theology, and set out in earnest to "search the Scriptures," both "for
correction" if wrong, and for confirmation in the truth he had received and
experienced. Thus fairly started on the King's highway of truth, he became
profoundly interested in Bible study; and continued both the study and the
intense love of it through life. He dug in this mine more than a third of a
century without any human commentary, and found, to his great joy, that
the poet had struck it: "God is his own interpreter, and He will make it
plain." So diligently did he search for the "interpretation of Scripture by
Scripture," that he largely learned the doctrinal Scriptures by heart,
and also book, chapter, and verse; and to family and friends he was "both
concordance and commentary."

Near the middle of his experience and biblical research Mr. Arnold was
urged, almost driven, to take license to exhort, and more publicly divulge
some of the treasures of his years of study. He had thus "improved in
public" (as exhorting was then called) but a year or two when his brethren,
finding more of the expository than hortatory in his discourses, urged that
his proper office was that of a local preacher. But to this he had two
objections: lack of a distinct call, and a settled fear that the Church was
growing too numerous a secular ministry; so he utterly refused.

For the balance of his active life, as health and opportunity permitted, he
"preached many things to the people in his exhortations," always laying
for them a solid doctrinal foundation, and plentifully using Scripture
language, both accurately quoted and wisely applied, and book and chapter
usually given. His appointments for exhortation never lacked attendants or
interest; and when called, as he often was, to "supply the appointment" of
a circuit preacher, the substitute was not met with wry faces nor spoken of
in frowns. Yet his highest apparent successes in speaking, if estimated by
the excitement, were his brief speeches in love feast, not boisterous, but