The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-10-20

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clines to abuse all it's privileges, and it
is a too common thing for people to
read attractive books on Bible history,
or on single interesting Bible cbarac-
tiers, instead OF reading the Bible itself.
| can well remember men and women
Of forty years ago or more who had
never seen commentary. and perhaps
had never heard OF work OH Bible his
tory. but who really knew more OF
scriptural truth, and had far better
caught the spirit OF scripture, than
many who read. aud even some who
write, elaborate helps to Bible study.
There has been great progress in some
directions, and no thoughtful person
wishes to be a mere praiser Of the past
but not ell movement is progress. Get
the best helps you can, and use them
faithfully; but be sure you read the b.
BILE itself. and not merely books about
the Bible.
Some are not little helped by read
ing the Billie in other languages than
our own. We early gain certain su-
oerficial familiarity with the Common
| Version, which makes it easy to glide
over the surface of passage without
| lsking ourselves what is its real mean
| ing. The Revised English Bible Is OF
material service in this resre"' -
nuently presenting new forms OF ex-
preston. which compel us to think, IA
well as by translating more correctly
| as il almost invariably does where there
| is q difference. But this particular
benefit is still more fully gained by
reading the original Hebrew or
Greek. if one can DO 80, or by
reading a translation into some other
language than English. A good many
people read Latin more fluently than
Greek. The Nulgate, or common
Latin Bible can be bad compare
lively cheap in various editions,
and is really very admirable
version. often beautiful in style and for
the most part quite correct in text and
translation. When the Romanists set
this old translation up as the standard
Bible, in preference to the Hebrew and
the Greek, we cannot yield for a mo
ment; but this should not prevent our
reorganizing the real merits of the yer
! sion. and recommending its use to
those who can read Latin with tolerable
facility. Others can read the Bible ID
French. in German, or the like. l re
member TO have read q French New
Testament through when school-boy
| with the result of great many ques-
tons TO father and the pastor about the
real meaning Of familiar passages
One Sunday in Rome. ! was slowly
reading the unfamiliar Italian, anu
was thereby led to perceive, as never
before. the connection Of thought IN
John ): 3O.47, which puts it beyond
question that the correct translation OF
verse 80. is not Search the Scrip
TIRES but aye search the Scrip
lures
Not only ministers and Sunday -school
teachers. but other intelligent readers
of the Bible ought, at least sometimes.
to make a thorough study Of some par
ticular book, or group of books, with
the use Of all available helps. Select
YOUR passage, read it carefully as a
whole with reference to the genera
contents, aud perhaps with the and OF
an analysis given in some one OF the
helps. Then take it up by paragraphs
and sentences, comparing the Original
language if you can, the revised Eng
lish version and any other version at
comuand, and one or more commenta-
ries and other helps. together with pa
rallel passages OF Scripture. Before
leaving any paragraph, 80 slowly over
il again, trying TO think the thought
into clearness, and fit it in the mind as
a permanent possession. And when
the entire passage selected has been thus
studied. read il again as a whO'e, slow
lv. thoughtfully, lovingly. How many
people there are who have carefully
studied some plays of Shakespeare or
treatises on secular history. but never
in their lives really studied any chosen
portion Of the Bible ?
Then we must never neglect the pro
perlv devotional reading as a daily ex-
ercise. Passages especially suited to
this purpose might be selected IN the
course of general Bible reading, and
their location remembered, or lists
made en- the fiy-leaves. \ minister,
and not a few other Christians, ought
as a rule, to read the Bible every day III
three different ways: ~ Careful study
Of the passage IN hand, (2l rapid read
ing Of several pages, 81 devotional
reading Of few sentences.
And why should not one sometimes
take up the Bible as we do any other
favorite volume, and, turning its leaves
read what he lights upon? Or, why
should not two or more friends COM
pare favorite passages of Scripture, as
they do in other works of recognized
value and interest 2 If the Bible were
used only in these last ways, 1t would
amount to but little = yet as an addition
to regular reading and careful study,
even such casual use of the sacred writ
ings would not be without interest and
profit.
PREACHING.
The sermon that is simply good-that