Including Interesting Facts and Incidents Concerning Texts, With
INC L UD ING IN TE RE S TIN G FAC TS AND I N C I D E N TS C O NC E RN ING TE XTS WI TH B IE F A C C O N TS , R U
O F FA MO US B I B L E S .
fwiazfié 55; M
F . M . B A R T O N , P U B L I S H E R .
' CL E VE L AND omo E RK , N W YO , N. v .
Assoc wnou PL AC E loa l TE MPL E PL AC E
C O PYRIGHTE D I 900
s h ed in 1 462. nz e r B ble . pu bl F a c-s im i le of th e firs t p r ye o f th e M a i i i
n ext a e . ) (F or tra n s la tion a nd exp la na ti on see p g l i f h fi rst a e of th e in trodu ction to th e M a in z e r B ibl e rin te d in T ra n s a t on o t e p g , p n f th istl s f t J rom e 1 462; th e portion of th e in trodu ction be i g on e o e e p e o S . e r u r l f in t rod u ctory to a tra n sl a tion of som e of th e S c ipt e s by h im se .
“ He re be gins t h e e pis tl e of S t . J e rom e t o t h e e lde r Pa u lin u s re ga rdin g a l l t h e b ook s of s a cre d h ist ory .
— n in m u r e C h a pte r First . B rot h e r A mb rosiu s , in co v e y g t o e yo pr s
e ime a most de l i fu l le e r w ic ore e nt s , b rou gh t a t t h e s a m t ght tt , h h b
u n of h h u l n e ss of a l on rie n dsh i n e w e v ide nce of a s s ra ce t e fa it f g f p,
l oya lt y a l re a dy pro ve d a n d of a n old int im a cy . f or tha t is a tru e mm
h i i of intima cy a no one ha seo on the love of (t r st, wh ch is tormeh not throu gh
a in nor hrou h mere hooil a ssocia i n n consioe ra tions of worlolg g , t g g t o , or
n a e in bu hrou h the tea r f u throu gh fla tte ry, cra fty a o c r ss g, t t g o (B ob a no st og
of the 1 h olg S criptu res.
We re a d in t h e o l d h ist orie s th a t ce rt a in me n t ra v e rse d dist a nt
re gion s , v isit e d u n k nown pe ople s a n d cros se d s e a s fo r t h e pu rpos e of
s e e in g in pe rson t h o se wh om the y h a d k n own f rom book s . S o Pyt h a
o r h l g a s s a w t e E gypt ia n se e rs , so P a t o s a w E gypt a nd A rch yt a s of
Ta re nt u m , a n d with t h e re a te st l a o r t ra v e rs e d t h a t coa st of It a l , g b y ,
h i h o rm e rl s l le d M na ra s s w c f y wa ca a g G cia , o t h a t h e wh o a t Ath e n
wa s a t e a ch e r a n d a ma n o f powe r, a n d wh o s e doct rine s t h e col l e ge s
of t h e A ca de mi se c ro l a i e n l i n u r == c t p c m d , be ca me a a e n a d a p pil , p e
fe rrin g t o l e a rn h u mbly t h e t e a ch in gs of a n o t h e r t h a n bo ldly t o obt ru de
h is o n re f = w . F ina l ly , wh il e se e k in g t o v e rify t h e re fe n ce s o a l it e ra t u re wh ich s i e re e m ra h h ol e e rt h in i , , a t w , b ce d t e w a ts e xte nt , h e
wa s ca ptu re d by pira t e s a n d h a v in g be e n s old wa s in bonda ge t o a
t ra nt of t h e re a e st cru e lt a nd t h ou h t a k e n a i u y g t y , g c pt v e , bo nd a n d a
s l e n a v , e v e rth e le ss t h e ph ilo s oph e r wa s gre a t e r t h a n t h e ma n wh o
i a : b o u gh t h m . t >1< >1< >1< >i< C ONTE NTS .
C H A PTE R I Pa ge s Miscellaneous texts of famous people— Bible in litera ture— Conky Stiles
CHAPTE R I I
Gene5 1 s to Joshua— favorite texts in the Pentateuch 37 -44
CHAPTE R I I I
‘ Jo sh u a to Job— Favorite texts in Historical books 44-48
-PTE R IV
J ow a vo rite texts in the philosophic d rama of the Bible
CHAPTE R V
— Psalms Favorite texts in the great poetical book . The Twenty -Third Psalm
CHAPTE R VI
— P salms Continued .5
CHAPTE R VI I
‘ Proverbs and E cclesiastes— Favorite texts from minor Poetical books
3 4 C ONTE NTS
CHAPTE R V II I
I saiah and other pro phe ts to Malachi inclusive Isaiah Other prophets
CHAPTE R I X
Matth e w— Sermon on the Mount ”97-1 09
C HAPTE R X
' —Q- - 1 Ma tthew Continued . 1 09 1 8
CHAPTE R XI
Mark 4 1 1 8 -1 25
CHAPTE R X I I Luke Golden Rule
CHAPTE R X I I I John
twe n r fi v e o 3 : The Bible in ty words , J hn
CHAPT E R X I V
— John Continued 1 51 -1 72
C HAPT E R XV
- . 1 72 1 76
C HAPTE R XV I
’ — Paul s letters Romans 1 76-1 87 C ONTE NTS 5
CHAPTE R XV I I
Paul ’ s letters— I and I I Corinthians I Corinthians l 3— Charity or Love I I Corinthians
CHAPTE R XV I I I
’ Paul s letters— Galatians to Thes sal o nian s 1 98 -206
C H APTE R XI X
- I an d I I Th e sS a loma ns to Reve la tio n s inc lusive” .206 224
-
CH ARTE R XXL.
On e hundred B ibl e texts a nd one hundred gre ate st cha pte rs 2 24-233
F B i B 233 - 245 amous bles and stories of ibles g
C HAPTE R X X I I
’ Great men s opinion of the Bible Addendum
E E I N D X S .
a Alphabetical list of n mes of persons responding, or who are quoted 260-264 General index 265-268
- B “ 269 272 Scriptural index , according to B ooks of the ible ”
Chromatic frontispiece to Old Testament face Title . 97 Chromatic frontispiece to New Testament see p . Th e 1 07 La ngu a ge s a n d D ia l e cts in to wh ich th e Wh ol e B ibl e h a s be e n d i tra nsl a te . (From th e Re porte r of th e B ritish a nd Fore gn B ibl e i h i h u l n l n h i Soc e ty w c h a s p b ish e d o e ss th a 85 of t e ve rs ons. )
I n a ddi io th N n n sl d in o 1 1 t n , e e w T e stame nt h a s be e tra a te t 0 l a n u a e s or dia l e c s a n d o ion of h i in o 1 92 mo e g g t , p rt s t e B bl e t r , ma k in a n d g gra tota l of 400. S IGNATURE S
‘ W H O R P I E D L K or S O ME E I GH TY on TH E 400 on M OR E E L , AC
or S PA C E PR E V E N TI N G US E o r O TH E RS .
“; h (3 . W . W W
B ish op . Poe t L a u re a te .
l i t . i ia n ov e s E l e ctr c .
Ch ie f R a bbi. Amba ssa dor.
Ge n e ra l U . S . A . . Ge n e ra l. U . S . A
X l or e r . r Tra v e l e r a n d E p E n gl ish E dito .
E n l ish E ditor in se . g
l is E v a n ge t .
u rit Na v 13 P y . y .
Ma n with H oe . 7 SI GNATURE S
in Fa mou s D iv e .
“
Th e Work e rs .
C h ina I n l a n d ission . Poe t . M
e ra or T e mp e ra n c O t . ba sa dor C h rn e se Am s .
u h or . Pa n sy . A t
U ' W . C . T . .
R e ve rie s or a B a ch e ior . P oe t .
m ose r . a e n . . . C o M j. G U . S A p
Admira l . S . N . Poe t. U
C B ritish oe t . Ame r i ca n R e d ross . P SI GNATURE S
r Mission a ry S e cre ta y .
B i sh op
H mn Writ e r . o th e r . y
s S un da y S ch ool Time .
R e a r A dmira l U . S . N .
B ish o . D ra ma tic C ritic. p
’ h ra l A S t . Pa u l s Ca e d . Ge n . U . S . . t
n M e rch a t.
4 N e w 1 4 4
“ B on nie B rie r B u sh . Gospe l S on gs.
. e n a te . Ch a pl a in U . S S I O SI GNATURE S
l Tre mont T e mp e .
e cre a r . . U. E . E va n ge l ist. S t y U S
i p , $
i n Ge rma n Th e ol og a .
i n e c u e . U n ive rsityPre s de t . L t r r
Y . Fou n de r . M . C . A
r fe ssor C a th ol ic D ign i a y . P ro . t
u h o . A u th or . A t r
Q W W /s
r iri u a l ife . Pro fe sso . Sp t L
PREFAC E .
Th is volume is a development considerably beyond th e
expectation of the author, or compiler . For some time my fa ith has been growing in the use Of t exts o f scripture for maintaining and creating interest in the Kingdom of H eaven “ on O f earth, or as Prof . B osworth calls it, the brotherhood l an endless ife . During the past fi v e years I have published
G s O f s the o pel John under the title of Good New by John , without verse division or anything to distinguish it as par t of h t e B ible . Some have been published . Recently th e gospel of Mark wa s published under the title of Jesus th e
Toiler , both being sold for one cent each . The editions would
bu 3 1 -3 have been much greater , t even giving 3 per cent . dis
" ' count on th e list price ‘ t0 de a 1 e rs did not warrant them in put ,
n S O ting t hem l stock . It is hoped that the American Bible cie ty or American Tract Society will take up the wo rk o f
o et i publishing all the gospels at ne cent each , as both soci es have the organization necessary for publishing the m by the
million .
The first t hought in connection with this work wa s t o take the t hirty best known or favorite chap te rs of the Bibl e and publish them in th e .same style as Good News by John
a f or Jesus the Toiler . Then c me the thought that inste ad o taking the favorit e chapters or texts O f those eminent in the
o f church or in Christian work, that a wealth incident and ma te ria l could be O btained by extending the inquiry to those
th e ff s— e famous or eminent in all di erent calling stat smen ,
a rm O fii authors , editors , poets , l wyers , doctors , a y and navy
— cers n ot known particularly in religious work . The result 1 3 1 4~ PRE F A C E has exceeded my expectations— having resulted in all that I had hoped in ma kl n g inquiries of those known as particularly
religious , and more than that, produced a commentary as to the value O fs criptu re texts on the heart and mind and daily
life of persons in all capacities .
A n a added v lue, or rather a more definite or effective
meaning , is thus given to scripture . As an instance , an army
O fficer commenting on For what sh a ll it profit a man if h e
— shall gain the whole world , and los e his own soul says that it wa s particularly impressed upon his mind by the suicide of
a nd a wealthy successful friend , and also by seeing the piles of
’ dead and wounded on the battlefields “ It shows that God s c word applies not only to hurch and Sunday Schools , but
to life and even to the battlefield . A general says that
Righteousness exalteth a nation , but sin is a reproach to any l people , which is inscribed over the a tar in the chapel at n West Poi t , has followed him through a busy life . Two naval
O fficers mea sure their lives and daily actions according to the
- : Gol den Rule . A well known poet says Nothing ever gave me the intellectual and spiritual impulse and help which came
to me from the Word . The fact that scripture texts are so interwoven in the daily life of so many p ersons known as
o eminent for one thing or an ther , will certainly give it an
added value , if that were possible , in the minds of those who
read the Bible , and it is hoped that the information and inter esting facts will be used in creating an interest in the minds “
O f of the young in the greatest book in the world . In one the early chapters of the book the custom of committing texts
in Sabbath School is taken up . One of the purposes of the
book is to revive the custom , if it needs reviving . Such an
O f eminent authority as H . Clay Trumbull , editor the Sun
. day School Times , claims that the custom is not dying out
A reduced facsimile of the letter which brought the re PRE FACE 1 5 s o n se s p included in this volume , and which was sent to some two thousand persons throughout the world, appears on the
n e w next page . As editions will be issued from time to time , the readers O f the book may consider the letter addressed
to them , providing there is any incident of value connected
with the choice of their favorite text . In choosing the title I was not unmindful of I Corinthians t — N ot many wise men , not ma ny mighty, e c but
O f I th e to those who would remind me that would say , that text allows for some wise and some mighty and that an ex amination O f the index will show as fair a proportion of them among the responses as one could expect As to works consulted in securing favorite or texts that
influence the lives of those in the past , I wish to acknowledge
’ h e E particularly Pattison s History of t nglish Bible , a very
’ interesting work ; Gray s Biblical E n cycl o pe dia a n d Museum ;
Lives O f Church Leaders ; Hymns that have H elped ; Last
Words of Distinguished Men and Women ; and to such peri
’ o dica ls h C as the Yout s ompanion , Current Anecdotes , bound
O f volumes Cut Gems , etc
But chiefly I wish to thank with sincere heartiness th e
O f help those who , though in all cases are busy men and
a n d . women , took time care to respond to the request
Trusting that the book will not o nly create interest in th e
O f h ow Word God , but show it is interwoven in the daily life of those who bear no small part O f the large re spo n sibili e ti s of the world . I am sincerely,
FRE D E RI CK BARTO N .
CHAPTE R I .
TH E B I B LE I N LITE RATUR E — I N H E ARTS AND ” M I ND S C O N KY STI LE S -AN D M I S C E LLAN E E OUS T XTS O F FAM OUS P E O PLE .
It has been said that if by any means copies of th e manu s cripts O f the gospels had been totally destroyed that con
” side ra ble portions of them might have been reproduced from B i the writings of the Christian fathers . And today if the bles were to be destroyed and every bit O f paper having any connected portions of the B ook were to be searched out and
burned , it could be almost if not altogether reproduced from
e commentari s , expositions , sermons , etc . But even without
O f these , a large part it could be found quoted here and there
n — in secular a d ordinary l ite ra ture . Shakespeare would prove
a fruitful source in refurnishing the book, for he refers to it
O : Re ften , and in some places , as when Clarence says
’ demption through Christ s dear blood , shed for our grievous
E 1 : sin , practically quotes it . ( phesians Pattison says in his History of the E nglish B ibl e that hundreds and probably thousands of verses from the B ible could be found in the
bO O k novels of Scott , and in fact a has been written on the
Bible in Waverly . One has also been written on Shakespeare
O f and the B ible , and another on the Theology the Great
O f Poets . Charles Dickens said he got his style writing from
’ re th e N e w Testament . The story of Samuel s childhood is
’ e a d p te in Thackeray s Vanity Fair, and Milton seldom went E outside of the Bible for his subj ects . xamine Cowper and
’
Addison . Jeremiah is the thought in Byron s Darkness , Job
th e th e is found in Thanatopsis , and Paul on resurrection of L 7 1 8 FAVORI TE TE XTS
t ’ dead is in Wordswor h s O de to Immortality . A s mentioned
more fully in later pages , we find Tennyson , Carlyle , Ruskin ,
e Stevenson , Tolstoy , and many oth r writers acknowledging
h e t . S O their debt , to B ible it is seen that considerable por
be c E tions of the Bi l ould be gleaned from nglish literature ,
e while its influence and teachings p rmeate it . To destroy the prin te d t e a ch in gs of the B ible it would be necessary to wipe i out E nglish and all other c vilized literature .
Suppose , however , that Satan working through some na n h tion , like the Chinese for insta ce , s ould succeed in sweeping
t O f the earth wi h fire and sword , should accomplish the work
destroying the printed literature of the world . After they
had gone on their way, would it be possible to rebuild the ‘ B ook from the minds and hearts O f thos e who loved it ? Is
h su ffi cie n t rh idin O f e O f t ere a g it in heart, and m morizing it in mind today to reproduce the B ook ? It is understood cer ta in l y that this could not happen , for nineteen hundred years ago a certain one Sitting on a mountain side said to a few
friends , that heaven and earth should pass away, but that
a e his words should not p ss away . But suppos that the B ible was destroyed and a great proclamation would be sent out re questing and commanding every one who kn e w verses or
o O f chapters to send them to a c mmittee , not revision , but
O f ff reproduction . For this would be worthy of the e orts of a
ff O f nation and its ruler . Were not the entire e orts a con side ra bly number of the B ritish nation and even her rulers engaged in reproducing this great work in E nglish? The
. mails would be flo o ded , and some could send even whole
e books carefully written out from m mory . The hours for
Sunday School would be given to securing texts and in
o f be stead preaching from a little of it , ministers would giv ing their efforts during the hours of worship to getting from those in the pews all the scripture they knew . What a cal
2 0 FAVORI TE TE XTS
Thirty years ago people as a class were much better a c
a inte d a re qu with the B ible than folks nowadays , and there wasn ’ t another one of ’ em in th e whole C onnecticut Val
ley, from the Canada line to the Sound , that could stand up
’
longside of Conky Stiles and quote scripture . Well , he knew “ t 1 the whole thing by hear , from Genesis , chapter , to the amen h ’ at the end of the Revelation of St . John the Divine ; t at s th e whole business in a nutshell !
’ His name wasn t Conky ; we called him Conky for short .
wa s a His real name Silas Stiles , but one time at a Sund y
School convention Mr . Hubbell , the minister , spoke of him
as a veritable concordance of H oly Scriptures , and so we
a boys undertook to call him Concordance , but bimeby th t
- name got whittled down to Conky, and Conky stuck to him all
the rest of his life .
When Conky wa s eight years old he got the prize at our
Sunday S chool for having committed to memory the most
th e Bible verses in year , and that same spring he got up and recited every line of Acts of Apostles without having to be
prompted once . B y the time he was twelve years old h
knew the whole Bible by heart, and most of the hymn book , I too , although , as have said , the B ible was his specialty .
wa s o Conky always hearty ~ and cheery ; we all felt g od
n o f when h e was around . We ever minded the way he had
’ ’ e qu o tin things from the B ible ; we d got used to it , and mayb
it was a desirable influence . At any rate we all liked Conky .
’ B ut perhaps you don t understand what I mean when I re
' ’ i : fer to h s wa y of qu o tin the Bible . It was like this Conky ,
’ ’ ’ we ll say, would be goin down the road , and I d come out of ! the house and holler : H ello , there , Conky where be you OF MO E E 1 FA U S P OPL . 2
’ ’ : 21 3 Then he d say John : . That would be all he d
‘ say , and that would be enough ; for it gave us to understand
’ ’ a - fi sh in a that he was goin . Conky never made a mist ke ; his quotations were always righ t
The habit grew on him as he got older . Associating with Conky for fifteen or twenty minutes wasn ’ t much different
’ from readin the Bible for a couple of days , except that there
’ ’ r wasn t any manual labo about it . I guess he d have been a
’ minister if the war hadn t come along and spoiled it all .
’ In the fall of 1 862 there was a war m e e tin in the town
’ E u hall , and lij ah Cutler made a speech urgi the men folks to
— come forward and contribute their services their lives , if
— need be to the cause of freedom and right. We were all
keyed up with excitement , for next to Wendell Phillips and E H enry Ward B eecher, I guess lij ah Cutler was the greatest
’ ’ a itin orator that ever lived . While we were shiverin and w for somebody to lead o ff C onky Stiles ros e up and says : I ,
fi fi Kings 1 9: 20; saysh ej and with that he put on his hat and m ’ walked out of the e e tin .
Let me , I pray thee , kiss my father and my mother ,
and then I will follow thee .
’ ’
That s what Conky said, or as good as said , and that s
what he meant, too .
’ H e didn t put o ff his religion when he put on his uni
’ form . Conky Stiles , soldier or civilian , was always a livin ’ d walkin e n cycl o pe y of the B ible , a human compendium of psalms and proverbs and texts ; and I had that confidence in
’ ’ him that I d hav e bet he wrote th e B ible himself if I hadn t known better and to the contrary !
We were with M c C l e lla n a long spell . There wa s a heap
’ h e of sickness among the boys , for we weren t used to t cli
. mate , and most of us pined for the comforts of home Look
’ ” in back over the thirty years that lie between this time and 2 2 FAVORI TE TE XTS
' ’ o n e l o min that, I see figure o up , calm and bright and beauti ff ’ ' ful , in the midst of fever and su e rin and privation and I death ; see a homely , earnest face , radiant with sympathy
’ and love and hope , and I hear Conky Stiles voice again
speaking comfort and cheer to all about him . We all loved
M c le ll n him ; he stood next to Mr . Lincoln and Gen . C a in the hearts of everybody in the re g1 m e nt ! They sent a committee down from our town one Thanks
se h o giving time , to bring a lot of good things , and to e w m e o . . soon we w re g g to capture Richmond Mr Hubbell , the minister, was one of them . D eacon Cooley was another . There was talk at one time that Conky had a soft sp ot in his ’ I heart for the deacon s eldest girl , Tryphena , but always
allowed that he paid as much attention to the other daughter ,
’
Tryphosa , as he did to her elder sister , and I guess he hadn t
’ h a n k e rin any more for one than he had for the other, for
when the committee came to go home , Conky says to D eacon
“ : - Cooley Well , good bye , deacon , says he , Romans
1 6 : 1 2 The histories don ’ t say anything about the skirmish we
’ had with the rebels at Churchill s bridge , along in May of
’ 64 we e s , but boys who were there rem mber it as the toughe t
‘ r T re e th e fight in all o u experience . h e y we j ust desperat ,
— rebels were , and well , we were mighty glad that the night e came , for a soldier can r treat in the dark with fewer chances 1 50 of interruption . Out of our company of , only sixty were
left . You can j udge from that of what the fighting was at
’ e t Churchill s bridge . When they call d the roll in camp nex k ' il ’ o n t e . day, C y S s wasn t there
Had we left him dead at the bridge , or was he wounded ,
dying the more awful death of hunger , thirst and neglect ?
’ ” One said : Let s go back for Conky !
r A detachment of cavalry went out to econnoiter . Only OF O E O E FAM US P PL . 2 3 the ruins of the preceding day remained where we boys had
— stood and stood and stood only to be repulsed at last . Blue co ats and gra yco a ts lay side by side and over against one a n
in other the reconciling peace of death . O ccasionally a
o f maimed body , containing j ust a remnant life , was found ,
a and one of these crippled bodies was wh t was left of Conky .
When the surgeon saw the minie hole here in his thigh ,
' e h e h is h e a d and the sabre gash here in his templ , shook , and
we knew what that meant .
’
We heard Conky s voice once , and only once again . For
when , j ust at the last, he opened his eyes and saw that we
were there , he smiled , feeble like, and the grace of the B ook triumphed once more within him and he says— it seemed a l , " a : - most like whisper, he spoke so low Good bye , boys ,
I I Timothy 4: 7 .
And then , though his light went out, the sublime truth of
his last words shone from his white , peaceful face :
— I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I ” , , have kept the faith !
Mark Twain in his Life on the Mississippi , giving his
“ boyhood reminiscences , tells of a boy called D utchy, who
was drowned . The Sunday before , Dutchy made himself the envy of all the other boys by reciting three thousand verses of scripture without missing a word . The night after he was
drowned there came up an awful storm , which was regarded as p rovidential displeasure over Dutchy because a similar storm had occurred after the drowning of a very bad boy a fe wweeks before . The humorist concluded that if a boy who
knew three thousand verses by heart was not satisfactory , what chance was there for anybody else ? Certainly no one will accuse Newell Dwight Hillis of ' 2 4 FAVORI TE TE XTS
h e m narrowness , but akes th e following pl e a for the custom of committing Bible texts to memory :
The moral strength and sturdiness of the men wh o once o ffi ce re d o u r wa s churches not gained by cha nce , did n o t
n u come u a sked , did not stay un rged . Rising up early the
parents trained the child to commit to memory, not simply l l a go den text , but whole chapters of the B ib e ; not to read
th e Th e a lesson leaf, but a book bearing on theme . colleg e
professors and presidents , the statesmen and preachers , the
wh o s men have molded society during the pa t generati o n , a received in their purit n homes , patient, thorough, and long
continued Bible instruction . Daniel Webster tells us that his standard o i oratorical excellence wa s derived from such pas h sages as t e eighth psalm and the fortieth chapter of Isaiah .
Carlyle tells us tha t h e owed everything to a thorough ma s te ry of about a hundred chapters of the Bible . Ruskin insists that whatever skill in thought or diction he possessed wa s traceabl e to th e fact that his mother made him commit to
memory whole chapters of the New Testament , and many
' E in hi . s chapters of David , Moses and Isaiah ven Huxley,
plea for a study of the Bible , finds the explanation of . the
lessening number of great men , in the lessened interest in these great religious themes that feed greatness and heroism
in the human heart .
S o me O f th e com ments on the scriptures contained in the replies a re so rich in thought and diction that they will no
a t doubt become classics , or least be very generally quoted , and that is really what makes the classic of today . The story
by Mrs . Alden (Pansy) will prove as interesting to her thou sands of readers as any she ever wrote .
L L L E I S A B E A MACD O NA D ALD N , (Pansy) , author of over one hundred Sunday School books, her works having OF O E O E 5 FAM US P PL . 2
been translated into French , Swedish , Japanese and Ar m e n ia n ; contributor to a number of religious periodicals :
As often as t h e question of my favorite Bible verse u comes p, my mind travels backward to a certain stormy “ I evening in the sixties , and seem to hear again my own voice penetrating the silence and r e citing :
‘ Thus saith the Lord that created thee , O Jacob , and
: he that formed thee , O I srael Fear not , for I have redeemed
’
I . thee ; have called thee by thy name , thou art mine (Isaiah My husband was pastor of the largest church in
the western N e w York town , and was trying to introduce
, the custom o f — h a ving the ladies take part familiarly in the
- mid week p rayer meeting. It was a stormy evening and not
many were present at the meeting, but among them was my
father who had come to make us a visit . There was a lull
in the exercises , and I knew that my husband looked to me for help ; but Satan had been arguing with me for some time
’ ‘ Here sits your blessed father, he said, a gentleman
O f the old school ; he has never been accustomed to the voice
of women in church ; it will seem out of place to him , will shock his sense of propriety and spoil his visit ; there are times enough for you to help this idea of your husband ’ s along without disturbing your father ; tonight you really ought to
’ be silent .
‘ ‘ There was an under -tone that said : You talked it all
over with the minister , and agreed with him , and promised
O n o to help at every pportunity ; w you are sitting silent, and r ’ dese ting him . “ — Then came another tone whose I cannot tell . It seemed to me that a voice in my ear repeated the text I
‘ have quoted and said : Repeat it for me ; never mind what
3 will be thought about it, do it for me . I obeyed the voice , 2 6 FAVORI TE TE XTS pressin g the w ords into the painful stillness until it seemed
th a t th e o an r - to me echoes t ok them up d e said them . N ot a word said my father to me about the verse or
. n e xt the meeting The day he went home . My feeling was
that I had grieved him , but that he wa s too kind to refer to it . Two years afterwards I sat one night near midnight
’
f . beside my father s sick bed . A e w days afterwards h e went , away to heaven , and it chanced that I had my last little visit
alone with him that night . A silenc e had fallen between us .
.
I thought he slept and was very still . Suddenly he began
‘ e : with a clear, distinct voice to recit my verse Thus saith
’ the Lord that created thee .
“ ‘ ’ D o you remember that ? he asked with one of his
‘ tender smiles . I heard it first in the prayer meeting that
evening when I visited you . I searched in my Bible for it , and felt at first it wa s not there ; the words seemed so new
and fresh to me , that I could not think my own Bible had held
, them all the years ; but I found them . Since that many
re e a d ‘ m a night have I lain here unable to sleep , and p te y
verse over and over , getting such rest from it as no sleep
‘ can e give . Fear not, for I have redeemed thee , I hav called
’ thee by thy name , thou art mine !
‘ “ intO triu m h His voice swelled p over that last word, and
I could not speak for the happy tears that came at the
thought that I had helped to rest my father . Those words are s ’ graven on the granite that mark his body s waiting place ,
‘ and th e y are graven on my heart : I have called thee by thy N E ! ’ name , thou art M I
E E E - R O B RT J . B URD TT , the sunny hearted humorist
n and author , has given expressio , that for beauty and elo
2 8 FAVORI TE TE XT S fe re n t a n d parts of the good book give us help con solation . It is so full of beautiful sentiment and deep thought that my a d i mira t o n and respect for it in its entirety are profound .
E W’ E E E E D ARD V R TT HAL , author and eminent B os
ton divine , editor, etc . ; author of In His Name , Ten Times
c One Are Ten , e t
Writing as I receive your note , I shou ld give you these four texts :
22: 3 39 Matthew 7, .
4: 2 D euteronomy 9. 1 Philippians 3 : 3 .
6 : 2 Galatians .
B E — h e NJAM I N HARRI S O N , ex president of t United States “ I think the O ld practice of committing the scriptures to
memory was a most valuable help to the young , and would be
glad to see it revived in Sunday Schools .
E f 1 897- 1 901 : . O n JAM S A M O UNT , governor India a ,
a O f In the whir of business and dem nds society, besides
the many fascinations that attract the attention of the young,
the Bible is not as carefully studied as it should be . A close
‘ perusal of the Bible would better qualify us for th e du tie s and
responsibilities of life , and would be a safeguard against the many temptations that assail us .
E E E SY LV ST R F . S C OV L, president of University of
1 8 - 1 Wooster, 8 3 890: OF O E O E FAM US P PL . 2 9
“ ’ Out of life s perplexities , I look always to the assurance
‘ of Romans 8 : 28 : All things work toge ther for good to them
’ O f that love God . For service, I love best that word Christ , ‘ ’ f My Father worketh hitherto , and I work . For di ficulties , I ‘E like the trumpet call to young Timothy, ndure hardness as
’ e a good soldier of Jesus Christ . For a glimpse into the futur 1 4 life , I repeat most frequently, the first verses of John , which have comforted so many trustful ones through the valley and
shadow of death .
Thus I find I have not any favorite text since I am not th e
same I in my ne e d of enlightenment or direction .
M PH E E TE R . . c T S S , one of the leading business men
of St . Louis , and descended from the Scotch Covenanters . H e is said to have rescued from police court one who is n o w one
: of the leading pastors in the east . H e replied
. “ 1 4 Philippians 3 : 3 is my hope of salvation . John
. 6 o is my assurance of salvation . I saiah my preparati n for
4 . service . Psalms 9 the folly of materialism
’ ’ h e . E E t WM . R N W LL , assistant superintendent of
Moody B ible Institute :
’ I think that different texts of s cripture are one s fa v o rite ff texts at di erent periods in his Christian life . Roman s
1 0: 9 1 0 e , brought me to Christ , and are v ry dear to me ; John
6 : 37 recovered me from a time of awful temptation and dark ness ; Mark has brought me into a life of faith b e fore
‘
25 : 3 V . e unknown ; Psalm , R . , None that wait on the shall
, ’ be ashamed, is at present being very much brought home to
my heart by the H oly Spirit , and in accordance with it I am
waiting on God , with many others , for the coming of a great
revival in the near future . 3 0 FAVORI TE TE XTS
C RO A L D . TH O M S O N , art critic and e ditor of Art
O f Journal , and has examined most public and private art col lections in th e world :
As a Scot , I was brought up on the B ible and the Short
e o n th - er Cat chism , and at e time prided myself on e lip knowl
edge thereof . N o w I w o uld say my favorite texts are those I found
’ written in my wife s little Bible .
O n They have ften comforted me whe far from home , for
‘ ’ my wife s old B ible is on my list of necessary things to be
41 : 1 s taken when traveling . Isaiah 0; I saiah Psalm
37 : 4 5 26 : 3 4 1 5 : 7 31 : 1 6 , ; I saiah , ; I I Chronicles ; Jeremiah
84: 2 (B egin Refrain to Lord) ; Psalms .
’ E E o r C . W . L FFI N GW LL , f unde and rector St . Mary s
School and editor O f The Living Church for twenty years : I gladly comply with your request in a recent letter to n se d you th e special texts which are most dear to me . They
‘ ’ r are known in the E piscopal litu rgy as th e C o mfo ta ble words .
They are read from th e altar whenever the H oly Communi o n is celebrated . I have often used them at the bedside of the
o m a dying, and I h pe they y be the last which I hear on earth .
I copy them from the Prayer B ook version , which is older
’ 5 1 than the King Jam e s ver on in ordinary use , and slightly dif fe re nt
Then shall the prie slt say : Hear what comfortable words our Saviour Christ saith unto all who truly turnto him : “
Come unto me , all ye that travail and are heavy laden ,
and I will refresh you . St . Matthew
be So God loved the world , that he gave his only
h irfi gotten Son , to the end that all that believe in should not
3 : 1 6 perish , but have everlasting life . St . John . OF O E O E FAM US P PL . 3 1
H ear also what St . Paul saith : “
This is a true saying, and worthy of all men to be re ce ive d h , That C rist Jesus came into the world to save sin
: 1 5 ners . I Timothy 1 .
: Hear also what St . John saith “
If any man sin , we have an advocate with the Father ,
Jesus Christ the righteous ; and he is the propitiation for our 2 sins . I John .
H OWARD O S GO OD , educator, professor of Hebrew
1 868 - 1 874 in Crozer Theological Seminary , , and the same
1 875—1 900 chair in Rochester Theological Seminary, ; and member American committee of revision of the Old Testa
' me nt
“ ‘ One of my beloved texts is : Faithful is the saying and
O f worthy all acceptation , that Christ Jesus came into the
’ 1 : 1 5 world to save sinners , of whom I am chief . I Timothy . “ I most fully believe in committing parts of the B ible h to heart, and w ile I have striven to do that, I have for forty years urged upon all my students (for the ministry) that they
should make it their chief business to become , by reading
E n over and over , and over , and over , the whole B ible in g
be lish , and to commit large parts of it to memory . If one gins slowly‘ and accurately— say a verse a day— a year would fasten on his mind fore ver the E pistles to the Galatians a n d
E phesians . If men really were familiar with the words of the New
Testament we should h e ar less of the diffi culties with the old ” or both together mu st be rej ected . 8 2 FAV ORI TE TE XTS
O E E B UT E RW RTH ’ H Z KIAH T O , editor of Youth s
o - fi ve - Compani n for twenty years , and author of Zig Zag
: Journeys , etc .
‘ My favorite passage of Scripture is : Commit thy wa y
’ e w unto the Lord ; trust also in him , and h ill bring it to pass .
. 2 My favorite chapter is Psalm 3 . One of my favorite hymns
‘ ’ r o u t : e g ows of this Psalm Still , still with the , etc . My favor
: ite poem is the book of Job . My proof text as to religion is ‘If any man wills to do his will he shall know ’ The
— ‘ most sublime declarations o f Christ : I have power to lay
’
a . down my life and to take it up gain Plato , Buddha nor
‘ Mohammed would h a ve said this . All power is given me .
’ e DAVI D C . C O O K , publisher of the Young P ople s
: Weekly, the undenominational Sunday School paper “ In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths . (Proverbs 3 :
HN n : J O RUS KI N , who needs no desig ation , once wrote ‘ I opened my oldest B ible j ust now yellow now t with age , and flexible , but not unclean with much use , excep that the lower corners of the pages at chapter 7 of the First 8 B ook of Kings , and chapter of D euteronomy, are worn
somewhat thin and dark, the learning of these two chapters having caused me much pains? My mother ’ s list of chapters with which , learned every syllable accurately, she established
: E 1 5 my soul in life, has j ust fall e n out of it , as follows xodus 0 7 8 23 32 and 2 ; I I Samuel 1 , vers e 1 to end ; I Kings ; Psalms , ,
90 1 03 1 1 2 1 1 9 1 39 2 3 8 1 2 58 ~ , , , , ; Proverbs , , , ; I saiah ; Mat 5 6 7 26 1 3 1 5 4 thew , , ; Acts ; I Corinthians , ; James ; Revelation 5 6 , . And truly, though I have picked up the elements of a little further knowledg e I count this very confidently the most
Of e du precious , and , on the whole , the one essential part my cation . For the chapters became indeed strictly conclusive F O E E O FAM US P OPL . 3 3
and protective to me in all modes of thought , and the body of “ divinity they contain , acceptable through all fear or doubt ; nor " through any fear or doubt, or fault , have I ever lost my loyal
ty to them , nor betrayed the first command in the one I was
‘ made to repeat oftenest , Let not mercy and truth forsake th e e
E CHARLE S HAD D O N S PURG O N , the greatest of
: modern pulpit orators , said of the Bible E The B ible is the writing of the living God . ach letter e was penn d with an Almighty finger, each word in it dropped from the everlasting lips ; each sentence was dictated by the
H oly Spirit . Albeit that Moses was employed to write th
histories with his fiery pen , God guided that pen . It may be
h an d that David touched his arp , let sweet psalms of melody
drop from his fingers , but God moved his hands over the liv
! ing strings of his golden harp . Solomon sang canticles of
love , and gave forth words of consummate wisdom , but. God s dire cted his lip ,and made the preacher eloquent . If I follow
'
- the thundering Nahum , when the horses plough the waters ; or f Habakkuk, when he sees the tents of Cushan in a fliction ; if I
read Malachi , when the earth is burning like an oven ; if I
o f turn to the smooth page John , who tells of love ; or the
’ s fi re rugged chapters of Peter, who speak of devouring God s t enemies ; if I turn aside to Jude , who launches for h ana e themas upon the foes of God , everywher I find God speak
’ ’ ’ ing ; it is God s voice , not man s ; the words are God s words ;
E e the words of the ternal , the Invisible , the Almighty , the J
’ hovah of ages . This B ible is God s Bible ; and when I see it
‘ ‘ I seem to bear a voice springing up from it, saying, I am the
book of God ; study my page , for I was penned by God ; love m e , for he is my author , and you will see him visible and
manifest everywhere . 3 4 FAVORI TE TE XTS
? E E J O S PH PARK R , the prince of London preachers
a Looking back upon all the chequered w y, I have to tes tify th a t the only preaching which has done me good is the preaching of a Saviour who bore my sin in his own body on th e tree ; and the only preaching by which God has enabled
“ me to do good to others is the preaching in which I hav e
held up my Saviour, not as a sublime example , but as the
Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world .
