03.08. A. Collection of Facts and Truths of a Given Text

A. Collection of Facts and Truths of a Given Text

It is necessary for us to note carefully every statement that is made and every fact that is stated, regardless of whether or not it is an historical fact or a scientific truth or principle.

We are living in a practical world. The visionary has great difficulty in such a workaday atmosphere as that in which we live. A person must keep his feet on the ground even while he is attempting to reason out a thing or to theorize regarding any matter. Facts are facts—things that have actually taken place. Facts always overthrow theories that are not in harmony with truth. Whenever, therefore, there is a conflict between theories and facts, we must throw the theories into the discard and hold to the facts.

There are great and fundamental principles or truths in every sphere of man’s activity. The physical world is controlled by laws which have been imposed upon it by the all-wise Creator. In the realm of mind there are likewise principles which are just as unbreakable, and which are as unvarying as any of the laws of the material realm. In the field of ethics and religion there are also truths and principles. These are likewise inflexible. They can never be set aside with impunity. In the same manner there are principles and truths that are operating in the spiritual realm. These are likewise unchangeable and unvarying.

In view of the facts just stated, whenever a person is reading the Scriptures, he should endeavor to glean every fact and to note every principle that is set forth in a given passage. In other words, let me say that words are symbols of ideas. Every word and every group of words set forth a definite, specific meaning. This statement is especially true with reference to the Scriptures, which are the profoundest writings and which are more than the writings of uninspired men. God has preserved this information for us. We should therefore endeavor to discover the facts that are stated and to take note of the principles and truths set forth.