How She Learned To Love The Bible.
The Rev. Frederick G. Clark thus writes of an answer to prayer, from one
who wanted to love the Bible more:
"Twenty-seven years ago, in the congregation of my first charge, was a
lady whose love for the Bible was something remarkable. In the
confidence of a pastoral visit, she told me of her joy in the divine
word, and also recited the incidents of her experience in this regard.
She had formerly read her
ible as so many do--a chapter now, and a
halfchapter then, without much interest or profit. She was, even then,
most interested in religious things. But her chief sources of spiritual
strength were in such writings as those of Baxter, Payson and Robert
Phillips. It was her custom to read the Bible from duty, and then turn
to these uninspired volumes for the kindling of a higher devotion. For a
good while this satisfied her; but, at length, she came to feel grieved
about it. She thought it a dishonor to God's word that any book should
be as interesting to her as the Bible. She tried to change this, but, at
first, with little success. The Bible was still duty--Baxter was
pleasure and spiritual elevation.
"_At length, she could bear it no longer; so she took the case to God,
with strong crying. She told her Heavenly Father how grieved she was
that any book should rival the Bible in her affections. She asked this
one thing--and she renewed her prayer every day--that her first delight
might be in reading the word of God_. I think it was some time before
she felt that her request was granted. But, at length, the answer to her
prayer was complete and marvelous. A strange light came over the sacred
page. A fascination held her to her Bible. She discovered a depth, a
meaning, a curiosity, a charm, which were all new and most wonderful.
Sometimes, when she had finished reading her Bible for the night, and
had closed the book and had moved towards her bed, she would go back
again and enjoy the luxury of a few more verses.