E i : SAMU L S LOAN , the great ra lway magnate , said “ I know o f no better guide for the young man wh o wants l B to steer clear of failure than the Bible . The good O d ook
u - has lost none of its helpfulness in the o rolling of centuries , and is today the best chart extant for the youthful voyager
' ’ he o o u life s stormy sea . It is t custom of s me men to sneer
at the teachings of H oly Writ , but they are not the men who o have attained the greatest heights in either business or s ciety .
u Let a yo ng man study the wisdom of the Bible , and acquaint
himself with its naked , strenuous truth , and he can not go
- far wrong in his every day life .
E E LO RD R O S B RRY , in his great address on Cromwell , quoted with striking effect several verses from the Prayer
— B ook version of th e one hundred and forty ninth Psalm ,
h e th e which , said , more closely reproduced the Christianity ,
- ideas and the spirit of Cromwell than the sixty eighth Psalm ,
’ which is usually said to have been Cromwell s favorite .
E ’ VE RY RE V . DAVI D H OW LL , dean of St . David s 1 897 (South Wales , “ I concur in every word you say as to the vital import ance of encouraging of committing texts to memory . Text s
2: l 2 4 1 requested : I Timothy 1 : 1 5 ; I John , ; I John : 0; R0
mans 5 : 1 .
3 6 FAVORI TE TE XTS
' I devoted thought and study of the teachings of our Lord . t
in the form of a scrap book; the title page of which reads :
TH E LI FE AN D M O RALS
E S US F E ' J O NAZAR TH ,
E XTRA CTE D TE XTUAL L Y F R O M TH E G osp E L s I N
I L A TI N , F R E NCH A N D E NGL S H .
H e wa s many years employed during leisure time upon
1 3 ha d the work . In a letter to John Adams in 1 8 , he said he s cut up the Gospel verse by verse out of the printed book ,
’ ” i le t arrang ng the matter , which is evidently Christ s . In the ter h é Sums up the Gospels as the most Sublime and be n e v o f ff r lent code O morals which has ever been o e ed to man . The body of the book is made up of passages cut from the printed
fo u r' la n u a e s Testaments in the g g mentioned , and pasted upon
r . blank leaves , with ma ginal notes O E O E OF FAM US P PL . 3 7
CHAPTE R I I .
TH E PE NTATE U CH— GE N E S I S TO
JO S HUA .
The first five books of the B ible are not productive of texts that are generally quoted or that have been selected as
the favorite texts of many persons . This is not strange when it is considered that th e world is now under the reign of the a gospel and not under the law, which , as the gre t letter
writer of the Bible once said , is a schoolmaster to bring us
to Christ . An infidel was once questioned as to what book he would select if he were to be exiled and allowed to have but
- . d he h oa rds th e one H e sai ant Bible , for although he did “
n ot . believe in it , that it was no end of a book
H e referred to its diversity and completeness . This is Shown by the influence it exerts upon men of such different n is natures , occupatio s and pursuits . For it found that texts
‘ in from these first five books are favorite texts , or have
flu e n ce d e E or been quoted by , a gr at nglish poet , a writer of e a famous ballad , a B elgian statesman , an electrical inv ntor ,
’ - an ex president , one of the world s greatest reformers and
scholars , the ambassador of the United States to Germany,
and the emperor of Germany .
E TH O MA S DUN N N GLI S H , author of B en B olt ,
a popular ballad for a long time , a number of stories and
: p oems , and American B allads
The first four words of the B o ok In the beginning, 3 8 FAVORI TE TE XTS
God . (Genesis A note signed A . E . stated that as
D r . E nglish wa s almost blind his reply was written with
— diffi cu lty practically in the dark .
- ALFRE D AUSTI N , poet laureate of Great B ritain since 1 896 and author of many prose and poetical works :
Let there be light . (Genesis
E GO NTRA N D E E E E CO MT , LI CHT RV LD , envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of B elgium to
United States since 1 896 ; of an old Flemish fa mily dating from the Crusades :
B e fruitful , and multiply . (Genesis
NI KO LA TE S LA, one of the leading inventors in the
e O f e field of lectricity , one his principal inv ntions being used
. in the transmission of power from Niagara Falls :
The question is difficult to. answer because of the
grandeur of the work , and still more so because of my limi
io n ta t s, but I think the most sublime and suggestive is the
chapter on Genesis . This is perhaps due to the fact that
thoughts of nature mostly fill my mind .
E AND R W J O H N S O N , who became president of the
’
United States after the lamented Lincoln s death , once fol
lowed the tailoring business in Tennessee , where he had a
shop at Greenville , which shop still stands . In a speech made
1 74 : at Gallatin in 8 , he said Adam , our great father and
head , the lord of the world, was a tailor by trade . Adam and OF O E O E FAM US P PL . 3 9
‘ ’ E ve sewed fig leaves together, and made them aprons .
3 : (Genesis That is the first we ever heard of tailors , and
I do not see that— without intending to be personal- anyone
need be ashamed to be called a tailor, nor that any young
E e lady need be ashamed to be a seamstress, for her mother v ,
it seems , handled a needle with some skill .
’ M E L A N C TH O N co - , Luther s worker, while still a
' youth found his field of labor in Wittenberg . H e wa s to translate into the language of science what was revealed by
th e - the Spirit to mighty, apostle like Luther . He was to mould and confirm the same . H e was to produce a learning
inspired of God , which should accept as its loftiest task the
’ O f u bmis searching the depths of God s Word , in humble s H sion . e wa s to fathom ever more deeply the exhaustless
a re treasures of wisdom which hidden in Christ . When
’ Re u ch lin s Wittenberg, on recommendation , gave him his
- a s on e . call , he w j ust twenty The youth hesitated to leave iffi d cu l . his native land to devote himself to so t . a work in a
‘ ’ H e wa s re min de d strange country. then by his kinsman ,
’ o a : Reuchlin , of G d s word to Abrah m Get thee out of thy
’ country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father s house , unto a land that I will shew thee . (Genesis 1 2:
E E AN D R W D . WH IT , United States Ambassador to
Germany, and a member of the Peace Commission which met
at the Hague , and author of A History of the Warfare of
Science with Theology :
Our E nglish B ible was translated at the very best pe i E r o d of nglish literature , and anyone who has a multitude of texts at his command has not only stored up principles of the
very highest value , but a multitude of the choicest examples
O f our own great literature . I believe there is no better means of learning to write and speak E nglish well than to 40 FAVORI TE TE XTS thus treasure in the memory the nobler and more beautiful
e t xts of our sacred writings .
My preferences in the Old Testament are : For beauty
of narration , the story of Joseph and his brethren ; for sub
limity and height of inspiration , some of the nobler Psalms ,
a nd O f ~ with portions of I saiah ; for a rule life , the great pas
‘ ‘ sage in Micah beginning with the words : H e hath showed ’
. 6 : thee , O , man , what is good (Micah ' M y preferences in the New Testament are , as regards M an ideal for a Christian man , the Sermon on the ount with
‘ the first and great commandment , and the second , which is
’ O f i like unto it ; and as a rule conduct, the definit on of pure
u de fi l religion and n e d by St . James , with the delineation of
ha c rity by St . Paul .
The Story of Joseph and his experience in prison with the chief butler was used as a text once in a very apt and effective way :
e When the Duke of Ormond , whos family name was i B utler, was going to take possess on as Lord Lieu tenant of h Ireland , he was driven by a sto rm on to t e I sle of Man ,
‘ where a Rev . Mr . Joseph , a poor curate , entertained him as
e hospitably as his means p rmitted . On his departure the Duke promised to provide for him as soon as he became
V e . ic roy The curate waited many months in vain , and at last
v went o er to Dublin to remind his gra ce of his promise . D e s a irin p g of gaining access to the duke , he obtained permis
sion to preach at the Cath e dral . The Lord Lieutenant and
O f his court were at the church , but none them remembered
their humble host till he a nnounced his text, which , it must
e : be acknowledged , was w ll chosen Yet did not the chief OF O E O E FAM US P PL .
E E . B UTL R remember J O S PH , but forgat him (Genesis
40:
wa s th The preacher at once invited to e castle , and a
good living provided for him . E E M P RO R WI LLIAM I I . , of Germany , and King of
Prussia, who is very versatile , being a very fair amateur paint ' er and thoroughly acquainted with the detail of his army and
navy, in addition to being a wise and j udicious ruler of the
great German empire , is evidently a student of the Bible .
to a d This knowledge was shown during his visit Palestine , n
wa s later when his army about to depart for China , he e n te re d h the pulpit and preached on the subj ect, T e H oly Duty
and H oly Power of Intercession , taking for a text E xodus
1 7 : 1 1 : to d And it came pass , when M oses held up his han ,
n : that Israel prevailed ; a d when he let down his hand , Amalek
? prevailed . H e said : True prayer can still cast the banner
O f the dragon in the dust, and plant the banner of the cross t _ ill l upon the walls . E te rni y w reveal the fulfilment of an O d
’ promise : Call upon me in trouble and I will deliver thee .
H : Therefore , pray continuously . e has also said God has
hung the prayer bell in sunshine and happiness . H ow often does it hang there mute ! But when the storm wind of n e ce s i th e s ty breaks out it begins to sound . May earnest days that
th e are upon us , heavy clouds which gather over us , set the
prayer bells ringing . Let our prayers be as a wall of fire
round the camp of our brethren . E ternity will Show that the secret prayers of righteous men were a great power in these
: struggles , and will reveal the fulfilment of the old p romise
’ Call upon me in trouble and I will deliver thee . Therefore
pray continuously .
E JAM S D . PH E LAN , capitalist and one of the leading public men on the Pacific coast ; elected mayor of San Fran cisco in 1 896 and 1 898 : 42 FAVORI TE TE XT S
H onor thy father and thy mother : that thy days may
be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee .
(E xodus 20:
The following text is inscribed on the O ld Independence
l : B ell , now resting in Independence Hall , Phi adelphia Pro claim liberty throughout all the land unt o all the inhabitants
-fi thereof . (Leviticus For a century and one fth of a century those words have been impress e d o n th e American heart . The poet tells us
H o w the old bell shook the air,
Till th e clang of Freedom ruffled
The calmly gliding Delaware .
And how the O ld bell went prea ching freedom throughout all th e land .
th e f 1 844 e Towards the close of session O , the H ous of
Representatives passed a bill granting an appropriation of in ’ the interests of telegraphy . The Senate s action
was still needed . There were but two days before the session
a n n would close , d Over o e hundred and forty bills had prece
dence . Profess o r M o rs e had worked hard for its passage .
’ h e On t last night of th e session , h e waited until nine o clock,
of and then, after years struggle , returned to his hotel dis
heartened . He counte d his money, and found that on paying ' N e w - fi ve his fare to York, he would have only seventy cents
left . Next morning, on going to breakfast , he was informed that a young lady awaited him in the parlor . It was Miss E Annie llsworth , the daughter of the Commissioner of Pat
ents . She had come to congratulate the Professor on the
passage of his bill . She was the first to bring the good news
’ to Morse . Her father, Morse s steadfast friend in Washing
in t T ton , had remained the Senate until adj ournmen . h e
44 FAVORI TE TE XTS
C HAPTE R III .
TWE L VE H I S TO RI CAL B O O KS — JO S H UA T B o JO .
In giving th e favorite texts selected from the historical
O f s in books the Old Testament , it may be noted by tho e te re ste d in Bible curiosities that among these books are to be
. found the shortest verse of the Old Testament , I Chronicles
1 : 25 E 8 : 9 , and the longest , sther . It is interesting to note of the book O f E sther that although it contains te nchapters “ that the word Lord nor God is not found in it . These facts and many others of interest were discovered and noted l by the earned Prince of Grenada , heir to the Spanish throne , imprisoned by the order of the crown for fear he should ” s aspire to the throne . He wa kept in solitary confinement in
the old prison at the Place of Skulls , Madrid . After thirty
three years in this living tomb death came to his release , and the following researches taken from the B ible and marked with an old nail on th e rough walls of his cell told h ow th e brain sought employment through the weary years :
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
The favorite or influential texts of an American general wh o received the surrender of Santiago , an eminent B ritish OF O E O E FAM US P PL . 45
- statesman , the cobbler missionary , a New York banker and E an nglish editor , are given in this chapter .
E E E MRS . TH O D O R W . B I RN Y , president of the
National Congress of Mothers :
Joshua 1 : 9 B e strong and O f good courage ; be i : not afra d , neither be thou dismayed for the Lord thy
’ God is with thee whithersoever thou goest .
Benj amin Franklin was ridiculed when in Paris for his
n fi nd h o w defence of the Bible , and he determi ed to out ff many of the sco ers had read it . H e informed one of the learned societies that he had come across a story of pastoral
u life in ancient times that seemed to him very beautiful , b t
of which he would like the opinion of the society .
On the evening appointed , Franklin read to the assem
bly of scholars the B ook of Ruth . They were in ecstacies
over it, and one after another begged that the manuscript ” might be printed . It is printed , replied Franklin , and is
a part of the Bible .
O n a n oth e r occasion he copied an d read to a company
O f - ‘ a free thinking wits a remarkable ancient poem . It w s
received with extravagant admiration . Who wa s the author ? Where did Franklin discover it ? H e informed them that it
wa s the third chapter O f Habakkuk .
E WI LLIAM R . SHAFT R , Maj or General United
States Volunteers , to whom the Spanish forces at Santiago surrendered : A favorite verse in the Bible is the last sentence of the
eleventh verse , twentieth chapter , First Kings . It is peculiar
o e ly applicable to one in my profession , and is n which I have tried to follow . 46 FAVORI TE TE XTS
E J O H N B RI GH T, the nglish statesman , made happy
use of a Scripture idyl , which has now taken its place among
in E a the immortal passages our nglish prose . It w s when ex
h f th e plaining w y he , a simple Friend, had accepted o fice in
‘ : a B ritish Government , that he said There is passage in the O ld Testament which has often struck me as being one of t great beau y . Many of you will recollect that the prophet , in
j ourneying to and fro , was very hospitably entertained by one
S u n a mi m h r termed in the Bible a h te wo an . In return for e
hospitality he wished to make her some amends , and he called her to him and asked her what ther e was he should do for
’ h e her . Wouldst thou be spoken for to the king , said , or
’ to the captain of the host ? (2 Kings 4: N ow it has al ways appeared to 'me that the S h u n a mite woman returned
’
. ff a great answer She replied , in declining the prophet s o er ,
’ e I dwell among min own people . When the question was
' pu t to me whether I should step into the position in which i d I now f n myself, the answer from my heart was the same
w — I wish to d ell among mine own people . Pattison History of E nglish Bible .
N O E J . PH . ST I N stated clerk of General Synod of Re formed Church :
2 Kings 6 : 1 7 expresses the realities of the unseen world
1 : 2 . 1 and St James shows the value of the engrafted word .
7 In 1 87, when William Carey was urging upon Andre w Fuller the necessity for immediate action in the enterprise of e sending missionaries to give the gospel to the heath n , Fuller replied : If the Lord should make windows in H eaven ” , might this thing be ? (2 Kings 7 :
E E H NRY CL WS , New York banker , but was intended
for the ministry, at the outbreak of the civil war was invited OF E E FAM OUS P OPL . 47 by the Secretary of Treasury to become agent for sale of government bonds ; one of the founders and governors of
: the Union League Club , New York
To my mind, one of the noblest texts in the Scripture is found in the eleventh verse of the twenty - ninth chapter of
: First Chronicles Thine , O Lord , is the greatness , and the
: power, and the glory, and the victory, and the maj esty for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine ; thine is
th e the kingdom , O Lord , and thou art exalted as head
’ above all . This ascription concentrates all the adoration of ages
e past and to come , and .points the way to a p rfect faith in
the Infinite , that will lift up and give us strength for any
battle in the world .
E KE Y E J O S PH S . , bishop of the M ethodist piscopal
Church South , and son of C . W . Key , for more than fifty years a Methodist minister in Georgia :
‘ ’ For the eyes o f Th E t o rd run to and fro throughout
o w the wh le earth , to she himself strong in behalf of them
1 6 : whose heart is perfect toward him . (I I Chronicles
This is also the favorite text of James B . Kenyon , the
- clergyman poet , author of An Oaten Pipe and other poems .
E CHARLOTTE M . YO N G , editor for thirty years of
the E nglish publication , the Monthly Packet , and author i of a number of books , History of Christ an Names , Life of
’ Bishop Patteson and John Ke bl e s Parishes :
. 8 : The j oy of the Lord is your strength Nehemiah 1 0.
1 6 : 22 Your j oy no man taketh from you . John . FAVORI TE TE XTS
CHA PTE R IV
From a literary standpoint the B o ok of Job probably
ranks higher than any other book of the B ible . With the most definite promise “ of eternal life to be found in the Old
a e Testament , it also holds a high pl ce with thos who
regard the book fr o m a spiritual standpoint . It is also
- pre eminently th e book of the Bible for philosophers .
The sentiment or text from it that seems to h a ve made the greatest impression is : I know that my Redeemer
’
' i a t liveth . When t peals out from th t great ora orio , l’ (Hande s Messiah) in music and song , it vibrates with glory
’ s irs h and t t e heart of Christians of all evangelical creeds .
One part or another of the B ook of Job seems to h a ve
had a great influence on Scotchmen .
Thomas Carlyle , the Scotch historian and essayist, said after reading it : One of the grandest things ever,
written with a pen . Samuel Rutherford , the eminent Scotch
I t divine , quoted from when dying , and the sentiment of the
last prayer of Robert Louis Stevenson , the Scotch novelist ,
o was most pro bably from it . The last words f H orace Gree
ley were quoted from it .
E TH O MAS CARLY L , while visiting at a country house ,
was requested to conduct family worship , and , it is said , that
having begun reading the B ook of Job , he read it right “ through to the end . One of the grandest things , he says of
it, ever written with a pen . Towards the close of his life OF O E O E FAM US P PL . 49
he sat waiting for tea one evening , with a Bible in his hand ,
was th e and heard repeating to himself hymn , dear no doubt, from its early associations :
The hour of my departure comes ,
H ear the voice that calls me home ;
At last, O Lord , let trouble cease ,
And let thy servant die in peace .
Then all unconscious that he was observed , he buried
himself once more in the pages of that s a me book of Job ,
of which he had once said Sublime sorrow , sublime recon ciliation ; oldest choral melody as of the heart of mankind
so soft and great as the summer midnight , as the world with
n its seas a d stars .
J O H N J . I N GALLS , for eighteen years United States Senator from Kansas : “
- My favorite pa rL o fi h e B ible is the B ook of Job .
E J N NY LI N D , whose name is synonymous for beauti
ful singing, and the favorite prima donna of the century ,
attended church in London one Sunday, and afterward went
th e t to vestry o thank Dr . Forest, dean of Worcester, for
e his s rmon . D r . Forest took the opportunity of telling her that some time previous he had visited a youth in his p a rish wh o wh o was dying of consumption , and was an earnest
e Christian . D r . Forest ask d him what had led him to
e know Christ as his Saviour . H e r plied that some time
he e e e before his illness had gon to the L eds festival , and ther
e a had heard J nny Lind sing , I know th t my Redeemer
” ' 1 liveth , (Job 9: and had been his faithful follower ever
’ S a ince . Te rs sprang into Jenny Lind s eyes , and after a
pause thanked the doctor for telling her of the incident, add 5 0 FAVORI TE TE XTS ing : It is not the first time that I have heard of a similar
result from my Singing o f that song, and I never do sing it without first asking God that it may be blessed to at least
one soul in my audience .
' o f t At the height her grea success , when money was
pouring into her lap , the Swedish Nightingale , as she was
called , left the stage and never went back to it . O nce an E nglish friend found her siting on the steps of a bathing ma
a a chine t the seashore , with Lutheran Bible on her knee , t k looking out into the glory of the sunset . As they al ed
: the conversation drew near to the inevitable question Oh ,
Go ldsch mid is Madam , how it that you ever came to abandon ”“ the stage at the very height of your success ? When every
day , was the quiet answer, it made me think less of this (laying a finger on the B ible) and nothing at all of that th (pointing to e sunset) , what else could I do
Perha ps the shortest sermon ever preached was that c which D o tor Whewell was fond of repeating from the text , h t e a r . Man is born unto trouble , as sparks fly upw ds (Job
The sermon barely occupied a minute in delivery, the following being a verb a tim report I shall divide the dis
’ course int o three heads : 1 . Man s ingress into the world ;
2 o . His pr gress through the world ; 3 . His egress out of the w o rld nd First, his ingress into the world is naked a bare . h Secondly, his progress t rough the world is trouble
and care .
Thirdly , his egress out of the world is nobody knows where
I can tell you no more if I preach a year .
Then he gave the benediction .
5 2 FAVORI TE T E XTS
W E I LLIAM J N N I N GS B RYAN , D emocratic nominee 896 1 900 for president in 1 , and also in .
‘ v a th e If a man die , shall he li e ag in (Job is
B ut th e most important question ever asked . the path of
j ust is as a shining light, that shineth more and more unto the
9 perfect day (Proverbs 4: 1 8 ) is worth remembering in every l day ife .
E E . JAM S K J O N S , United States Senator from Arkan
‘ sas , and chairman of the D emocratic National Committee
1 896- 1 900:
In the midst o f so much that is impressive it is not easy to specify any one passage as in all respects surpassing
’ all others , but I think that Job s answer to his own question ,
‘ ’ ma ‘ ? 1 4: 1 4 If a n die , shall he live again (Job ) is the most sublime truth give n to man For I know that my Redeemer
liveth , and that H e shall stand at the latter day upon the
: t earth And hough after my skin worms destroy this body,
e t : f y in my flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for mysel ,
and mine eyes shall behold , and not another ;
(Job H It is very interesting to note the coincidence of the
two . choice of men , so closely associated as Mr B ryan and
Senator Jones . While they conferred together very often , it is probable that n e ither was aware of the choice of the other.
The book of Job seems to be a favorite with we ste rn men
generally , Senator Ingalls having chosen it .
t In the city of London , from the grea clock tower of the
. parliament buildings , as the hands of the great clock mark
~ the completion of each hour , big B en tolls forth his thunder OF O E O E FAM US P PL . 5 3
ous peal , while at the end of each quarter a little melody is played upon the chimes which consists of a few notes from
t e o the oratorio of the Messiah . For eigh miles around the p
e ple in smoky London , every fifteen minut s hear the sweet
e . r air, I Know That My Rede mer Liveth With each e
u t rning quarter of an hour of the day and night , toward all
a the slums and hovels , as well as to all the p laces of London ,
o u t th e a peals j oyful sound , I Know Th t My Redeemer
Liveth . So the world in its limitless n e ed is beginning to feel the power of a limitless supply ; is beginning to hear the
song that sounds over land and sea, and which evermore in fuller peal and more j oyous chorus will resound to all the
n e ds of the earth , I Know That My Redeemer Liveth .
E . D r . F . . Clark (Job
E E E E H O RAC GR L Y , j ournalist and founder of the
u e : New York Trib n , said when dying I know that my
me — Redee r liveth . (Job
E e O . W . WH ITAK R , Right Rev . Bishop of the Dioc se
1 887 - 1 900 E : of Pennsylvania , , Protestant piscopal Church
Among the chapters and p ortions of the Bible which have d e eply impressed me by their truth or strength or beau t — y, I would mention the fourteenth and twenty eighth chap ters of the B ook of Job ; all of the words of the Lord Jesus
Christ, and especially the fourteenth , fifteenth and seventeenth
. chapters of the gospel according to St John ; and , the third
chapter of the E pistle of St . Paul to the Philippians
One of the le ading women librarians of the United States sent the following but preferred that her name be not given : , ” wh o ? When he giveth quietness , then can make trouble
(Job Th e Spirit itself maketh intercession for us
8 : with groanings which cannot be uttered . (Romans 5 4. FAVORI TE TE XTS
CHAPTE R V
P AL M S S .
I The book of Psalms S quoted more often , or at least more
texts were selected from it , than from all the other books of
a e the Old Testament, if Isai h be l ft out . The Psalms seem to
for have a peculiar attraction military and naval men , whose c omments show that they are even more familiar with them
than are some l eading clergym e n with the texts they
quote . Among the interesting responses that mentioned
some verse of the Psalms was th e Secretary of the American
1 8 - - 96 1 900 a . navy, , and three rear dmirals of long service And
one fa mau s general and two lieutenant generals of the B rit
ish army mention som e Ps a lm or p o rtion of one as th e ir fa
o ri - v te . Two well known American editors and authors find
u e comfort in this book of Script re po try , Gustavus Adolphus and Martin Luther sang Psalms at critical j unctures of their
liv e s . John Milton paraphrased the one hundred and thirty
th e sixth Psalm when a schoolboy at age of fifteen . Cyrus
th e Hamlin , the missionary and patriarch , quoted twentieth e Ps a lm to thos e in danger or troubl .
Wesley and Toplady, the hymn writers , who could not ff agree on theological a airs , both found the Psalms of great
- . comfort, both quoting them on their death beds D aniel Webster made use of one by quoting it at length in an
“
argum ent before a court . Jewish scholars mention themas
a . . their f vorites , D r M Nordau and the Chief Rabbi Adler of the B ritish E mpire having responded . of: F A M E OUS P OPL E . 5 5
C E OTTO N MATH R , Puritan minister of B oston , where he carried on a persecution against witchcraft
It was one of the most touching traits of his characte r t h e hat he had a consuming passion for usefulness , or , as
called it , fruitfulness , a passion which was not denied even in his own lifetime . His signet ring had for device a fruit 1 3 bearing tre e with the words of Psalms : . When he was dying (1 728) and almost sunk away from
sight and hearing of earthly things , his son and successor
d wa s aske him for one word to remember when he dead , and
‘ ” f. the old man feebly whispered Fruitful .
Psalms was the remonstrance addressed to
E wh o a H enry VI I I of ngland by John Lambert , w s burned
i fi o in S m th e ld in 1 538 . His martyrd m was one of the most
wa s cruel of that time , and yet his faith triumphant, as he
lifted his fingers flaming with fire, saying, N one but Christ ,
none but Christ .
~ C E WYC KO FF f on e of the editors of the Brotherhood
Star : Did you ever search your B ibl e to find beautiful pas
i 5 : 3 sages about the morning watch ? H ere s one . Psalms .
My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord ; in the
morning will I direct my prayer unto thee , and will look up .
E : M RS . TH O MAS CARLY L wrote thus in her j ournal
i ’ S l e e p has come to lo o k to me the highest virtue and the
greatest happiness ; that is , good sleep , untroubled , beautiful , ’ ! ‘ like a child s . Ah , me H ave mercy upon me , O Lord ; for ”
. I am weak ; O Lord , heal me ; for my bones are vexed My ? ’ : L soul is also sore vexed but thou , O ord , how long
6 : 2 (Psalms ,
A - n wa s J C O B KNAPP , the well know evangelist , once much annoyed by an ungodly young man occupying a con 5 6 FAVORI TE TE XTS
’ spicu o u s pla ce in his audience and taking notes of the elder s
' ‘ l o o kin sh a r l a t sermon H e paused , and g p y the reporter ,
' ' a : W be tu rn e d s id The icked shall into hell , and all the
’ ’ ma n nations that forget God . There , young , put that down .
(Psalms 9:
E E E A JAM S RUS S LL LOW LL , merican author , The
f L a u nfa l Bigelow Papers and The Visi o n o Sir , being some
of his principal works :
' e When the microscopic s arch of skepticism , which has
hunted the he a vens and sounded the seas to disprove the
existence of a Creator, has turned its attention to human
society, and has found a place on this planet ten miles square w c here a de ent man can live in decency , comfort and security ,
supporting and educating his children unspoiled and u npo l
luted ; a place where age is reverenced , infancy respected,
c manhood respe ted , womanhood honored , and human life held in due regard ; when skeptics can find such a place ten miles square on this globe where the gospel of Christ has not gone a n d cleared the way and l a id the foundation and made decency
and security possible , it will then be in order for the skeptical
literati to move thither and ventilate their views . B ut so l ong i as these man are dependent on the rel gion which they discard ,
for every privilege they enj oy , they may well hesitate a little
h u before they seek to rob the Christian of his hope , and manity of its faith in that Saviour who alone has given to
man that hope of life eternal which makes life tolerable , and society possible and robs death of its terrors and the grave
a re of its gloom . It is believed that there few more power
‘ ful comments on : The fool hath said in his heart , There is
no God . (Psalms than the above .
Two Psalms— the one hundred and twenty - fi rst and the
one hundred and thirty - fi fth — were read in the humble home OF M O S E O E FA U P PL . 5 7
’ of David Livingstone s father, on the day when the young
a h e missionary left it for Afric , and then and his old father
‘ a r walked from Blantyre to Glasgow, to p rt with one anothe on the sailing of the Liv e rpool ste a mer ; and years afterwards the familiar words of the Psalt e r are woven into the same no ' M o fi a t - in - ble biography when Mrs . , his mother law, writes to
: a e him My dear son Livingstone , unce sing prayer is mad
e for you . When I think of you , my h art will go upward :
‘ Keep him as the apple of thine e ye (Ps a lms H old
’ him in the hollow of thine hand , are the ej aculations of my
heart .
E E SI R C HARL S WARR N , Lieutenant General , Brit
a ish Army, and conductor of excavations at Jerus lem for
Palestine exploration fund , and author of Underground
e th e Jerusalem , the T mple or Tomb , also commander of troop s against the B echuanas several times : As a child my father taught me to repeat every morn
‘ : ing the fifteenth Psalm Lord , who shall abide in thy
’ ? etc tabernacle . That chapter is still with me at any time b wherever I may e , and I should say that its possession at all
times has been a blessing to me .
Uni D . C . GI LMAN , first president of Johns H opkins 1 875 versity, and since As my favorite text or scriptures I n”ame the nine n e e th Psalm and the Sermon on the Mount .
E a . . G . W . SUM N R , re r admiral U S navy, and took
th e part in several of the principal naval battles of civil war , and made the fa stest long - distance run for a man - o i—war with " the : U S . S . Columbia from Southampton to N ew York t My favorite chapter is the nineteenth Psalm . My a tention was specially called to it many years ago from hear
ing and seeing it read by the blind preacher, Milburn . 5 8 F A VORI TE TE XT S
r CYRUS HAM LI N , for many years missiona y to Tur / e n key, and found r of Robert College in Co stantinople , author
' of Am ong th e Tu rk s and My Life and Time s H e noted on “ m the reply : In y ninetieth year . H e died a few months
afterwards .
My favorite text is the twentieth Psalm . I have ofte n
f n in n a d a . read it to the a flicted to those , y danger
TH E E - TW NTY TH I RD PSA LM .
Among other favorite Scriptur e s the twenty - third Psalm
e a is mentioned by G orge C . Lorimer , p stor of Tremont Tem
s e . ple , B oston , Mas ; Bishop Whippl of Minnesota , Gen . O E O . H oward , Col . stey, the manufacturer , and Harry Kellar
the magician .
From Hymns that have H elped we learn that the metri ca l 5 1 ver on of this Psalm was the favorite of S . R . Crockett ,
author of the Raiders , who says there is no hymn like it .
H e adds that he has stood by upwards of a hundr e d people w hen they were dying , and that the words of the Psalm ush
ered most of them out into the Quiet . It was the comfort of the Covenanters in the days when they could not call their
’ liv es their own ; John Ruskin learned it at his mother s knee ;
! E . dward Irving, at one time assistant to D r Chalmers , and h founder of the Catholic and Apostolic C urch , recited it as
re he was dying ; H einrich H eine , in one of his latest poems , calls the image of the Shepherd Guide whose Pastures green
’ ” and sweet , refresh the wanderer s weary feet . When St .
Francis of Assisi went alone , bareheaded and barefoot , to
h e convert the Sultan , kept up his spirit by chanting this
Psalm .
6 0 FAVORI TE TE XTS
E S I M O N N WCO M B , astronomer, has made many as " tro n o mica l e discoveries , given to the world in ov r one hun h i t e , e F dred papers , and only Amer can sinc ranklin , elected an associate of the Institute of France :
a Mrs . Newcomb , who writes for him since he w s inj ured
in a carriage accident, says that he cannot say which is his
a e favorite text, but th t he used to be very fond of r peating “ hymns Gr having them sung for him.His favorite wa s In ” , f a i 6 : 1 4 o . the cross Christ I glory . This is b sed on Galat ans _
n - fa Mrs . Newcomb me tions the twenty third Psalm as her i v o r te .
E : AN STI C AB B OTT , missionary of B ombay, India I will mention the twenty - third Psalm as one of the portio n s ” dearest to me , and particularly the third verse .
c H OWARD TAY LO R , medi al director, and son of the
founder of the China Inland Mission , gives the Shepherd
s Psalm a his favorite .
P E 7 . 8 w . 1 8 P OW LL , United States Minister to Haiti , 1 900 h to , and an advocate of manual training, aving intro du ce d 1 883 : it in public schools of Camden , N . J “ In enj oying present pleasures we fail to think of or
- acknowledge whence they come . From my youth to the ” - d present I have relied upon the twenty thir Psalm .
E E E WI LLIAM H N RY GL , State Librarian of Penn
: sylvania for some time , and historian “ - Psalm twenty three and the B eatitudes . e v s o ? ri n s 3. E E B TH O MAS JAM S W LLAN D , ishop of the Irish
E piscopal Church , see of D own and Connor, H olywood
- Psalm twenty three .
- N . FARQUHAR, Rear Admiral U . S . Navy , brought 1 861 the captured slaver Triton to the U . S . in , and in com O F O E O E 1 FAM US P PL . 6
mand of the U . S . S . Trenton in the Apia , Samoa , hurricane , saving his crew of 450 men I beg to say that the twenty - third Psalm is a favorite “ ” of mine .
e When Jas . Inglis was upon his d ath bed the twenty
wa s : third Psalm read to him , and the dying saint said You will understand me as not speaking boastfully of myself when
s I a y that every word you have read is personal to me , per
sonal to my faith , personal to my soul . And now I will rest , and afterward we will talk about his mercies .
a Very similar w s the death of the Indian missionary , ff Dr . Alexander Du ; for , apparently unconscious and evident l y dying, his daughter repeated this Psalm , and he responded at the end of each verse .
- E in e l a w J OH N W LS H , son of John Knox , sang this t d Psalm at wo in the morning, when banished from Scotlan , and with other ministers of the reformed faith and a large
concourse of people singing and praying with them , set sail
’ f - for France . Welsh s wi e be sought the King for her husband , and was offered his liberty on condition of his preaching and teaching no more . The brave daughter of Knox lifted her
‘ apron with her h a n ds a n d said ° I would rather receive
c his head here than his liberty at su h a price .
