Cheraw gazette and Pee Dee farmer. [volume] (Cheraw S.C.) 1838-1839, 1839-01-16

more than friendly estimate of my cinrac
ter contained in your letter OF the Vh III
slant, mad am not less at loss for languas
10 utter the humiliation Of deep conVlc
ton how little your panesyric has been 90
served.
Where it even so far deserved that
could feel myself qualified to give you M
advice which you desire, it would amor. +.
me the most heart felt pleasure to give, II
but, situated in life as you represent your
selves TO be, could scarcely name any lis
of books, or of authors, which l could re-
commend as equally worthy of attention te
you all. The first, and almost the only
book, deserving such universal recommen'
dation, is the bible-and, in recommend:
ing that, fear that some Of you viii think
l am performing superfuous, and other
q very unnecessary, ofice-yet such Is my
deliberate opinion. The Bible is tho book
of all others, to be read at all ages, and in
all conditions of human life not to be read
once or twice or thrice, through, and then
TO be laid aside, but to be read in small
portions of one or two chapters, every day,
and never 10 be in,ermitted, unless by some
overruling necessity.
This attentive and repeated reading OF
the Bible, in small portions every day, leads
The mind to habitual meditation upon sub.
jects fthe highest interest to the welfare OF
the individual in this world, as well as to pre-.
pare him for that hereafter TO which we are
all destined. FURNISHES rules Of conduct
for our conduct towards others in our social.
relations. In the commandments delivered
from Sinai, ia the inimitable snblimIty of the
Psalms and ofthe Prophets, in the profound
and concentrated observations upon human
life and manners embodied in the Proverbs
of Solomon, in the philosophical ailegory so
beautifully set forth. in the narrative OF facts,
whether real or imaginary, Of the Book of
Job. an active mind cannot peruse single
chapter and lay the book aside to think,
and take it up again Tomorrow, without
finding in It advice for our own conduct,
which we may turn to useful account in The
progress of our daily pilgrimage upon earth;
and when we pass from the Old Testament
to the New, we meet at once system Of
universal morality founded upon one pre-
cept of universal application, pointing US TO
peace and good will towards the whole race
of man for this life, and to peace with God,
and an ever. blessed existence hereafter.
Ny friends, if all or any Of you have
spiritual pastors to guide you in the paths Of
salvation, do not imagine that am encroach-
ing upon the field oftheir appropriate SER
wees. speak as man of the world, TO
men o(the world, aud / say TO YOU search
the Scriptures! II ever you tire of them
in seeking for rule Of faith and standard
of morals, search them as records Of his
tory, General and compendious history
is one of the fountains of human knowledge
to which you should all resort with steady
and preserving pursuit. The Bible contains
the only authentic introduction tothe history
Of the world; and in storing your minds
with the facts of the history, you will i'm.
mediaiely perceive the need of assistance
from geography and chronology. These
you may find III many OF the Bibles pub.
lished with commentaries, and you can have
no difficulty in procuring them. Acquain'
yourselves with the chronology and geo.
erapny ofthe Bible THAT will lead you 10
general knowledge Of chronology and OF
Geography, ancient and modern, and these
will open to youa, inexhaustib!e fountain OF
knowledge respecting the globe which you
nhabit, and respecting the race Of man (Its
iuhabilant,) to which you yourselves belong.
You may pursue these inquiries justso far az
your time and inclination will permit Give
one hour of mental application, tor you
must not read without thinking, or you will
read 10 little purpose,) give an hour OF joint
reading and thought to he chronology, ono
to The geography Of the Bible, and, If 1t IN
troduces you to too hard study, sop there.
Even for those two hours you will ever after
read the Bible, and any other history, with
more fru;t-more in,elligence-more satIs-
faction. But, it those two hours excite
your curiosity, and tempt you TO devote
part of an horr every day for a year or
years, to study thoroughly the chronolos ~
and geography Of the Bible, it will not only
lead you far deeper than you will other,
wise ever penetrate into the knowledge OF
the book, but It will spread floods of light
upon every step you shall ever afterwards
take in acquiring the knowledge of profane
history, and upon the local habilatlon ol
every tribe of man, and upon the name OF
every nation into which the Children o'
Adam have been divided.
There are many other subsidiary s'ud'e.
to which you may devote more or less OF
time, for the express purpose OF MAKING
your bible reading more lntell'glole te
yourselves. Itis book which neither tn
most ignorant and weakest nor the mo
learned and intelligent mind can read Win
out improyernent.