The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-11-11
A COOK.

readers to name the literature they would
select in the event that they were con-
demned to a life on a desert island. with
the privilege of taking ten books with
them. There were numerous responses, and
without exception the lists showed the
Bible and Shakespeare to be first choice.
This unanimity of selection was to be ex-
pected Of intelligent men and women, but
it is not necessarily to be inferred therefrom
that the persons who made the lists are
such habitual readers of the two books
named that they would at once feel lost
without them. Nor should 1t be assumed
that they are hypocritical in making their
choice; they merely acknowledge their will
ingness to read the books if convenient
leisure permitted. Being intelligent and
presumably possessed Of at least that
superficial degree of culture which is all
that the pressure of modern life permits
to the great majority. it is probable that
they nave a measure of familiarity with
both books. They learned something of
Shakespeare at school; they have seen some
Of his plays presented on the stage; doubt
less they have read some OF the plays of
their own will and accord in the privacy
Of their libraries; also, II they are women
and rave the club habit, they belong to
formal organizations whose avowed pur-
pose is the study of Shakespeare. With all
this. however, 1t Is the exceptional person
who makes this great writer a part Of his
daily intellectual life.
There is perhaps less familiarity with
the Bible thar with Shakespeare in circles
chasing themselves as cultured. Many
members of such circles gained what might
be called a speaking acquaintance with the
sacred book in their Sunday-school days;
some have heard it read in their homes;
all who attend church services hear selec-
lions from its pages read on Sunday. Few.
indeed. read from those phges of their own
accord. save in the most casual and occa-
sional way. They revere the book; they
believe in it's ethical teachings: they have
been told that as mere literature II is great
but they really know from personal inves-
tigation very little about it. A good many
such persons who can quote glibly from
Hamlet would be at a loss if asked to
repeat a passage from Paul, or Isaiah, or
Job, or the psalms of David.
Why is this book of books so neglected
in this day of intellectual activity? Why
are not clubs and classes formed for it's
study outside of churches and Sunday
schools? Such questions are not easy to
answer. Several causes may conspire to
produce the present condition Of seeming
indifference. This condition may be due
in part to an unconscious reaction from
the former tyranny imposed by direfui
theological teachings having the Eible as
their basis. Such teachings created a gloom
that is perhaps yet associated with the
Scriptures themselves. For the same reason.
| possibly, a class ofpersons who would be glad
of a better acquaintance with the Bible
do not attend the regular church classes
formed for its study. They want to ap-
proach the book with a free mind and not
under the shadow Of a creed which they
may or may not be ready to accept. In
this direction. too. lies the difficulty in the
way of securing a guide to such study. A
| minister. apart from his theological lean
ings, is best qualified for such service, but
a minister is naturally suspected of a
tendency to indulge in more moralizing
than is desirable. The drift of the time is
not away from religion. but is away from
preaching. apparently.
If it be asked why women's clubs do not
take up biblical study the answer is plain.
Women have not reached the place where
points Of difference in religious belief can
be discussed with pious calmness. In not
a. few clubs this fact is recognized. and by
either tacit or formal consent the subject
of religion is barred from discussion. Were
a miscellaneous body of women to engage
even in what was meant to be a purely
literary study of the Scriptures the danger
of theological. not to say personal. clashing
would be great, and results might be disas-
trous.
Nevertheless. the study invites. Profess
sor Moulton has paved the way with his
Literary Study c. the Bible"-a fascinat-
ing ~work-and his arrangement of certain
1 books of the Old Testament into their
proper literary forms; Rev. Lyman Abb
bolts papers on the same subject are even
more iluminative. There is no lack of aids
to the study, and with these in mind 1t may
be that some popular leader of thought will
presently touch a key that shall open the
way to a Bible revival" Perhaps he may
be a magazine editor in search of literary
novelties.
Reports by mail are at hand Of the meet