Two young women , Marion Harvey and I sabel Alison , ff on their way to the sca old for the honor and name of Jesus , were annoyed by the priests who wished to thrust their pray ' ers on them , and the one said to the other , Come , I sabel ,
- let us sing the twenty third Psalm , which they did ; and she then said , I am come here today for avowing Christ to be H i h im s . e the H ead of church , and King in Zion O , Se k , him sirs , seek , and ye shall find him .
The greatest of Scottish philosophers Sir Willi a m Ham , ” : Th n d ff me ilton , died saying y rod a thy sta they comfort . (Psa lm s 23 : 6 2 FAVORI TE TE XTS
CHA TE R VI .
— ! PS AL MS Co ntin u e d.
The Royal E xchange in London bears across its portico
’ : s the words The earth is the L ord s , and the fulne s there
of . (Psalms A wag, reading this inscription once
’ said The earth is the Lord s and the fulness thereof be
n x lo gs to the Royal E change . Psalms holds an extraordinary place among dying b e lievers Into thy hands I commend my Spirit — the w th e ords rise from saint after saint . These were last words
23 : 46 spoken by Jesus on the cross , Luke , the last of Stephen ;
7 : 5 B th e 9 . Acts , of Polycarp , asil , St Louis , Columbus and of poor Italian prisoner of our own times , Silvio Pellico .
6th 1 41 5 On the of July , , John Huss of B ohemia was
burned to death in a field near the ancient city of Constance ,
co n du ct b e in his safe g violated by the E mperor Sigismund ,
for which the Pope gave absolution . A brass tablet marks
the spot where Huss stood . While seven bishops removed
a his priestly dress piec e by piece , and placed on his head
paper crown painted with demons , they addressed him , We
a deliver thy soul to Satan . B ut I , he s id , commend it
: to Thy hands , Lord Jesus Christ , who hast redeemed me .
One hundred and thirty - o n e years after Huss Luth e r died Among his last words were these : I pray
L o Thee O ord, Jesus Christ, to take my soul int Thy keep
. a ing Then he s id thrice , Father, into Thy hands I com mend my Spirit ; Thou hast redeemed me , Lord God of truth . (Psalms OF O E O E FAM US P PL . 6 3
1 572 : In , John Knox died , saying Now , for the last
time , I commend my spirit, soul and body , touching three f o . his fingers , into Thy hand , O Lord
M cKa il Nearly a century after this Hugh , the gifted k martyr of Scotland , too hold of the ladder to go up to his
e death , having sung these same words , saying as he w nt up ,
e I care no mor to go up this ladder , and over it , than if
’ H h is I were going h o me to my father s house . e called to
- ff E friends and fellow su erers below, B e not afraid . very
a step of this ladder is a degre e n e arer he ven . Into thy hands I commend my Spirit were also the
last words of Lady Jane Grey ; of Charlemagne , King of
E . France and mperor of the West ; of Mary , Queen of Scots
ff “ Thomas Je erson , third president of the United States , said
I resign my spirit to God and my daughter to my country .
E E : dward the Sixth , son of Henry the ighth Lord , take my spirit: Michael Angelo said : My soul I resign to
God . H e admonished his relatives in their life and death to ffe think on the su rings of Jesus Christ .
- St . Augustine often read the thirty second Psalm with
weeping heart and eyes , and before his death had it written
upon the wall which was over against his sick bed , that he
might be exercised and comforted by it in his sickness . His
i e words , The beg nning of knowl dge is to know thyself to
be be d . a sinner , might prefixe to it as a motto
A - f CO LUM B , of Scotland , after laboring thirty our years
in I ona , felt death coming upon him . Going to the monas te r s y barn , he bles ed the grain , and thanked God there would
be enough for the brethren .
h e He then returned to t monastery , and went to th
library, to continue a copy of the Psalms already begun by him - . When he came to the words in the thirty fourth Psalm , FAVORI TE T E XTS
/ wa n t a n They that seek the Lord shall not y good thing,
: he rose from his work and said This ends the page , and I
B i h n B ith e n . a t e will cease here . a may write what follows ( , o long chosen by C lumba as his successor , did really complete
a n d h e the copy . ) It was now time for evening prayers ,
’ went with his brethren into the chapel . Returning, he lay - d down on his har couch , and committed to his faithful servant his last wishes for the brethren : This is my last command
ment to you , my children , that ye should love one another
a . sincerely , and be at pe ce If ye follow the example of the
good , God , who strengthens such , will surely be with you .
’ These were Columba s last words .
Inscriptions on old houses in E dinburgh : He that
tholes (endures) overcomes . O , magnify the Lord with
a me , and let us exalt his name together . (Ps lms
u E D ring the days of early Methodism in ngland , there wa s e a pr eacher named Samuel B radburn , of whom Wesl y
‘ B r dbu rn b in im held a high opini on . a e g in a state of pe cu n io sit - y, Wesley sent him five one pound notes with the fol lowi ng l e tter :
‘ : do o D ear Sammy Trust in the Lord , and good ; s
’ a shalt thou dwell in the land , and verily thou sh lt be fed .
s ff (P alms Yours a ectionately ,
E E J O H N W S L Y .
' Bradburn thus replied : “ Rev . and D ear Sir : I have often been s truck with the
beauty of the passage of Scripture quoted in your letter , but I must confess that I never saw such useful expository notes R . e upon it before I am , v . and dear sir , your obedient and
a gr teful servant ,
S . B RAD BURN . OF O E FAM US P OPLE . 6 3
E E E E . . B SI R G O RG B WO LS L Y , K C . . , lieutenant
e ff g neral on the sta of the B ritish Army in India , fourth son . of the late commander -in - chief of the B ritish Army ; having
. served with distinction in the principal campaigns during the
: 37 3— a past forty years Psalms verified dream .
E E E - H Z KIAH B UTT RWO RTH , author of Zig Zag
’ Journeys , and for over twenty years editor of the Youth s
Companio n :
‘ My favorite passage of Scripture is : Commit thy way unto the Lord ; trust also in Him and H e shall bring it to
’ pass . (Psalm 37 :
“ 2 My favorite chapter is Psalm 3 .
“ the My favorite poem is B ook of Job .
E PAUL G RHARD , Lutheran minister at B erlin , was f c 1 666 deposed from his o fice , and banished the ountry in ,
by the elector Frederic William the Great , on account of the
faithful discharge of his ministerial duties . Not knowing
s whither to go , he and his wife pa sed out of the city , and
e finally stopped at a tavern , oppress d with care and grief . ’ co mfo r Gerhard endeavored t o t his partner by the text , ,
Commit thy way unto the Lord ; trust also in Him ; and
37 : H e shall bring it to pass . (Psalm Then he w rote a
hymn embodying this sentiment . B efore he had finished its perusal the agents of Duke Christian of M e rsbu rg invited
a him to an interview with that prince , by whom he was p , pomte d Archdeacon a t Luebben . 6 6 FAVORI TE TE XTS
l The bel s of Westminster Abbey chime hourly a sweet, simple melody . The words allied to the tune are these :
All through this hour ,
Lord be my guide , And through Thy p ower
r sli N o foot shall de . (Psalms
E E E or of O RI S O N SW T MARD N , founder and edit
A n to the Success , and author of rchitects of Fate , Pushi g k Front, and similar boo s
‘ a As the heart panteth fter the water brooks , so panteth
’ my soul after Thee , O God . (Psalm It has always been my favorite and I cannot remember the time when
I wa s not impressed by it .
‘ Psalm 46 wa s paraphrased by Luther in his Eine feste
. h - B urg, whic is translated for us in th e well known lines , “ s h e f A safe stronghold , etc . This wa t e Marseillais o the m m Refor ation . In the dark Refor ation times Luther would
M e la n cth o n say to , Come , Philip , let us sing the forty
sixth Psalm . When the Protestant cause seemed to be “ losing ground , he sang it to the lute every day, standing e at the window and looking up to H aven .
“ When he and Me la n cth o n and others were sent into
n r n e rin We ima r a d we e e t g , banishment, \ J in great despondency
they heard a girl singing this Psalm . Sing on , dear daughter
mine M e la ncth o n said , thou knowest not what comfort , ” thou bringest to our hearts .
GUSTAVUS AD O LPHUS prepared for the battle of n 46 Leipsic by si ging this Psalm along with his whole army . Wesley preached on it when a shock of earthquake threw
London into terror the last century . The people of Moscow u se d this Psalm as their m e morial song of triumph for that
6 8 FAVORI TE TE XTS e e B u t h e re a s a as and starvation . t w no despair for G rdiner . With undiminished faith he left to his friends a solemn charge not to neglect the obj ect for which he had so gladly sacri
fi c d e his life, and with feeble hands he traced these words :
a My soul , wait thou only upon God ; for my expect tion is
from him . (Psalms
E E E . E TH L BALDWI N , delegate to cumenical Con
N e w 1 900: ference of Foreign Missions , York ‘My word shall not return unto me void ’ is my sure prom
‘ ise of success for the work at home and abroad . There is
that scattereth , and yet increaseth ; and there is that with e i ’ t . holdeth more than is m et , but tendeth to poverty (Pro
verbs is my missionary text . Psalms I call mv
‘ ‘ resurrected text , it being only in the revised version : The
Lo rd g iveth the word : the women -wh o publish the t idings
’ a s are a great host . Strangely enough this text w resurrected h t j ust as ,the doors opened in heathen lands calling for a os o m of women , and they are at w rk under this renewed com is
E E E CAN O N WALT R J . D M O ND S , xeter Cathedral , E ngland :
‘ Text of life - long helpfulness— I will go in the strength
: of the Lord God I will make mention of Thy righteousness , ’ 1 7 1 6. even of Thine only . Psalms ,
E E E . G O . . B LKNAP, rear admiral U S . Navy , engaged 1 856 in the capture of the B arrier forts in China in , and was in many of the battles of the Civil wa r : “ Among many noteworthy and suggestive chapters in the 90 Bible , not omitting the magnificent epic of Job , Psalms is a great favorite with me . Its maj estic phrasing and solid statement often sound in my cars . It seems to declare and OF OUS PE O L E FAM P . 69
‘ e ss u h e e i ht impr pon us t h g and maj esty , the omnipotence , the unchanging purposes and eternal grace of Almighty Go d more comprehensively and p rofoundly than any other chapter
’ of H oly Writ . It also sets forth the solemn fact of man s brief life and evanescent work in a way that even a fool in his sublimest folly ca n understand and take home to himself the ever —living truth that from the earth he sprang and that to the w earth he must soon return , hile God reigns from everlasting
‘ 3 ” to everlasting and his testimonies are ever very sure .
J . M . TH OB URN , missionary bishop of the Methodist 1 888 1 900 church in India and Malaysia to , author of Light in the E ast and Christless Nations : “ I have no permanent favorite among the B ible passages s but nearly alway have a verse or verses in mind , suited to
’ the emergency of the hour or day . At present I am drawn 1 1 4 1 5 to Psalms 9 ; , ,
' ’ - fi . rst . D L . M O O D Y S favorite Psalm was the ninety 1 8 2 When in N ovember, 9 , he and his fellow passengers on the steamship Spree were threatened by a billowy grave he preached to a most attentive audience from the words found " e in verses fourteen to sixteen . Th y called upon God and he t answered hem , and delivered them .
E E H . B . WH I PP L , Protestant piscopal bishop of Min 1 859 n e sota , since , over forty years , going there when the
state was almost a wilderness , and doing a great work amo n g the Indians : “ I believe that the Bible was written under the guidance
I and inspiration of God and that all S good . The three texts which have come most often to me in the cares and burdens
of the over forty years of my episcopate, are Psalms 1 4 Psalms 23 : 1 and St . John , last clause of the ninth verse . 7 0 FAVORI TE TE XTS
in While the U . S . S . Mississippi rode at anchor the 1 1 853 e harbor of Uraga on July 0, , Commodore Matth w Gal br i n a th Perry spread out the stars and stripes over the capsta , and using the l a tter as a pulpit he read the one hundredth
: Psalm . As he proclaimed his message Make a j oyful noise
o unt the Lord , all ye lands , the world was little cognizant of
e the wondrous chang which wa s about to take place in Japan ,
wa s to o which be opened to the gospel , and should come t h kno w that the Lo rd e is God .
th e 1 In metrical ver5 on of the one hundredth psalm , says
e e Hymns that hav H lped, the men of N orth B ritain found a
su bstitu te o r D e u ms practical f the papistical Te , which they
o e e 1 560- 6 abh rred . It wa s written by W . K th in 1 to fit the
tune in the Genevan Psalter , now known as the Old Hun dre dth . It is one of the fe w Psalms to which Shakespeare
makes reference in his plays . Longfellow refers to the New E ngland settlers , Singing the Hundredth Psalm , that grand i m ta . a old Pur n anthe Rev . James Campbell of D ublin s ys
’ t th e th e tha magnificent version of Hundredth , set to Luther s
i maj estic tune , has wedded Lutherans and Calvinists to ete nit n d y, a girdled the earth with sweet and stately praise .
’ E J O HN S . HUYL R , philanthropist and manufacturer , and deeply interested in mission work in New York :
H e s ays that h e has many texts for special times and
e a : occasions , but the most prominent one for g ner l use is
H e knoweth our frame ; remembereth that we are dust .
(Psalms 1 03 :
e s e e CHAR LE S F . THWI N G, pr id nt W stern Reserve University :
I have several equally favorite cha pters , but on the
a o whole , the one that is the gre test fav rite is the one hundred
and third Psalm . OF O E O E FAM US P PL . 7 1
E Z A N GWI L L l - I SRA L , man of etters , self educated ,
author of D reamers of the Ghetto , They that walk in Dark
ness , etc I think that people might do worse than study Psalms
one hundred and third and one hundred and fourth , and I like
First Corinthians, chapter thirteen , verse seven .
H . C . M O RRI S O N , bishop of the Methodist church
South , and pastor for twelv e years in the largest Methodist
K . : churches in Louisville , y
The one hundred a n d third Psalm has been a favorite ” with me from my boyhood .
’
. . O ffi cie r d A ca de mie F e D R M N O RDAU, , ranc , author “ and physician : The Bible has been my constant companion _T ff since my early childho_o d. - h e e ects of the word upon me ff ff have been di erent at di erent times of my life , but I have E never ceased reading it . Job , the cclesiastes and the Psalms
occupy the highest rank in my estimation , and the psalm I
prefer to all others is the ninetieth , on the fragility of human
life . I know this Psalm like many others by heart, and quote
it very often .
’
To the sublime strains of the ninetieth Psalm , Hampton s troopers carried him to his last resting place among the Chil
tern Hills .
CRO MWE LL sang with his soldiers the one hundred and seventeenth Psalm on the battlefield of Dunbar .
E FRAN K E DWI N E LW LL , sculptor , the equestrian
a nd c e n statue of General Hancock at Gettysburg, Di k s and FA VORI TE TE XT S
Little Nell at Philadelphia being among his m o st notable works ‘
This is th e day which th e Lord hath made ; we will re
’ b a 1 1 8 : j oice and e glad in it . (Ps lms As far as I am
’ to e wish sa bba th re concerned it has no relation the J , but minds one that every instant o f this life is an influx from the
i a n div ne d that every day is a day of the Lord . The teachings
! of Christianity have tumbled into materialism , which has
th e caused most of crime of civilization . To believe that our life is God ’ s life is to feel that there is but one life and that of
love .
E E D MALTB I DAV N P ORT BAB CO CK, D . . , for
1 900 h e merly of B altimore , but in at t B rick Presbyterian
N e w : Church , York, successor to Henry Van Dyke
c mmi in xts I believe profoundly in the custom of o tt g te ,
‘ Ps or rather alms and chapters , to memory . Thy word have
’ I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against Thee is su ffi c cient in e ntive .
E E E WI LLIAM LAWR N C M RRY , U . S . minister to
1 897- 1 00 Nicaragua , Salvador and Costa Rica , 9 , and for a number of years commander of steamships on the Atlantic and Pacific oceans : “ i Thy righteousness is an everlasting r ghteousness , and 1 thy law is the truth . (Psalms 1 9:
E E G O RG WI S HART, the chaplain and biographer of
the great Marquis of Montrose , as he was called , would have shared the fate of his illustrious patron but for the fol
aff lowing singular expedient . When upon the sc old , he
availed himself of the custom of the times , which permitted the condemned to choose a psalm to be sung . H e selected
- the one hundred and nineteenth Psalm , and before two thirds OF O S PE O E FAM U PL . 7 3 o f the psalm had been sung, a pardon arrived , and his life was e preserv d . It may not be out of place to add that the George
E h a s e Wishart, B ishop of dinburgh , abov e referred to , be n too often confounded with the godly martyr of the same name
o who lived and died a century previously . We only m e nti n ‘ the incident because it has often been quoted as a singular instance of the providential escape of a saintly personage ;
whereas it was the very ingenious device of a person who ,
according to Woodrow, was more renowned for shrewdness
than for sanctity . The length of this psalm was sagaciously
employed as the means of gaining time , and, happily, the ex
di n t d — 4 pe e succeede C . H . Spurgeon .
The law of thy m o uth is better unto me than thousands
1 9: of gold and silver . (Psalms 1 The largest B ible in
co m the world , which is in the Vatican , furnished an actual 320 ment on this . It is in H ebrew manuscript and weighs
pounds . Some Italian Jews obtained a view of the precious
“ volume and told- th ei 1: - friends in Venice about it . The result
' s n dica t o f e was that a y e Russian Jews tried to purchas it , offering the Pope the w e ight of the book in gold as the ff price . Pope Julius the second , however , refused the o er .
At the present price of gold the offer would amount t o about
E DWARD , the B lack Prince , chose , My help cometh th from the Lord, e first clause of the second verse of the
- fi rst one hundred and twenty Psalm , as the motto for coins E 1 62 struck in ngland in 3 .
nd . . S . a J C WAT O N , rear admiral U S . Navy , successor ' to A dmira l D e we y in command of the fleet in the Philip ’ 1 21 pines : My favorite chapter is the Traveller s Psalm , ; the seventh and eighth verses mean more to me than a ny others . 7 de FAVORI TE TE XTS
, The gates of the cele stial city were opening for him when M cC h e yn e jo yo u sly e xcla ime d : My soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowler ; the snare is broken ” , 1 4: and I am escaped . (Psalms 2
22 1 900 h e On August , , t American B oard of Commis sio n e rs e for Foreign Missions r ceived a cablegram from ,
s —Foo C hin a Che , , where the missionaries were being massa
a nd h cred undergoing the worst persecution of t e century .
It read : Psalms the names of missionaries that were Th saved and their stations being added . e comment of the
daily press wa s that it wa s b e tter than a code .
Let us with a gladsome mind ,
Praise the Lord, for H e is kind
For his mercies aye endure , E ver faithful , ever sure .
This is th e first vers e of the paraphrase of the one hun
- P wa s dred and thirty sixth salm , written by Milton , when he fi ’ a boy of fteen at St . Paul s school .
DANI E L WE B STE R wa s a constant stude nt of the
‘ “ n Bible , and his most impressive u se of the o e hundred and thirty - ninth Psalm in one of his great cas e s will be quoted
so long as his name is remembered . A sens e of duty pur
sues u s ever . It is omnipresent like the D eity . I f we take to o urselves the wings of the morning and dwell in the utter
most parts of the sea, duty performed or duty violated , is still
‘ we with us for our happiness or our misery . If say , Surely
’ the darkness shall cover us , in the darkness as in the light
our obligations a re yet with us . We can not escape from
. their power, nor fly from their presence
E SI R VE LY N WO O D , general in the B ritish army, possessor of Victoria Cross and several other medals for
7 6 PAR/bitte n t nxr s
CHAPTE R VI I .
P ROVE RB S A N D E CCL E S IAS TE S .
Jewish writers say that Solomon wrote the Canticles or
Song of Solomon in his youth , the Proverbs in his riper years and E cclesiastes in his old a ge. Luther said that every man aiming at godliness should make Proverbs his book of
’ devotion . Coleridge said that it wa s the best statesman s
manual ever written , and Stuart adds : All the heathen moralists and proverbialists j oined together cannot furnish I f us with one such book as that of Proverbs . any book of the Old Testament may be claimed by young me n as d directe to them it is Proverbs .
General G rant quoted Proverbs in a message to
a n the children of the United States , d this text General Mer
~ m ritt says is over the altar in the chapel of the U . S . ilitary
a academy at West Point , and has followed him through busy
life . Lord Sh a ftesbury took for his ideal the description of
a wife from one of its chapters . H enry M . Stanley, the ex
lo re r - in E c p and Alma Tadema , the artist , found clesiastes
9: 1 0 , the rule of their lives .
L E 1 8 FITZ HUGH E , military governor of Havana , 99, later governor of the Western D epartment of C u ba ; in th e
‘ ba l civil war, had three horses shot under a t tt e of Winchester , and was maj or - general of volunteers in war with Spain :
I quote the twenty - third verse of the fourt h chapter
‘ of Proverbs : Keep thy heart with all diligence ; for out of it are the issues o f life . E E OF FAM OUS P OPL . 7 7
This is also the favorite text of Cady Staley, president of the Case School of Applied Science .
E - W . M RRITT, Maj or General United States Army, to whom the Spanish army surrendered at Manila :
‘ Righteousness exalteth a nation : but sin is a reproach
’ to any people . (Proverbs This text, which i s over
the alta r at West Point in the chapel , has followed me
th rou gh a busy life .
I n 1 876 — June , , when the editor of the Sunday School Times asked President Grant for a message to the youth and children of the United States to accompany a Centennial
: number of his paper, his reply was My advice to Sunday
: schools , no matter what their denomination , is H old fast to the Bible as the sheet anchor of your liberties ; write its
precepts in your h earts a n d practice them in your lives .
To the influence of this book we are indebted for all
the progress made in true civilization , and to this book we ' a o u r must look s guide for the future .
‘ Righteousness exalteth a nation ; but S l n is a re
’ proach to any people . (Proverbs Yours respect
fully, U . S . Grant .
E E E . CROZAT C O NV RS , composer of symphonic and
u ch rch music , his American Overture for full orchestra being
’ played by Thomas orchestra a t the World s Fair, and by prominent orchestras since :
' Th e re ' is no more precious text of the Bible to me
than that which tells of the infinite fullness , yet finite
’ brother - nearness of Christ s friendship : Proverbs
2: 1 1 Se e also H ebrews . 7 8 FAVORI TE TE XTS
D EAN SWI FT preached one of the shortest sermons on
“ ' record from the following text H e th a t h a th pity upon the poor lendeth to the Lord . (Proverbs 1 9:
s a s It wa a charity sermon , and w all embraced in one
: N o sentence . Here it is w my brethren , if you are satisfied h e . with t security, down with the dust An unusually large
collection wa s taken .
e B wa s The lat ishop it is said , strongly op
posed to the principles of total abstinence , and . had his
a sideboard loaded with brandy and wine , etc . On one occ
sion a minister, a decided temperance man , dined with the
wh o bishop , pouring out a glass of wine , desired him to
drink with him .
’ ‘ ’ 3 , Can t do it, B ishop ; Wine is a mocker . (Proverbs 20' 1
t . Take a glass of brandy, hen
’ ‘ ’ Can t do it, Bishop ; Strong drink is raging . (Pro ve rbs
e a By this tim , the B ishop becoming excited , rem rked to his guest :
You will pass the decanter to the gentlemannext you .
’ ‘ No , Bishop , I can t do that ; Woe unto him that giveth
’ his neighbor drink, that puttest thy bottle to him .
(Habakkuk 2 :
H . C . C O RB I N , adj utant general U . S . Army , served '
wa s ten years on th e plains in the West, with President Gar
field when h e wa s shot and also at his death - bed :
A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches ,
22 : and loving favor rather than silver and gold . Proverbs 1 . ” Oh glorious ! Would to God I had such a wife as this ! 3 1 is the written comment on Proverbs . (The description of the virtuou s woman) which was discove red in the great F E E 7 9 O FAM OUS P OPL .
’ S h a fte sbu r Lord y s pocket Bible . A later note which follows “ : ! read thus And so I have , God b e everlastingly praised 1 846 .
E E C CLE SIAST S .
E : SAM WALT R FO S S , p oet and j ournalist
E c He hath made everything be a utiful in his time . (
cle sia ste s 3 :
RE - SI R LAW N C E ALMA TAD E MA , painter of a
number of famous pictures , The Spring, being among his
“ ‘ later works : E cclesiastes Whatsoever thy hand
’ fi n de th to do , do it with thy might , which is the rul e of my
life .
J . G . M I LLAI S , artist and author , has travelled and shot big game in all parts of the world : “ ” : Know thyself . H e adds to the note I think the
‘ ’ ‘ ‘ above is a good Gre e k proverb . (The author is not able
to furnish any Scripture reference for it . )
E E H N RY M . STAN L Y , African explorer, author and k lecturer, among his boo s are , H ow I found Livingstone ,
and Through the Dark Continent : “ ' W fi n de th hatsoever thy hand to do , do it with thy ” 9: might . (E cclesiastes
H e said that these words were the guiding motto of
his life . Writing of one of the most tragic experiences in h is : th very eventful life , he says Constrained at e darkest 8 0 FAVORI TE TE XTS
- ’ hour to humbly confess that without God s help I wa s help
a v o th i less , I vowed w in e forest solitudes that I would cor
] fess his aid before men . A silence , as of death , was round
it wa s e . about me ; midnight ; I was w akened with illness ,
prostrated by fatigue , and worn with anxiety for my black
and white companions whose fate was a mystery . In this physical and mental distress I besought God to give me back
r my people . Nine hours later we were exulting with a a ptu r
ous j oy . In full view of all was the crimson flag with th e
“
‘ -l crescent, and beneath its waving folds was the long ost rear n column . (See Romans In a speech rece tly de E a o livered in ngland , Mr . Stanley told this remark ble st ry of a missionary B ible :
s Janet Livingstone , sister of the great mis ionary, gave
me a richly bound Bible . Not liking to risk it on a j ourney
around the Victoria Nyanza , I asked my companion to lend
i s a in e co me h s somewhat torn and t d py, and I sailed on my
” v way to Uganda , little thinking what a re olution in Central h Africa t at book would make .
n r We stayed in Uga da some time , and one mo ning
e during a levee the subj ect of r ligion was broached , and I happened to strike an emotional chord by making a casual e reference to angels . King and chiefs wer moved as one
man to hear more about angels . My verbal descriptions of f them were not su ficient .
‘ ’ ‘ 1 a t B ut, said , I have book with me which will ell
bu t you far better, not only what angels are , what God and
.
His blessed Son are like , to whom the angels are but minis
’ tering servants .
‘ ’ ‘ e ! Fetch it ! they cried , eag rly . Fetch it now We will wait ! ’
The book was brought , opened , and I read the tenth chapter of E zekiel and the seventh chapter of Revelation , OF O E O E FAM US P PL . 8 1
from the ninth verse to the end ! translating , of course , into
the native tongue] , and as I read the eleventh and twelfth i verses you could have heard a p n drop . When they heard
the verse , They shall hunger no more , neither thirst any
’ more , neither shall the sun light on them , nor any heat, I had a presentiment that Uganda would eventually be won to
s Christ . I was not permitted to carry that Bible away . Mte a never forgot the wonderful words nor the startling effect they
had on him and his chiefs .
As I was turning away from his country , his messenger
‘ ’ ! Mte sa ! came and cried , The B ook wants the B ook It was
- given to him . To day the Christians number many thousands
in Uganda . They have proved their faith at the stake , under
the knobstick and under torture till death .
- The Bible is its own witness . Its non reading critics , wh o e in are indebt d to their imagination for their facts , l vite the disdain that fo lows wilful ignorance .
B T N SARAH K . O L O , author of a number of books , among which is Poor B oys Who B ecame Famous :
‘ E 9: 1 0: fi n de th cclesiastes Whatsoever thy hand to do ,
: do it with thy might for there is no work, nor device , nor
’ e h knowledg , nor wisdom in the grave w ither thou goest . In this connection she gives the motto of the late Princess
Alice , Life is for work, not for pleasure . She also adds , “ ff w . If e all felt this , what a di erent world it would be
R E US S E LL H . C O NW LL , pastor of one of the two or three large st churches in America : E 1 cclesiastes 1 : 9.
When Cromwell took command of the army of the E n g
t o lish Parliament , he ordered all his soldiers carry a Bible . m A dissolute young man , who had j oined the ar y for 8 2 FAVORI TE TE XTS
plunder and dissipation , had to obey the command . Ordered
' ou t o n a skirmishin wa s g party, he shot at , but unhurt . On
returning he drew out his Bible , and discovered a bullet
e hol in it . H e traced its depths , and found the bullet hole had gone as far as th e ninth verse of the eleventh chapter of
' E : in cclesiastes , which reads Rej oice , O young man , thy
H e T youth ; etc . read the verse . h e H oly Spirit carried
' the words home to his heart, . and he believed on the Lo rd
Jesus Christ .
The tract which was found among the remains of Sir
’ John Franklin s ill - fa ted party contained a text of Scripture
(E cclesiastes underscored ; and the highest grave e northward on the face of our arth , the grave of another
‘ ‘ l l o f . G S C O V C l e , bears the cry David in his penitence Wash
s n l r . me , a d shall be white than snow (Psalms What a peculiarly appropriate text to be placed where d it is always surroun ed by snow .
8 4s FAVORI TE TE XTS te rprise s that seemed to others hopeless for their discour a e me n ts g , or gigantic for their dimensions !
Mr . M oody said once in reply to a question : My cre ed
fi ft - t is in the y hird chapter of I saiah .
E E ’ WI LLIAM . GLAD STON S day was opened and
d a close with prayer, and when the cares of state pressed h rd
n upon him , he has gone to his secret closet ma y times in
- the course of twenty four hours . It is a we ll known fact that during a cabinet crisis he went to church no less than three
. times a day And as if to encourage him to appeal to. the
Almighty for aid at all times , there is this text hanging in his bed - room over the mantelpiece :
“ Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace ,
26 : Whose mind is stayed on Thee . (I saiah
‘ E - B NJAMI N F . B UTLE R; attorney general of the
d 1 83 1 1 83 : v Unite S tates from to 4, said when dying I ha e
‘ . p peace , perfect peace Thou wilt keep him in erfect peace
’ whose mi nd is stayed on thee . (I saiah This peace promise is also one of the favorites of Rear Admiral VVa t
son , U . S . N .
E JAM S L . BARTO N , corresponding secretary for the
American B oard of Commissioners for Foreign Missions : Perhaps the text upon which I most often lean is Isaiah This promise has been a wonderful help and comfort
t e when every other source failed . Other tex s have prov n equally valuable under different trials and in the face of ff di erent needs .
h a s FAN NY CRO S B Y , the blind hymn writer , who probably written more hymns that are in use today than O F O E O E FAM US P PL . 8 5
o h e r any other m dern writer , replied through friend Ira D .
Sankey . He s a y s :
‘ e 41 : 1 3 : th e Her favorite t xt is Isaiah For I Lord , thy
Go d w , ill hold thy right hand , saying unto thee , Fear not : w ’ I ill help thee . She has writt e n two hymns which are s e a e p ci l favorites of h rs , giving expression to the thoughts 42 this text . One is No . in Gospel Hymns 1 to 6 :
All the way my Saviour leads me ; What have I to ask beside ?
Can I doubt His tender mercy, Who through life has been my guide ?
Heavenly peace , divinest comfort, Here by faith in Him to dwell !
’ For I know whate er befall me,
Jesus doeth all things well .
356 : The other hymn is N o . from the same book
‘ H old Th o u rny hand ; th e way is dark before me
Without the sunlight of Thy face divine ;
But when by faith I catch its radiant glory,
a re ! What heights of j oy , what rapturous songs mine
Speaking of committing texts to memory she once said : I committed to memory the first four books of the Old
in Testament, also the four Gospels , and these doubtless
flu e n ce d my poetic career to a greater extent than all other
literature combined .
AN D RO NI C US , Comnenus , usurper and emperor of
l 1 1 1 0- 1 1 85 : Constantinop e , ( ) when he was dying, cried out
“ Lord have mercy upon me . Wilt thou break a bruised ”, reed ? (I saiah This was a most inconsistent refer
a t th e ence , for he put to de h Alexis Second , and so great 8 6 FAVORI TE TE XTS wa s his cruelty that his own su bje cts r o se in desperation and slew him .
'
E E e ditor of the H UGH PRI C HUGH S , Methodist e Times , London , and president of the W sleyan conference
1 8 98 - 9, and prominent in philanthropic movements : “ My favorite text in the Old Testament is Isaiah 43 : 25 :
‘ e h e e ou t tra n s re ssmn s f r I , ven I , am that blott th thy g o
’ - F mine own sake . I emphasize the last clause , or mine own ’ l v sake , as dec aring that God forgi es us , not as the result of
' ff o wn a o wn fo r ‘ any e ort of our , or ny merit of our , but his
own sake , because his nature compels him to do his utmost S to save all inners , because, in a divine sense , he cannot help e it . His unchanging and everlasting lov comp els him to
do so . f h It is more di ficult to speak about t e N e w Testament ,
where there are so many favorite texts . But I think the one which I must name is the second part of verse thirty - seven
’ ‘ in the sixth ch apter of John s gospel : Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out ’ — ‘I will under no circumstances
’ I fr rej ect. I think that have quoted that passage more e quently than any other in the N e w Testament for th e e n co u ra ge m e nt of those wh o hesitate to ca st themselves upon
the mercy of God .
VJ H I TTL E - o MAJ O R D . W . , well kn wn evangeli st , as
so cia te d with D . L . M oody , and did evangelistic work in southern camps during the Spanish war ; and writer of the words of some of the most spiritual of the Gospel songs :
I h a ve blotted o u t as -a thick cloud thy transgressions and as a cloud thy sins : return unto me ; for I have re ’ 4 22 4 : . deemed thee . I saiah OF E O E FAM OUS P PL . 8 7
th e He wrote words for the Gospel song , Moment by
Moment , based on Isaiah 27 : 3 :
1 8 Never a trial that he not there ,
Never a burden that he doth not bear,
Never a sorrow that he doth not share ,
’ Moment by moment I m under his care .
E WI LLIAM C AR Y , the humble cobbler of M oulton E ngland , and the great missionary to India , preached a ser
1 92 54: 2 3 : mon at Nottingham in May, 7 , founded on Isaiah , E nlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth
of : the curtains thy habitations spare not , lengthen thy
cords, and strengthen thy stakes ; for thou shalt break forth on _the right hand and on the left ; and thy seed shall in
inh a herit the gentiles , and make the desolate cities to be b
- i ite d. The sermon resulted in the organization o a great missionary society for the propagation of the gospel among
the heathen . H e took up the spirit of the passage in two
s : E x s ‘ a t exhortation , namely _ pect great thing from God ; ” tempt great things for God .
E C RI TTE NT N . O CHARL S N , wealthy chemist , who has given a large part of his fortune for the establishment of
: rescue homes , and nearly all his time to evangelistic work
Sixteen years since , when I consecrated all to the Lord
“ im God and received the H oly Spirit in His fullness ,
’ mediately I saw the necessity of memorizing God s Word . I therefore prayed God to touch my mind that I might retain 4 the Word and be able to preach it to others . I I Timothy : 2. There are so many passages that are touching and ten
der that I can hardly at the present moment sa y which on
mo st . bu t I love , seemingly the one that I have loved and 53 : 5 6 which I have used most is I saiah and . 8 8 FAVORI TE TE XTS
I remember, about ten years ago , in San Jose , Cal . , while
e holding meetings in the Flor nce Mission , a bright young t man , under deep convic ion , came to the front . We b oth knelt in prayer by the side of a wood —bottom chair and quoted over and over these words : All we like sheep have gone astray and the Lord hath laid on Him th e iniquity of
fi us all . Perhaps I quoted this fteen or twenty times until ,
e n o t finally, the t ars were only pouring down his cheeks , but
also mine , and there were two puddles of tears on that wood
bottom chair . After repeating these words and he con , ” side rin : t? g them , I simply asked him D o you believe tha
H e answered Yes ; and then I asked aga in : D o you , ” believe your sins were laid on Jesus ? After a long time
e : he again said , Yes . Then the next qu stion was If your ” “ ? re . t sins are laid on Jesus , where a hey Rising to his feet ,
- through his tear bedimmed face , he began to look around
through the room , and finally answered , They are all gone ,
and bega n to shout praises to God , as the great B urden
’
B earer had borne a way all of his sins .
