The Whole Bible | AdventAI

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Mar 27, 1884

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 10, No. 13.

The Whole Bible.

"You are not going to lose the Bible, for you don't read it now. Few read it all. I hear now and then of a man who has read it through and is still in good health."

This is what Mr. Beecher said to his people last Friday evening, and it is this kind of talk that lowers the tone of reverence for the word of God, which in many quarters is too low already. It may be a sad fact that too few read the Bible all through, but everybody ought to do so, and they would then understand better what revealed religion is. Mr. Beecher's language is calculated to produce the feeling, in young minds especially, that much of the Old Testament is useless lumber, trash, and that they need not read or study it. "Still in good health," after reading the Bible through! It sounds very much like vulgar slang. Has Mr. Beecher ever known anybody to get sick and die from the reading of God's word? Is it a rare thing to survive the perusal of the whole sacred volume? Why, some men have even written commentaries on it and are "still in good health."

We found the late venerable Dr. B. C. Taylor one day in his study with his Bible before him. "I have made it a practice," said he, "for many years past, to read God's blessed book through at least once every year in regular course. I am now going through it for the third time this year, and O, how increasingly precious it becomes every time. I have been studying the lives of the patriarchs, and I am more and more impressed with the richness and beauty of the Old Testament."

Contrast this language with the flippant talk of the "Prince of American Preachers," and judge who is the more worthy of respect as a religious teacher. The truth is that such want of gravity, sincerity and reverence in some brilliant preachers has done more to degrade the pulpit than all their splendid talents can do to elevate or adorn it.—Christian Intelligencer.