Evansville weekly journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 184?-18??, 1848-03-23
THE JOURN AL.
Mr., ADANISS LETTERS on THE BIBLE
LETTER 80. l.
ST.. PErERsBuRa, Sent. 1911

MY DEAR SON.---t0 SOJE letter OF the lStn !
of January, to your mother, you mentioned
that YOU read to your aunt chapter in the Bi |
bic or a section OF Doddridge's Annotations ev-
erv evening. This information gave me real
pleasure, fer SO great is my veneraiion for the
Bible, and 50 strong my belief that, when duly
read and nleditated, 1t is of all books in the
world that which contributes most to make
men good, wise, and happy, that the earlier nv
children begin 10 read ii, the more steadily
they pursue the practice of reading il through
out their lives, the more llvelJ and confleni
will be my hopes that they will prove useful
citizens 10 their country, respectable members
of society, and real blessing to their parents
But hope you have now arrived at an age 10
understand that reading, even in the Bible, is
thing in Itself neither good nor bad, but that
all the good which can be drawn from ii is By
the use and improvement of " hat you have
g.. read, with TIN help OF your reflection.
Young people sometimes boast of how many
books aud how much they have read; when in
stead of Boosting they ought TO be ashamed OF
having wasted SO much time in so little profit
having wasted so much time in so little profit
! advise you, my son. in whatever yoQ read,
and most of allin reading the Bible, to remem-
Der that ii is cor he purpose OF making you wi
ser and more virtuous. have myself for many
wears made II practice TO read tIrou b the
Bible once every year. | have always endeav-
ored to read il with the same spirit and temper
of mind " hich now recommend to you; that
as, with the intention and desire that it may
contribute 10 my advance ment In wisdom and
virtue My desire is indeed very imperfectly
successful; for. like you. and like the Apostle
Paul, 81 find a law IN my members, warning
against The laws of my mind" But as | know
il is nay nature to be imperfect, so | know that
it is my duty to aim at perfection; and feeling
Almighty God for the aid of his Spirit TO
strengthen my good desires, and to subdue my
propenSities to evil; for ii is from Him that ey-
cry good and every peri CT gift descen1s.
My custom is TO read four or five chapters
every morning, immediately after rising from
nv bed. 1t employs about an hour OF my time
and seems to me the most suitable manner of
beginning the day. But as other cares, duties,
and occupations engage tie remainder OF 1t, l
have perhaps nevera sufficient portion of my
time in meditation upon what | have read
Even meditation itselfis often fruitless, unless
1t has sumo special objects in view; useful
thoughts often arise in the mind, and pass away
without being remembered or applied TO any
good purpose-like the seed scattered upon
the surface of the ground. which the birds de
YOUR, or the wind blows away, or which rot
without taking root, however good the soil may
be upon which they are cast.
We are all, my dear George, unwilling to
confess our own faults, even TO ourselves, and
when our own consciences are too honest to
conceal them from us, our sef-loFe is always
busy. either in attempting to disguise them TO
under false and deiusiye colors, or in seek
ing out excuses and apologies to reconcile them
to our minds. Thus, although | am sensible
that have not derived from my asslduous per-
usal of the Bible land might apply the same
remark to almost every thing else than | do)
all the benefit that might and ought, am as
constantly endeavoring to persuade myself
that it is not my own fault. Sometimes | say
TO myself, | do not understand what | have
read; cannot help it; did not make my own
understanding; there are many things in the BIZ
bic '.hard TO understand" as st. Peter express
ly says of Paul's EpIstles, some are hard in the
Hebrew, and some in the Greek-the original
languages in which the Scriptures Were writ
ten, some are harder still in the translations.-
have been obliged to lead wandering life
about the world, and scarcely ever have at
hand the books which might help ne to sur
mount these difficulties.
Conscience sometimes puts the question
whether my not understanding many passages
IS not owing to my want of attention in read
Ing them. | must admit that it is; full proof
of which IS, that every time | read the book
through understand some passages which !
never understood before, and which | should
have done a a former reading had il been eff
fsctel with d sufficient degree of attention.
Then, in answer TO myself, say-it is true;
but Icannot always command my own atten-
ton, and never can TO the degree that / wish.
My mind is oft-times so full ofOther things
absorbed in bodily pain, or engrossed by pas
sion, or distracted by pleasure, or exhausted by
dissipation, that | cannot give toproper daily
employment the attention which | gladly
would, and which is absolutely necessary tC
make 1t ''fruItful of good works
This acknowledged of my weakness i
Just; bat for how much of am still account
able to God, hardly dare to acknowledge Il
myself. Isl bodily pain? How often was tina
brought upon me By own imprudence or folly
Was it passion? Heaven has given to ever
human being the power of controlling his pas
sions, and ifhe nrglects or loses 1t, the fault
his own, and he must b. answerdble It. Was
pleasure2 Why did indulge it2 Was 1t dissl
patton? This is the most inexcusable of all; fc
ii must have been occasioned by my ow
thoughtlessness or irresolution. 1t IS OF no us
10 disco.er our own faults and infirmities, III
less the discovery prompts Us to amendment
I have thought if, in addition to the hour whic
daily give to the reading of the Bible, shout
also from time TO time land especially ON Il
Sabbath) apply another hour to communica
10 you the reflections that arise in my min
upon It's peTusal, 1t might not only tend 10 +
and promote my attention to the excellent II
structions Ct that sacred book, bat perhaps all
assist your advancement in It's knowledge al
wisdom.
st your age ii is probable that you still hay
greater difficulties TO understand all that yC
read in the Bible than have at mine; and
YOU have so much self observation as your lie
tiers indicate, you will be sensible of as mu'
want of attention. both voluntary and invc
untary. as here acknowledge in myself. Ii
tend, therefore, for the purpose of conlnbutir
TO your improvement and my own, to wri
YOU several letters, in due time to follow TIL
in which shall endavor to show you how yC
may derive the most advantage 10 yourse
from the peTusaI of the Scriptures.
1t is possible, when you receive these letter
you will not, at first reading, entirely unde
stand them; if that should be the case, ask 30
grand parents. or your uncle or aunt, 10 c
plain them, if you still find them too hard. P
them On file, and lay them by for two or thr
years. after which read them again, and "
mill find them easy enough 1t Is eSsentlf