Only a few weeks afterwards a fine , noble , old, gray E haired gentleman , who had come from the ast to San Jose
fo r his health , heard of the Florence Mission and went there
’ - to listen to the testimony . S oon a bright faced , beautiful young man rose and was telling the story of how Jesus had saved him in the Florence Mission after he h ad wandered away from his Christian home and out upon the dark moun f to tains o sin , having gone from city to city the far West , and had finally found his mother ’ s Christ in the Florence
Mission at San Jose . He had hardly closed his testimony when he was encircled in the tender embrace of his white
’ headed father . They wept in each other s arms , and not only
wa s were they weeping, but all in the Mission , while H eaven rej oicing at that grand and glorious scene . About two years OF E E 8 9 FAM OUS P OPL . afterwards I received a letter from this young man that he
a was then c shier of a bank in O regon . All glory to Jesus ! “ la w l The of the Lord is perfect, converting the sou (Psalm I have in the last eighteen years seen tens of thousands
1 1 9: 1 30 converted to God , thus showing that Psalms , also
5 1 4 23 : 8 Jeremiah : and 2 and 29 are all true .
ANTH O NY CO M STO CK , the apostle of purity, having
destroyed tons of plates of indecent books , and rooted
licentious literature from many institutions of learning , and likened by som e of the leading men in the c o untry to the apostles of old : It depends upon the mood as to which text stands out
prominent . As I sit in my tent where I am writing this
and look out upon the hills , mountains and valleys , I sing
‘ : in my heart O Lord, our Lord how excellent is thy name
’ in all the earth . Who hath set thy glory above the heavens .
l é n When standing in the p a e assig ed me for duty, and con s ira cie s p to inj ure my good name , to ridicule and deride me
’ before the public ; and the assassin s wrath is kindled upon
ru in n d x me, and a death stare me in the face , my banner te t overshadows my soul with a halo of peace :
“ ‘ N o weap on formed against thee shall prosper ; and ev ery tongue that shall rise against thee in j udgment thou
h e fi a shalt condemn . This is the t ge of the servants of the
’ d e Lor , and th ir righteousness is of me , saith the Lord .
‘ I : ( saiah Again Fear thou not for I am with thee .
’ B e not dismayed , for I am thy God . (Isaiah For nearly twe n ty - eight years I have been an outpost picket o n the danger line— where adverse foes have sought my de
’ I s l struction , but r have never found a ing e one of the Lord s
' is Th o e . promises to fail . e j y of s rvice mine The doing 90 FAVORI TE TE XTS
’ ' o f r n d God s will b ings gladness a peace . It is th e only real
a n d s la stin o g j y ; more than earthly riches . It is heavenly
i o r ches and spiritual j y. We do not choose our place as i soldiers of the cross , any more than a sold er in th e field
assigns himself . Our commander a ssigns us to duty . His
w a re orders e to obey . We always fac e the forces of u n
righteousness .
‘ E e s y hath not een , nor ear heard , neither have e n tere d o f h into the heart man, the things w ich God hath pre pare d for them that love him . (I Corinthians 2 :
A 1 8 7 G . W . TKI N S O N , governor of West Virginia 9
1 901 author of several books and a vol ume of poems :
I devote d a number of years of my life to the su pe rin
to f u tendency S nday Schools , and I always insisted that every member o f the school should thoroughly commit one verse
n h a d recite t e same every Sabbath . The custom created
’ e s greater resp ct for the Bible, and added very much to one
knowledge of the same . E ven th e committing of one verse a a week is better than nothing, but to commit verse a day,
’ so a s to thoroughly fix it in one s memory , will , in the
'
. course of a lifetime , cause one to be quite familiar indeed with
the teachings of the H oly B ible . There are many not o nly
e instructive , but b autiful chapters in the Bible, but my
fi ft - fi f h c favor ite of them all is the y t hapter of Isaiah .
E E 1 7th J O H N W S L Y , founder of Methodism , on the 1 1 o f 79 . h da February, , fell ill H e nevertheless preached t e y
‘ ’ following upon the words , The king s business required
21 : 8 haste , I Samuel ; and also upon the day after . Upon
’ 92 FAVORI TE TE XTS
E MR . GLAD STO N made many a worthy and mem o rable r decla ation , but he could not have borne a more tell ' ’ in g te stimo n y than when he uttered in a phonograph the i follow ng sentence , to be repeated in fifty years , in connec tion with the utterances of fifty of the leading men of E n g land : I owe my life and vigor through a long and busy life
its to the Sabbath day with blessed surcease of toil . It wa s
58 : 1 3 also a testimony to the verity of Isaiah .
E DWI N MARKHAM , author of The Man With the
fe w o f H oe, one of the leading poems the decade , and one that has in it the stre ngth of long life : “ I quote two or three texts that bear on the social Gospel e of the Bible , S omething that has been neglect d by most of our spiritual guides all down the centuries :
‘ They shall not build , and another inhabit ;
65 ° e a t . They shall not plant , and another I saiah
‘And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and one soul ; neither said any of them that ought of h the things which e possessed were his own , but they had
4: all things in common . Acts
To the above I should like to add the Sermon on the ’ h Mount, the Lord s Prayer and t e Golden Rule .
E H . C . G . M OUL told the following incident : In the early days of the electric telegraph some scientific men (including I believe the late Professor Sedgwick) were eagerly discussing in a railway carriage the n e w possibilities
of swift intercourse . One of the company, sitting silent a O F O E O E 3 FAM US P PL . 9
a t : long while , last said Gentlemen , I know of an even
quicker method of communion , such that the answer arrives
on before the dispatch of the message . And he met the ast i h me n s t of his friends by repeating, amidst reverent silence , “ the words , B efore they call , I will answer ; and while they
65 : are yet speaking, I will hear . (Isaiah
‘ E OTH E R PRO PH TS .
E E F . B . M Y R , minister of Christ Church , Westminster ,
1 892- 1 900 h is re , in earlier ministry did a great work for ' leased prisoners , recounted in the B ells of I s ; also author of many devotional books : f It is as di ficult to select my favorite Bible chapter, as
it would be to select my favorite star . Perhaps Jeremiah , the first chapter had most to do with forming my life ; as it
encouraged me , when a lad , to entertain the thought of e n
tering the ministry of the Gospel .
AUGUSTUS H . STRO N G , president of Rochester The l 1 2 ological Seminary , and professor of B ib ical theology, 87
1 900 author of the Great Poets and their Theology :
A text that has been of great service to me is : Jere
‘ 33 : 3— miah Call unto me , and I will answer thee , and will
’ show thee great things , which thou knowest not . There is a promise of knowledge and of strength beyond all our natural
powers , and be st o wed by God himself in response to the o prayers of his pe ple .
E E F ‘ HARRI T PR S COTT S PO FORD , author of half a dozen books and magazine contributor :
One text that has peculiarly appealed to me is Habak 94 FAVORI TE TE XTS
‘ 1 : 1 2— G o d kuk Art thou not from everlasting, O Lord , my ,
’ o i mine H ly O ne ? we shall n ot d e , with its implication of our o wn h necessary immortality . B ut when there is t e splendid
th - fi fth sixth chapter of Isaiah , e beautiful thirty , the twenty
‘ th e o e ' third Psalms , Come unt me all y that labor and are " r Fi heavy laden , the heavenly thirteenth chapte of rst Corin th ia n s o ne o , cannot positively cho se .
S h e u s has written two bea tiful verses , entitled A Promi e, o n Zachariah 8 : 5
When I see at the flo o dtide o f springtime
Th e sky with high luster brimming, And the little white clouds of heaven O n a happy west wind swimming ; in And all the stre e ts of the city , Th e morning about them delaying ,
The fulness of life in their being, The boys and girls singing an d playing
b ‘ Then I ear an old verse in the B ible , Vith N its burden sweet and tender , Where the Lord had promi sed the prophet H e would come again in his splendor ;
o l And as though no j y cou d surpass it , E xile and sorrow repaying; That then all the streets of the city Should be full o f boys and girls pl aying !
E E AR L CRAN STO N , Bishop Methodist piscopal 1 896 b Church since , pu lishing agent for that church for
r twelve years , and captain in th e civil wa :
‘ H e hath showed thee , 0 man , what is good ; and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do j ustly and to love
’ mercy and to walk humbly with thy Go d? (Micah
This text was the basis of my first sermon . I chose it be
‘ cause it had at a most critical j uncture been used by its
Author for my reclamation . To his name be glory for ’ eve r Y
98 FAVORI TE TE XTS of them would Show that n ot all wh o call themselves Chris
tians are familiar with the sermon , to say nothing of living E according to it . Sir John Lubbock, the nglish author and
banker, and Clara Barton , the nin e teenth century angel of
th e mercy to world , give this sermon the preference over o ther Scriptures .
L E C OUNT O TO LSTO Y , Russian novelist and social " Go d reformer, author of The Kingdom of Is Within Us ,
- The Four Gospels Harmonized , Anna Karanina , etc “ ‘ Seek ye first the kingdom of God , and His righteous
: ness and all these thi n gs shall be added unto you . Matthew
' The following I S given as one o f h is many kindness e s to the poor : During the great Russian famine Count Tol stoy made every effort to relieve sufferings and better the con
dition of the unfortunates . One day he passed a beggar on h t e street corner, who stretched out his gaunt hands , asking
a b for alms . Tolstoy felt in all his pockets for coin to estow
’ ’ im h is upon h , but to no purpose , for he had spent all money ,
’ and he had nothing to give Taking the beggar ’ s hand in
: o both his , he said kindly D not be angry with me , i m I w th e . brother ; have nothing . The gaunt face lighted up ; the man lifted his blood - sh ot eyes ; his blue lips parting
: — in a smile , as he said B ut you called me brother that was
a great gift . (See Matthew
E E 0. P . FITZ G RALD , Bishop of Methodist piscopal
Church South , and author of a number of books
‘ If I have a favorite text it is this : Lay up for your
’ - 2 selve s treasures in heaven Matthew 6 : 0. The reason why OF O E O E FAM US P PL . 99
I would so call it is that I have been more blessed in preach f n ing from it and seen more hearers af ected thereby, than a y oth e r .
E E h H N RY H . HAD L Y , head of the Churc Army, and temperance evangelist
6 4 1 8 : 1 St . Matthew : 33 ; Philippians : 9; St . Matthew 1 9;
‘ ’ e v e rla stin l o v e I have loved you with an g , Jeremiah ‘ ’ 2 1 2 : 7 . and Let him that is athirst come , Revelation
E E E E : LLA WH L R WI LC O X , author and poet
‘ Blessed are the peace makers , for they shall be called
‘ ’ e 5 : 9 the children of God , Matth w , has always been a favorite
’ ‘ verse of mine , and also He that ruleth his spirit is greater
’ than he that taketh a city . Proverbs The first was impressed upon my mind by hearing an older person remark
wa s ‘k e e n l in my childhood that it applied to me . I y sensitive
d wa s to to any dissension or isputes , and always trying bring
' ' T an end to them . hE second verse I like because life has
i seemed to me one constant and continual struggle to over
come self .
of E F . A . MARCH , Professor nglish , Lafayette Col
1 856- 1 900: lege ,
‘ ’ Blessed are the pure in heart , for they shall see God .
Matthew 5 : 8 . This I have cherished for sixty years as the
’ scholar s blessing .
D E E RO LAN R D , actor, producing comedies of the higher class : 6, ’ ‘ o r Blessed ar e the pure in heart : f they shall see God .
’ There are so many beautiful thoughts in God s Word that to FAVORI TE TE XTS single out one “ of his teachings I cannot expres s all that I
should like . The Psalms is my favorite book in the B ible .
u n de n m LAURA O RMI STO N CHANT , preacher ( o in a tio n a l ) , lecturer , composer of many hymns and songs , and write r “ took relief to Armenian refugees in B ulgaria :
’ m : . Blessed are the erciful for they shall obtain mercy .
My two favorite chapters are the twenty -third Psalm and th e
thirteenth of First Corinthians .
E X B RNARD O F C LAI RVAU , active promoter of the
1 1 46 n Crusade , , author of ma y hymns , among them : h Jesus , t e very thought of Thee
With sweetness fills my breast . ’ : His dying words were May God s will be done . (Matthew
FRAN CI S MURPH Y , gospel temperance evangelist , 1 00h0000 over , , persons having signed the pledge with him , the motto of which was With charity for all and malice to ward none
The Sermon on the M ount has th e first place in my
I heart . It S to me a perennial spring of life , health and ” s trength .
E WI LLIAM O . M C D OW LL , president of the Cuban
American League , and organizer of a great many societies , revived the idea of an United States University at Wash i n gto n : To me the Sermon on the Mount is the great chapter thi s a s the forerunner of the D eclaration o f Independence
1 02 FAVORI TE TE XTS
’ if h a n i equally well , not better t t is now , under our mixed policy c omposed partly of a belief in the power o f th e club
and gun , and with some small degree of faith , perhaps , in
the Christ philosophy of love .
E E o a LI LLIAN M . N . ST V N S , president of the Nati n l
’ Woman s Christian Temperance Union °
My favorite texts or chapters of the Bible are thos e
“ r words spoken by our Lord and Saviour , especially the S e h mon on t e Mount . This I learned when I was a little girl ” in the Sabbath School .
A RPI N O E s: M . de , ambassador at Washington , say “ I e ver read with particular interest and pleasure the doc
i ' trin e o f Je su s our Lord about charity and other virtues in 7 6 . o Of Matthew , I find there the selecti n Christian moral teachings .
E x- Gov . Wm . J . Stone , of Missouri , and Lars M . Lar
o f h t M son , superintendent the sc ool for deaf, San a Fe , N . . ,
mention these chapters as their favorites .
S I R J O H N LUB B O CK , London banker , author , sci e ntist and naturalist ; his Pleasures of Life have reached nearly copies :
“ ' The S e rmo n o n the Mount . His list of the one hun
dred best books , has become famous . I n it the B ible is given
the first place .
E E L OUI S CHAN D L R M OULTO N , poet and author
’ of children s stories :
’ If one can call any portion of H oly Scripture one s fa F O E O E 1 O FAM US P PL . 03
o rite I v . , think I should say the Sermon on the Mount At
least, it is the one I oftenest call to mind .
‘ ‘ MAR CUS D O D S , Free Church Professor of New Tes
E an d a tament Theology at dinburgh , uthor of a number of k expository boo s , says that he has no favorite chapters , but thinks the most suitable for committing to memory are the
’ Sermon on the Mount, the Parables , and several chapters of
John .
E E LUCI N C . WARN R , chairman of the International Committee of the Young Men ’ s Christian Association and prominent manufacturer :
As a boy in Sunday School , I memorized many chap b ters of the Bi le, mostly from the gospels , but including a f - e w Psalms . These have been a never failing sourc e of com ’ h fort to me . Christ s Sermon on t e Mount seems to me to embody the most practical wisdom to be found in any three
consecutive chapters.
E 1 899- 1 900: RO B RT B . S MITH , governor of Montana, “ I think Christ ’ s Sermon on the Mount the most con so ling and best sentiment in the B ible .
E JOAQUI N MI LL R , author of Songs of the Sierras , a n d many other poems and plays :
The Sermo n on the Mount byall means . It is the song i o of civilizat on , the s urce of conquest , the purest , truest, sub lime st poem ever u ttered . 1 04 FA VORI TE TE XTs .
A N - th e i n l N A A . GO RD O N , vice president of Nat o a
’ h nd a r Woman s C ristian Temperance Union , a priv te secreta y
E : to the late Frances . Willard I believe the young should be encouraged to commit
S e criptures to m mory, and it was my good fortune to have h t is teaching from my father and mother in my childhood . Hence I can still repeat many of the inspiring and beautiful f Ps a lms and hundreds of com orting texts . I read the oftenest
the first twelve verses of the fifth chapter of Matthew , the last chapter of Revelation and , the thirteenth of First Corin th ia n s — - fi rst , the twenty third and one hundred and twenty
Psalms .
E E E E t JO S PH WH L R , congressman , soldier, plan er , e lawyer, senior cavalry general of the Confederat armies in
r f civil wa , and senior o ficer in the field at the battle of San
a r Juan , Spanish w :
’ n d To my mind , Christ s Sermon on the M ount , a the
thirteenth chapter of First Corinthians , embrace the essen
tial p r1 n c1 pl e s of Christian living .
e J . W . BAS H FORD , president Ohio W sleyan University
1 889- 1 00 : 9 , and author of Science of Religion
“ ‘ My favorite text for years was : Blessed‘ are the pure
’ in heart, for they shall see God . During recent years I have been more desirous of realizing the closing words of Christ
‘ I h a ve finished the work thou gavest me to do . (John 1 7
N E WE LL DWI GHT H I LLI S ’ secretary answered that
’ ‘ Mr . Hillis fa vorite passages of Scripture were the B eatitudes ,
1 06 FAVORI TE TE XTS
' a re There many sublimely beautiful and helpful texts .
‘ A fa vo rite o f mine is : S u ffi cie nt unto the day is the evil
’ thereof .
1 773 -1 833 J O H N RAN D O LPH , American orator, , dis tin u ish e d : l g for his powers of sarcasm , said I shou d have been an atheist had it not been for o n e recollection ; and that is the memory of the time when my mother used to take my
‘ e m e littl hand in hers , and cause , on my knees to say : Our
’ ” Father which art in H eaven . (Matthew 6 :
E E of E SI R DWARD C O K , Lord Chief Justice ngland ,
E : Th prosecutor of ssex and Raleigh , said when dying y
o e 6 : Kingdom c m , Thy will be done . (Matthew
E H RRI CK J O H N S O N , clergyman e ducator, and presi dent o f the Presbyterian B oard of E ducati o n and B oard o f
: a h College Aid , said The Christi n t at does not believe in
’ foreign missions does not believe in the Lord s Prayer . H e also adds : The Christian that does not believe in fore ign m1 5 5 1 ons does not believe in the D oxology in Long Metre . Th Repeat it and see . e Christian that does not believe in
' n th re e h u n foreign missio s in this generation , believes that dred more millions of the heathen world ought to die before we tell them of Jesus C hrist .
TH O MAS CARLY LE , commenting once upon the
’ : Lord s Prayer, said
‘ e be Our Fath r which art in heaven , hallowed thy
we ? name , thy will be done . What else can say The other
night, in my sleepless tossings about , which were growing
more and more miserable , these words , that brief and grand
prayer, came strangely into my mind , with an altogether new
as e emphasis , if written and shining for me in mild pur splen
o n th e o f dor, black bosom the night there ; when I , as it 1 0 OF FAMOUS PE OPLE . 7 w ere , read them word by word , with a sudden check to my f imper ect wanderings , with a sudden softness of composure
which was much unexpected . Not for perhaps thirty or forty
years had I once formally repeated that prayer ; nay , I never
’ felt before h ow intensely the voice of man s soul it is ; the inmost aspiration of all that is high and pious in poor h u ~
‘ man nature ; right worthy to be recommended with an After
3 ” this manner pray ye .
L E N . G . B ROUGHTO N , pastor Tabernacle B aptist : Church , Atlanta “ The one favorite text of mine in all th e Word of God
‘ 6 : 33 th e is Matthew , Seek ye first Kingdom of God , and his
’ righteousness ; and all these things shall be added unto you .
is e of : This a favorit mine , because First, it reveals to me the gre at fact that God has a plan for th e enrichment of his own e n T people . S cond, that his pla is better than ours. hird , my own experience has tested the value of this plan .
E E H N RY M ITCH E LL Ma cC RA C K N , chancellor of
N e w York University, and editor of Lives of Church Lead ers , also gives Matthew 6 : 33 as his favorite text .
s a PAULI NUS , when he wa told th t the Goths had
sacked Nola and plundered him of all he had, lifted up his
' “ : eyes to heaven and said Lord , thou knowest where I have
6 : 20 laid up my treasure . (Matthew ,
a s th e o f h o A lady w once visiting at house a minister, w had two sons ; these two little boys were amusing themselves
s e . : with ome b autiful toys The lady, on seeing them , said
” ’ a re ? Well, boys , these your treasures No , ma am , said
n o the elder, these are t our treasures ; these are our play th . 6 2 ings Our treasures are in heaven . (Matthew : 0,
E G LLA H I G I N S O N , author and contributor to maga z ine s : 1 08 FAVORI TE TE XT S
‘ ’ “
My favorite text is Judge not , without the five words
which follow . (Matthew We should refrain from
j udging others , not through any fear of being j udged in re
e turn, but simply becaus it is wrong . The most beautiful , thing in the Bible is the Sermon on the M ount the most
p oetic , the Song of Songs , which is Solomon s .
Z E M E R . . W S M , missionary, B ahrain , Arabia , says
7 : 7 51 i that Matthew is his favorite verse , and Psalm s his
favorite chapter .
, p r CLARA BARTO N resident American Red C oss , a 1 88 1 since organiz tion , did relief work on battlefields of civil
war, and laid out grounds for national cemetery, and has a done relief work at all the princip l wars , disasters and
famines since : B etween the covers of that good B ook nothing more
wholesome o r better for general application than Matthew 1 ‘ 7 $ 2. Therefore all t hings whatsoever ye would that men
‘ la w should do to you , do ye even so to them ; for this is the
3 ” and the prophets .
Finding it impossible to reach the C ubans during the
( Spanish war before the American army landed Miss B arton
was allowed to visit a n d relieve the people and crews of the
- captured Spanish vessels , twenty two in all , in Key West
e harbor . The surprise and j oy of the poor p ople on these
ships , at this unexpected help from their enemies , and the ff r relief a o ded them in food and other comforts , were graphi
cally told by Mr . Kennan in the Outlook .
One poor fellow gesticulated and talked profusely , p oint
ing to the sky . When asked what he said , the interpreter
repli e d : He says that if they were prisoners up in heaven ,
they could not be better trea ted than they have been here .
1 1 0 FAVORI TE TE XTS
M E es r WI LLIA . MAS O N , United Stat Senato from Illino is : “ ’ C o e me e a re m unto , all , y that labor and heavy laden ,
‘ I r F o r m e I S u d n a nd will give you est . y yok easy, and my b r e
e a n d is light . (Matth w
R I I . o f W LL AM C MAY B U Y , Mayor D etroit , and als o
e o D e m o cratic nomine for Govern r of Michigan , 1 900:
I wish my mem o ry Wa s stored with more texts from the
o f o o . on e a best B ks than it is This , has lways struck me
‘ a : u o r r with peculi r favor Come nt me , all ye that labo and a e I ’ e . heavy lad n , and will give “ you rest (Matthew
a I heard the late Dwight L . Moody preach from th t text on
'
n e o on e a a nd - o ccasi , many y rs ago ; I have never lost the impre ssmn which that sple ndid man and his words made h up o n me . I recolle ct h ow h e emphasized t e word ALL .
l H e said to h S audience : Note h o w the invitation is , first, x Come ; th e e pre sswe word Come . That is followed by ALL
YE H e ai e e . s d, I lik that word ALL ; it s ems to answer so much ; there can be no inquiry or doubt upon the part of any; b o dy as to wh o is meant wh e n the word All holds its place
in that sentenc e . H e illustrated , in his own peculiar way , the fo rceful words of th e text ; and it has therefore stood with
r e x re sswe . me , among othe p texts , as one of my favorites
l E a r a I . The hap ess lizabeth , d ughte of Ch rles , a captive pining away in Carisbrooke Castle , was found dead one morn
h r th e , ing, e head upon Bible , open at the sentence whose
m me bidding sh e had gladly obeyed : Co e unto , all ye that
‘ e . la bo r a n d a re h e a vy laden , and I will give you r st Her e brie f and bro ken j ourney wa s over . (Matth w
WI LBUR F . CRAFTS , superintendent of the Reform
o f B ureau , and author B efore the Lost Arts and The Sabbath for hdan : E E OF FAM O US P OPL . 1 1 1
‘ ’ In this place is one greater than the temple . Twelve plain men with C hrist out in the fields were a stronger church than the great templ e with all its architecture and ritual with out him . (Matthew
ALFR E D TH E GRE AT retreated to Athelney in Som e rse tsh ire th h i h after e defeat of s forces by t e Danes . A beggar came to his littl e castle there and re qu e std alms ; wh en his queen info rmed him that they had only one small loaf re
s f e maining , which wa insu ficient for th mselves and their
friends , who wer e gone abroad in quest of food though with
little hope of success . The king replied , Give the poor
- Christian one half of the loaf . H e who could feed the five thousand men with five l oaves and two small fishes can cer ta inly make that half of the loaf suffice for more than our
th e t o o r e necessities . Accordingly, p man was r lieved , and this noble act of charity was soon recompensed by a provi
re dential store of fresh provisions , with which his people
turned .
M ’ KI N L E Y t WI LLIAM , President of the United S ates ,
- 1 896 1 900, replied through his secretary that so many passages in the B ible appeal e d to him in th e sense concerning the in
a f o n e h a d quiry , that it w s di ficult to state which been the h t e . most helpful . H e made same reply to D r Manchester ,
wh o n . his home pastor, made a perso al request An old friend of the president ’ s who had been with him many times and accompanied him on all his campaigns said :
I have never known him to go to his bed until he read from his Bibl e and had knelt in prayer . The pastor under whom th e president began his religious life says that in his first
statement after he became a member of the church , he made
: mention of the text, Matthew saying I have found the pearl of great price . FAVORI TE TE XTS
McKinle Speaking of preaching , Mr . y once said : I like
r — to hear the minister p each the plain , simple gospel Christ
and him crucified . (I Corinthians 2:
D R ‘ — . M O FFATT, the well known missionary , after his
a a t ' th e e arriv l in Africa , stopped farm hous of a wealthy
B oer with many slaves . The farmer, hearing he wa s a mis sio na r y, gave him a he a rty welcome , and proposed in the ' “ h evening that he should hold a service . But where are t e ” “ ” ? ff ? d ? servants asked Mo att . Servants What o you mean
, Sa w m I mean the H ottentots , of whom I so any on your ? m . e farm H ottentots , you want them Let rather go to the mountains and call the baboons if you want a congrega
s tion of that sort ; or, stop , my son will call the dogs whi ch i lie in front of the door , they will do . The mission ary qu et ly dropped an attempt which threaten e d a wrathful ending
o f and began the service . The psalm was sung , the p rayer fe re d a nd th e r , preacher ead the story of the Syrophoenician “ “ T woman , particularly emphasizing these words , ruth , Lord , but the dogs eat of the crumbs that fall from the master ’ s
m n ~ min table . (Matthew H e had not spoken a y h utes when t e voice of the farmer wa s heard . Will Mynheer
wait a little ? H e shall have the H ottentots . The motley
’ ’ h o n e ve r be e n crowd trooped in , many w probably had within
’ the door of their master s house , and many more who had n 1 Th e ever heard the v 0 ce of a preacher . e servic over and
the astonished H ottentots dispersed , the farmer turned to his “ : M o a d guest and said y friend , you to k a hard hammer, n you have broken a hard head .
L E E n B E NJAM I N F . , Bishop of the Africa Methodist
E piscopal Church : h It is not the will of your Father whic is in heaven ,
8 : that one of the se little ones should perish . (Matthew 1
1 1 4 FAVORI TE TE XTS
E H NRY L . WI LS O N , U . S . minister to Chile , gave
Matthew as his favorite text .
E E E RE H E DWARD V TT AL , author of In His Name , and one of the leading divines of his denomination :
‘ ‘ o I sh o u ld Writing as I receive your n te, give you the
: M t 39 D 4: 29 four texts a thew , euteronomy , Philip
6 : 2 pians Galatians .
in . E N a v e n te r S I R G . S NAR S , vice admiral B ritish yN g the navy in 1 846 ; commanded the Challenger and an arctic
1 - 7 expedition , 875 6 :
“ ‘ Matthew 22: 39— Thou shalt love thy neighbo r as thy
3 ”
WHAT TH I N K Y OU ?
Th e following is a translation from th e Spanish “ ” e e ? Pharisees , with what hav y to reproach Jesus
He eateth with publicans and sinners . ” I s this all ?
Yes . ” o f ? And you , C aiaphas , what say you him ‘ H e is guilty ; he is a blasphemer because he said : Here after shall ye se e the S on of Man sitting on the right hand of
9 ” power and coming in the clouds of heaven . ? ” Pilate , what is your o pinion
I find no fault in this man .
A n d you , Judas , who have sold your Master for silver ” have you some fe arful charge to hurl against him ?
I have sinned , in that I have betrayed the innocent ” blo o d . OF O E O E FAM US P PL . 1 1 5
And you, centurion and soldiers who led him to the , ” cross , what have you to say against him ?
Truly this was the Son of God . ” And you , demons ?
H e is the Son of God . ” John B aptist, what think you of Christ ?
B ehold the Lamb of God . ” o ? And you, J hn the Apostle
He is the bright and morning star . ? ” Peter, what say you of your Master
a r Thou t the Christ, the Son of the living God . ? ” And you, Thomas
My Lord and my God .
Paul , you have persecuted him ; what testify you of
I count all things but loss for th e excellency of the
knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord . ” ? Angels of heaven, what think ye of Jesus C Unto you is born a Savior, which is hrist the Lord . “ ” h in wh o ? And thou , Fat er Heaven , knowest all things “
This is my beloved Son , in whom I am well pleased .
Wh ou ? Reader, at think y of Christ (Matthew
E P OW RFUL WO RD S .
With your mind full of great B ible houses ; of eight
thousand Bibles per day going out of their doors , in all lan
guages , to all parts of the earth ; of three great presses in E ngland alone , which last year printed six millions of Bibles l — and parts of Bib es , for Christian worship with all these in your mind you gaze at the simple words which were pro n ou n ce d on the M ount of Olives in Palestine , nearly nine teen hundred years ago : e a v e n and earth shall pass away ,
24: in e bu t my words shall not pass away . (Matthew N e 1 1 6 FAVORI TE T E XTS teen hundred years ago these words were merely spoken
in a not written , or imperishably recorded any w y. And nine
' teen hundred years afterwards th e y do mina te the social system and the lives of one hundred and fifty millions of the world ’ s
’ a — M C l u r most adv nced people s c e s Magazine .
’ Archbishop C ra n me r s edition of the B ible was printed
8 n d 1 53 a . in , fixed to a desk in all parochial churches The
ardor with which men flocked to read it was incredible . They
h o r w could procured it ; and they who could not, c owded ' e to read it, or to h ar it read in churches , where it was com mon to see little a S se mbh e s of mechanics meeting together
I for that purpose after the labor of the day . Many even learned
in m e to read their old age , that they ight have the pleasur
of instructing themselves from the Scriptures . (Matthew
When D r . Joh nson seemed overfearful as to his future ,
B oswell said to him : Think of the mercy of your Savior . “ h e e Sir, replied Johnson , my Savior has said that will plac some on his right hand , and some on his left . (Matthew
25 : F In the life of John alk, the German philanthr o pist ,
th e rm nv founder of e Society of Friends in Need in G a , there is ‘ an interesting incident related of one of the scholars in the orphan school connected with that society . It was the
time of the evening meal , and when one of the boys had said m the pious grace , Co e , Lord Jesus , be our guest , and bless
w k . what thou hast provided , a little fello loo ed up and said ” “ D o tell me why the Lord Jesu s never comes . D ear child , only believe and yo u may be sure he will come ; fo r h e does
’ “ not despise our invitation . I shall set him a seat , said the
little fellow ; and j ust then there was a knock at the door . A ' d ’ o . poor frozen apprentice entere , begging a night s l dging h im E H e was made welcome ; the chair stood empty for . very
1 1 8 FAVORI TE TE XTS
E CH APT R X I .
M A RK.
’
Mark should be the business and workingman s gospel ,
for it is full o f action and tells what Jesus did rather than what
~ he said . Glance over its pages and you will find straight
wa . a b y, come , go , went , sent The information w s no dou t
wh o s given by Peter to Mark, it is said accompanied the apo E tle to Rome . usebius says that the Roman Christians were
a not satisfied with hearing lone , but wa nted a record of the
' I S sa id th a t teaching . Mark evidently obj ected , for it they did not cease their solicitations until they had prevailed with the
o f man , and they thus becam e the means that history which
is called th e gospel according to Mark . The energy expressed
’ in the book would be in accord with Peter s characteristics .
- s . It is only, about one half the length of the other gospel
Among thos e influenced in the past by textsfrom Mark
r F X 1 we e rancis av er, the greatest of Catholic missionaries;
' Francis Assissi , Cowper the poet , and D aniel Webster .
Among those of th e present who quote it are Hudson Tay
th e lor , at head of the greatest single missionary enterprise of
- th e century ; B rigadier General Anderson , and Walter Wyck
ff r o f Th e . o , autho Workers
An incident illustrat ing the difference between the sym o
pathy of Christ and th e sympathy of the world deserves to be
widely known . It occurred in the life of Mrs . Pigott , a mis
th e n sion a ry of China Inland Missio , better known , perhaps , as the author of the hymn which begins :
Jesus ! I am resting, resting,
In the j oy of what thou art, I am finding out the greatness
O f thy loving heart . OF A O E O E F M US P PL . 1 1 9
‘ wa s In her earlier life , when she was Miss Kemp , she
e r ading the Bible to a group of blind men on D rake street ,
E : 2 A n Rockdale , ngland . When she had read Mark 8 3 d h he took the blind man by the hand , and led him out of t e
town , one of her blind hearers said quickly : Read that a gain . _ Miss Kemp read again , And he took the blind man ” “ l d O f e . by the hand , and him out the town Read it again ,
once more cried the blind man . Again it was read . D oes it ? ” “ say that he took him by the hand Yes , by the hand
Well , commented the poor man , that is strange . I am not
wa . treated that y When I ask, people to lead me across the
street they always take me by the sleeve .
E r - TH O MAS M . AN D RS O N , b igadier general U . S . A and maj or - general of volunteers : The text that is most firmly fixed in my mind by cir
‘ “ cu m sta n ce you will find in Mark 8 : 36 : For what shall it
profit a man , if he shall gain the whole world , and lose his
' ’ o wn soul ? I o nce had a nintimate friend wh o wa s rich and f successful yet committed suicide . I thought o the text then a n ma n n d y times since , when I have seen piles of huma dead on battlefields .
E M RS . J . FAI RL Y DALY , of Glasgow, Scotland , and i E missionary to Ind a , told the following at the cumenical
1 0 : Conference , 9 0
’ I want to te ll you , she said, of a chief s daughter in
my district in India , who was induced to come to the primary
m . school . S h e re ained there for two years When she came
V was back to her n ative illage she asked what she had learned , and on expressing a promise to tell her peopl e of what her teachings had consisted th e whole village turned out that
‘
h . night to hear her . S e knew only the gospel of St Mark, 1 20 FAVORI TE TE XTS and to that vast assemblage of women she read the Word
night by night .
They were so interested that th e y asked her to read it to
e n . w a d them again , and she did so This nt on many times ,
when , some time later, a missionary came into the district he found forty p ersons ready to receive th e gospel and to e n
ter his class .
Since I began , said Dr . Payson when a student, to
’ beg God s blessing on my studies , I have done more in one w th e eek than in whole year before . Luther, when most “ pressed with his gigantic toils , I have so much to do that I
o cannot get al ng without three hours a day of praying . Gen .
Havelock rose at four , if the hour for marching was six , rather than lose the precious privilege of communion with
God before setting out . Sir Matthew Hale said : If I omit
’ praying and reading God s Word , in the morning, nothing
goes well all day . (Mark
Ther e was a young Spanish noble at the University of
Paris named Francis Xavier . While Loyola (the founder of the order of The Society of Jesus) wa s studying at the uni
‘ versity he came in contact with him . H e watched him , read
his mind and character, and then set himself to work to make
nd . X a him his own avier sought fame and applause , j ust as
o he g t it , Loyola would come in his way with the solemn
‘ wh o le o rld question , What shall it profit if a man gain the w ” and lose his own soul ? (Mark 8 : Loyola would help
him to new triumphs , but as often as they came there would
come to him again from Loyola the solemn question , What ” shall it profit ? At last the p roud spirit of the Spanish noble
yielded to the spell . X avier became a disciple of Loyola ;
rivalled him in austerities , and ere long became the mission
ary of the society , carrying his cross , his Bible , breviary and
1 22 FAVORI TE T E XTS
' E R Y K F F o Th WALT A . VV C O , auth r of e Workers , a book giving his experience as a young college man, wh o without money started ou t and worked at a ny kind of l abor
ff a wa th e that o ered , m king his y across the country from east
- o f to the west , in order that he might study the condition the laboring man and the unemployed ; since then Princeton pro fe sso r °
My favorite text of scripture is in the tenth chapter of
’ ‘ ‘ o -fi fth v e rse th e Saint Mark s gospel and the f rty , Fo r even e Son of Man came not to be minist red unto but to minister , and to give his life a ransom for many .
