The Arkansas banner., 1848-04-11
Prom hs Nt,rark .4dsot,sf Nr. Adams and the Bible.

Mr. Adams and the Bible.
 | Many years ago a pamphlet memoir of ssr. aa- ans as published, comprising portions of sesies iletters to his son, commenting the study of the Bible. which attracted much attention- The series s now revived by the Trbun ne, from which we take ne subjoiaed introductory:
 ST. PErsnsErRG, Sept. lsIl. Ny Dgsr SoR-ln yeat letter of the 18th January, Q yeur mother, you mentioned that you read to Tssr aunt chapter in the Bible, or section ot
 Daidrilge's Annoiations every evening. This in-
 ornstion gave me real pleasure, for great is my
 rsasraiion for the Bible, and 90 strong my belief
 hat whee duly read and medtaied, it is of all books "a ,Re world, that which contributes most to make
 nea gooi, wise and happy--that the earlier my
 ;hiidren begin to cad il, the more steadily they
 ,arsue the practice of reading II throughout their
 ives the more lively and confident will be my sopes that they will prove useful citizens tD their tsan,fy, respectable members of society, and real bessing To their parents. ButI hope you have now lriVed at an age 10 understand that reading, even
 he Bible, Is thing in itself neither good nor sit, but that all the good which can be dawn from is by the use ard improvement oi what you have raj, with the help of your own reflection. Young sesple sometime boast of how many books and how ageh they have read; when, instead of boastlng, lAsy ought 10 be ashamed ot having wasted 50 much tme io so little profit. I advise you, my sun, in whatever you read, and most of all In reading the B ble 10 remember that ii is for the puFPose of ma \ for many yeafs made it a piaeiice to read through the Bibe once every year. l have always endeay- ored to read it with the same spuit and temper of mind which now recommend 10 you; that Is, with
 he intention and desIre that it may eeniHbase to ny advancement iG wisdom and virtue Ny desire
 indeed very imperfsrtiy successful; fer, like yvu and like the Apostle Paul, s'I find law in my mem oers, wTring against the laws of nay mind.' Bat know that IL Is my nature to be imperfect so
 know that t is my duty 10 aim at perfection; and
 lee ing and deploriHg my own iraiities, can only play Almighty God for the ait Of his Spirit to
 strengthen my good desires. and to snbdue my pro-
 pensiiis 10 eYil for u is from Him that every good
 ,nl PeriectEif descends. My custom is, to read
 ear or hvechapters every morning, immedia;ey af- ter rising from my bed. lt employs about an hour ol my time and seems to mo the most suitable man. ser Oi begnRing the day. But as O,her cares, du- ues ant occupations engage the remainder of II,
 have perhaps never a sufficient portion of my time
 h meditation upon what l have read. Even
 metIta'ion tselt is often ffailess, unless il has
 ome special object in view; useful thoughts ofte1
 nis ia the mind. and pass away without being re-
 Esnbered or applied to any good purpose like the
 e scattered upoISshe surface of the ground, which
 the birds devour, or the winds blow away, or which
 & without taking root, however good the soil may
 s upon which they are cast.
 Weare all, my dear George, unwilling to confess
 tsr own faults, even 10 ourselves. and when our
 soneiences too honest 10 conceal them from us,
 sar seoye is always busy. either in attempting 10
 ssnise them to us under false and delusige colors,
 T ia seeking out excuses and apologies to reconcile aem 10 cur hints. Thus, although am sensible
 lat have no, derived from my sssidious peiusal q the Bible, land might apriy the same remark
 D almost everything else that dol all the benefit aa' might, and ought, am constantly endeay-
 stng 10 persuade myself that is ot my own fault. s9mehnes l say 10 myself, do not understand what have read; cannot heip'it; did not make 0ag nd. t.w,-..
 Inc biec hard 10 understand, as St Peter express says of Psui's Epistie; some sre hard in the He- ~e", and some in the Greek--the original langua- srs Ia which the Scriptures written; some are
 aarier still in the transiations- have been obliged
 lead wandering life about he world, and scarce ever have at hand the book which might help me o sarueant these difficulties. Conscience some
 naes pai the quesiion-whether my not nnderstan-
 s,as many passages, is not owing to my want of flsn'on in reading them. I must admit that is; q
 'ai frpoi o which is that every time read the Book neaga, understand some passages which never
 oa--',ooi before, and which should have done, at
 .lolne' Feading had il been effected with suiEi- cent degree of attention.
 men, in answer to myself. say t Is true; but
 .4aao' always command my own attention. and -'.f a eanr 0 the degree that wish. My mind is
 S.-ums 50 tull of other things, absorbed in bodily
 r'a' Of expressed by passon or distracted by pess
 s' O. exhausted by dissipation, that cannot give t " eAVy employment the attention Wblch sASy sold, and which is absolutely necessary, to 1.4Ae fruitful ofgood works. This acknowledge @y7' 't ny weakness Is just; but for how much of an sul accountable 10 God. hard darely ac. aoAedge 10 myself, Is it bodily pain How of- a Ns that brought upon me by my own imptu- ~Ie or tolly' Was il passion Heavea has giy- "s'cry human beIag tho power of contTolling Psons, anf if be neglects or loses it, the fault oNh' and he must be a5swerabls for it. Was ,,s ss9N'fe Why did indulge iil Was it di.si 1 | hs Is the most lnexcusable Of all for 1t .4S nave been oceasioned by our own thoughtiess- ~. "Ieso'u'ioo. IL is of 10 use b discover cur ,. 'aal'' and iniirmi,ies, unless the discovery s5seaPs us 10 amendment. have thought. ii in 0h to the hour which daily give to the read E s' 'oe Bible, l should also, f,om time is lime specially on the Sabbath apply another hour e,, e,oh4'iy to eoDmanicatc 6o you the reflections .sy si iA ny mnd apon is perasal. it night ans a. .r.l .ng 10 'x and promote my own attention 10 p,,ss' .A' instruction cf that sacred Book, bui ,5.. - 4si assist your advancement in lie knowl- and sisioln
 yr. Us Iaea search the Sciptures; and in order to .,,,in on inquiries with ne hodicaI srieF let us r,.v s "'s 'aiols sources of information that we a. p. p.S% iFon n this study. The Bible contains L.,' .,'e,A.ioh oi the Win el God. It contains the u5 ~ 'he creation of the world, and of mankind; e.T,.s ward the history of one peculiar nation, | .s.,9 'ae most extraordinary nation that has | Jpffched uPcn the earth. Il contAiusa system sa,a soo and of Morality which we may ex- Gcs 'a its own merits, independent ef the sanc- ''eFes from being the Word of Cod; and ii AHuneroas collection ot books, written al