The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-06-30
How Louis Harms Loved the
Bible

HOW Louis Harms Loved the
Bible
The best means, beloved, if one really
wishes to love the Lord Jesus with all
the heart, is, daily to read the Bible with
a devout spirit and with prayer. Let
me tell you what my own practice is.
would not only look upon it as a very
great sin, but as altogether unbearable.
to spend single day without reading
the Bible with heartfelt prayer; and
therefore, such devout reading of the
Bible, accompanied by pray er, is not
only my daily occupation, but my daily
highest JOY and pleasure. also know
right well, how very needful and useful
this daily reading Of the Bible is for me /:
for when, with fervent prayer, l have
very devoutly read the Bible, I always
have so much more peace and Joy in my
soul so much more power to fight against
sin, the world, and the devil, so much
more loathing of all sin, so much more
delight in all that is good, so much more
light and clearness of understanding, so
much more love for the Lord Jesus, and
so much more blessedness in the certain
hope of eternal life, that | would not give
these hours of devout Bible reading for
any amount of money, or for any 10y of
this world. In the morning it is my first
and in the evening my last employment,
or | should rather say, it is my first and
last pleasure and as often as l have a
little time through the day, as often as
the exertions and labors of my calling
ma ke me very tired, l go to my dear
Bible, and | never lay it aside without
being gladdened. refreshed, strengthened
and comforted in my inmost heart in
short, l could not, and would not like to
live in this world could not stand ii
in this sinful world, without my dear.
precious word of God. When my faults
and imperfections press heavily on me
when my sins grieve me; when my soul
is In great need of comfort, 90 to nv
dear Bible. When the sins of other men.
especially the sins of my congregation,
torment me; when the disobedience and
persistent hardness of heart of those for
whose souls I am laboring with such
faithful love; when the public offences
given by worldiness and the love of sin.
In spite of all my heartfelt entreaties and
exhortations, return again and again, and
fill me with the deepest grief, and press
out tears and signs, | go to my dear Bible:
and so do in all things, in Joy and sorrow,
in grief and care, in weakness and neces-
sity and the Bible helps me to bear all
things, and to overcome all things, to be-
lleve all things to hope all things, and
to endure all things. He who does not
read the Bible every day, does not know
at all what an unspeakable glorious treas
ure we have in this precious word of God
| do so with the whole Bible, with the
Old and with the New Testament, for the
whole Bible is Gods word, and given by
inspiration of God, and is profitable for
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness. But before
all other parts, the Holy Gospels are al
ways of special Importance and precious
ness to me, because they always bring the
Lord Jesus so near to one, painting him SO
that our eyes can see him, and writing him
into our very heart. And to have this
precious Saviour so near our eyes and in
our heart, is, after all, the highest ioy
and blessedness this earth can give u.s.
We listen to every one Of his blessed
words; we see, as it were with our own
eyes, all the gracious deeds of his merci-
full love; and it seems almost as if we saw
him walking before us, and as if he was
preaching before our very eyes; and
every thing he does and says is so exalted
and glorious, so lovely and pleasant, so
full of love and compassion, so pure, SO
holy and beautiful, that the heart is
ready to burst with Joy, and the eyes to
overflow with tears of gratitude, that we
have such Saviour, who is SO great and
mighty, 50 meek and lovely, SO pure and
holy, and yet 50 full Of grace and love
and then our knees bend low in the dust,
and the lips speak out of the abundance
OF devout heart saying: Yes the word
was made flesh and we beheld his glory,
the glory as Of the only begotten Of the
Father, full OF grace and truth. ~ TIE
Lutheran