I n his book he gives th e following experience with a im handsome , strong young lumberma n that had attracted h .
m wa s wa s His na e Dick, and he had told in the camp that he
w ‘ going to alk to the railroad , and then beat his way to a
e camp farther west , wher he could make more money . B ut the men all knew that the saloons and brothels at Williams
ff c h e port would get all his money . Wycko ould not endure t idea and went out to the mountain road to wait for Dick A to pass . fter walking some distance with him , he told him
frankly what he had, in mind . ’ ’ ? Say , Buddy , you re a sky pilot, ain t you Perhaps I had no right to ask it upon so slight an acquaintance ; but as there wa s little prospect of my ever
seeing him again , I asked him if he felt no sense of wrong in using lightly the name of the Almighty .
I can see him now as he stood against the blackness of
the forest under the clear, still stars , and answered me , with protest in his eyes and voice :
’
By the E ternal , B uddy, I ain t swore for a month ! May OF O E E FAM US P OPL . 1 23
’ s the Infinite consign me to the torture of all fiend , if I ve ! ? ’ ’ swore for a month That Oh , that ain t nothing ; that s h the way that us fellows talk . If you live in camp long enoug ,
’ Buddy, you ll hear a man swear .
His face wa s even more attractive in its expression of
’ manly seriousness wh e n he stood on the roadside at part
ing, and he put a firm hand on my shoulder , and fixed clear
eyes on mine , as he told me , in his frank , open way, that he wanted to make a man of himself and not to be a drunken
sot , and that , in this new venture before him , he would hon
e stl y try, and would ask for help .
E WI LLIAM COWP R the poet , speaking of his dis
: tressing convictions , says One moment I thought myself
n a n shut out from mercy by one chapter, a d the next by f other . The sword o the Spirit seemed to guard the tree of
‘
life from my touch , and to flame against me in every avenue
“
by which I attempted to approach it . I particularly remem " ber that the parable of the barren fig t r e e was to me an in
o f conceivable source anguish ; and I applied it to myself, with a strong persuasion in my mind that when our Savior pro
n o u n ce d a curse upon it, he had me in his eye , and pointed
that curse directly at me . (Mark
J . HUD S O N TAY LO R , founder and director of the
China Inland Mission , under which some nine hundred mis
sio na rie s and six hundred n a tive helpers work :
’ ‘ ‘ — Have faith in God Mark Literally, Hold , or reckon on God ’ s faithfulness
E wh o HARRY K LLAR , has travelled all over the world as a magician and illusionist : “ 1 2: 30 31 t - Mark , , and the wenty third Psalm .
E e TH O MAS PAI N , who r sided in B ordentown , N . J . , 1 24: FAVORI TE TE XTS
‘ was one day passing the residence of D r . Staughton , when .
the latter was sitting at the door . Paine stopped , and after
r O : ta u h some emarks of a general character, bserved Mr . S g
a ton , what pity it is that a man has not some comprehensive ” and perfect rule for the government of his life . The doctor “ “ ” : ? replied Mr . Paine , there is such a rule What is that r i . . . th e Paine nqui ed D r S repeated passage , Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and thy neighbor ” , as thyself . (Mark Abashed and confounded ,
’ e : Pain replied Oh , that s in your B ible , and immediately walked away .
M cD O VVE L L WI LLIAM F . , formerly chancellor O I
University of D enver , replied that he had no favorite ; that
the peculiar glory of the Bible , in his experience , was that it had something which exactly suited him every day . In one Of his addresses he tells the following : “ The old Jews had a beautiful legend that the true pro n u n cia tion of th e name of Jehovah had been lost and that the secrets O f t h e universe and forces of nature would be in pos
’
' i r session of whoever re d sco v e e d it . One day there did come h ‘ ’ one w o did say Abba , Father , with the true filial accent , E and the winds and the waves obeyed him . arth and air , sea
t . n and seasons , became his servan s Storms did not hi der , they but furthered his deep and noble design . (Mark and Matthew 8 : 27
TH E DUKE O F W E LLI N GTO N once asked a clergy; “ man : H ow are you getting on with the propagation of the
‘ gospel abroad ? I s there any chance of the Hindoos be co m ” “ : ing Christians ? To which th e clergyman replied Oh , no ; I do not see anything doing there ; I see no reason to suspec t ” “ any work of the kind being successful . Well , said the “ ? Duke , what have you to do with that What are your ‘ in marching orders ? Are they not GO ye to all the world , and
’ ? O preach the gospel to every creature D your duty, sir and ” , never mind results . (Mark
1 26 FAVORI TE TE XTS
‘Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should
’ ‘ t D O do to you , do ye even so to them , says Chris . not unto
’ others what ye would not that others should do unto you ,
says Confucius . Scholars may split hairs as to which is the
negative and which is the positive forms . To me , at least,
both sayings convey only one and th e same meaning . It is
‘ ’ ” the G o lden Rule both to the Chinese and to the Americans .
E E E E R AR AD MI RAL L . A . B ARD S L , United States Navy '
re My favorite text is , and has been as long as I can
— D O o member , the Golden Rule unto others as you w uld that
h lo n they should do unto you . There have occurred t rough a g
life , during most of which I have been placed in positions of " i -s power, responsib lity and authority , incidents beyond num
‘ h e to t ch o iee ber, whic have indicat d me hat my was a wise
one .
E E E u - CHARL S D UD L Y WARN R , a thor of B ack log Th ’ M Studies , editor of e Study in Harper s agazine and of
’ The Library of t h e World s B est Literature :
The Golden Rule suits me very well .
’ The editor of the Youth s Companion wrote : “ a fro m 1 ts Wholly part , religious and ethical value , the
- Bible is the one B ook of which no intelligent person can a f i
‘ : ford to be ignorant . As Charles Dudley Warner says It is not a question of theology or dogma ; it is a question of gen e
’ e ral intelligence . P E 2 OF FAMOUS PE O L . 1 7
E E E CHARL S D . SI GSB , Captain United States Navy , and in command of the United States ship Maine when - blown
- an d : up at Havana , well known for his courtesy tact
6 : 31 The Golden Rule Luke , by itself alone is a code of , ” morals and O f courtesy .
D O NALD G . M ITC H E LL (Ike Marvel) , author of
Reveries of a Bachelor, one of the classics of American liter ature ° The texts which appeal to me most are those which cannot be twisted into support of a sect or of a theological ‘ ’ l ’ dogma . The Golden Rule (so cal ed) and the Lord s Prayer
are of this class , and the Sermon on the M ount is better than
most sermons I know of .
P ir c J O H N H I LI P S OUSA , the March King and d e
’ O f tor Sousa s band , composer of Te D eum , songs , waltzes and light operas :
D o unto others as you would they should do unto you .
E E SAMU L GO M P RS , one of the principal labor lead
ers of the United States , and president of the American Fed cration of Labor : The most truthful and appropriate answer I can make to the general subj ect of your letter is that it has ever been the aim and intention o f my life to conform my acti o n to th e te a chings of th e Golde n Rule 1 28 FAVORI TE TE XTS
e - GALUS HA A . GROW , speak r of the Thirty seventh
Of Congress , and chairman committee on education of Fifty
- fi f h l : Au lick fourth and Fifty t Congress Palmer, marshal of
‘ n co mmi District of Columbia ; Geo . W . Ray, chairman o tte e
i — E of the j ud ciary , Fifty sixth Congress , and A . . Buck , U . S .
1 897- 1 901 minister to Japan , , all mention the Golden Rule as
v e their fa orit Scripture , some giving Scripture reference , and
some quoting it from memory .
SUSAN B . ANTH O N Y , reformer , lecturer and author ; aided in 1 852 in forming the first Women ’ s state temperance
’ society ; ac tive in anti - slavery and women s rights ; honorary
’ president of the National Women s Suffrage Association :
“ ‘ The Golden Rule- D O unto others as you would that
’ others should do to you -seems to me to cover the whole la w a a n b of life , not bec use it is written in y book , but ecause a it is the lesson learned , or rather t ught by every human
experience .
E — n LUK Co tinued .
. . S . . e J C WAT O N , rear admiral U S Navy , promin nt in
r the Gulf and Mississippi squadrons during the civil wa , and co mma n de r o f the blockading squadron on the N orth Cuba
coast during the war with Spain , relieving Admiral D ewey of the fleet in the Philippin e s :
My two favorite texts are Luke , second chapter , elev
‘ e nth u verse , For nto you is born this day ”in the city of i h h r s . David a Saviour , which is C t the Lord And Isaia ,
‘ - twenty sixth chapter , third verse , Thou wilt keep him in per fe ct : peace , whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth ’ ’ 1 21 in thee . My favorite chapter is the Traveler s Psalm , ; th e seventh and eighth verses mean more to me than any
others .
1 3 0 FAVORI TE TE XTS his bel oved disciples among the red men said when about , ” : o n ow a to die L rd , let thy servant depart in pe ce . (Luke
e r a nd Wa s A littl boy , between fou five years old , one
n to o e day readi g ; his m ther in th e N w Testament , and when h o Th e e came to these w rds , foxes have holes , and the birds
' O f th e air have nests ; but th e Son of Ma n hath not where to
a lay his head , his eyes filled with te rs , his tender breast
heaved , and at last he sobbed alo ud . His mother inquired
s what wa the matter, but for s o m e time he could not answer
. : her At length , as well as his sobs would let him , he said
I am sure , mamma , if I had been there , I would have given him my pillow . (Luke 9:
th P . T . B ARNUM , e noted showman , when a boy, be
e th e longed to a B ibl class held in meeting house at B ethel , Conn
’ On e a exercise of the class wa s to write compositions on B certain texts promiscuously drawn from a hat . Once a r num drew the text : But one th in g is needful ; and Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be - taken away d fr om h er (Luke Among other thi ngs in answer
: to the one thing needful , B arnum said The merchant might answer that the one thing needful is plenty of custom e rs who buy liberally, without beating down, and pay cash
o ne for all their purchases . The farmer might reply that the thing needful is large harvests and high prices . The lawyer might be of the opinion that it is an unruly community always
engaging in bickerings and litigations . The bachelor might
wh o exclaim that it is a wife who loves her husband , and knows how to se w on buttons . The maiden might answer
wh o that it is a good husband will love , cherish , and protect
h e o a nd her while life shall last . B ut t m st proper answer, E O E OF FAM OUS P PL . 1 3 1
doubtless that which applied to the case of Mary, would be that th e one thing needful is to believe on th e Lord Jesus
O Christ , follow in his footsteps , love God, and bey his com
e o o r ma n dme nts, love our fellow man and embrac every pp tu n ity O f administering to his necessiti e s .
B . FAY MI LLS says that a missionary in Africa preached the gospel seven years without making a single T convert . h e missionary then concluded that something was
wrong with his interpretation of the gospel . S O he called
e n his congregation together and read Luke with them , he co u ra ging them to put their own interpretation on the words
’ a a s he went along . All w s harmonious until they reached the “ — to e h text, Luke Give everyon that asket of thee .
r wh o e The African hearers and fellow reade s , we r noted for
e a their thievery, instantly mad a liter l application of that
text . They claimed that the missionary had a great many
ic things in his h ouse wh h they would like , but which if they
took would be demanded back again . The missionary pro
tested at their application, but took a week to think it over .
I n that time he came to the conclusion that they were right ,
and told them so . Thus encouraged, the Africans stripped
his house of everything it contained , even to the soap dishes .
A s he and his wife sat on the floor of his dismantled home , she very naturally entered a strong protest against his new interpretation O f th e gospel . But before evening he was
vindicated . Th e consciences of the Africans gave them no t peace , and , moved by the inward monitor , they returned o
’ the missionary not only everything the y had taken but much
e vil more besides . A great r vival followed , and that African
n lage is ow the model community of the Dark Continent,
according to the testimony of Henry M . Stanley, quoted by
Mr . Mills . 1 3 2 FAVORI TE TE XTS
CHAR LE S GO D FR E Y LE LAN D (Hans B re itma nn )
a uthor and j ournalist, one of the first to esta blish industrial
education in the public schools ; quoted in Italian , Luke
6 : 37 38 o , , as his fav rite text .
E JUL S CAM B O N , ambassador to the United States
m a th e e . i fro Fr nce , gav sixth chapter of St Luke , quot ng
h - —fi r t e thirty seventh and forty st verses in French .
E E RO B RT F . SAM PL , pastor Westminster Presbyter
h 1 887 - 1 901 R ian C urch , , author of B eacon Lights of the e fo r
: mation , and other books
‘ ’ e 1 1 : 9— a n d Luk Ask, it shall be given unto you , is
me the text that opened to the Kingdom of H eaven . I had been greatly concerned about my soul for a week and could
’ do nothing to, commend myself to Christ s table . I was not
aware that self - righteousness was the barrier between Christ
e n and myself . At l gth I was forced to the very border of despair and my eyes fell on the text that I have alluded to ;
it bade me hope ; its form was encouraging . Jesus did not
‘ ’ ‘ n d say Ask a I may answer , or I will give consideration to ’ your prayer, but he addresses me in a promise which is m positive , suspended on the condition of y asking . I said to
e myself, he cannot break his word . I kn lt in my room ,
I ’ ra e d i where I had been sitting alone ; p y in fa th , and a precious hope cam e into my soul which has never been dark
ened through all the years o fa happy Christian experience . “ ff e I was at this time a student in Je erson Coll ge , about
eighteen years of age . O n the same day, which was the Sab
o ve f bath , I consecrated myself to the gospel ministry and for
-fi v forty e years have preached Christ Jesus , my Lord , with a deep sense of responsibility and with less success than man y
of my brethren , but ever thankful that God has been pleased
o t th e . t use me . I give o him all prais e
1 3 4 FAVORI TE TE XTS
e e H forc th n at hand . e wired Rhodes at Cap e Town th e
whole situation , and asked for instructions . Rhodes tele graphed back this answer : Rea d Luke 1 4:
RE ‘ T V . . E f n RI GHT . U DUD L Y , Bish op o Ke tucky
“ St . Luke , fifteenth chapter .
’
E o n co n MAH O M D RAHAM , a Persian , being asked
h is old th e o cerning conversion to Christianity, t foll wing 1 223 In the year there came to the city an E nglishman , wh o
preached Christ with a boldness unparalleled in Persia, in the
- midst of scorn and ill treatment . H e wa s a beardless youth
e h and evidently nfeebled by disease . I visited him with t e x A l declared O bj ect of e po smg his doctrines to contempt . I ’ I n though persevered for some time in this behaviour, fou d m that every interview not only increased y respect for him , but diminished my confidence in the faith in which I wa s h educated. I finally read a tract which e had written in reply t to a defenc e of Islamism by our chi e f mollahs . The resul of my examin a tion wa s a conviction that this young disputant m was right . Shame and fear withheld e from avowing this r opinion and I avoided the society of the Christian teache . Just before he quitted Shiraz I could not refrain from paying
him a farewell visit . Our conversation sealed my conversion , and he gave me a book which has ever been my constant
companion . The study of it has formed my most delightful
“ occupatio n ; its contents have often consoled me . Upon this
he handed out a copy of the N e w Testament in Persian , on one of the blank leaves of which was written : There is j oy
in heaven over o n e sinner that repenteth . Henry Martyn .
(Luk e 1 5 :
At a meeting of ministers in Germany someone asked the ” question : Who is th a t elder son ? a nd Kru mma ch e r a n O E E 1 3 5 OF FAM US P OPL .
swe re d : I know him ; I saw him yesterday . And when they insisted upon knowing whom he meant he said : Myself ; when I saw the account of th e conversion of a most ob
noxious man I was irritated . (Luke
E L DWI N ARN O LD , author of The ight of Asia and ff The Light of the World , and also on the editorial sta of the
London Daily Telegraph :
‘ And he spake a parable unto them to this end , that
’ men ought always to pray, and not to faint . (Luke
E E MR . WH IT FI LD one morning with his usual fervor , exhorted his hearers to give up th e use of the means for the spiritual go o d _of their relations and friends only with their lives , remarking that he had had a brother for whose spirit
ual welfare he had used every means . H e had warned him
' and pt a ye d fo r h im ; and apparently to no purpose till a few
weeks ago , when his brother, to his astonishment and j oy ,
came to his house , and with many tears declared that he had come up from the country to testify to him the grea t change
a c that divin e grac e had wrought upon his heart , and to knowledge with gratitude his O bligation to the man whom l God had made the instrument of it . Mr . Whitefie d added that he had that morning received a letter which informed
! ’ him that on his brother s return to Gloucestershire , where
O f he resided , he dropped down dead as he was getting out ‘
the stage coach , but that he had p reviously given the most unequivocal evidence of his being a new man in Christ Jesus .
(Luke 1 8 : 1 3 6 FAVORI TE TE XTS
E xqin CYRUS FI LD , in g g his account of the Atlantic
“
: l o n . telegraph , says It has bee n a g and hard struggle Nearly
n thirteen years of watching a d ceaseless toil . Often has my k heart been ready to sin . Many times , when wandering in th in e forests of Newfoundland the pelting rain , or on the
deck of ships on dark , stormy nights , alone , far from home , I have almost accused myself of madness and folly to sacrifice th e the O f peace of my family, and all hopes life , for what
might prove , after all , but a dream . I have seen my com
‘ panions one after another fall by my side , and feared I , too ,
might not live to see the end . And yet one hope has led me on ; and I have prayed that I might not taste of death
‘ till this work wa s accomplished . That prayer is answered ;
and now , beyond all acknowledgments to men is the feeling
5 : 1 1 1 8 : 1 3 of gratitude to Almighty God . (Luke , and ,
“ E E n J O S PH PARK R minister of City Temple Londo , " , , ’ and great Congregational divine , author of the People s Bible
and several other books , in speaking of the procession for
’ " : Q ueen Victoria s j ubilee , said I would have had five hun e dred nurses with a banner , not blood red , but lily whit , with
‘ 3 O ld th is device : I wa s sick and ye visited me . I am enough to have wished to have ten thousand Sunday School teachers , E representing the best army in urope , and their banner should
‘ ’ have, been : The w e apons of our warfa re are not carnal . I am orthodox and yet aggre ssive enough to have had a very
e a re la rge contingent of the Salvation Army present . Th se th e men that will ove rcome your cannibalisms and your Na o po l e o n isms and Ca e sarisms . I w uld have given them a
‘ glorious banner : The Son of Man is come to seek and to
’ 1 9: save that which was lost . (Luke
. The following is a description of an evangelistic service
1 3 8 FAVORI TE TE XTS
‘ into h i f - labourers s harvest . For the Son o Man is com e to
’ seek and to save tha t which wa s l o st . (Lu ke Then
‘ said Jesus to them again : Peace be unto you ; as my Fathe r
e . o hath sent me , ven so I send you (J hn
E o f o e c o : T e J AN ADDAM S , Hull H us , Chi ag h r e is
' no doubt tha t ou r th o ughts need to be turned back to that h man , to th e C hrist wh o intrusted the salvati o n of t e w orld
o f h e o se e to a handful people , in whom had ar used a ns of
humanity and . a consciousness of identificati o n; with its
H o e o weakn e sses and sins . e first gave t twelv y ung men thre e years O f e duca tion ; but he adde d to his marvel ous in
e 1 9: struction da ily association with th e lowliest . (Luk
W E H WE L L s e I LLIAM D AN O , the novelist, ass rts “ that Tolstoy leads us away from that fals e standard o f a gentl e man t o th e man wh o sought n ot t o be distinguished
h . from ot e r men , but to be identified with them (Philip pian s 2:
TH E E E E f LAT DUK O F K NT , the father o Queen
wa s O f Victoria, expressing, in the p rospect death , some
o f concern about the state his soul , his physician endeavored
to soothe his mind by referring to his high respectability , and his honourable conduct in the distinguished situati o n in h t which Providenc e had placed him , when e s opped him
short, saying, N o ; remember , if I am to be saved, it is
. 1 9: not as a prince , but as a sinner (Luke
PH I LI P WI LLIAM OTTE RB E I N ’ S entrance into life
eternal emphasized a powerful verse of scripture . H e wa s th e U founder of the nited B rethren church in America , and
r it is believed that in his work at Tulpohocken , whe e h e had
o o Pa wa s n e . e e m ved fr m Lancast r, , he first to introduc ev ni g . O F O E O E FAM US P PL . 1 3 9
s sermons and to make pastoral calls , at lea t to inquire into
h e the spiritual welfare of his parishioners . It is said that ,
like John Wesley, did not come into full spiritual life until
‘ he came to America . Wesley once exclaimed , I have come
h o to America to convert the poor Indians , but alas w will
convert me . Otterbein came to convert the Germans , but
had not found the way of life fully himself . One day he was plowing in the field and kneeled down at th e end of “ ! each furrow to pray . H e says : The word Lost ! Lost
e rlo h r l r (V e n ! V e r o h e n ! ) went everywhere around me . Mid
n way in the field I could get o farther . I sank down behind L ! ! the plow, crying ord save me I am lost Then came to
‘ th e t o me e thought or voice , I am come to s ek and save
’ i u n that wh ch is lost . In a moment I wa s filled with
I 1 9: speakable j oy and wa s saved . (Luke
J O H N HUS S , arriving at an: island in the Rhine where
wa s ff t o he to su e r mar yrd m , knelt down and said, Lord, I
thank thee that thou hast heard me . In thee do I put my trust . O my rock and my fortress into thy hand s I com ” , ! sa w mend my spirit B ishop Ridley , when he the flames
a pproaching him , said , Into thy hands , O Lord , I commend my spirit ! Lord receive my soul ! Lord have mercy upo n ” , , me ! (Luke
' C H A RL E s E CUTH B RT HALL , president Union
o e 1 897 The logical seminary sinc , and previous to that pastor of promin e nt Presbyterian churches :
If through some extraordinary circumstanc e it became necessary for me to part with the whole of God ’ s Word with the exception of one chapter which I should be allowed to
‘ retain in my possessions , the experience of many years leads me to believe that I would choos e th e twenty- fourth chapter 1 40 FAVORI TE TE XTS
l O a of St . Luke . I f I were a lowed to retain nly fragment of
o f n O f a chapter, I would select out that chapter the accou t
E e e th e the walk of mmaus , namely from the thirt enth vers to
- fi f h thirty t verse .
R C u n H . RI CHA D S , foreign missionary on the ongo , E e U . C der the A . B . M . , delegate to the cumenical onfer nce ,
‘ 1 900: Luke — Mark — These two verses made
n a profound impressio on my heart when in Africa , and led h “ — to the great awakening on t e Congo . John The ” study of this verse led to my salvation .
E E Two HARRY STI LLW LL DWARD S , author of
‘ Runaways and other dialect stories :
( C K : Father , forgive them for th e y know not what they
’ T is do . (Luke here no text in all the Bible that
. e contains as much I n this lin , Christ p roved himself the
Of O f Son God, and opened the gates heaven to every member
of the human race .
n LOUI S X I I , king of France , had many e emies before
. e . he succeeded to the thron When he became king, he
caused a list to be made of his persecutors , and marked
against each of their names a large black cross . When this
n e became k own , the enemi s of the king fled because they
thought it was a sign that he intended to punish them . But
the king, hearing of their fears , made them be recalled , with an assurance of pardon : and said that he had put a cross be
o f side each name , to remind him the cross of Christ , that he might endeavor to follow the example of him wh o had
o , F , prayed for his murderers , and had exclaimed ather f rgive 3 them ; for they know not what they do . (Luke 2 :
1 42 FAVORI TE TE XTS
th e o f women of America, and Margaret Sangster, writer , and
. th e o f Ira D Sankey, singer the gospel , quote their texts
from it .
F s a e RAN CI S JUN IUS , the distinguished cholar, g v the foll o wing account of his spiritual e nlightenment : My father wh o fre quently read the New Testament and had long O h
th e wa s in served with grief progress I making infidelity, put a copy of it in my wa y in h is library with a View to a t
tract my attention , hoping it might please God to bless his d m esign , though without giving e the least intimation of it .
e o n e o N e Th re day , I unwittingly pened the w Testament
thus providentially laid before me . At the very first Vi e w .
h o u I wa s t gh deeply engaged in other thoughts , that grand chapter of the e vangelist and apostle presented itself to me : ‘ ’ e In the beginning wa s the Word . I read a part of the chapt r , and wa s so affected that I instantly became struck with th e
th e divinity of the argument , and maj esty and the authority m of the co position , , as infinitely surpassing the highest
flights of human eloquence . My body shuddered ; my mind
w s was all in amazement ; and I a so agitated the whol e day , that I scarce knew wh o I was . From that day God wrought
” in r t I so mightily me by the powe of His Spiri , that began
to have less relish for all other studies and pursuits , and .bent myself with great er ardor and attention to everything which
. had , relation to God
MATTO O N M . CURTI S , professor of philosophy in
Western Reserve University, and author of a number of philosophical works :
’ My favo rite passage is th e prologue to John s gospel ”
th e Of th e . favorite text, e first vers same
E e H E N RY VAN DYK , sometim pastor o f B rick 43 OF FAM OUS PE OPLE . 1
Presbyterian Church , New York, author of Little Rivers , and later occupying a chair at Princeton : Th ’ e first chapter of St . John s gospel .
2 About the year 1 7 5, an American boy, some nineteen
years old , found himself in London where he was under the
’ necessity of earning his bread . H e had learned the printer s
’ O f in trade and so he went straight to a printer s fice , and , ” quired for work Where are you from ? asked the fore “ man . America , wa s the answer . Ah , said the foreman , from America ! “ A lad from America seeking employment as a printer ! Well do you really understand the art O f print , ” ing ? Can you set type ? The young man stepped to one
th e of the cases , and in a brief space set up following pas “ sage from the first chapter of John : Nathaniel said unto ? him , Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth Philip 1 C e e . : saith unto him , ome and s (John It was done
so quickly, so accurately, and administered a delicate reproof
influ so appropriate and powerful , that it at once gave him f enc e and standing with all in the o fice . H e worke d dili
n e t ge tly, refused to indulg in s rong drink , saved his money,
returned to America , became a publisher , owning his own ffi printing o ce , became an author , a postmaster, a member
of Congress , a signer of the D eclaration of Independence , an
ambassador to th e royal courts , and finally died at the age f 8 O 4, full of honors . There are now more than a hundred and fifty counties and towns in America named after the
printer boy , B enjamin Franklin , the author of Poor Rich
’ ard s Almanac.
This moralist, statesman and philosopher (B enj amin
th e Franklin) worn with pain welcomed end of life . His last look was on a picture of Christ which had hung for many 1 44 FAVORI TE TE XTS
be d years near his , and of which he often said : That is the picture of one wh o came into the world to teach men to love
o ne another . (John An epitaph written by him in 1 729 holds his chief char a cte ristics , his humor , his quiet assurance of better things to o : c me , wheth e r in this world or the next
o f The b dy o B enj amin Franklin printer, (like the cover
' its co n e n s of an old book , t t torn out , and stript of its let
tering and gilding) , lies here , food for worms . Yet the work
itself shall not be lost . for it will , as he believes , appear once
more , in a new and more beautiful edition , corrected and
o amended by the Auth r .
It has been thought that the idea of his epitaph wa s sug
' ’ gested to Frankli n by B enj amin Wo o dbridge s funeral elegy upon John Cotton :
A living, breathing Bible ; tables where B est covenants at large engraven were ;
Gospel and la w in his heart had each its column ° His head an index to the sacred volume ; His very name a title page ; and next
His life a commentary on the text . 0 , what a monument of glorious worth ,
n e i When in a w ed tion he comes forth ,
’ Without erratas , may we think he ll be ” In leaves and covers of eternity .
M cL A RE N - E DUN CAN , the well known dinburgh ,
: Scotland , minister , who had many American admirers I find no chapter in the Bible more helpful than the
’ fourth chapter of St . John s gospel . The late John B right ,
the eminent E nglish statesman , once said to me that he knew no writing anywhere that could be compared to it E very time I read it I find something fresh and inspiring.
1 46 FAVORI TE TE XTS
E ’ T UN I S S . HAM LI N , president of Open Air Workers
Association and trustee of th e United Society of Christian
E ndeavor : e f Your requ st is di ficult to comply with , because the
Bible is not a book of texts , though too much so considered and used ; nor of chapters which are purely arbitrary a n d
O r ften very misleading division of the books ; but of t eatises , I historical, poetical , etc . Like all Christians love John
1 6 1 4: 1 7 1 5 3 : ; John ; Luke and many other great passages .
F H A F L E R D V - C U F . . . S A , D . , ice president of New
3 : 1 6 York City Mission and Tract Society, gives John as his favorite text and the third of John and fifteenth O f Luke and
thirteenth of First Corinthians as his favorite chapters , which
he says are pure gold throughout .
E t C . H . GRO SV N O R , the ve eran congressman from d an . . C Ohio , J A Norton , also an Ohio ongressman , give
: 1 John 3 6 as their favorites .
E E h JAM S H . CAN FI LD , formerly president of O io
State University and since librarian of Columbia University of N e w York . These are my favorite texts :
e r The promis of eve lasting life , so dear to every man .
(John 3 :
- 4 The promis e of peace and heart comfort . (John 1 :
The simplest, clearest doctrine of righteousness . (I
John 3 : 7
4: The chiefest characteristic of God . (I John
E E — : J . O . S P N C R , well known missionary
Am led to prize John 3 : 1 6 particularly by noting its effect on those who have never before heard the gospel OF O E O E FAM US P PL . 1 47
O f f CO RI N NA SHATTUCK, the heroine O o r a and missionary in charge of an orphanage :
I f I must choose I suppose John 3 : 1 6 is most precious
. 1 4 1 5 1 6 4 E 6 to me John , , ; Philippians ; phesians ; First 5 6 7 1 2 1 9 23 46 90 91 John entire ; Matthew , , ; Psalms , , , , , , , 1 03 1 3 53 55 ; First Corinthians ; Isaiah , , and Matthew last chapter are specially chosen passages . I have used for years with those under my instruction a list of 1 00 verses (see a n other chapter) each ten showing the complete way of salva
tion , to be learned with referenc e . We keep up the custom
of committing verses in mission fields . The boys and girls
get up a real enthusiasm over it .
E M D D . . JACO B CHAMB RLAI N , . . , D , of the Ameri
: 1 can Arcot Mission , Madanapalle , India, gave John 3 6 as
his favorite , and added the following experience , showing the
opposition to missionaries in heathen lands , and the power of
’ the word of God : I ‘ with fo u r native assistants had been trav
n v il eling since early morni g, preaching in all the towns and
lages on our way, until we approached what we had heard
spoken of as the wickedest city of the realm . After entering
the gate , I met my assistants returning with a hooting rabble
s : n o t a t following them . They told me that it wa s a fe to
‘ e o u re a ch e d t mpt to do any work within the city . H ave y p ~ ? to the people I asked . N o , sir, we have only sold a few
books and tracts . Then we must do so now . The rabble had halted as they heard the foreigner talking in a strange
o tongue . We walked with firm step t the market place , the crowd following and increasing by the way .
Turning I sp oke politely to the people in their language .
Leave this place at once , was the angry response . Friends ,
said I , I have come from far to tell you some good news . I will tell that and then we will go . We have no de sire to 1 48 FAVORI TE TE XTS a We d buse your gods , but we will not go until have proclaime
our message . We had seen the angry mob tearing up the paving stones
and gathering them in the skirts of their garments , and n ow me saw one nu dge another saying You throw the first
stone , and I will throw the second , but they quailed a little
under my keen glance . I said to them I have come with a
royal message , with a sweeter story than mortal ear has ever
heard , but it is . evident this multitude does not wish to hear fi it , but I see v e men before me who do wish to hear my
story . If you will all step back a little I will tell my message
to these five and then you may stone me .
Then I told the story of stories . H ow they all listened !
“ ” “ There , you may stone me now, I have finished N o , ’ i no , said they, we don t want to stone you now , and w th that their wallets were produced and they purchased all th e gospels and tracts we had with us and appointed a deputation
of their best men to escort us to our camp , begging us to forgive them for the insults they had heaped upon us . Verily
r the story of the cross has not lost its powe .
B . L . WH ITMAN , president of Columbian University ,
1 - 1 00: Washington , 895 9 Favorite single verse , John
- o the twenty third and ninetieth Psalms , the f urteenth chap ter of John and the eighth chapter of Romans .
X E E W . . N I N D , bishop of the Methodist piscopal “ 1 884- 1 900: church , since Two favorite texts of mine which seem to form a complete evangel are John 3 : 1 6 and I Thes
l o n i n 5 3 sa a s : 2 .
E W . W . DUN CAN , bishop of the Methodist piscopal
1 886- 1 900 e e e Church South , , chaplain in the Conf d rat army,
1 5 0 FAVORI TE TE XTS
ME E _ JA S H . H OAD L Y , pastor Faith Presbyterian “ : Church , New York When I was a child the work in the
Sunday School consisted chiefly in memorizing texts . My mother once told me that when she was a little girl she com mitte d the entire gospel of Mark to memory and recited it I . t at one time , for which , I think, she received a B ible is f di ficult to say which is my favorite text , there are so many
‘ ’ ‘ equally precious : God so loved the world , etc . , and Come
‘ ’ ’ s unto me all ye that labor , and In my Father house are many mansions ; all these and many more are dear to me .
I quote the above in the sick room .
E MARTI N LUTH R , the general and commander of
i n : the Reformation , prayed his last hours “ e O heavenly Father , if it be so that I must leav this I b ody and be torn away from this life , yet know surely that
I shall ever abide with thee , and none shall pluck me out of
so thine ha nd . H e repeated the words God loved the world “ 3 : a n d H e that he gave his Son , (John that is our God
th e is the God of salvation , and unto God Lord belong the “ e issues from death . H e added thrice Into thin hand I com
mit my spirit . Thou hast redeemed me , O Lord God of
truth . E O E OF FAM OUS P PL . 1 5 1
CHAPTE R XIV .
O H N — o n tin u e d J C .
E - T . STRADA PALMA , Cuban patriot, took part in
1 868 - 78 Cuban revolution of , in the early part of which his mother was captured and starved to death by the Spaniards ; president of Cuban republic at one time and represented it during the last revolution : As to my preferences for the
th e e texts of scriptures , first and foremost is the Golden Rul ,
’ among others is Christ s saying to the woman of Samaria :
‘ “ Ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet in Jerusalem ,
worship the father, true worshippers shall worship the father ’ 21 ‘ in spirit and in truth , etc . (John 4: Another : Let
’ sin him that is without among you cast the first stone . Also I am much impressed with most of the Sermon on the
Mount .
J . H . GI LLI S , commodore U . S . Navy, retired ; in many heavy engagements during the Civil war , and commander of
d e the U . S . S . Wateree , carrie half mile inland by tidal wav .
‘ at Africa : Search the scripture s ; for in them ye think ye
’ a re i have eternal life ; and they they wh ch testify of me .
John 5 : 39. This text wa s written in the Bible given to me 1 by my dear mother in 853 .
W : JI M B UR I CK, railroad engineer and evangelist Hundreds of times have I been kneeling at an altar of prayer
dealing with seeking souls , when I would give them D euter o n o my After explaining how the whole heart wa s lay
ing everything, everybody, every habit, both good and bad , 1 5 2 FAVORI TE TE XTS h on the altar , wit themselves on top ; after they said it was
‘ e e all ther , then show th m John and say : N ow you n ?’ f could do othing more , could you The answer o course
‘ ’ ‘ ’ would be , N o . Then you have come and he don t cast you ’ ?’ ‘ ’ ‘ . a r out ; then you are his , aren t you Yes Well , what e
’ you doing down h e re crying ? Then you see the change - in
the expression of the face , as it would begin to shine because
h ow s of the flood of j oy in the soul , and they would laugh a
o n a s n they told of his love . In e case it w a husba d and
h is fe e t father, and after j umping to he took me by the hand ,
the tears in his eyes looking like diamonds . Then he left the e to . H e meeting, laughing as he went tell his family add d ,
(lest this be j udged by som e to be merely em otional) I am
to h e glad say . has summered over three times in good
’ sh a pe f
‘ m . a u J WI LBUR CHAPMAN , clergy an , evangelist and
T e - h . be thor ; Surrendered Life , Present day Parables , etc , ing among his works ; pastor of leading Pr e sbyterian churches in N e w York and Philadelphia .
