The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-26
REV. FATHER COYLE:
 ON BIBLE READING Urges Catholics to Search
 the Holy Scriptures TO RESIST TEMPTATION
Sermon at High Mass Stressed the Importance of Reading the Tes- lament as a Means of Com
 batting Evil

At high mass at St. Pauls church yes
 terday the pastor, the Rev Father ! Coyle, occupied the pulpit and after read ing the gospel for the first Sunday m Lent. St Matthew IV-Christ tempted in the desert-preached a sermon on tempta- tion. He began by quoting holy Job, 'The ] life of man upon earth is a warfare" and this saying, remarked the preacher. being a truism, Is as true today as in the long fago Continuing, Father Coyle said in part:
 "Yes, temptation is our lot, and in this,
 as in everything else, our Divine Lord
 Himself gives Us an example how to fight and win. Todays gospel relates the strange story of God tempted by the demon, Christ assailed by satan What was the weapon the Savior used to put the foe to rout? He used the Holy Word of God-sacred writ.
 Would you have a powerful weapon then to fight the ancient foe? Read your
 Bible. Would you have a strong and sure defense against the wicked ones assaults? Read your Bible know, the lying state ment has been repeated again and again. that some of our non-Catholic friends be- lieve that we Catholics are not allowed 10 search the scriptures that Gods holy word Is for us a closed book: that Cath olic rulers-popes, cardinals, bishops-fear that If once we read the inspired volume we would go en masse from the church of Rome to churches that alone enjoy the liberty of the sons of God Forsoothl Such cant and snug assurance Is nowadays nauseating, and 1t is time, we'll time, in this enlightened twentieth century, that this and such like canards should cease fRead your Bible, I repeat, nor am I jn ]this giving you a new commandment I am but reiterating the old injunction of the pontiffs and church leaders of every age. Read your Bible, for the Bible Is in very sooth and truth, our church's treas slre. the inspired word of God
 If you are familiar with the scriptures you can initiate the Savior in todays gospel and put the enemy to rout. Are you assailed by swelling pride or vain glory? What says Holy Writ? Not to nus, Q Lord, not to us but to Thy name give glory Does avarice haunt you? Are hot our Lords words in the inspired pages? What doth it profit a man if he gain the whole world and suffer the loss of his own soul Would unhallowed de- sires defile your soul? Recall the words of Christ. Blessed are the clean of heart Tor they shall see God Tmpatience at loss of friends or health or relatives may assail you. Hear holy Job crying out in his affliction. The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord
 Holy scripture then should be in time Of war your weapon and your sure de- fense It should also be in time of peace Nour companion. your friend your dearest friend. Books are the best friends and Holy Writ is the book of books, there fore the friend of friends. What wond er- lful pictures does it not bring to, you as you turn ovef it's pages. You see Jehovah on Sinai giving the law and thunder and storm. You can follow the Israelites in ther desert wanderings through Arabia You can hear Jewish prophets amid lJudean mountains denouncing the iniqui- ties of the Hebrew people. You can hearken to the words of mercy of the gentle Christ. You can assist at the first holy mass on the first holy Thursday and on the first Good Friday you can be present at the greatest tragedy that ever the world will know. You can stand beside PGul. our C--n St. Paul in the Areopagus and hear him denounce the superstitions of the cultured Athenans, and proclaim to them the doctrine of the unknown God Q, wonderful, indeed, the scenes that holy book will give you. if you read it, as it should be read. piously, attentively and devout1y.
 Holy Writ has been compared by a modern writer to a great lighthouse show ing where many have been, wrecked in 1lfes stormy sea, pointing out dangers and hidden shoals. where we, too, if too needless, will come to grief. Therein is recorded the fall from virtues highest pinnacle of holy and distinguished men, Samson. David, Solomon. Must we not fear and watch and pray. we who are not stronger than Samson, holier than David, nor wiser than Solomon7 ' -'s
 The Holy Bible then should be the companion of al of old, of young, and vet what do we see? We see fathers. mothers. children eagerly devouring trash, literary trash, and leaving untouched the plain, wholesome healthy food that the scriptures supply. We find books, papers, pamphlets. periodicals of all kinds used Tn Catholic homes. and the Bible used as an ornament, and opened on rare occa- sions for the entry of a birth. marriage, or death
 This is Lent. Would you spend it well? Would you do something out of the ordi- mary? Read every day chapter of the New Testament. Make this resolve. It is a good Lenten resolution. Keep it, and God will bless your Lent"