The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-10-20
DIFFERENT WAYS or READING
TIE BIBLE.
BY PRESIDENT JOHN A. BRoADCs, D. D..
IL. ID.

A verv simple plan is to read the
Bible directly through: and this used 70
be frequ u-ly done every year and
sometimes accomplished by reading
thro. chapters every weekday and five
ON sunday. remember to have done
this three years Do succession. when
bow schoolmastcr away from home.
Sometimes J got badly behind and
would spend a Sunday afternoon IN
catching up. 40 somewhat hurried
u.ca. This method is obviously quite
artificial. disregarding the difference
10 i,n-.h Of chapters. and calling for
vely little atteutiOn Co the true c0nnec-
ton. vet something il immensely better
than nothing. ard 1 have personally
known good men aud women who' BY
some such plan. read lhc Bible through
every year for hali century. Where
they we're intelligent. and really loved
the Bible. they gained 80 small know
l45.s of it. al leas. Of certain kinds.
and about any such matter, we must
remember lhat even very poor system
faithfully pursued. is apt 10 yield
.ae.h better results than TO have no
system at all.
Another plan is to read each separate
boat of the Bible as a separate whole
endesvcring TO discern aud remember
itsen,irs contents. If the progress OF
the narrative. or Of the thought, IS OBJ
sorv.j with care Ia the first reading
and thcu the book il Immediately read
"a second time with reference TO the
,,ro~re.s thus noted the results Of this
method may boz very advantageous. IL
ba. been described. and illustrated by a
free ANALYSIS Of several books, IN an
address OF mine ON Reading the Bible
bv Books" published by the lnterna-
tional Young Mems Christian Assocla-
lion. at Fourth Avenue and Twenty
.bird street. New York city, and fur
U,,hedat small cost. or even gratui-
tousiv. - many persons, including
some men of distinction, have taken
ccoasi. II TO mention their finding the
address helpful. that l need lot apollo
gizs ior referring to it here.
A very good plan for half-grown
children il 20 set them upon reading
the history Of prominent individuals IN
the bible. II an old friend will simply
write on fy-leaf, or on slip Of paper
the particular chapters which give the
history Of certain person. there are
many bovs and girls that will take to
il Willingly: and by little informal
questioning or sympathetic converse
mon. they can be helped to fix IN the
mind for some considerable notion oil
that particular biography. Among the
most attractive for the young would OF
course. be the story Of Joseph, Moses,
samuel. David, Elijah and Elisha
Josiah. and in the New Testament, oil
john the Baptist. Paul and the Saviour
There are capital books that help to
make these stories more complete ana
Ineligible. but the end proposed Is not
really furtherad if such book be read
without reading the Bible accoun, IT.
self: and an intelligent youth derives
certain peculiar benefit. and sometimes
a special pleasure. from trying TO "ork
gu, the whole story boy personal atten-
siou TO the Bible material. If this be
done with toe help Of some speciai
treatise. the result will, Of course, DO
SUI better.
The iaost satisfactory way 10 read the
Bible history 10 todiyide itinto periods
studying the movement OF events ana
deyelopment Of character IN each
period. Then, after the earlier periods
are completed, the Prophets aud the
Visdom books may DO introduced at
the proper chronological position OF
each 80 far as this can be determined'
and 40 with the Kpistles in the New
Testament. There is doubt about tue
chronological position Of seyeiSi BOOKS
nut most Of them can be placed WIN
considerable confidence, and II read III
their proper historical POSITION they
often both give light and receive light
ina very interesting and heipiui msu'