5 : 24 My favorite text is John . It has been th e ground
of not only my hope , but my assurance of acceptance with
God as well .
E E TH O MAS N LS O N PAG , lecturer, and author of
a : Marse C han , Meh L dy and other dialect stories I am glad that the custom of committing texts from
‘ the Bible to memory prevailed in my youth . The text, Him
’ that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out, (John 6 :
has always seemed to me one to hang to .
1 5 4 FAVORI TE TE XTS
’ o ev him at the Soldiers H me . H e arrived early in the ening ,
’ ’ and as was his custom ran up to the president s room; There " m -in was the president reading a book . As Speed ca e nearer H the twilight he was surprisedto see that it wa s the B ible . e ” “ : said I am glad to se e you so profitably engaged . Yes , answered Lincoln looking up seriously I am prOfi ta bly ” , , engaged . “ e re co v Well , said Speed , somewhat sadly, if you hav
ered from your skepticism , I am sorry to say that I have not . The president for a moment looked him earnestly in the
’ n o ub o fa ce , then placing his hand gently o the d ter s sh ulder ,
in o me n t re said with unusual solemnity, as if for the the p monition flitte d across his mind that th e se imigh t be th e last impo rtant words he should speak to his friend : “ r s You a e wrong, Speed ; take all of this book on rea on
o u o n o u that y can , and the rest faith, and y will , I am sure ,
‘ : liv e and die a happier and a better man . (John 7
I t M . HA LTO N KI N G , lec urer and author, and U . S
“ ’ minister to Siam : Perhaps no text in God s Word appeals
‘ to me more forcibly than the words ° If any man will do his ’ 7 l . wil , he shall know the doctrine (John “ n The night cometh when o man can work . This sen tence is memorable because it sums up all that other men have said and written ab out the swift approach of death and th e urgency o f doing daily work faithfully . It wa s the life
o motto of S amuel J o hnson and Th mas Carlyle . (John 9:
E e S . H . HAD L Y , superintend nt of the Old Jerry Mc
: I A u le y Mission , N ew York can say probably more than
any other man , Jesus sought me when a stranger, for the
m a s night he ca me to e in a saloon , I w crazy with drink and
looking for more . After I was saved I at once began to
’ S o fo o d to . read God s word much of it has been , my soul OF O E O L E FAM US P P . 1 5 5
I hardly know where to begin to mention favorite texts . John
9: 25 is for me ; Luke 1 9: 1 0; 7 : 48 ; I I Corinthians 5: 1 7 ;
6 : 7 John 5 ; Psalms 27 : 1 ; 91 and 1 03 .
E E E K RR B OY C TUPP R , pastor First B aptist Church , “ 7 : 1 7 Philadelphia : My favorite text is John , according to
‘ the correct translation : If any man wills to do his will he
shall know .
DAVI D STARR J O RDAN , president Leland Stanford
, “ t University : I am come that hey might have life , and that they might have it more abundantly . (John
le m 3 on, A
D E AN STAN LE Y ’ S inscription on the stone in the nave of Westminster Abbey over the body of David Living “ stone concludes thus : F or thirty years his life wa s spent
ff to i o in an unwearied e ort evangelize the nat ve races , t ex
lo re p undiscovered secrets , and abolish the desolating slave
w : trade of Central Africa , when , ith his last words he wrote
‘ ’
All I can say in my solitude is , may heaven s rich blessing
on e — E — wh o come down on every American , nglish Turk f will help to heal this open sore O the world . Other sheep
I have which are not of this fold ; them also I must bring, and
m 1 0: they shall hear y voice . (John
’
L . V S . A . S E WYN , of B ournemouth, St John s icarage , Of B oscombe,Hampshire , and one the speakers at the North
— fi e ld conference several years since : My favorite text the
1 0: 28 one that brought salvation to my soul , is St . John
‘ My sheep shall never perish . 1 5 6 FAVORI TE TE XTS
r O f th e S I R GE ORGE WI LLIAMS , founde Young
’ n : Men s Christian Associatio St . John , tenth chapter, verses
- twenty seven to thirty .
e H E NRY MARTYN arrived at Shiraz , the P rsian liter a r 9 1 8 1 1 th e y cap ital, June , , for purpose of revising his Per f sian translatio n o th e Bibl e . H e wa s assisted by Said Ali ,
f - a member o th e self deifying sect of Mohammedans , known fi as th e S o s.
’ h e o But reach e d Ali s heart , especially when they were g
in ing through th e twelfth chapter of John . The Persian voluntarily exclaimed in wonder at Jesus loving his disciples so T e dearly . ears filled his yes as to him , a seeker , as he
o o Ma a re said, fr m his y uth up , rtyn imp rted the true li ion g , and bade him yield his soul to his dear Lord and Th Redeemer . e N e w Testaments and Psalters which the
Hindo o o r Persian re a ds in his own language are remem
’ bra n ce s wh o of Martyn s faithfulness , spared not himself,
neither counted his life dear .
l E C . STAN L Y HALL , president Clark University :
“ I think that no texts in the Bible h a ve impressed me ‘E W more in later years than , xcept a corn of heat fall into
’ ‘ o ffe n d th th e ground, etc . , and Whoso e one of these little
’ n ones . The first p a ssage has grown deep in my ow connec
-sa crifi e tion with the study of self c as an ethical system , and the second in connection with the study of my childhood and my grave fear that m a ny current educational methods do ff cause the little ones to o end . (John Mark
1 5 8 FAVORI TE TE XTS
S I R WALTE R S C OTT j ust b efore his death desired to' be o drawn int hi s library, and placed by the window, that
o do wn u o n - n - he might lo k p the Tweed . To his son i la w he
expressed a wish that h e should rea d to him . From what ? ” “ ? ” book shall I read said h e . And you ask Scott replied . “ o n e I There is but . chose , said his biographer , John
1 4 e - . H e listen d with mild devotion , and said , when I had “ e d done , Well , this is a great comfort . I hav followe you
a n d a a b n distinctly , I feel s if I w s to e myself agai . (John 4 1 1 : ,
E E : MARGAR T SAN GST R , p opular poet and editor “ If I have a favorite chapte r in th e Bible it is the beautiful fourteenth of the Gospel of St . John . As a child I learned by
— o E heart many chapters the wh le epistle to the phesians , the
‘ ‘ m th e fortieth chapter of I saiah , many Psalms , the Ser on on
n d . Mount , a the closing chapter of Deuteronomy N othing else ever gave me th e intellectual and spiritual impulse and
help which came to me from the Word .
E E MAR GAR T B OTTO M , president International Order
’ o f of King s Daughters , and the motherly adviser thou sands
’ o fyoung women through h e r department in the Ladies Home “ Journal , says of John I sa w th e wonderful crucifix suspended from the marvelous dome in the cathedral at Milan
O as ften as I could , for there were times when the light
a touched it, and then it was sight never to be forgotten . At ff ff the sunset hour, people of di erent nationalities and di erent
faiths stood side by side , awed by the sight of a man hanging
' u e on a cross high p in full Vi w , and some at least recalled
‘ : his own words to mind And I , if I be lifted up from the ’ e arth, will draw all me n unto me . OF FAM OUS PE OPLE 1 5 9
E E CHARL S LI OT N O RTO N , professor of history a n d r : art , Ha vard University
‘ My favorite text from the Bible is John A n e w
e commandment I give unto you , that ye lov one another ; and with it Romans Love is the
fulfilling of the law .
E E . W . PARK R , foreign missionary and delegate to
‘ E 1 900: the cumenical Conference , The words of Jesus , I
’ am come a light . (John All the heathen world
‘ with outstretched arms crying for a light , and Jesus steps
‘ ’ upon our world answering the cry, I am come a light . So
‘ ’ also the call to rest, Come unto me is another answer to the
‘ O a great cry for rest . S also , I am the B re d And
C 1 ° 1 8 1 — olossians , 9 All these become very precious to the 23 46 72 1 00 missionary . He mentions Psalms , , and .
E E E H N RY W . WARR N , bishop of the Methodist pis
1 88 0- 1 900 copal Church , , and author of several valuable “ books : Jesus having loved his o wn which were in
1 3 : 1 the world , loved them to his uttermost . John , margin . Preaching on John the duty of disciples to wash
’
. O : one another s feet, Mr Finlayson of H elmsdale bserved
’ One way in which disciples wash one another s feet is by
reproving one another . But the reproof must not be couched ff in angry words , so as to destroy the e ect , j ust as , in wash
’ ing a brother s feet , you must not use boiling water to scald , nor frozen wate r to freeze them .
E ‘ ARCH B I S H O P US SH R , being once on a visit to
O f Scotland , heard a great deal of the piety and devotion
H h- Samuel Rutherford . e wished muc to witness the home life of such a man incognito . S o he dressed hims e lf as a 1 60 FAVORI TE TE XTS
' pau per and called at the Rutherford home S aturday night
‘ and asked for lodging . Mr . Rutherford consented to give the poor man a bed for th e night and asked him to sit down
in the kitchen . R Mrs . utherford , according to custom on Saturday e v en th ing that her servants might be provided for e Sabbath , called them together and examined them . In th e course of the examination sh e aske d the stranger h o w many com m ma nd n h E . e ts there were . To which e answered , leven
e On receiving this answer, she replied , What a sham is it
! a a for you man with gray hairs , in Christian country, not to know h o w many commandments there are ! There is not a child of six years old in th e parish but could answer this
question properly . She troubled the poor man no more ,
thinking him so very ignorant, but lamented his condition to her servants ; and after giving him some supper desired a servant to show him upstairs to a bed in the garret . Mr .
Rutherfo rd , on discovering wh o he wa s the next morning ,
requested him to preach for him that day, which the bishop
consented to do , on condition that he would not discover him
to any other . The bishop had for his text , John A n e w e o n e a n commandment I give unto you, That ye lov ot her . In th e cours e of his sermon he O bserved that this
3 : might be reckoned the eleventh commandment . (Jo hn 1
E o f SAN FO RD B . D O L , president Hawaiian I slands ,
1 893 -1 8 to 98 , and wa s strong advocate of annexation United
t e : Sta es ; born in Hawaii , son of Am rican missionaries ”
be . Let not your heart be troubled , neither let it afraid
(John 1 4: 27
1 6 2 FAVORI TE TE XTS b not even remember where they were to e found . The
twenty - third Psalm is perhaps the passage upon which I have
f e o t nest leaned . It has been with me from childhood and ” e grows mor and more precious as th e years go by .
A WI LLI M LI ND SAY , United States Senator, said that
the most impressive chapter o f th e Bibl e to him is the four
te e nth th e e th chapter of John , and most impressiv verses , e n second a d third of that chapter .
r E G. l . C O N KLI N , professor of zoo ogy, University of ' r e n Pennsylvania , emb yologist, gav the fourteenth chapter a d
the first vers e as his favorite s.
E a . V . Z O LLARS , president of Hir m College , President
’ Garfield s alma mater, gave the fourteenth chapter of John
as o n e of his favorite chapters .
D R . WI TH E RS P O N . Q , formerly president of Princeton
wa s e o n College , onc board a packet ship where, among
wa s o . wa s oth e r passengers , a pr fessed atheist This fellow f very fond o troubling everybody with his peculiar belief, and of broaching the subj ect as often as he could get anybody
’ H d a nd to listen to him . e idn t believe in a God a future ” ! e state , not he By and by ther came on a terrible storm ,
and the prospect wa s that all would go to the bottom . There
was much fear and consternation on board , but not one was
I n so horribly frightened as the atheist . this extremity he
sought out th e clergyman . H e found him in the cabin , calm
e : and collected , and thus addr ssed him O , D octor Wither l ’ spo o n ! r D octor Witherspoon ! we re al l going for it ; we ! h . o have but a short time to stay Oh , my gracious w the
’ ’ we vessel rocks ! we re all going, don t you think are D oc , , ” " tor ? Th e reverend gentleman turned on him a look of OF O E O E FAM US P PL . 1 6 3
most provoking coolness , and replied in broad Scotch , N a e
’ ’ doubt, nae doubt man , we re a ganging ; but you and I dinna gang the same way . (John 6 ; Matthew
E J . B . AN G LL , president of the University of Michigan , and at one time minister plenipotentiary to China :
My favorite chapter is the fourteenth chapter of th e
Gospel according to St . John .
T E a - J . MURRAY M I CH LL , l wyer and ex congressman , h and traveler, quotes John giving the Greek in t e
best manuscripts for the word word , and adds that the fe xt had been in his mind more than any other for the past ix s months .
E R . A . TO RR Y , superintendent of the Moody B ible
Institute :
‘ E ither the fourteenth chapter o f John or th e eighth chapter of Romans is my favorite chapter .
J A B A E u H N NAH J . I L Y , s perintendent of the depart
’ ment O f pe ace and arbitration of the World s and National
The fourteenth of John is part of my child faith . When young in thinking whether there was a future or not this
chapter came to me as a promise , especially the first verse
‘ e a nd the last clause of the second, I go to prepar a place
’ r fo you .
E Ve TH E OD O RE L . CUYL R , the teran B rooklyn di
o f - vine , pastor one church for thirty three years , and author
‘ of four th o u sa n d a rticle s contributed to religious papers
a re My favorite chapters John , fourteenth chapter, and
the seventh chapter of Revelation , as given in the revised
version . 1 6 4 FAVORI TE TE XTS
E t f FRAN CI S M . WH ITTL , Righ Rev . , bishop o th e
o e of a e h e o of o di ces Virgini , gav t f urteenth chapter J hn .
E E E G O RG C . L O RI M R , pastor of Tremont Temple ,
: o f B oston I yet c o ntinu e t memoriz e verses o scripture .
O f th - Th e fourteenth chapter St . John and e twenty third
Psalm a re my favo rites .
E DWARD JUD S O N , pastor Memorial B aptist Church ,
N e w o Washington Square , York, son of Ad niram Judson , in whose memory the church wa s erected : John helped
me greatly when I began my christian life .
‘ ’ a J mes B . Carrington , writing in Scribner s Maga
Z l N e : ne , describing w York at night , says In the sky on the south side shines out th e illuminated cross o n the tower
h e ‘ n o of the Judson Memorial Church , a beacon of op , doubt , to many of the p oo r wh o make the benches of the square
a resting place .
' A n d min iste r R . a A CH I BALD J S M PS O N , envoy of “ E : 1 61 U . S . to cuador In 8 , when I enlisted as a soldier , a
most worthy woman gave me a small pocket Testament , giv ing me special charge to read the fourteenth and fifteenth
chapters of St . J o hn . Many a time I obeyed that inju n c A ' tion . t times I went over them from memory when my
wa s Testament not at hand, for I had committed them to
memory . While the B ibl e is full of precious promises I think there is nothing which surpasses the parting words of
is the Saviour to h disciples , commencing with the four
‘ t m te e nth chapter , especially when he can realize hat the C o
e h e is b fort r, t H oly Spirit, as truly y our side repeating those
1 6 6 FAVORI TE TE XTS
t - seems to me, and medita ion upon which will bring you the deepest spiritual help .
What think you of our need of the Lo rd Jesus , said “ Gotthold . For my part my soul is like a hungry a n d thirs ty h c ild , and I need his love and consolations for my refresh
‘ n a s me t ; I am a wandering and lost sheep , and I need him a good and faithful shepherd ; my soul is like a frighte ned
" e h e dove pursu d by t hawk, and I need his wounds as a
refuge ; I am a feeble vine , and I need his cross to lay hold
of, and wind myself about ; I am a sinner, and I need his
I a n d o righteousness ; am naked and bare , need his h liness
and innocence for a covering ; I am in trouble and alarm , and
' e a m a nd I ne d his solace ; I ignorant, I need his teaching ; simple and foolish and I need the guidanc e of his H oly , " Spirit ‘ in no situation and at no tim e can I do without
. 1 5 : 5 him (John ,
e t D . president of Denison Univ rsi y , 1 4 mentions John as his favorite chapter .
WE o f MARY LO D I CKI N S O N , author, and editor the
’ f ’ Silver Cross , organ o the King s Daughters , and prominent
’ e e in other women s organizations , giv s the fourteenth chapt r
of John as her favorite .
E ' AN N H O LLI N GSWO RTH WHARTO N , author of
a number of books on Colonial subj ects , and contributor of
’ children s stories and articles to leading magazines : In the W Old Testament my choice , hether from association or from
o wn n their interest, beauty and strength , would fall upo the
- - e th e twenty third and the forty sixth Psalms , whil in New
O f Testament the thirteenth verse of the fifteenth chapter St .
th e John , the whole of the fourteenth chapter, fifteenth of
F o irst C orinthians , fr m the sixteenth verse , Romans , eighth F O E O L E O FAM US P P . 1 6 7
chapter, eighteenth and nineteenth verse , and the last chapter of Revelations are among the passages I think of most fife
quently .
E WI LLARD F . MALLALI U , bishop of the Methodist
E 1 884- 1 900 a 1 4 1 5 1 6 piscopal Church , , g ve John , and as his
favorite chapters .
W . H . M I LB URN , the blind chaplain of the United
e States Senat for the past six years , and chaplain of the United States H ouse of Representatives at varioustimes from 1 840to 1 885 “
The fourteenth , fifteenth , sixteenth and seventeenth
’ chapters of St . John s gospel , also the fifth , sixth and seventh h c apters of St . Matthew .
Never has the ruling passion been more strongly e xe m i plifi e d n the hour of death than in the case of Payson , the
- invin ci well known minister . His love for preaching was as
ble as that of the miser for gold , who dies grasping his
treasure . H e directed a label to be attached to his breast
when dead , with the admonition , Remember the word which
I spake unto you while I wa s ye t present with you ; that they might be read by all who came to look at his corps Th . e and by which he , being dead, still spoke same words were at the request of his people engraved on the plate of the
fi f f‘ h is co n , and read by thousands on the day o interment .
(John 1 5 : 20; Hebrews 1 68 FAVORI TE TE XTS
' s o f o th e Mu s m It is aid B ssuet , says Biblical eu , that his secretary read th e seventeenth chapter of J o hn to him sixty
e th e o s - times whil bish p wa lying on his death bed . When
th e o e to John Knox, Sc tch reformer, cam die , he asked for T the reading of this chapter . h e devo ut Spener had it read
e be d h e to him thre times on his death , though had never been
W h e n illing to preach from it, as said that it seemed to tra s cend his powers . Luther said that plain a n d artless as its lan
'
‘ wa s so o n e gauge, it deep , rich and wide , that no could find
its bottom or e xtent .
F’ E h J O H N V . ARW LL, wholesal e dry goods merc ant,
a r member of the Christian Commission during the Civil w , and contributor to newspapers on economic and financial topics
My favorite chapter is the seventeenth of John ; favorite
“ e text John 3 : 1 6. The last is an exposition of the Bibl and
’ a complete exegesis of God s relation to man , and of his own
’ h e character . The o ther is Christ s prayer for me as one of t number t hat have believed on h imthrough the ministry of
‘ ’ h is ords a re we a re w , which spirit and life, on which to
‘
a 29 1 9 feed and grow thereby . I w s 75 years old (July , 00) n last Sunday, and had a celebratio at the house of my oldest
— a o f - fi v e child family twenty , fourteen of which are grand E children . I read th e second and third verses of phesians
sixth chapter, which with the whole chapter I learned by
1 x heart for an infidel doctor when about 5 years old . This promise of God in my case has been fulfilled . I earned twenty -fi v e cents for the task— but that infidel did not know
- a n that his twenty fi ve cents wa s going to stay with me , in o ther coin , for seventy years .
E E G O RGE W. M ITC H LL, president of Grand River “ C o 1 7 lleg e , says : My favorite chapters are St . John , Mat
1 7 0 F A V ORI TE TE XTS
m n n n - anvil , and the wo e at their chur s and spinni g wheels .
Babies crowded to hear the music , and boys ran out to see the
e th e pretty trainers , with feath rs and bright buttons , harle f quins of the nineteenth century . . O course non e of these
! ' were in a proper position to be shot at Where are your ”
e W a s . soldiers ? th y asked . e have none w the brief reply
we . B ut have come to take the town Well , my friends , it ” “ ” “ o ? 0 lies before you . But there is nob dy here to fight N ,
h n we are all C ristia s . (John
H E N RY MA RTYN th e a s in , missionary, w at Shiraz \ Persia several years translating the N e w Testament into the
5 1 language of that country, being assisted by a Per an boy . He seemed to have been delighted with an incident which he
e 28 1 81 1 : Th e noted in his j ournal , Jun , poor boy , says “ ' he , while writing h o w one of the serva nts o f the high priest
‘ n ot struck the Lord on the face , stopped and said , Sir, did
’ his hand dry up ? (John 1 8 : ,
S E : NATO R J . C . S . B LACKB URN I think the Sav
’ iou r s dying exclamation th e best sentence to be found either — ‘I ’ in the Bible or in any language t is finished . (John
E AL X , Bishop of Argyle and the I sles , Scotland : I doubt whether I should be right in naming any one verse or chapter of H oly Scriptures as more highly esteemed h m t by me than t e rest . But were I free to co ply wi h your request I should perhaps fix upon the concluding chapters
’ — of St . John s gospel those which relate to the Passion , the
’
D eath and the Risen Life of our divine Lord and Saviour .
E I CHARL S M . S H E LD O N , author of n His Steps and a half dozen other stories which apply the teachings of
Christ to daily living, and which have had a wider sale than OF O E E FAM US P OPL . 1 7 1
’ most any other book since Pilgrim s Progress , the editions amounting to millions of copies I do not know as I have what might be called a favorite
- text or chapter in th e Bible . But one that occurs to me oftener perhap s than any other is the command of Christ to
’ ‘ Peter in the last chapter of John s gospel : What is that
’ to thee ? follow thou me . (John This stands as a perpetual incentive to men to follow the personal commands " of righteousness , regardless of what other men do or say,
’ and regardless also of the consequences to one s self ; and I do not know that there is greater need of such obedience ” in the world than at the present moment . 1 7 2 FAVORI TE T E XTS
CHAPTE R XV
C A TS .
If the apost olic church were on t rial th e b o ok of Acts . b would no doubt e put in th e witne s s box . And if th e church of today were on trial it would o nly be necessary to call as
o witnesses the missi naries to foreign fields , wh o have left
o o e t o th e home and friends and w rldly pr sp cts tell , story of
Christ among the heathen . Their testim o ny would certainly
e h W o f a re‘ be believed becaus t e eight their lives added to it . h D r . H enry C . Mabie , secretary of t e American Baptist Mis sio na r a E e y Union , said t the cumenical Confere nc of Mis
h em in N e w Y 1 900 sions ork April , , the greatest missionary a wit gathering ”that the world has ever seen , th t the word ness occurred 1 75 times in th e N e w Testament . H e said
that the word wa s synonymous with martyr, adding that the profoundest impression to be carried away fro m the con ference wa s that they had heard fro m actual living witnesses who had come back fro m the ends of th e e arth .
z o TH O MAS AQUI NAS , says Dr . Macken ie , nce visited
th th e o e Pope Innocent e Fourth , and p p displayed the rich treasures of the church and boasted that th e t ime had gone
e . by when the church must say, Silver and gold hav I none ” “ a s l h e A Yes , w the rep y of t saintly quinas , and the time has gone by when the church can say to th e impotent man
‘ ’ t e . 3 : at the temple ga e , Ris up and walk (Acts
C At the death of the five martyrs of hambery, one , of
’ o ma r s t them , Laborie , t o ok up his fell w rty prayer and wen
1 4 ORI E E 7 FAV T T XTS .
Spurge o n replied by citing th e te nth ‘ ve rse of th e thirteenth c o f Ac c : o f hapter ts , whi h reads And said, O full all sub tilit of y and all mischief, thou child the devil , thou enemy
of all righteousness , wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ” ways o f th e L o rd ? (Acts
A . C . D I X O N , D . D . , pastor Hanson Place B aptist
Church , B ro oklyn : a ‘ e . e I h v many favorite texts I love the one , B eliev on
’ th e 1 6 : Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved , (Acts m ‘ e . th e because it led to the Saviour I love other, Lo , I am
‘ ’ with you alway, even unto the end of the world , (Matthew i m 2 . 28 : 0 R becaus e t is y dependence in preaching . I love th e third to th e seventh verses of the thirty - seventh
Psalm because they seem to cover every contingency of life .
’ ( H F E E 3 . . OWL R , bishop of the Methodist piscopal
th e followm : e Church , tells g I sent a nativ preacher, a
’ t o wh o Chinaman , his work in the Fuchau conference, had
this experience . After he was converted and had studied the ' e N w Testament not a little , he felt called to tell his country
men the good news . When he had fully settled that as his duty he went into the crowded street and got up on a little
box and began preaching . Soon a mob gathered , knocked m him down from his box , beat him with a bundle of ba boo “ e rods , dragged him through the city and thr w him over the
e wall for dead . H e came to , went down to a littl brook, and
‘ e washed o ff the blo od and dirt . Then he pray d , Lord Jesus , what wilt thou have me to do ?’ Then he went back to the
h e e t . same street, got up on sam box and preached again Again the mob dragged him out and threw him over the wall
1 for dead . After rev ving he again prayed the same prayer, and T we nt back to his box and began preaching. h e mob be a t OF E E FAM OUS P OPL . 1 7 5
him down , but the magistrate fearing to answer for his death ,
had him rescued and .put in j ail . There was a window which
a re faced an open sp ce , where the crowd had gathered and we
throwing up dust and howling . When they quieted a little he pressed his bruised and bleeding face up against the grat
‘ : ings , and said N one of these things move me , neither
count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my
course with j oy, and the ministry which I have received of
’ th e the Lord Jesus to testify gospel of the grace of God .
(Acts The bishop a dds x th a t the old martyrs could
do no better than that , and says that he wanted to be sent
to that people as his regular work .
Ships n o w are anchored generally from the bow . The vessel on which the Apostle Paul was a passenger was a h
chored from the stern . Lord Nelson anchored his fleet by the
stern , both at the battle of the Nile and the battle of Copen hagen ; and after the latter battl e he made th e statement that he had that morning been reading th e twenty - seventh chapter “ : - we of Acts , in which are the words Then fearing lest
should have fallen upon rocks , they cast four anchors out of
the stern , and wished for the day . (Acts 1 7 6 FAVORI TE TE XTS
C HAPTE R XVI .
’
PAUL S L E TTE RS .
Th e replies as to favorite texts would indicate that David wa s the e o th e h b st kn wn author in Old Testament, and Jo n wa s best known of th e four gospels , but if the letters or writ ings of Paul are considered as o ne it is question as to which is th e most familiar to the millions wh o accept the Bible as
o e auth rity and liv according to its teachings , whether the
gospel of . J o hn o r the letters o f Paul . John may be called th e authority of the inner Christian life and while Paul writes o f that fully as much as John h e shows h ow the inner life applies o r sh ould be applied to the o ute r or daily Christian
h e we life . W il thes e men only did their part, find that from
a natural standp o int thes e three men , David , John and Paul ,
a re th e best kn o wn, or most p opular authors or writers , whos e wo rks a re found in that marvelous library of sixty -six
o b o o ks called th e B ible . B ut se e I I Peter See als Acts John and Galatians
‘ ROMANS .
th e wh o WI LLIAM C OWP E R , poet had been long de
pressed by religi o us melancholy, driving him to a state of
despair, gives the following account of his conversion , which will serve to show the practical bearing and value of this “ important passage : The happy period which was to shake o ff my fetters and afford me a cl e ar discovery of the free m mercy of God in Christ Jesus wa s n o w arrived . I flung y
h e re self into a cha ir near t window , and seeing a Bible the
1 7 8 FAVORI TE TE XTS
’ s o need of God love shown freely t the ungodly . The Saviour therein revealed is as needed n ow and as precious as then he wa s to my stricken but delighted heart .
’ I j oy in a n d gladly proclaim to others God s love and
h S gift to t e inners who need .
B O URD A L O N E wa s probing the conscience of Louis f t n X IV, applying to him the words o S . Paul and i tending to
r : : pa aphrase them For the good that I would , I do not but ” “
e . o the vil which I would not, that I do I find tw men in me Th e king int e rrupted the great preacher with ~ the “ c : m n I k memorable ex lamation Ah , those two e , now them ” “ ! B ou rda lo n e well answered , It is already something to
bu o ne two know the m , sire ; t it is not enough , of the must
e . 7 : 1 9 p rish (Romans ,
’ A message wa s br o ught on th e last day of Wilbe rfo rce s life that the motion of his friend Buxton for the abolition o f “ slavery had passed through Parliament . Thank God , cried
’ Wilberforce who h a d given his life s effort for th e freedom ff of slaves , that I have been su ered to live to see this day when E ngland is ready to sacrifice twenty millions of pounds ” sterling to emancipate her slaves ! After this last bright ' fi l e a t . g eam , he was greatly prostrat d by of apoplexy A
friend said to him , B ut you have your foot upon the rock .
I dare not speak so confidently , replied he , but I hope
e R 8 : 24 that I hav it there . ( omans ,
“ E E o f H N RY C . MAB I , corresponding secretary the
American B aptist Missionary Union , that has been the means
co nve rsmn s S 1 81 9 of over ince , about of these in the last decade of the century We know that all things work together for good to
them that love God , to them that are called according to his purp ose . (Romans OF O E O E 1 FAM US P PL . 7 9
E E : JAM S H . COL , evangelist and business man , said
8 2 1 l 2: 20 Romans : 8 ; John 3 : 6 and Ga atians , and all the
other verses in the Bible .
E E WM . H N RY R O B RTS , American secretary of the
Alliance of Reformed Churches holding the Presbyteria n
: system church historian , and authority on church law
My favorite chapter in the Bible is the eighth chapter
of Romans . The reason for my choice is the fact that it states with clearness and great power the vital and permanent
relation to the salvation of believers , of the gracious , ever lasting and omnipotent love of God for sinners in and ” , through Jesus Christ our Lord .
N I 'TI E . GH N A F . GAL , superintendent of High Schools
o n 8 : 2 1 03 R o in Chicago , qu ted Roma s 8, and a dded Psalms , 1 2 mans and Isaiah 65.
E T JAM S HAMI L O N L E WI S , congressman and law
8 : 28 . yer, gave Romans as his favorite text and his faith
The account given of the death of Mr . Robert B ruce of
Kinnaird is very beautiful in its simplicity : That morning before the Lord called him to his rest he came to breakfast
at his table . After he had eaten , as his use was , a single egg, “ m he said to his daughter, I t hink I a yet hungry ; you may
bring me another egg, and instantly fell silent ; and , after
having mused a little he said, H old daughter, hold ; my
a i Master calleth me . With these words his sight f led him ,
h bu t fi n din n ot and he called for t e Bible , g he was able to fi “ th e R read, he said, Cast me up the eighth chapter to omans ,
‘ - - wh 1 ch re verses twenty eight to thirty nine , much of he “ e a te d p , particularly I am persuaded, that neither death nor
c life shall be able to separate me from the love of God , whi h 1 8 0 F AVORI TE TE XTS
is in Christ Jesus my Lord , and caused his finger to be put
o wa s 8 : 38 up n them , which done . (Romans ,
w ’ Not many eeks before Garfield s assassination , walking
on the banks of the Pot omac with a friend , he said that he
’ found the Lord s Prayer and th e simple petitions learned in
m e infancy infinitely restful to him , not erely in their stat d
repetition , but in their casual and frequent recall as he went
about the daily duties of life . Certain texts of scripture h a d
d . a very strong hol on his memory and his heart He heard , E while in dinburgh some years ago , an eminent Scotch “ preacher who prefaced h is sermon with reading the eighth
chapter of the E pistle to the Romans , which book had been the subj ect of careful study with Garfield during all his re li i s g o u life . H e was greatly impressed by the eloquence of the preacher and declared that it had imparted a new and
deeper meaning to the ma j estic utterance of St . Paul . H e
e e t r ref rr d often in af e years to that memorable service , and
’ dwelt with exaltation of feeling upon th e ra dia nt promise and the assured hope with which the great Apostle of the Gentiles t was persuaded that nei her death , nor life , nor angels , nor o i principalities , nor p wers , nor things present , nor th n gs
\ cre a tu re sh a ll to come , nor height , nor depth , nor any other ,
o be able to separate us from the l ve of God , which is in
— Christ Jesus our Lord . (Romans James G .
Blaine in Garfield memorial address .
E E ih A . M R N S KY , prominent in German missionary t e re sts , and who gave the response to the welcome to Ger
E 1 : man delegation at cumenical conference , 900 By the grace of God the eighth chapter of the E pistle to the Romans has been for me a source of light and spiritual
blessing during my life . When I was a student my own experience of grace was
1 8 2 f FAVORI TE TE XTS
E E E E X E UG N R H N D RI , bishop Methodist piscopal
‘ Church S o uth : R o mans For if while we were yet enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of his
‘ e e Son , much mor being r conciled , shall we be saved by his ’ ff life . I heartily approve of any e ort looking toward satur
ating the mind with H oly Scripture It was th e charm o f
’ Tennyson s speech as it was of his writings .
, E E D E in J . C . B R CK N RI G , brigadier general and
- f 1 8 1 spector general o the U . S . Army sinc e 8 , had his horse t a sho under him in the Santiago c mpaign , and promoted for “ gallantry during Civil wa r : It gives me pleasure to add my testimony to that of others as to the power and the effect of
a knowledge of the word of God . B ut as to selecting my
I S ff favorite text, that a di erent matter ; where all is so good . I H owever, take pleasure in calling to your attention the
- eighth chapter of Romans , particularly the thirty eighth and
- thirty ninth verses .
’ _ t . P E JN O . J O H N S O N , rector S Phillip s . . Church ,
wa r wa s Charleston , during civil fifteen months engineer in charge of Fort Sumter during th e heavy and prolo nged
bombardments : “ The first text which God seem e d to open to me, when 21 I began , at years of age , to read the Bible with any degree
- x of earnestness wa s in Romans , eighth chapter , twenty si th
- and twenty seventh verses . It encouraged me mightily to see that my poor efforts at prayer were spoken of as groan
a n d ings of my spirit , that were both inspired helped by the
m h u Spirit of God , making intercession through y (our) manity before the throne on high
MAR GARE T WI LS ON , a comely young woman , is be
’ lie ve d to have been the last of Scotland s martyrs . She a nd OF O E O E FAM US P PL . 1 8 3
s her si ter attended conventicles , and were finally arrested .
Her father succeeded in purchasing the freedom of th e
o y unger sister , but nothing but the recantation of the older
one would satisfy the church authorities . She was steadfast ,
however , and two stakes were driven in Wigton bay sands
a e when the tide was out , and Marg r t and an older companion
w . ere tied to them H er mother cried , Gie in , gie in , and tak
- the oath . But her only reply was to chant the twenty fi fth i Psalm . The water hav ng risen to her waist she repeated the
- fi v e latter part of the eighth chapter of Romans , verses thirty “ - to thirty nine , Who shall separate us from the love of ” ? Th Christ e incoming swells silenced her voice .
A gentleman , who thought Christianity was merely a
e h ap of puzzling problems , said to an old minister, That is a very strange verse in the ninth chapter of the E pistle to ‘ E ’ the Romans , Jacob have I loved , but sau have I hated . “ “ Very strange , replied the minister ; but what is it ,
- s ? sir, that you see most trange about it “ a tro n iz Oh , that part of course , said the gentleman , p
‘ ’ in l E g y, and with an air of surprise , sau have I hated is certainly very strange .
