The Sacred Form of Address
By Editor
THE following paragraph from The Signs of the Times expresses our own views so clearly that we commend it to the attention of our readers:— There are good men, most earnest men, who use a form of address to the Deity which to many refined ears and true, reverential, sensitive hearts, is shocking. The invariable Bible form of address to the Deity is “Thou,” “Thee,” “Thy,” “Thine,”—second person singular. That form has become inwrought into the heart and speech of every lover of good classic English. To such it sounds shocking to hear “you” used instead of “thou,” “your” instead of “thy,” “yours” instead of “thine.” It smacks of irreverence and thoughtless familiarity. It is a term one would expect to hear from a person who had just begun to pray, and was ignorant of Bible language. One does not expect it from a minister, and it strikes hard on the ear of the heart to hear it. We have heard a devoted minister in one sentence use in his prayer a beautiful Biblical expression in which “thou” was used, and finish the sentence in his own words, addressing Deity by “you.” Read the prayers of prophets, apostles, and of Jesus Christ. Use the sacred, solemn form, brethren. The other hurts your influence with the best of people, and helps no one.