The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1877-04-19

soxr NAV ask, !" How can / become
Rible rich?h In reply, can give you, o.
course, only the most general direcsions.
First, I would say to every young con,
vert. and indeed to every reader Wltno :.I
exception, identify yourself at once WIN
the Sunday.School, join some class, an
beo;n Immediately the study of the Inter
national Lessons. This will give you
definite portion Of Scripture to study, save
vonr time. and keep you from ramDnng
at will through the Word. II you Degln
such study every. Sabbath, look out me
marginal references, carefully examine
the chapters between the lessons, make
your reading every day bear upon your
Sunday topic, YOU will find conscious
growth. Continue this course steaoliy,
and Won will acquire . most valuable ac-
ouaintance with the Scriptures. !hese
lessons are intended to take general sur
yey of the whole Bible in seven years: 10
do your work well, you need Bible helps;
Just the best your circumstances wall al
low. Even if your means are quite Inn
tied. be resolved to have good Bible helps,
and you will succeed. Many young men
or Young ladies think they cannot AFFORD
a GOOD Bible, concordance, or dictionary,
and vet they wear on their persons Jew
elry which cost more than any Or all OF
these. If you really desire Bible wealth,
count good helps as necessGrscs Of ne, 70
be as carefully provided as flour or fuel.
Those who have time will do well TO
select some particular book, as gospel
or epistle, and give it thorough study.
One book we'll read throws great light on
the whole Bible. In this case select such
book as is adapted to your age, circum-
stances and Christian progress. Consult
your pastor.
Another excellent method is to study
the Scriptures topically. -. You
will gain much if you study particular
graces, examining all the passages IN
which they are mentioned, and in which
examples of them are recorded. Do this
in respect to those graccs in which YOU
feel yourself specially deficient. Are
you impatient, easily discouraged? Is It
hard to deny yourself, to obey, to love
others, to be forgiving2 Do you want to
grow IN your relations as husband, wife,
parent or child to abound in hope or
Christian joy /? to have power in prayer
Examine each of these topics, and
strengthen yourself by its study; it will
leave lasting impression on your soul.
In short, be thoroughly in earnest to be-
come Bible-rich, and you will soon find
what, for you, is the best plan of study.
Never forget that the Word of Christ is
designed to nourish and purify the spir-
itual life Come to it with the same de-
sign. Mere Intellectual study will not
find its richest treasures. Even Sopho-
cles, heather poet, has said:
" A heart of mildness, full of good intent,
Far soon than acuteness, will the truth be-
hold.r
To aid this spiritual study, form the
habit of at once turning into prayer what
you read. This will enable you both to
reach the hidden riches of the Word, and
also add interest and freshness to prayer,
for the want of which it often becomes
dull and formal.
Form the habit of committing Scrip
lures to memory, especially the devotional
parts. In the days OF sorrow, Of declining
years, and of death, you will esteem them
more precious than gold. 1t was a most
instructive aspect Of that hour in which
Arnold, of Rugby, passed from Astounding
health to the silence Of death, that he re-
peated with such calm earnestness his
favOrite passages of Scripture Mrs.
Augustus Hare, one Of the most intelli-
gent and lovely Christians of modern
times, was carried by slow and painful
stages from Rome to England, that she
might die at home. She wrote: Eyes,
l know the Psalms. Many time itkeeps
me quiet for hours to know and repeat
them. should never have got through
my journey, if had not had SO many to
repeat, to still my impotence"
Let the Word of Christ dwell in you rich.
ly.-Reo. Vim. II. Hai0h. in Standard.