Well , sir , said the old minister, how wonderfully are we made and how differently constituted . The strangest part , ” o Ro of all to me is that he could ever have loved Jac b . ( mans 9:
E th e JO H N LO CK , author of celebrated essay, Con
cerning the Human Understanding, said when dying : O the depth of the riches of the goodness and knowledge of ” God ! (Romans 1 1 :
- JO S E PH CO O K, the well known lecturer a n d author : A sermon on Romans with emphasis on ‘mercies ’ 1 8 4 FAVORI TE TE XTS
’ e and reasonabl , preached by the Rev . John N a tto ck s in
1 853 a h e Keeseville , New York , in , w s t chief human in stru mentality in causing me to mak e up my mind to try to do
my duty . H e quoted that text as his favorite : I beseech
you therefore , brethren , by the mercies of God , that ye pre
a o sent your bodies living sacrifice , holy, acceptable unt God ,
e which is your r e asonabl e s rvice .
h . . E t e D B D D Y , of Yale Missionary Band , which trav
e l e d throughout the United States renewing and creating in “ te re st in missions : The most prominent text in my mind ‘ ‘ the year j ust gone h a s ~ be e n z That ye may prove what is ’ R t . o the good , and accep able , and perfect, will of God (
mans 1 2:
C E E ALI N I LS O N , opera singer, made her debut as a
star in The tF o rtu n e Teller : Recompense to no man evil
1 2: for evil . (Romans
- . E E s W A P FF R , ex congressman , publi her and literary
man : My favorite chapter is the twelfth of Romans . My
‘ : a favorite verse is Owe no man nything, but to love one h h f lfi ll d l ’ another ; for he that loveth another a t u e the a w. (Romans
M R . AN D M RS . CLOUGH , of the Lone Star Mission , r in India , retired by agreement into separate rooms for praye
over a crisis , brought about by the conversion of som e low
’ h i h e r cla sse s caste B rahmins . The g o threatened to withdraw
their support and their interest in the schools . Simultaneously
each picked up a Te stament in the different ro oms and op e ned
1 8 6 FAVORI TE TE XTS
E ffi M R . H UM once wrote an essay on t cie n cy of ‘ th e s r t the light of nature , and no les celebated Rober son f wrote on the necessity of Revelation , and the insu ficiency of
a . the light of n ture Hume cam e one eve ning to - visit Robert
son , and the e vening wa s spent on this subj ect . Th e friends b e of oth were present, and it is said that Robertson r asoned with unaccustomed clearness and power ; whether Hum e wa s
‘ convinced by his reasoning or not we cann o t tell , but at any
rate he did not acknowledge his convictions . Hume wa s very much of a gentleman an d as h e ros e to depart bowed h politely to those in t e room , while as he retired through
d o r R r o obe tso n wa . the , , took the light to show him the y “ th Hume was still facing e door . Oh sir, said he to Rob
‘ e rtso n h n f , I find t e light of ature always su ficient ; and
’ h e o continued , pray don t trouble yourself, sir , and so b wed
‘ h bo d on . The street door wa s opened , and presently as e we
along in the entry he stumbled over something concealed , and
h a R o pitched down t e st irs into the street . oberts n ran after
him with a light, and as he held it over him , whispered softly
o and cunningly, You had better have a little light fr m above ,
ra ism h e friend Hume . And g him up , bade him good night
3 : and returned to his friends . (I Corinthians F E E 8 7 O FAM OUS P OPL . 1
C HAPTE R XVI I .
— 3 CHARITY O R L OVE I CO RI NTH IAN S 1 .
The thirteenth chapter of First Corinthians is , no doubt ,
next to the fourteenth chapter of John , the most popular
and best known chapter in the New Testament . It was the
’
text for that famous little booklet of H enry D rummond s , The
Greatest Thing in the World , and as may be noted is the
e w wh o favorite of Protestant, Catholic and J , and by some A nd have no particular belief . it is no doubt used sometimes as a plea for consideration by those in error and enemies in
fact to the gospel of which it is a part . But notwithstanding
this , there is a wide place for its practical application to the
- f v h o rld . e ery day life o t e__w , both believing and unbelieving
H I S R E VE RE N CE CARD I NAL GI B B O N S : In t e ply to your letter I beg leave to give you the first verse of
‘ the thirteenth chapter of First Corinthians : If I speak with
e ‘ the tongu s of men and of angels , and have not charity, I am
’ become as sounding brass , or a tinkling cymbal .
L E E MARY A . IV RM O R , reformer and lecturer for the
: advancement of women , and temperance I was reared in a family where my father insisted that each of his children should read the B ible through once a
' year, and from the age of seven years , to that of twenty
’ o three , I read the B ible thr ugh , under my father s system
iz tio n . e a t a , yearly It gav me such familiarity with the good 1 8 8 FAVORI TE T E XTS
x ‘ t Tli e fa mil book that I am s ill called in my home , y con co rda n f ce . It would be di ficult for me to single out any one text from the B ibl e ' a s my favorite where there are so many
, co n in ll that I am t u a ygquoting . But th e one I rej oice in ex ce e din l r f g y is the thi teenth chapte r o First Corinthians .
A E E : P UL LAUR N C DUN BAR , author and poet My
“ F l rin h i n s favorite chapter is the thirteenth of irst C o t a , and my favorite text the o pening words
E E in J . H N RY THAY R , professor of criticism and te r re ta tion N e w p of Testament , Divinity School Harvard , and author : O n e hesita tes to pronounce any text or chapter his
’ o favorite . S much depends on one s varying moods , and all
is so sacred . B ut whoever commits to memory , and keeps i ‘ h re 1 3 t t e , I Corinthians , will in my j udgment do much to
o bring himself int sympathy and likeness to him who is love .
P = n 1 888 T . . MARS H , president of M ount U ion College , “ 1 898 : Among so many choic e gems it is difficult to have a
— m preference . If I have any y mind and heart linger most in
First Corinthians , thirteenth chapter, the most brilliant dia mond of all .
E E E JAM S LO N GSTR T, commissioner of railroads ,
'
th e C o nfe de ra te . and prominent in army, and Soloman J
H omer , national secretary of the Choctaw nation , both ex 1 3 r press their preference for I Corinthians . Kuno F ancke ,
e a t professor of German literatur Harvard , gave the same “ : a expression, adding No ch pter in the Bible is to me a deeper and more constant source of j oy and comfort .
RI CHARD J . GATLI N G, inventor of the revolving gun
a ~ known as th e Gatling gun , and also inventor of valuable g ricu ltu ra l machinery :
1 90 FAVORI TE TE XTS
i h hortations to recant . When the sermon wa s fin s ed th e
a e fe w condemned men begged le v to say a words , and were refused e xcept o n th e condition tha t they recant . Ridley
‘ “ said, S o long as th e breath is in my body I will never deny
’ ’ my Lord C hrist and his known truth . Go d s will be done
in me .
E th e wa s o rth u m B I S H O P RI D L Y , martyr, born in N
1 o f berland about the year 500. H e acquired the rudiments a
- - liberal education at N ewcastle o u Tyne . He then went to
e fo r Cambridge University , forming a lov her which lasted his
‘ life long . H e grew in mind and hea rt so gently and con
’ tinu a lly that no period can be assigned for his spiritual
a V awakening . H e w s an able , irtuous , zealous champion of h truth , as t e truth dawned upon his mind . When a student , taking his pleasure walks in the garden of Pembroke Col d ’ ’ lege , he learne by heart first Paul s epistles , then the whole
N e w . Testament, in the original Greek When confronting
’
‘ d h e - b eath took j oy from this , saying that it had been to is
o advantage his life through , and if a g odly part had vanished r from his recollection , he still trusted he should car y its
fragrance up to heaven with him .
E E E d re H N RY G O RG , author and one of the lea ing
a n d e e th ‘ n in e te n h formers fri nds of the mass s of e e t century ,
: in an interview with Cardinal Manning, said to him I loved
to the people, and that love brought me Christ as their b e st
friend and teacher . The Cardinal replied, A nd I lov e d
C e d hrist, and so learned to lov the people for whom he i e d .
— I CO RI NTH IAN S Continued . E CHARLE S MAJO R ( dwin Caskoden) , author of When Knighthood was in Flower The text of scripture — ‘ which has most seriously affected my life F or n ow we se e O F O E O E FAM US P PL . 91 through a glass darkly ; but then face to face : (First Corinthians W M m
E a d KI RK MUN R O , author of numerous stories of
: venture , and editor of E minent Men of Our Time , quoted
Faith , hope , and charity, but the greatest of these is charity . (First Corinthians
“ l When making a . visit to Spurgeon , we are to d that
Ruskin said, Mr Spurgeon , Paul was no gentleman . Oh , ? ” said the pastor , why so Well, he calls the man who ff ‘ di ers from him a fool . H e says , Thou fool , that which di thou sowest is not quickened except it e. N o w as a matter of fact Paul wa s ignora nt of the process of the reproduction i of the gra n . That which is sown does not die ; if it did it ” “ a E Mr would bide alone . xcuse me , . Ruskin , said Spur h ’ geon , it is you w o are ignorant and not Paul , for you don t th e r e i know what t u defin tion of death is ; let me tell you . Death is the resolution of any compound body into its original elements . A grain of wheat i s compound ; when it is pu t into the ground it is resolved by the chemical action of the
soil into its original elements , and that is its death ; and out
of the central germ of life is then produced the blade , the e a r and full corn on the ear ; and if it did not die so it would
’ ” s l i abide alo ne . The a po t e s right after all . And John Ruskin
courteously acknowledged himself corrected . (First Corin thia n s
E E E E H N RY WARD B CH R , distinguished American
clergyman , for many years pastor of Plymouth Congrega “
Y . tio na l . : Church , B rooklyn , N , when dying , said Now
comes the mystery . (First Corinthians 1 92 FAVORI TE TE XTS
E i t MA Y WRI GHT S WA LL , president of the n erna
i n l t o a Council of Women , the motto of which is D o unto
: others as ye would that others should do unto you , says
There are two scripture texts tha t are present to my con
' ‘ s io u sn ss n a me l : ff c e , y The Lord maketh the stars to di er one
’ from another in glory , but each star has its own glory . (I
‘ Corinthians We are all members of one body . No member can suffer that the whole body does not suffer with
an it , neither can y member be honored that the whole body
’ doth not rejoice with it . I think these two are more vital
in my life than any others .
A . J . GO RD O N , noted B aptist preacher and spiritual
apostle , author of a number of books , H ow Christ Came to
Church and writer of several hymns , My Jesus I love thee ,
: ! etc . Victory was the answer that he made to the physician ,
who asked him ho w he was j ust before his death . H e fol
o f but lowed the prayer his wife , sentence by sentence , when ed he tri to pray for himself he expired . (I C orinthians
a e Pla v cl At fifteen years of g a lad heard John , the Puri " h I f tan , preac from the text, any man love not the Lord Jesus
Christ, let him be anathema maranatha . (I Corinthians
The sermon seemed to make no impression . A
’ soldier in Cromwell s army and present at the execu tion of ' C h a rl e s I , the young man cared nothing for religion , and wh e n ‘ h e emigrated to America lived a whole life —time in utter
neglect of its claims . At length when one hundred years of
h e wa s age working on his farm at Middlesboro , when sud de n ly the word t o which he had listened eighty -fi ve years be
, fore flashed o n his mind . H e saw once more the preacher
rising to pronounce the benediction , he heard his tones as he
exclaimed : H ow shall I bless this whole assembly, when
1 94 FAVORI TE TE XTS
h for o h m Christ, that, thoug he wa s rich , yet y ur sakes e b e ca e
poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich
‘ E M c L URE e of e F JAM S G . K . C , presid nt Lak o r e st “ University : The verse of th e B ibl e through which light
’ came to me so that I realized God s will ingness to receive
o e o f me , even th ugh I lacked such a sens sin and such a
1 strength of faith as I thought necessary, 5 I I C o rinthians
‘ 8 : 1 2: be a c For if there first a willing mind , it is accepted
‘ o cording to that a man hath , and not a ccording t that he
hath not .
E o AN D R W MURRAY , author f With Christ in the
School of Prayer, and many similar books , leading divine of
z th e South Africa , and recogni ed spiritual authority world over : God is a ble
to make all grace abound toward yo u ;
a th t ye , always having all sufficiency
in all things , W may abound to every good , ork ,
(I I Corinthians 9:
H e adds : God enabl e us by his Holy S pirit believe
and prove it true .
H A V E ME YE R ' J . C . , railroad director and capitalist
A text which has been much . before my mind of late is
John Th e assuranc e that the Master gave that our heart need be troubled by nothing in our circumstances nor
ha s that may befall us , greatly comforted and encouraged me .
Another text is I I C orinthians Th e e xtent o f th e OF O E O E FAM US P PL . 1 95 promise or assurance of this passage gives me the feeling a that there is before me a perfect Niagar of divine love , com
passion and interest .
’ E - PE PL O E H . W . W B B , vicar of St . Paul s , Onslow ,
’ : and prebendary St . Paul s Cathedral , London A very large
number of texts have been , in my lifetime , of special service
to me , through the goodness of God ; but that if I have to choose one out of the whole book which has been of special
help to me , I should mention the words in I I Corinthians ‘ f ’ My grace is su ficient for thee , which were made by
’ ‘ God s me rcy at a time of special -trial a blessing of re m a rk a bl
- force to my soul . It is now twenty six years since this mes
a s sage w given to me . It had pleased God to remove my youngest child under
circumstances of peculiar trial and pain , and I had j ust laid ’ h my little one s body in the churc yard when , on returning
home , I felt it my duty to preach to my p eople on the mean
an d ing of trial , finding that this text was in the lesson for the
’ following Sunday, I chose it as my Master s message to them
and myself ; but , on trying to prepare my notes , I found that in honesty I could not say that the words were true and
‘ therefor e knelt down and earnestly asked God to Let his f ’ grace be su ficient for me , and while I was thus pleading I
e opened my eyes and saw a fram d illuminated text , which h my mother had given me only a few days before , and whic I had told my servant to place upon the wall during my absence at the holiday resort where my little one was taken
‘ away from us : I did not notice the words on returning to
my house , but as I looked up and wiped my eyes , the words ‘ f 9 ‘ ’ met my gaze , My grace is su ficient for thee . The is was
‘ ’ ‘ ’ th e picked out in bright green , while the my and thee were
I o h e painted in a noth e r col or . n ne m oment t message came 1 96 FAVORI TE TE XTS
fo r ff straight to my soul , as a rebuke o ering such a prayer
‘ as L ord let thy grace be sufficient for me : for the answer
’ ‘ was almost as an audible voice , You fool , how dare you ask for that which is ? God cannot make it a n y more sufficient than he has made it : get up a n d believe it and you will find “ b : it true , ecause the Lord says it in the simplest way My
‘ f grace is (not sh a ll be or may be) su ficient for thee .
‘ ’ ‘ ’ ‘ ’ My, is , and thee were from that moment , I hope , indelibly fixed upon my heart ; and I (thank God) ha ve been trying to live in the reality of the message from that day m forward to the present ti e . The lesson that came to me ,
’ s and which I seek to convey to others , is , N ever turn God
facts into hopes or prayers , but simply use them as realities and you will find them powerful as you believe them .
H E E E C ARL S R AD the novelist, author o f The
o e r Wo ffi n to n Cl ister and the H a th , Peg g , Put Yourself in “ ° z H is Place , etc . , when dying said Ama ing, amazing glory ! ’ r I am having Paul s unde rstanding . H e eferred to I I Corin th ia n s 1 2 : which had previously been the subj ect of a
conversation with a friend . H e wrote his own epitaph :
e lie th e be l o v e d frie n d H er by side of his , the mortal
a n remains of Charles Re de , dramatist, novelist a d j ournalist .
His last words to mankind are on this stone . H e then gives
his hopes for resurrection , future happiness and holiness and
6 : 37 bespeaks intercession of God , quoting at the last, John and I John It is believed that no such logical a n d scriptural argument for eternal life and future ha ppiness and
acceptance has ever been presented on a tomb .
J O NATHAN E DWARD S gave a very thrilling accoun t
1 98 FAVORI TE TE XTS
CHAPTE R XVI I I .
GAL A AN S H E AL A TI T O T S S O N I N S .
' a n d missio n a r C O LUM BAN , Irish saint y, after visiting E d nglan , went to Gaul and founded a monastery at Luxeuil ; m h . t e cote porary of St Patrick, would often go , away into h woods , taking his B ible , reading and meditating as e walked ,
“ or as he sat against the trunk of a tr e e . On Sundays and
holidays he would seek a cavern, or some lonely place , and
give himself to prayer and meditation on divine things . His
bu t faith and religion were not based on human inventions ,
‘ the word of H oly Scripture . Thence he got the food of his
‘ inner life , and formed the image of Christ within him . This
direct intercourse with the Lord , the head of the church and
e e - life of b lievers , was his especial charact ristic . Self forget t ’ fulness , humble resignation , and obedience o God s will l constitute d the ife of his soul . H e treads earth beneath
’ h o . him , said Columban , w conquers himself N o one dies
e t to the world unless Christ lives in him . Liv in Chris , and
Ch rist lives in thee . We must take heaven by violence , beset
not only by our enemies , but most of all by ourselves . If
s . thou hast conquered self, thou ha t conquered everything
(Galatians 2 :
KE E DWI N P . PAR R , writer and composer of several
a n d : hymns and tunes , compiler of two or three hymnals
for The one sentence which I like best, as remarkable its
simplicity, as for its comprehensiveness and fullness , is found
’ in the twent ieth verse of the second chapter of St . Paul s
‘ epistle to the Galatians : Who loved me , and gave himself OF O E O E 1 99 FAM US P PL .
9 for me . My favorite chapter is the thirteenth of I Corin
’ thia ns , St . Paul s incomparable hymn of love .
GE O . F . PE NTE CO ST made successful evangelistic tour in Scotland and went on special mission to the E nglish
speaking B rahmins , author of ten volumes of B ible studies ,
o : and many other bo ks My favorite texts are many, cover
ing many phases of spiritual need and supply . Just now I am rej oicing in E phesians
E : H NRY C . SM ITH , United States Representative
There a re so many texts that I often quote that it is hard
to choose , but I think the one that I regard the strongest is : ‘ ‘ ’ Whatsoever a man soweth , that shall he also reap . (Gala
‘ tians I also much admire : Judge not that ye be not
’ ‘ j udged and N o man can serve two masters ye
’ ‘ cannot serve God and mammon and O we no man any
thing .
n : In his speech o Porto Rico , he said
Mr . Speaker, I believe with the great Bismarck that
this world is not ruled from below . I believe with him that there is a God of nations and a God of battles that points the
victory for the right . I believe that we can trace the finger
th e o u r of God in the rise and fall of nations . At birth of Saviour the commercial center of the world was in the distant
E ast . Then it passed on to B abylon and Nineveh , and then E on to Carthage , and then to Rome , and on to ngland . And I believe that that great pendulum is now swinging over the
‘ 9 ” United Sta tes . Westward the star of empire takes its way .
E PH E SIANS .
‘ X to c. A . D I O N , the Baptist divine , in addition giving
: his favorite texts , says
There a re two expressions in scriptu re I prize very 200 FAVORI TE TE XTS
i ‘ ’ . : The h E h ghly One is ric es of his grace . ( phesians
flow These riches to us through Christ on the cross , and no
‘ o n e wh o m has the can be poor . The other expression is : The
7 riches of his glory . (Romans 9: And these riches come h to us through C rist on the throne , and all who will have
a re them abundantly rich . If the manna God pre pares satisfies the soul wh y go back to E gypt for a single ” , meal ?
GE E O . . E D MACALPI N , nglish delegate to the E cu me n ica l e 1 900 N e w m Conf rence , , York , says that he has any “ E 2: 1 0 favorite texts , but gives as an example , phesians , the
’ Christian s pledge of divine guidance , and the simple plan
’ of a good man s life .
E M A B E h h CHARL S C . c C , bis op of t e Methodist
E Mc e piscopal Church , and familiarly known as Chaplain C a b , chaplai n in the Civil wa r and wa s capture d and put in Libby prison four months : Two favorite chapters with me are 2 E phesians 2 and Philippians .
' The greatest of modern hymns h a d its spiritual birthplace
' th e 1 756 a in a barn . About year , bright lad of sixteen , the
wa s son of Maj or Toplady, taken by his widowed mother to
visit some relatives in Ireland . During this visit at the ham
o d ma in let of C y , an earnest layman was holding evangelistic services in a barn for the benefit of the surrounding peas
a n tr . y The young lad , Augustus M ontague Toplady , was
’ attracted to the place by curiosity . The homespun preacher s
o ff text was that day, Ye who sometimes were far are made E nigh by the blood of Christ . ( phesians Up to
‘ that time the boy had been a stranger to the great salvation ,
202 FAVORI TE TE XTS
‘ ' u h - - - e o . t a t e l E hav y act See y walk cir cum spect y. ( ph e S ians 5 :
It is supposed th at th e Bibl e wa s fi rst used in nati o nal pageantry at the co ro nati o n o f you ng E dward VI . Wh e n
o e o e s h o n three sw rds wer br ught, writ Stryp e , t e hist ria ,
o f o f e e signs his being king thr kingdoms , he said there wa s o n e A n wanting . d when the n obles about him asked
‘ ’ wa s h e e th e o a what that , answ re d e Bibl . That bo k, dded
‘ f h n e he , is the sword o t e spirit , a d to b pre ferred befo re these ’ h . e swords And whe n t pious young king had said this , he
C ommanded the Bibl e with th e greatest reverenc e to be ’ E brought and carried before him . ( phesians
PH I LI PPIANS .
. E f A W . PITZ R, pasto r o C entral Pre sbyterian C hurch ,
h o z 8 of Was ingt n , which h e o rgani ed in 1 86 , a fter a year
v o e f o o e angelistic w rk, conne cte d with a numb r o the l gical
s o o f a o f o o : o o institution , and auth r number b ks My m tt
text for forty ye ars has b e en Ph ilippians 1 : 21 .
C A I wh o wa s d in th e J O HN LV N , it is said neede
o r e church of his day j ust as much a s Luther, Kno x We sl y , and has left as great a n impress o n th e histo ry o f Protestant
ff in ism as any other, n otwithstanding his great su erings his last days o ccupied himself with t he B ible and prayer . When
f h i Farel , in his eightieth ye ar, heard o s sickness , he wrote
’ : he would visit him . C alvin s reply wa s as follows Fare
- nd well , my best and most right hearted brother, a since God
is pleased that you should survive me in this world , live
o f wa s to th e mindful of our friendship , which , as it useful
th e r . I o church of God , f uit still awaits us in heaven w uld not have you fatigue yo urself on my a ccount . I draw my
f a m - I o e e r breath with di ficulty, and daily wa iting till alt g th OF O E O E FAM US P PL . 2 03
cease to breathe . It is enough that to Christ I live and die ; F to His people he is gain in life and death . arewell again , 1 not forgetting the brethren . (Philippians :
E E L FR D RI CK WI LLIAM , king of Prussia, son of “ I : Frederick . , his dying words were Herr Jesu , to thee I
live Herr Jesu , to thee I die ; in life and in death thou art
C HARL E S LAM B and some of his friends were talking in a j ocose way as to what they would do if some of the
’ world s greatest teachers and heroes were to enter the room , ” ? when one asked , What if Christ were to enter At once “ Lamb altered the tone of his voice and said , If Shakespeare
we a ll rise were to enter, would and greet him with the great
we est veneration, but if Christ were to enter, should all
2: 1 kneel . (Philippians 0,
h e ARCH B I SH O P WH ATE LY , shortly before died ,
: hearing Philippians 3 21 read , stopped the reader, remarking that our version did not do j ustice in this case to the sense
of the original , and that it should be , This body of our “ humiliation ; adding, Nothing that he made is vile .
E E t E . . CH IV RS , general secretary of the B ap ist Young
’ : People s Union of America , and editor of the B aptist Union “ 4: 6 7 : Philippians , It was tested and tried in a dark hour, when the promise of life was overcast . It contains a philo
sophy of the Christian life which , if wrought out in practice , i would admit one nto the secret of peace . Rev . P . S . H enson ,
‘
D . : D . , once put its teachings tersely in the sentences The
’ bane o f the world is care : the cure of care is prayer ; the
end of prayer is peace .
E -in - ALB RT D . S HAW, commander chief of the Grand 204 FAVORI TE TE XTS
Army of the Republic for s e veral years previous to 1 900
“ ‘ e Philippians I have learned , in whatso ver state I
3 ”
. am , therewith to be content
The first ruler of E ngland who was really worthy to follow E lizabeth in th e true succession— Oliver Cromwell h when e himself stricken with fatal illness , heart broken at
the death of his favorite daughter, Mrs . Claypole , listened
’ “ ' to Paul s great assurance , I can do all things through Christ
‘ i s r n h e n e th own wh ch t e gt me , and put his hand and seal to it
with the words , This scripture did once save my life ; when
e in my eldest son di d , which went as a dagger to my heart ;
it 4: deed did . (Philippians
E ARTHUR T . PI RS O N , editor Missionary Review of the World :
“ ‘ In a n swer I think it wise j ust to send the enclosed bank
’ - note . (The note is similar to a regular bank note , having
‘ n e graved on it , My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Ch rist H e has given away f upwards o fifty thousand of these to missionaries , Christian
' ’ rk e rs n i h n wo a d othe rs . Mr . Spurgeon died w t o e on the
4: shelf before him . (Philippians
E CYRUS D . F O S S , bishop Methodist piscopal Church
S e 1 880 i s 4: 1 9. inc , quotes as his favor te , Philippian
‘ E E E FR D RI CK W LLI N GTO N (Wallis) , bishop of
N e w e 4: 9 Wellington , Zealand, wrot that Philippians has proved its truth during many years .
E E CHARL S G O RGE GO RD O N , better known as
Chinese Gordon , and finally as hero and martyr of Khar
a E s toum , w s once stationed at Gravesend, ngland , and a s
2 06 FAVORI TE TE XTS
CHAPTE R X IX .
T E L I II H S S A O N IA N S To RE VE L ATI O N S .
‘ 1 873 a Mn il h In at the earthquake t a a , in t e Philippine E Islands , the cathedral fell upon a crowded congregation . s
cape was impossible , and the walls and arches had fallen in ward in such a wa y that they mutually supported each other
for some little time, before the whole cathedral collapsed .
Powerless to aid, the crowd outside could yet hear what was
going on within . They heard the words , B lessed are the o dead which die in the Lord , and shortly afterward ab ve the
o f groans and wails pain , the same voice arose , reciting the
4: 1 6 sixteenth verse of this chapter, (I Thessalonians ) The Lord himself shall descend from H eaven and the
‘ t e ead in Chris shall ris first, and then the crumbling mass
crushed down upon the doomed assembly .
JULIA WARD H OWE ’ S magnificent B attle Hymn of th h e Republic , written at the outbreak of t e Civil War, is full ff i of scripture thought from di erent books of the , B ble , but .
the theme in the first line and in fact throughout the song ,
h 2 : 8 is the coming of t e Lord , and I I Thessalonians is more in spirit with the thought than any of the other texts on this
: subj ect . The first vers e is
Mine eyes hav e seen the glory of the coming of the Lord ; H e is trampling out th e vintage where the grapes o f wrath are stored ;
'
H e hath loosed th e. fateful lightning of his terrible swift
swo
n His tru th is marching o . F E E O FAM OUS P OPL . 2 07
The last vers e is
‘ s In the beauty of the lilies Christ wa born across the sea , With a glory in his bosom that tra n sfi gu re s you and me ? h e As died to make men holy, let us die to make men free ,
Whil e God is marching on .
’ o f B a John Habberton , author Helen s bies , says
old The air has a wonderful influence over me . I heard it in Western camp meetings and negro cabins when I was a
- boy . I sa w the twenty second Massachusetts march down B roadway singing the same air during a rush to the front during th e early days of the wa r ; I have heard it sung by warrior tongue s in nearly every Southern state ; my old bri n gade sa g it s oftly, but with a swing that was terrible in its
be earnestness, as they lay behind their stacks of arms j ust fore going into action ; I hav e heard it played over the grave
o f many a de ad co mrade ; th e semi - mutinous— the cavalry be came peaceful and patriotic again as their bandmaste r played t e a h old air, after having asked permission to try his h nd on them ; it is th e tune - that burst forth spontaneously in our barracks on that glorious morning when we learned that the
' r wa wa s over, and it wa s sung with words adapted to the
Occasion by s ome good rebel friends of mine on ou r first
( r - social meeting afte r the wa . Hymns that have helped .
J O H N G . B RAD Y, Governor of Alaska, has had a career
' H nr M . wa s somewhat similar to e y . Stanley H e a homeless
wa s o rphaned waif in N e w York city, and taken west with a
o th e o f car load of children , and wa s adopted int family Judge
H wa s be Green in a small town in Indiana . e educated and
came a missionary to Alaska, then a teacher and later gover nor °
O ne of my favorite texts , for practical life , is found in
‘ I we e ou we com I Thessal o nians 3 : 1 0, When wer with y , this
u a n o not o t s u h e ma nde d yo , tha t if y w uld w rk, nei her ho ld 208 FAVORI TE TE XTS
‘ My own translation of the Greek imperative is , D o not
’ ” let him eat . The curative text for hobos .
I AND I I TI M OTH Y .
R so H OWA D O S GO O D , profes r of H ebrew Crozer The o o e m e logical and Rochester The logical S minaries , and me b r of th e American Committee for the revision of the Old Testa ment °
‘ O ne o f my beloved texts is Faithful is the saying a nd
e th e worthy of all acceptation , that Christ J sus came into
’ 1 : 1 5 world to save sinners , of whom I am chief . I Timothy .
I most fully believe in committing parts of the Bible to heart — and while I have striven to do that— I have for forty years urged upon all my students (for the ministry) that they b should make it their chief business to ecome , by reading over e E and ov r, and over and over , the whole B ible in nglish , and
n s to commit large parts of it to memory . I f one begi s lowly
d and accurately , say a verse a day , a year woul fasten in his E mind forever the epistle s to the Galatians and phesians . If men really were familiar with the words of the N e w Testament we should he ar less of the difficulties with the Old— o r both together must be rej ected .
th e H . CLAY TRUM BU LL , editor of Sunday School
o n f S u n da Times , and probably the greatest authority y School
matters in the United States , chaplain in the Civil War , and author of a number of B iblical and Sunday School books ;
does not agree with the statement in the request, that the committing to memory of Bible texts wa s disappearing . H e says : I do not accept the statement as in accordance with
a n a I o the s e t t me n the facts , y more th n w uld tat men tha
2 1 0 FAVORI TE TE XTS
E E WI LLIAM B LAK LARK , president of nglish B ible Christian Conferences and frequent contributor tOdenomina tio n a l magazines : “ 1 2— I I Timothy , chapters and Read by me every Sat
rd u a y evening in preparation of the heart for Sunday truth ,
’ during the first twenty years of my ministry .
' E lC O K J O S PH O , in addition to giving the text which “ was the means of his determining to do his duty, gave the follow' ing'from the margin of the revised version of I I Tim o thy 1 : 6 : i Stir into fl a me the g ft of God which is in thee .
E E S . H . CH ST R , Secretary Foreign Missions Southern
Presbyterian Church :
“ ‘ The text I hope to have in mind when I die is : I know
a ‘ whom I have believed , and am persu ded that he is able to
' m e i keep that which I have committed ( y d po s t) unto Him .’
Q U‘E E N E LI ZAB E TH Opened the prisons on her co m to ing the crown , and someone piously told her that there
- e were still some good men left in prison , and desired that th y also might partake of her princely favor— meaning the four E vangelists , and Paul , who had been forbidden to walk abroad in the E nglish tongue, whilst her sister swayed the h scep,tre . To this s e replied that they should be asked whether - they were willing to have their liberty ; which being
the case they were liberated , and have ever since spoken to I I Tim us in our own tongue , both in public and private . ( o thy 2 :
‘ ’ D R . CHALM E RS was once in company at a nobleman s
place with a Highland chief . The chief was much interested ’ Th h in the doctor s brilliant conversation . e two were s own
into adj oining rooms to sleep . While preparing for bed , the OF O E E FAM US P OPL . 2 1 1
o e chief was prostrated by apoplexy , and so n di d . This e vent called forth the following to thos e who had gathered round “ : the corpse Never in my life did I see , or did I feel , before
‘ e a this moment , the meaning of that t xt , Pre ch the word ; be
’ ‘
n e a . i stant in season , and out of s son Had I known that my v e nerable O ld friend was within a few minutes of eternity I would have addressed myself earnestly to him ; I would have
preached unto him and to you , Christ Jesus , and him cruci
fi e d ; I would have urged him and you , with all the earnestness
e b fitting the subj ect , to prepare for eternity . You would have
thought it, and you would have pronounced it, out of season ;
! o but, ah it w uld have been in season , both as it respected him a n d as it respects you . (I I Timothy
I B B UD o f H . B . G , evangelist and author of a number ff e ective short stories , Sermonizing Sophie , etc
‘ ’
It is finished , John These words with all they
imply mean as much to me as any text . For my work text I
' ‘ like , Preach the word ; be instant in season , out of season . (I I Timothy
E E - D MUND RI C , colonel Twenty sixth infantry, U . S . 1 V . 900 , in the Philippines , , and prominent in military circles
from the time of the Civil war , in which he received a medal
’ for bravery ; commander of Columbian Guards at the World s " F a ii
Many and beautiful are the texts that might be quoted , but the one that has inspiration and completeness and that
‘ appeals most strongly is from I I Timothy 4: 7— I have fought
’ e a good fight , I have finished my course , I hav kept the faith . H e may be counted happy of whom that may at the end be
E E B I SH O P B D LL , translator of the B ook of Commo n
Prayer from E nglish into Italian , and under whose direction 2 1 2 FAVORI TE TE XTS
' the Old Testament was translated into Irish , Bishop of Kill “ m 1 570- 1 642 : ore and Ardagh , ; when he came to die , said I have finished my ministry and my life together ; I have kept
- ‘ the faith , and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which
’ I have committed unto him against that day . (I I Tim o thy
J OH N CHARLTO N , member of the Canadian H ouse 1 872 of Commons since , taking a leading part in legislation re garding mo rals :
I think u po n ' th e whole that my favorite chapter is the
second of Timothy, fourth chapter , and my favorite text the m seventh and eighth verses . I am led to this choice from y
a deep admiration of the char cter of St . Paul , the great mis sio n a r y to the Gentile s , whose activity, energy , courage , intel lectual attainments and devotion challenge my deepest admira
tion I reflect upon his career , voluntarily abandoning a high
1 pos tion among his people , and accepting all the trials and
' da n e rs th a t g encountered him in his career , which he briefly
relates in I I Corinthians eleventh chapter . I think of him in
Rome at his second imprisonment, when the Christians were
proscribed , and Nero had decided to stamp out Christianity
in the torture and blood of his victims , and arraigned before L Nero when the ord stood with him and strengthened him ,
‘ that by him the preaching of the gospel might be fully known
and that all Gentiles might hear, when he was delivered out of
h ra e r . th e c a ct the mouth of the lion I speculate upon t of the
o speech then delivered , and hunger for s me intimation of its
marvelous eloquence and power . I think of him in the lonely c dank dungeon , so cold as to make him long for the old loak he left at Troas ; so little to employ his mind as to make him think with longing of the books and parchments that were left
wa s behind . I think of his consciousness that the end near,
f a nd e su n a nd o his a bility, a mid all his squalid miserabl rrou d
21 4. FAVORI TE TE XTS
C . n AS PAR W H IATT , prominent Congregatio al cl e rgy man The whole Bibl e is dear t o me and it would be difficu lt th to select one golden text as the most helpful of all , since moods of life are many and there is a word j ust fitted to e very mood . Perhaps it would be safe to say that I have de rived great encouragement under ma ny trials fromthe saying
first delivered to Joshua and afterwards reiterated by the ' i V iz fa l th e e n o r o e . writer of H ebrews , I will never , f rsak ’ the thee . Thishas been a sort of scriptural vade mecum in
1 3 : 5 fifteen years of my pastoral service . (H ebrews ; Joshua
E - a J O H N WANAMAK R , ex postmaster gener l , mer chant and Sunday School superintendent :
One of my favorite texts is : He is a re
’ H im 1 1 : warder of them that diligently seek . (Hebrews
E LWO O D FURNAS pre sident of the National Farm
’ ers Alliance : “ The chapters I love most are the tenth and twelfth chap
ters of H ebrews .
PH I LLI PS B RO O KS ’ charm exerted over children was
e l h w l brought out t e saying of a little girl of five , who was always delighted when she happened to meet the young
hearted bish o p out for a walk . H e had a word and a smile
a e . for her , and bec m her companion without seeming to stoop
The day the bishop died her mother came into th e “ ro o m
where the child was playing , and , holding the bright little
: face between her hands , said tearfully Bishop B rooks has
’ 1 “ “ th e gone to heaven . Oh , mamma , was reply how happy ” , e 1 : 1 4 the angels will be ! (H brews , E O E OF FAM OUS P PL . 2 1 5
E E D R . A . S CH R I B R , prominent in German missionary interests and delegate to the E cumenical Conference of Mis
N e w 1 900: sions York,
I have a great number o f texts that are very de ar to m e ;
C 1 8 1 4 1 5 e for instance , I orinthians , John and , H ebr ws 2 1 : 1 3 e . , , but I cannot write th m down all Let me write only
’ a e t o one , that is peculiarly import nt and d ar me , but I ll do it
‘ 1 8 : 1 4 e in German , H ebrews D enn wir haben hier k ine
3 ” a die z u k u n fti e bleibende St tte , sondern g suchen wir .
