The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1848-03-25

LETTER |.
Sr. PErERsBuneH, Sept, 1911.
Mr. DEAs Son: In your letter Of the 18th
January, 10 your mother, you mentioned that
you read 10 your aunt u chapter IN the Bible or
a section Of Doddndge's : nnotations every even.
ing. THIS information gave me real pleasure;
Tor 50 great Is my yeneration for the Bible, and
50 strong my belief that, when duly read and
meditated on 1t IS OF all books in the world, that
which contributes most TO make men good. wise
and happy-thst the eaIlleT my children begin
10 read IL, the more steadily they pursue the pfac
uce OF reading II throughout their lives, the
more lively aud confident will be my hopes that
they will Prove useful citizens 10 their country,
respectable members OF society, and real bles-
sing to their parents. But hope you have now
arrived al an age TO understand that reading,
even in the Bible is a thing III itself neither good
nor bad, but that all the good which can be
drawn from IT is by the use and improvement OF
what you have read, with the help OF your own
reflection. Young people sometimes boast Of
how many books and how much they have read;
when, instead of Boosting, they ought 10 be
ashamed of having wasted 30 much time 10 50
little profit. | advise YOU, my son, m whatever
you read, and most Of all IN reading the Bible TO
remember that il is for the purpose of making
you wiser and more yirtuous. have myself for
many years made II practice 10 read Though
the Bible once every year ! have always en-
deavoTed 10 read II with the same spirit and tenn
per OF mind which / now recommend To YOU;
that IS, with the intention and desire that Il may
contribute TO my advancement in wisdom and
virtue. Ny desire is indeed very lmperfectly
successful, for, like you, and like the Apostle
Paul, Il find law IN my members, warning
against the laws OF my mind" But "A know
that il is my nature 10 be imperfect, 80 | know
that IL is my duty TO ann AZ perfection: and feel
ing and deploung my own frallties, can only
pray Almighty God for the and OF hia Spirt 10
strengthen my good desires, and 10 subdue my
propensities TO evil for il is from Him that every
good and every perfect gilt descends. My custom
Is, 10 read four or five chapters every morning,
Immediately after nsing from my bed. II EN-
ploys about all hour OF my time, and seems to
me the most suitable manner OF beginning the
day. But, as other cares, duties and occupa
tons engage the remainder Of II, have perhaps
never a sufficient portion OF my time IN mcdlta
ton upon what | have read. Even meditation
itself IS often fruitless unless Il has some special
object in view; useful thoughts often arse IN the
mind and pass away without being remembered
OF applied 10 any good puTpose-hke The SEED
scattered upon the surface of the ground which
the sids devour, OF the wind blows away, oil
which rot without taking root, however good tht
soil may be upon which they are cast. We arr
| all, my dear George, unwilling TO confess oul
own faults, even to ourselves; and when our owl
consclences are too honest to conceal them from
Us, our self-love is always busy, either IN al
| tempting To disguise them TO US under false ano
delusive colOrs, OF IN seeking out excuses anc
| apologies 10 reconcile them 10 our minds Thus
| although am sensible that l have not denve,
| from my assiduous perisal of the Bible, land
might apply the same remark to almost every
| thing else that dol all the benefit that NIGH
and ought, am as constantly endeavonng u
| persuade myself that il is not my own fault
Sometimes | say TO myself, DO not understand
what l have read; l cannot help it; did no
make my own understanding; there are man.
things in the Bible "hard TO understand" as ST
| Peter expressly says OF Paurs Eplstles:--som,
are hard in the Hebrew, and some in the Greel
the original languages in which the Scripture
were written; some are harder still in the trans
lations. Ihave been obliged 10 lead wander
ing life about the world, and scarcely ever hav
at hand the book which might help me to SUI
mount these difficulties. Conscience sometime
puts the question---Wh Whether my not understand
ing many passages IL not owing 10 my want c
attention in reading them. l must admit that
is; full proof of winch is, that every time rea
the Book through understand some passage
which never understood before, and which
should have done, at former reading, had
been effected with sufficient degree OF attention
Then, in answer to myself, say-lt il true; but
cannot always command my own attention, an
never can 10 the degree that wish. My mind
times 90 full Of other things, absorbed IN bod
w pain or engrpssed by passion, or distracted .
pleasure, or exhausted by dissipation, that car
, not give to proper daily employment the attento
!. which gladly would and which is absolutely nj
cessary TO make il "fruitful of good works:
This acknowledgment Of my weakness is JUS
but for how much Of il am still accountable
God, hardly dare acknowledge to myself. Is
bodily psini How often was that brought upon u
BY my own imprudeace or foliyf was II passion
! Heaven has given to every human being the pow
of controlling his passion, and he nelect or los'
H. the fault Is his own, and he must be answered.
. for il Was Il pleasuref Why did indulge !
Was il dissipationi This is the most inexcusab
of all; for il must have been occasioned BY n
own thoughtlessness or irresolution. II is OF !
use TO discover our own faults and infrmities, u
less the discovery prompts US to amendment.
! have Thought il in addition TO the hour which
daily give to the reading Of the Bible, should al
. from time 10 time land especially on the Sabbat
: apply another hour occasionally to comm1nica
4 10 YOU the reflections that arise to my mind ups
\ its perusal, il might not only tend 70 FIX and pr
y mole INV own attention TO the excellent instru
tons of that sacred Book, but perhaps also ASST
: your advancement in its knowledge and wisdo'
At your age, il is probable thatyo have stli gre'
|
: the Bible than have at mne and if you have
: mpc CHI selfobsevation your letters Indicate, "
will be sensible Of as much want OF attention. DO
!. voluntary and involuntary, and, as here ackno
y ledge in myself intend, therefore, for the p'
q pose of contributing to your improvement and I
: own, to write you several letters, in due time
: follow this, in which shall endeavor to show y
!" how YOU NAV derive the most advantage TO yo'
self, from the perusal of the Scripture. II is p
n babie, when you receive these letters, yos W
n not, at first reading, entirely understand them;
that should be the case, ask your grandparents,
~ your uncle or aunt, TO explain them if you still &
d them too hard, put them on file, and lay them by
m two or three years. after which read them again,
- you will find them easy enough. II is assent
I, my son, in order that you may 60 through life W
- comfort to yourself and usefulness TO your fello
.e creatures, that you should fom and adopt cert
rules or principles for the government ofyonr o
y conduct and temper. Unless you have such ru
he and principles, there will be nmberless occasi'
DO on which you will have no guide for your COVE
hs ment but your passions: In your infancy snd you
II rou go hosx, ana will he for sOme wears. I'm