THE INFLUENCE OF THE BIBLE (Part 5)
THE ARTS PROFOUNDLY INFLUENCED
The influence of the Bible has enriched and exalted architecture. It
has inspired not mysterious caverns, dark passageways, and heathen
temples trod by the feet of the few but the building of simple and
beautiful buildings in every corner of the earth where the common
people may go to hear the Word of Life.
The world’s masterpieces of painting have been inspired by the Bible.
Michelangelo’s “The Bible”; da Vinci’s “The Last Supper”; and Raph-
ael’s, “Sistine Madonna” together with paintings by many masters of
the Madonna, the child Jesus, the crucifixion, and the ascension are
all, of course, inspired by the Bible.
The Bible is filled with inspiring poetry. The Psalms are the world’s no-
blest songs. The best of the world’s music “Samson” and “Messiah”;
Haydn’s “Creation”; Mendelssohn's “St. Paul” and “Elijah”; the passion
music of Bach all were inspired by the Bible.
CONCLUSION
Women have been exalted, slaves freed, working men given their
rights and civil government helped; education has been promoted, lit-
erature inspired, and the best of the world’s music and painting in-
spired all by the influence of one Book—the Bible. No other book has
had such an influence. Homer and Plato did not do as much for
Greece, nor Cicero and Virgil for Rome; Confucius did not do it for
China nor the Koran for Arabia. The “sacred books” of the East have
not even begun to bear such fruit. Why has the Bible been the foun-
tainhead of civilization? Is it not because the eternal Spirit of God in-
spired the writing of its pages?~
