The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-10-16
THE BIBLE:

THE BIBLE:
Speech made the Annual Meeting of the Massaehu.
i sets Bi6e socety in Boston, on the 4th Of May ls5o
chair BY EDWARD EVERETT
Mr.. President | have cheerfuIly complied viii,
the request that | would address the present mrsl
ing, although nohlng wnu'd seem to BE- more sup-r |
iiuous In this community, than to recommend n |
distribution Of the Bible. To saw any thing nev |
the subject is hopeless repeat what has bret
better aid before, unpr ht1be. 1t may be- how |
ever that our OF the Bible is very muc'
a tradlnunary sentiment; that think it Is a boo
which ought to be read and circulated, because on
fathers thought 50 before US. 1t may b. hat ou
Impressions this subject are not those deep an
distinct Impressions which men form in re eiersnCi
to the important business affairs of life and whirt |
we certainly ought 10 strive TO form this suhj-c
if it b., as firmly believe, vitality connected viii
the we-belng of society, even in a temporal pom
of view; although this, of course, is III loves
ground on which we would wish to rpcomm-nt
the operations Of the B bic Society TO public favor
For these reasOns sir, il may b. useful from Tim
TO time to turn thoughts to This sub-cT TO a.
ourselves why Il is in pOrant that the Biole shou
h- circulated, that it should he placed in he hand
OF every one that can read and that all should h
Taught 10 read, if for no other reason. that he
may be able to read the B be tor snch TAX,
be he principle Of the Massachusetts, BE Suc,etv
1t might he, perhaps, sufficient answer 10 =
inquiry, TO say that The Bible contains the rucn'd
our attachment to it ara So many r4ason for r,,
latiRg the Bible IL wish Chr st amy 10 hr
extended if we would gi the widest possible
iu isdcriOn to its law; If would confer the
nossihle nunber. If we ,,onId ,nfnse it's sIsvpT,g
and n,,rifv,ng soirt rn,,e and rnora "a iday in III
world,-we must think it wise AMI proper, nay
natural and necessary 10 dfuss these, its autheull
records, as extensively AS pnssihle
II may, however, he obi -cted dor if mistake not
if has b4apl rbst Tins Is u,ner sarv and il unnrps
sarv even inc yr.di-nt for the nrrr,spd nd II ma,
b, sid that he ,tiusp, f raj gu,Is h al
better h, L. II Ia the studi srd Calnistraions of th
clergy that the maintenance of religion had hatte,
r.p6,e on the publIc M -s and ordirarces of the
church; that il is not necessary nor d4sirab. /,
cka it subject of indiscrimnate pnDuIar inoury
and cooperation Some such view of tn. suhi-r
'de'.I A.tEe Roman Catboli,
Ybr,cb Ibl',r% saw This %ih diff ience a.,
d md S.us5S g. bay-a lao rnSA To I'll ace scare
ctton A,sr,sr,,s " yhlrT f}4s ,fT.rrr
any reliance on The iu1sS"rs f,-r, nc Zach otbe,
! COmmunIOns of Christians q md bop--t tsuSSsssH'
however entire their good tst'f' -,s.ssSg7 Of par
pose. Bul however ths nav he, ho'soch Objection
~ 'ha circulation Ol 5ue Scriptures Is suggested b5
the principles which he ct the basis Of our comm n
Prntesianrlsm.
Nothing could be farther from my thoughts than
10 undervalue the importance if learned ard
faithful clergy, or OF the stated administration ot
the offices aud ordinances of religion. But who
ne world, II Is necessary that they should have a
relglouSiY instructed and rrlelonsly disposed
community TO act upon Aud confess know not
whence inns ms Iucion and prrdl~pOsllon are 70 b.
hoped Tor, 1t not rom the distribution OF the Bible
DO not say that the possession OF a copy OF The
scriptures by a family VII insure lis being read, nor
thai when read 1t VIII always he read with intelli
gence, reverence, and profit. Bu certainly the pos
sslOh OF the sacred Noum Is, IN the DIR ut thin s,
the condition precedent iOr obtaining these resus
il
>ure not to happen without it. 1t may be safely
lett, Will not say to every serious and devuu
person. but to every man OF common sense, 10 say
what state OF the community Is hest prepared t,
listen with advantage 10 the Intelligent preaching
o the gospeI m what state OF the community The
| public offices Of religion most likely 10 NEE
~nh cordial suppnrt-one IN which theirs is
Bible IN every family, with the ordinary chances
| OF It's being In somr wholly neglected in Others
| trea'ed only with cold conventional respect; or
community IN which The BIZ is never seen but il
churCh, nor heard but from the pulpit.
iNink, SIT, We shall mud, on reflection, tha
,nrIStianliy, more than any other I'll glon eve
offered '" the 'sh or reason Gt fhan, is the religion
"l Tue booT lof su',"' h"1d n"I say is the mean
'hg OF uhe oIBLE-the BOOK Ut BOOKS. The splen
| d'd and areu mythology OF Greece, the pompuu
aud solemn Idoatry OF Rome, rested on no suc
| na'lS' ms Is ihe nrst pmnt of discriminate
| between 'hem ana the true ialih, that the latte
soeS ."'tn irp'h he "flt'eh WORD ana IL has reel
| >'1't - ''''t' Wv l' -
| II"p0 VI us lhaI'l'eha"re a'd support but Id "
| u's"l'u,lot' ana transmission 81 he record. Ih
want ol the art OF pruning IN ancient times q
| course prevented any thI4g H. The astnn'Shn'
! I7S"'ts ~ tio way Vi hHuPyHg tle blole pro
,ucrd by the mrchanIcal facilities Of The press
nut 'he ett-ctuaI provision winch was made for IN
| translation OF the ScHp'ureS from age tp age.
something On te noticeable, and must he reeard-
| as very sir king tact IN the order of Providence
| emlhenliy significant OF he ma ure OF he Influence
y"mGh The religion ot which they are the record
was to b. maintained and transmitted.
This topic has been very Judrclonsly alluded II
IN some what different connection, by the reveren
gentiema INT. HilD who preceded me bat it
one OF so much Importance, that venture 10 as
your attention to It for few moments, though
may see m to lie little ou' of the range Of rema
usual ON occasions oi this kl r. 1t will he admute
think, sir, that there Is tnaIurd1 disP situn
the part ot a pres luood-Itwas emn-nIly so wi
the priesthood OF Egypt, The country IN VII Ch 4
first western version of the Old Testament W
made--to retain excl lusivtIy in their own hands
| ri IUt