E JAM S .
E E E m n . r co m JAM S A GR R , rear admi al U . S . Navy, a
’ der of a division of Admiral Porter s squadron at passage of
Vicksburg batteries :
ma n be Wherefore , my beloved brethren , let every , swift
to . 1 : to hear, slow to speak , slow wrath (James
E D KI N . Q O L . , j ournalist , and for many years editor of
' ' the New Y ork E vening Post : “ a n d u n de fi le d Pure religion before God and the . Father
‘ is this : To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction
’ and to ke e p himself unspotted from the world . (J
B R ON S O N H OWARD , author of a number of plays and dramatic critic :
‘ ’ James 27— This was also my father s and grand
’ father s favorite text ; handed down to me as a rule of life
e e t o from them . I do not profess to hav liv d up it ; but it is i well to have an deal .
E TE I AND I I P R .
ROWLAND H I LL , popular , pious , but eccentric “ 1 745- 1 833 : preacher , , said when dying Christ also hath once 21 6 F AVORI TE TE XTS
ff e " su er d for sins , the j ust for the unjust, that he might bring
u d s unto Go . (I Peter
E E E o MAX P M B RTO N , nglish n velist, autho r of a
dozen well - known stories of merit and some time edito r o f Cassell ’ s Magazine
‘ ou e o f Who is he that will harm y , if y be followers that
’ which is good ? (I Peter 3 : It wa s impressed upon my
mind by a sermon I hea rd preached by Canon Knox Little
when I wa s seven years old .
e h o J . GO RD O N GRAY gav t e f llowing touching inci dent : I I Peter — ‘For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our
’ Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ . This has been one of my
favorite texts ever since I sa w it reali z ed in the departure of
"
a sister, who had been naturally reticent as to her spiritual
e ce exp rien , but had been adding to her faith virtue , and to
virtue knowledge , etc . , as the choir master prepares his chor
i rs ste for some great occasion , and as a matter of course , the abundant entranc e wa s ministered untoher into th e ever
ff n lasting kingdom without any e ort o her part .
I , I I AN D I I I J O HN .
t e GE N . O . O . H OWARD , United S ates Army (r tired) ,
o f chevalier of the Fr e nch Legion of H onor, and author sev eral books : “ m - r Oh , yes , my favorite Psal is the twenty thi d, King
James version . Once when delivered in a wonderful manner 0 from a heavy burden , I looked up and saw on the tent pole
‘ ’ : my army tablet , beginning The Lord is my shepherd , etc . ,
‘ ’ ’ ‘ ? and I said , Sure enough , why didn t I think of it My favorite passage is ‘The blood of Jesus Christ His
2 1 8 FAVORI TE TE XTS
th He that doeth e will of God abideth forever . (I John 2 : 1 7 .
It was the words of the Apo stl e John (I John 2 : 1 ) that
a steadied the soul of Sir Walter R leigh when , after wild and
e e stormy xperiences , his days of pilgrimage dr w to a close , and in the immediate prospect of the scaffold he could look beyond to the final court of decision :
’ For there is Christ , the Kings attorney , o Who pleads for all with ut degrees ,
And he hath angels , but no fees . And when the grand twelve - million j ury
. h u O f our sins wit diref l fury , ’ u Gainst our so ls black verdicts give ,
’
a . Christ pleads his de th , and then we live
E N : d T N N YS O , in one of his letters , says I am house
’ “ a . a t Mr Wildm n s , an old friend of mine in these parts . H e
W a re and his ife two perfectly honest Methodists . When I
‘ d: came I asked her after news , and she replie Why , Mr . o Tennyson , there is only one piece of news that I kn w . that
’ ‘ : Christ died for all men . And I said to her This is old news ,
’ ' n e and good news , and w news ; whereat the old woman
seemed satisfied . I was half yesterday reading anecdotes of s Methodist mini ters , and liking them , too ; and of the teach
— ing of Christ the purest light of God . (I John
His son and biographer says of him : That my father
was a student of the Bible , those who have read his In Me H o moriam know . e also read all notable w rks within his
' H e h o e d reach r e lating to the Bible . p that the Bible would
be more and more studied by all ranks of people , and ex
pounded simply by their teachers . A favorite expression of
his was : Th e love of God is the true basis of duty, truth ,
. reverence , loyalty, love , virtue and work On the occasion OF O S E O L E FAM U P P . 2 1 9 of the Lord 5 Supper being administered to him a few months
: before he died , he quoted his own words
It is but a communion , not a mass
— No sacrifice , but a love giving feast .
E E RI CHARD H NRY SAVA G , senior maj or U . S . V : , E E ngineer B rigade , war with Spain , three years in the gyp
: tian army , and author of a number of books
E : The First pistle of John , chapter five , verse twelve
‘ a h e H e th t hath the Son , hath life ; and that hath not the
’
Son of God , hath not life .
E W . CAL D O N IA (Right Rev . William Ridley) , bishop
1 87 mi ssm n r of Caledonia since 9, a y of the Church Missionary
Society , etc . : I John latter clause— E ver since the moment I
o n thought my last hour had come , when in great peril the 1 banks of the Indus in 866.
E E R OB RT CO LLY R , Unitarian clergyman , learned
blacksmith trade , which he followed after coming to the C United States , pastor of hurch of Messiah , New York, and author : _ “ I God is love . ( Jo h n
LOUI S I X . , who accompanied his army when thirteen ,
and took the government at eighteen , presents a spectacle of piety in the middle a ges that is interesting : H e assembled his children every evening to teach them
the fear of God . He presented the promises and threaten d n ba . ings of God , a d related examples of good and rulers
Once , at such a time , he said to his oldest son Louis , who W died sooner than himself, I ould prefer that some Scotch man or other foreigner should take the people of this realm and rule well and lawfully than that thou shouldst ever rule 220 FAVORI TE TE XT S
' blamefully and badly . H e began a letter to his daughter Isa “ : bella, Queen of Navarre , with the following words My
beloved daughter, I beseech thee , love our Lord with all thy
might , for without it none can have anything good . N o r is
lov e a s h any so worthy of our , the Lord , to w om all his crea
‘ ” e a m tur s m y cry, Thou art y God , and ever doest good to me , who sent his Son into the world resigned to death in order
’ ‘ to save us from dying eternally . To love him , my daughter , he is to thine own advantage, and t measure of this love must H . e be to love him beyond measure e deserves our love , sinc
4: he first loved us . (I John
E L RE V A TI O N .
1 s 1 489 SAVO NAR O LA began on the t of August , , to give expositions of th e B ook of Revelation in the church o f
a th e the convent . H e w s well versed , in Old Testament
-l prophets , and devoted to the study of the future . H is lead
’ ing thought wa s God s church must b e regenerated ; but first
Italy must be sorely chastened by God ; both events must s o on
i T l o o k e d fo r wa s come to pass . h e church reform which he
* f e o re to be mo ral and religious . C hurch o fices wer t be
stored to th e primitive pattern . The poor were to have relief
’ from the church s superfluous riches . All must repent, and
Pro the whole community submit to th e rul e of the spirit .
h e s in o e . p y g of reformati n , he preached also repentanc
J O H N B UNYAN ’ S last words were said to have been
n e We shall meet e re long to sing the w song, and remain
5 : happy forever in a world without end . (Revelation
B O LTO N HALL , lawyer, lecturer and reformer “ h e I get the most out of t text, Revelation ’ They rest from their lab or and their works do follow them .
’ It is used as th e fore - word to George s Social Problems and first called my attention to the moral aspect of the land ques
2 2 2 FAVORI TE TE XTS
‘ ’ I 1 1 1 s W . u And say, Yes , that is so Let sing N o . 651 -
‘ ’ Though storms and waves go over my head . But another
‘ n o saint will say, Peter , you are in heaven w; you forget that ’ ‘ 53 ther e are no storms here . Well , I will try again . N o . 6
‘ ‘ ’ Into a world of ru ffi a n s sent Peter ! Peter ! some one will
‘ ‘ we u o u in a ro say, will put you out nless y stop giving out pp
’ ‘ ‘ ’ ria t A n d ? p e hymns . I will ask, What shall we sing And
‘ n e theywill say , Sing the w song, the song of Moses and the
’ Lamb . (Revelation 5 :
In the Public Gardens of B oston there stands a monument
- erected to commemorate the proving of th e an ae sthetic power al 84 of ether at the Massachusetts Gener H ospital , in 1 6. It consists of a granite shaft rising from a squar e basin and crowned with statues of the Good Samaritan and his suffer
in scrl tio n s ing protege . On the sides are four p , two speak of the work of ether in relieving human sufferings by causing insensibility to pain ; th e others have the following quotations from Scripture
— Neither shall there be any more pain . Revelation . d c This also cometh forth from the Lor of H osts , whi h
o in - is wonderful in c unsel and excellent working . Isaiah .
(Revelation I sai a h
E E f . E o G ORG C ST B B I N S , writer of music r hymns and Gospel songs :
“ And God shall wipe away a ll tears from their eyes ;
and there shall be no more death , neither sorrow , nor crying . neither shall there be any more pa in ; for the former things
have passed away . (Revelation E E 2 2 3 OF FAM OUS P OPL .
MA C KA I L HUGH , a youthful Scotch preacher , when
he saw some of his friends present at his martyrdom in tears ,
: said Weep not , but rather pray and thank God , who has
m e a sustained me , and who will not leave at this l st hour of my earthly pilgrimage ; for my trust and recompense is his
‘ promis e — I will give unto him that is athirst o f th e fountain
’ ‘ o f life freely ; I hear the call , The Spirit and the bride say ,
’ ! F o come I say to you , my friends , I go to my ather and y ur
Father , to my God and your God , to the holy ap ostles and
e . martyrs , to the city of the living God , to heavenly J rusalem
e I say to all , Farewell ; H e will be to you a bett r comforter m a . than I , and will refresh e better th n you are able Fare
- fi rst well , farewell in the Lord . H e sang the thirty Psalm on
ff 21 : his way to the sca old . (Revelation
There is an old story of som e monks who had read to
them by the Theologian , the B ook of Revelation . When
x
’ h ad h e a sk e d h is he gone through it , hearers which promises n “ they would choose above the rest . One a swered , I will take
‘ ’ this , God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes . Another
“ ‘ o said , This should be mine , To him that overc meth will I
’ grant to sit with me on my throne . And the third replied , “ ‘ ’ Th e . e I should choose , His servants shall serv him third
was Thomas A . Kempis , who afterwards wrote The Imitation
of Christ . (Revelation FA VORI TE TE XTS
CHAPTE R X X .
O N E H UN D RE D TE XTS A N D O N E H UN ‘ E D R D C HAPTE RS .
— th D ean Hart of Denver, the well known dignitary of e E h piscopal C urch , enclosed with his reply The on e hundred
i texts of the Society for Irish Church M ssmn s (Protestant) .
— The same list of texts wa s inclu ded in the reply o f Corinna
a e O o rfa r Sh ttuck, known as the heroin of , in charge of an o
h n a p a ge there .
‘ The D ean said in his letter : I enclose you the hundred texts ’ which are used by the Mildmay D eaconesses in Lon
don . The deacon e sses themselves learn them by heart, and m you a y hear literally hundreds of children , taught by them
h o in the slums of London , w can say the hundred texts with
h o out a mistake . He added that it is astonishing w the
“ committal of these texts prevents erratic propaganda .
The Irish lC h u rch Missions in publishing them gives the following information as to h ow they can be used to best advantage in Sunday Schools : Visitors to Irish Church Mission S chools a lmost in variably express their surprise and delight at the wonderful knowledge and intelligent use o f the w o rds of scripture shown by children attending the Missions Schools .
This is generally attributed to the use of the well - known
e a n a d One Hundred Texts , which hav proved so valuable
ju n ct to missionary work in Ireland , that they have been
frequently introduced into E nglish schools , and yet very
seldom indeed with success .
e h e u se Mis Thi s is, we b e lieve , du pa rtly to t general in
2 26 FAVORI TE : TE XTS
Ps 4— Answer, Yes ( . Class D oes God see secret sins ?
5— Answer, Yes (Gen . Class What authority do es St .
? Th — Paul appeal to Answer , e S cripture . C lass 1 What
have we come short of ? What is the m eaning of the Glory ” of God ? Who wa s made in the ima ge of God ? C lass 5
Wh o received the promise ? Class 2— What is the gift of
‘ Go d? Any Class— What do you pay for a gift ? Have you received the gift of God ? Class 3— Are young children sin
? 4— ? ners Class Whence do evil thoughts come And so o n . It will be seen that sometimes one ten contains two or even three texts on a subj ect on which another ten contains
n e I S i only o , but this not any hindrance to the exam nation where the subj ects are so closely connected .
At the close of the first quarter ea ch class will have learnt o ne ten intelligently; Duringthe second quarter let the tens
be transposed through the classes ; Class 1 learning the .
2 th e so . a second ten , Class third , and on In this w y, at the n end of the year, each child will have lear t at least forty texts
by heart , and will have become skillful in the use of the h h t e . Sw o rd of the Spirit, whic is Word of God
TH E FI RST TE N
4 2 5 6 3 : 23 . . : . 1 . . . Rom , I Tim , 1 1 1 5. : 3 2. John Luke . l 5 30 . 29 . 2 Ma tt . . , John 6 1 0 1 3 1 4 3 : 1 6 . : . 2 . . John Mark ,
' : t 4: 1 0 1 : 7 7 . . . 3 . I John . Ma t
TE TH E S E CO N D N .
5 4: 24 . John . 1 6. . 5 I I Tim 3 : . 7 E h 2: 8 9 1 0 . p . , , . 7 4: 1 2 . . 4. John Acts
7 . L u e 47 . 5. John k E E 2 OF FAM OUS P OPL . 2 7
TH TE N E TH I RD .
1 51 : 5 4 7 : 25 . Psalm . . Heb . . 1 3 : 3 5 1 6 : 1 3 . John . . John . 6 1 7 : 1 1 2 : 35 6 . . John . Acts .
2 h 2 : 1 7 8 : 1 E . . . p . Rom . . 1 8 1 : 3 7 . 3 . Luke . Luke TH TE E FOURTH N .
6 : 5 4 2 1 . : 1 2 . Gen . . I John , . : 1 0 5 1 1 7 9 . 1 21 . . . : Jer , I I Peter . 6 2 2 . . : 2 3 4 5 . I Tim I Pet . , , , . 2 6 7 . Isaiah . . John 5. 1 : 1 8 7 3 . I saiah . . I Cor . TH E FI FTH TE N 4 4 1 1 1 . : 5 H eb . 6.
5 E 2: 2 . h 1 . p . 8 1 5 6 2 . . . H eb . Matt . 1 5 3 9. 7 . 5 : I Pet . Isaiah 1 .
3 7 . el H eb . H b . TH E SI XTH TE N 1 5 1 5. n : 26 . Psalm Joh . 3 6 9 . . 2 . 1 . Acts I I Tim 7 . 8 : 2 7 2 3 . 4 . Rom . . Acts 3 . 7 1 9 . 6 : 45 : 8 . 3 . I John , John . 46 47 7 . 4. . 3 and Luke , Rev .
TH E E E TE N S V NTH . 5 2 1 4 . 1 : . 2 24 . I Cor . . Gal 3, . 4 1 6 . 2 3 . : 2. Matt . D eut . . 1 6 7 . 6 : 3 . . 6 2 and Rom . D eut . , 7 . 7 42 . 8 28 : . 4. John . Isaiah 27 7 4 E . . 5. zek . . I I Kings TH E E TE N I GHTH . ' 4 38 39 . 2 8 : . 5 26 1 . . . I Kings , Heb ,
20 5. 38 39 1 . Rom . . John , . 6 6 . 2. Jer . . I saiah 4: 1 1 4 3 . 2. John , John
r 21 7 1 n o . . 3 a d 4. I I C , A cts 2 , 228 FAVORI TE TE XTS
TH E N I NTH TE 1 Rbm 2 . . . 6. I Thess .
2 o 4: 1 6 6 . I J hn . . James 22. 2 a d 3 . 7 n I saiah . Isaiah 4. 4 R m 1 3 7 . o . . . I Cor . 1 5. Ro m . 5. 7 . I Cor .
TH E E T NTH TE N .
1 9 1 8 4 n . Dan . ; . a d 5. Rom . 2 3 : 7 8 9 6 1 : . . . . 3 4 Phil , , Luke , . , 2 20 21 . Jude , . John 31 . 3 : 24 2 2 7 4 3 5 6 . . : 1 2 . Rom . , , . I Tim , , 3 . 3 I r 56 57 7 . C o . , . . Rev . 9.
O N E E F E E R H UN D R D AVO RIT CHAPT S .
When Prof . W . W . White wa s in India conducting
co - a B ible conferences , he oper ted with the editor of th e Young M e nof India in securing from Christian men all over the world their favorite B ible chapter . The request wa s as fo llo ivs
What are th e best one hundred chapters in the B ible ?
What are th e best thirty chapters in the B ible ?
What are the best ten cha pters in the B ible ?
Ask yourself : What chapters would I select were I a nd everybody else in the world compelled to g ive ! up all the
B ible except o n e hundred chapters ? What chapters would 1 b select if all were to e given up except thirty , and if all ex ” cept ten ?
To each o ne vo ting, information as to results were
promised . Th ese results , replies having been received from several thousand Bible students throughout the world , were published in America in Th e Record of Christian Work and are given herewith . The hundred chapters chosen were as follows 2 9 1 0 1 2 3 22. , Gen . , , , Acts , ,
6 8 1 0 1 . 1 2 20 8 . 5 7 1 E xod . , , 2 , Rom , , , , 6 Q 3 1 3 1 5 L ev. 1 . I C r 1 2. .
2 3 0 FAVORI TE TE XTS
E E C HAPT RS O F PUR GO LD .
C . H . YATMAN , the evangelist , found that his plan of n giving names to particular chapters , indicating their co tents ,
so was popular that he prepared the following list , calling them Chapters of Pure Gold :
Abiding C hap-ter John 1 5
Atonement Chapter H eb . 9
Admonition Chapter Heb . 1 3 28 B lessing Chapter D eut .
B eautiful Chapter Matt . 5 E h B ottomless Chapter p . 3 ’ a B usiness Men s Ch pter Prov . 8
Courage Chapter .Josh . 1 Character Chapter Job 29
e Chastening Chapt r Heb . 1 2
Charity Chapter I Cor . 1 3 ’ Convert s C hapter Isa . 1 2
C e 1 2 onsecration Chapt r Rom . 55 Come Chapter I sa .
“ Chapter of Contrasts . Luke 1 7 ’ Co nqueror s Chapter Luke 4 E 33 Duty Chapter zek .
Faith Chapter H eb . 1 1 F 1 6 east Chapter D eut . C 58 Fast hapter Isa . Fisherman ’ s Chapter Luke 5 ’ 6 Fool s Chapter Prov . 2 r 1 2 Gift Chapter I C o . 1 2 H eaven Chapter Rev . H umility Chapter Luke 1 8 ‘ 3 Hypocrite Chapter Matt . 2 ’ v 7 Harlot s Chapter Pro .
I n e m f 2 t pe a n ce Chapter Prov . 3 John the Baptist Ch apter Luke 3 1 1 Knowledge Chapter Luke . Lost and Found Chapter Luke 1 5 Life Chapter Luke 7 ’ z Minister s Chapte r E e k . 34 1 OF FAM OUS PE OPL E . 28
E h 5 Marriage Chapter p . ’ 1 4 Moralist s Chap ter Psa . Marvelous Chapter Luke 9 0 Millenium Chapter Rev . 2 Nativity 2 Passover Ch apter E xodus 1 2 Peace and Promise Chapter John 1 4 ’ 51 Prodigal s Chapter Psa . Pentecost Chapter Acts 2 ’ 61 Preacher s C hapter Isa . Prayer Chapter John 1 7 Poor Man ’ s Chapter Luke 1 4 Professor ’ s Chapter Luke 1 2
Q uestion Chapter . Luke 20 4 Rest Chapter H eb .
Rock Chapter Deut . 32 Redemption Chapter Luke 23 Rich Man ’ s Chapter Luke 1 6 Repentanc e Cha pter Luke 1 3 91 Safety Chapter . . Psa . L k Song Chapter . . u e o l ’ ff C h a fe r 53 Su erer s p Isa . ’ Shepherd s Chapter . John 1 0 Sower ’ s Chapter Luke 8 Service Chapter Luke 1 0 Sad C hapter Luke 22 ’ E h 6 Soldier s Chapter p . ’ Sin'ner s Chapter Luke 1 9 ’ 1 Scorner s Chapter Prov . ’ Traveler s Chapter Psa . 1 21 Teacher ’ s Chapter Luke 6 27 Tonic Chapter Psa . Victorious Chapter Luke 24
Vow Chapter Num . 30 8 Victory Chapter Rom . 3 Wisdom Chapter . Prov . Watcher ’ s Chapter Luke 21 Work Chapter James 2 ’ Wife s Chapter Prov . 31 FAVORI TE TE XTS
E PR S CRI PTI O NS .
a s a nd If nxiou depressed read Psa . 23 .
e h h e If ther is a c illy sensation about t heart, Rev . 3 .
I f yo u do not know where to look for th e n ext rent
sa money, P . 27 .
e a n d I f lonesom unprotected , Psa . 97 . I f I losing confidence in men , Cor . 3 .
a o 1 6 2 I f pelted with h rd w rds , John and Psa . .
- I o o 1 2 6 : 7 9. f disc uraged ab ut your work, Psa . and Gal .
ou t o f 1 2 If all sorts , Heb . .
e on a l Thes recipes have been tested , and can . be relied
s to o u t way turn well .
’ A n dréw Ge ik e says : Does your spirit faint ? The divine
a re promises a dropping honeycomb , better than J o na
’
. ff e than s Dip your pilgrim sta into their ri chn ss , and put
H to a n d your and your mouth , like him , your faintness will T f a vt . A re ? th e .pass ay you thirsty They are flowing stream
th e of water of life , of which you may drink by the wa y, and lift up your head . Are you overcome by the sultry burden
' of the day ? They a re as th e cool shadow o f a great rock in a weary land . Have your steps well nigh slipped ? They are ff m a sta in your hand , on top of which , beti es , like Jacob ,
you may lean and worship God . Are you sad ? There are no such songs to beguil e the road and to bear you on with
gladness of heart . Put but a promise under your head by
night, and were your pillow a stone like that at B ethel , you
’ shall have Jacob s vision , and the thirstiest wilderness will
E . become an lim , with palm trees and wells of water (I I
Peter 1 :
23 4 FAVORI TE TE XTS
American B ibl e ! S ociety issued the Bibl e in fi fty- eight differ
‘ n i ent languages . The sales in the U te d S ta te s amounted to
copies , of which were complete B ibles , N e w i f h the Testament alone , were port ons o t e Bibl e
t e th e B o ok a (mostly h Gospels and , of Ps lms) , and
— copies were raised letters for the use of the blind .
’
‘ Th e number of Bibles distributed in fo re ign lands by the American Bible Society wa s of which were
e w n complete B ibles , N Testame ts and por tions . The greater portion , a total of were issued u a in the Chinese lang ge , and it is a remarkable fact that of Th this number were sold for money . e remainder , a bout copies , were given a way ; were sold by " e 1 n peddlers , wer sold at stores and shops China , and were sold ! at the depositories of the American n B ible Society . O e Chinese colporteur sold copies .
wa s th e The B ible printed last year in eight Chinese dialects , large st number , copies , in what is called the mandarin
t a dialect, h t is , pure Chinese . l The next largest number of Bib es , were printed n a u i the S p nish lang age for circulation in Cuba , Porto Rico ,
th e and the , Philippine islands , where Bible was prohibited before the American occupation ; copies were sold in
Korea, in Turkey, copies of the German edition n were sold , in the Siamese language , in Japa ese ,
in the Zulu language , and the next largest number
e Th e a two wer Italian , Americ n B ible Society sold T copies of th e Testament in the ancient Irish tongue . wo n e w editions were issued during the ye ar , one of c o pies in the Ruk language and in the B enga tongue .
’ E CHARLE MAGN E S B I B L .
In the B ritish Museum is the manuscript Bibl e written by A lciu m and his disciples and presented to Charlemagne ' 800 D . on the occasion of his coronation A . . Seventy years ffe ago it belonged to a gentleman in B asel , who o red it to Mu the French government for francs . The B ritish seum finally secured it for The headings of the chap
e . e ters , as also the nam of Jesus wh re it occurs , are written in gold . E E OF FAM OUS P OPL . 2 3 5
’ ’ E WASH I N GTO N S M OTH E R S B I B L . The family Bible of George Washington ’ s mother was loaned in 1 892 for exhibition at Mount Vernon . It was
e . e . own d by Mrs L wis Washington , of Charleston , W . Va It
- h a s a cover of home spun cloth put on by its original owner .
Th e book is well preserved , and all its pages are intact except — o i a few the first , which we re torn our and placed in the corner - stone of the Mary Washington monument at Fred
i k sbu r e r c g, Va . The first fam ily record in the old Bible is the marriage of Augustine W ashington and ‘Ma ry B all in 1 731 t W . The next thing recorde d is the bir h of George ash
1 1 2 I in o n 1 73 O . gt , February , ( S . )
’ R VI CTO RIA S CO O NATI O N B I B LE . When Queen Victoria was crowned in Westminster
1 837 : Abbey, in , three presents were made to her First , the
Sword of State ; second , the Imperial Robe ; and , lastly, the “ Bible , these words accompanying the gift : Our gracious queen , we present you with this book, the most valuable
th e ff thing world a ords . H ere is wisdom ; this is the royal law ; these are the timely oracles of God . Blessed is h e that readeth , and they that hear the words of this book ; that
the keep and do the things contained in it, for these are words of eternal life , able to make you wise and happy in
this world , nay , wise , unto salvation , and so happy forever more , through faith which is in Christ Jesus to whom be ” , glory forever , Amen . Words as true as they are beautiful , and by no one have they been put to a fuller t e st than by the royal lady to whom they were addressed .
E E FI RST AM RI CAN B I B L . The first E nglish B ible printed in America was pub 1 782 lish e d by Robert Aitkin in th e city of Philadelphia in , it being one of th e rich fruits of American independence . It bears on its fly- leaf the following resolution passed by the 1 2 1 782 first congress , September , , upon the petition of the c publisher and the certifi ate of its chaplains , Bishop William D u ffi e ld White and Reverend D octor George , to whom it had been referred : 23 6 FAVORI TE TE XTS
e o th e s in con Wh reup n , Resolved , That United State gress a ssembled highly approve the pious and laudable u n e o f h d rtaking Mr . Aitkin as subservient to t e interest o f re e f ligion , as well as an instanc of the progress o arts in thi s country, and being satisfied from th e above rep o rt of his a e f c r and accuracy in the execution o the work, they re co m ' mend this e diti o n o f th e B ible to th e inhabitants o i th e
United States , and hereby authoriz e him to publish this th e recommendation in manner he shall think proper .
E N ’ G . GO RD ON S PO CKE T B I B LE .
Go into one of the picture galle ries of Windsor Castle and you will se e many precious caskets and obj ects highly prized . O ne da y th e B ritish queen entered with a small b o ok in her hand and asked the keeper of thos e treasures which wa s th e mo s t valuable of those caskets . A pure rock crystal casket , ornamented with gold and enamel , wa s brought . In
‘ ‘ ’ th is ca sk e t the queen placed Gen . Gordon s pocket Bible , annotated and marked with his o wn hand ; and in that casket / ’ will remain th e most precious re lic of one o f B ritain s great est hero e s .
E A B AK D B I B LE .
s on e There wa a B ibl e in Lucas c o unty , Ohi o , which at time contained some very warm: scriptural texts . It belongs
' S ch e bold I t wa s to a Mr . t, a native of B ohemia . formerly f h s the property o his grandmother, w o wa a very devout e protestant . During o n e o f thos e unfortunate periods wh n religious persecutions we re co mmon in Austria a la w wa s passed that every Bibl e in the hands of th e peopl e should be
h e boldt . . S c surrendered to be burned Mrs , determined to
e sav hers , and when th e party came to search her home , she o had j ust prepared a huge batch of dough for the ven , and , taking her precious B ible , she wrapped the yielding dough a s around it and quietly deposited it in the o ven , where it w thoroughly baked but not inj ured , and has been handed down from generation to generation as a memento of the times when people prized the B ible so highly that they risked their live s for it.
2 8 8 FAVORI TE TE s
is f Thumb Bible . This a small copy o th e Wo rd of God p re ‘ pared by Jeremy Taylor for the son of Princess Anne, wh o 1 0 died in 7 0. Its date is O ctober 6 1 693 and it bears th e ” , , imprimatur of J Lancaster . It has been reprinted in . fac
imil n L o n m n 1 8 a s 51 . x s e by g , London,_ The prefi ed motto ’ speaks more for th e e ditor s piety than for his grammar :
With care and pains , out of the Sacred B ook , b tr *I This little a s a ct for thee have took .
E E E ’ Q U N E LI ZAB TH S GI FT . E lizabeth , afterwards Queen of E ngland , has left her testimony to the consolation of scripture in her copy of ’ C ov rd le e e a s N w Testament, wh e re one may still read , in her own i : writ ng, these words
Among good th in ge s e fi n de I prov and , the quiet
e a bo u n de life doth much , and sure to the co n te ntid nd My e , there is no riches
e fou n de may b . Your l ov in ge Maistres
E lizabeth . Th n e writing, says D ore , in his descriptio of this little
e th e e volum which princess gav to her maid of honor, is ’ ” E h in lizabet s fine bold hand .
’ E E ‘ CARD I NAL MAN N I N G S T STAM NT .
nm n A personal friend of Cardinal Ma g has told us how , after long and eventful years of absence , duty brought him into the neighborhood of the lovely village in Suss e x where h E ‘ e began his career as a minister in the church of ngland . e ’ As he stood in silence besid the grave of his wife , who had died after a very few years of married life , it must have been difficult to recall the tim e when this great prince in the Roman Catholic Church had made for himself a h a ppy h o me in the quiet E nglish parish . His friend in describing th e visit , adds : I accompanied him into the church and showed ‘ E h N w . im s n h . a e Te ta me t wit the inscription H Manning, 2 8 9 OF FAM OU S P E OPLE .
‘ : H e laid his hand on the book , saying Times change ’
. and men change , but this book never changes
H L E CROWN S I N T E B I B .
Oscar B ernadotte , the royal prince of Sweden and Nor
s m 1 m way, o e t e s took a j ourney into the country and preached
h e e u tla n d the gospel of Jesus Christ . One time was in J , a state in the north of Sweden , and stopped at a house where lived a poor woman . The Bible was on the table , and the prince could see and hear that the woman loved this book w very much . The prince put five crowns , S edish money , in T the Bible . h e woman did not know that her visitor was “ n the royal prince , and she said to him , I wish Prince B er a ? k ’ li t o . dotte would come to my house too . I e see him H e ’ e is a wise and good man . But I don t think he will com ” to see me . The prince talked to her about the prince from heaven
— and said good by and went away . Very soon after that the r woman was eading in the Bible and found five crowns there , the gift from the royal prince . She understo o d from that that the man was Prince B ernadotte and she was very thank ful and happy .
E ’ A W LS H GI RL S B I B LE . A Bible was sometime ago handed over to the British
and Foreign B ible Society, with the formation of which it
has so sacred a connection . An open B ible is engraved on th e tombstone of the one who formerly owned the B ible , with “
the words , The grass withereth , the flower fadeth but th e ” , word of our God shall stand forever . Then these words : ‘ h B r n crw Mary , widow of T omas Lewis , weaver, y g, who h 28t 1 864. died December , Aged This tombstone was erected by contributions of the Calvinistic Methodists in the r district , and othe friends , in respect to her memory, who , as th e A be r h o l Welsh girl Mary Jones , walked from gwy wyn to 1 802 B ala in the year , when, sixteen years of age , to procure
A “ a Bible from the Rev . Thomas Charles , B . . A circumstance which led to the establishment of th e B riti sh and Forei gn
B ible Society . 240 FAVORI TE TE XTS
E E ’ M PR S S D OWAGE R S B I B LE .
The poorest can n ow buy the N e w Testament in E nglish a n d — — s for a nickel , yet strange contrast ! perhap the most sumptuous copy o f th e N e w Testament in existence is that l sp endid edition de luxe , presented to the dowager empress
th e h e r of China on occasion of sixtieth birthday , the pre se nta tio n having been made in due form by th e B ritish and
Th u a rto olu me American ministers . e book is a royal q w v ,
2 1 0 1 3 a x x inches in size , and w s manufactured by the Presby
‘ terian Press and Canton silversmiths . It has silver covers , e emboss d with bamboo and bird designs , and is printed on th e‘ o finest paper with the largest type , and with a b rder of gold encircling each page . It was incased in a solid silver casket , ornamented with symbolical designs , the whol e weigh ' 1 0 ‘ th e th e re is ing % pounds , and upon the cover of casket a gold plate which relates that the book is the gift of the ’ Christian women in China, says D r . John Fox in Leslie s
Weekly . Not long after th e presentation of this magnificent volume , th e eunuchs were sent from the palace to the book store to ask for a common copy, so that the empress and her o ladies might compar e th e tw texts .
TH E E B I B LE S CAST O N WAT RS . In 1 854 a N e w Testament fell overboard from a British
o ff a vessel in the harbor of Nagasaki . Floating upon the w ter , it wa s picked up by the commander of the Japanese army who had been set to watch the B ritish fleet . Curiosity having f been excited , the o ficer at length learned that it was the sacred book of the Christians . H e determined to know its s o contents . A translation wa pr cured and read with glowing
interest . Communication was established with a missionary
e re stric and certain perplexing passages explain d . When the tions forbidding intercours e with foreigners were removed , this distinguished o fficer presented himself at the mission station in Nagasaki and pu blicly o ma de confession of faith in be c th e , Jesus Christ, and re eiving sacrament of baptism th e came a member of the Christian church . Speaking of N e h e : effect produced by his study of the w Testament , said
m e e e n fo t e s e I r I cannot te ll you y f lings wh , r h fir t tim , ead
242 FAVORI TE TE XTS
’ o f a s Christ s gospel , but w perp etually haunted by the fear to that I should not be able speak . At sixteen , the secret wa s still locked in my breast, but a matter of very serious " and incessant debate . I had been pleading with tears and cries that God would show me his will , and especially that w r ‘ he ould give me some assu ance as to my powers of spe e ch .
e Again that room in Streatham , near L ondon , to which w W had removed , is before me , with its indow toward the sun , th - and e leathern covered chair at which I kneeled . Turning
1 : to my B ible, it fell open at Jeremiah 7, whi ch I had never seen before . With indescribable feelings I read it again and
n e n o agai , and ev n w never come on it without a thrill of a emotion . It was the nswer to all my perplexing question ings . Yes , I wa s the child ; I was to go to those to whom he sent me , and speak what he bade me ; and he would be
1 1 s. with me, and touch my p
E E E POW R TO M OV M N . It is told of David Livingstone t hat on one occasion h l S wa y wa s barred by a gathering of natives— a way that he
“ must traverse . H e went to his tent, op ened his Testament at “ ” the words I will never fail nor forsake , and closed it with m the re ark, I can trust the honor of my heavenly Father to
‘ ” r u carry me th o gh , as the honor of a perfect gentleman ;
h h a and next morning t e opposition d vanished , and the way wa s clear ! E E B R AD O F LI F . 1 89 I n June , 9, a monument to the memory of Frederick
c . . D ouglass was unveiled in the city of Ro hester , N Y On n the west side of that mo ument is carved the following , taken E from a speech by D ouglass on West India mancipation . Y u 4 1 857 : de livered at Canandaigua , N . . , A gust , e Men do not live by bread alone ; so with nations , th y are not saved by art , but by honesty ; not by gilded splendors
of wealth , but by the hidden treasure of manly virtue ; not by the multitudinous ra tifi ca tio n s of the flesh but by the cel e s g ” , tial guidance of the Spirit . (Matthew
B I B LE TRAN S LATO RS . ff o f r Th e su e rings endur e d by Mr . and Mrs . Juds n o the E E OF FAM OUS P OPL . 243
sake of the gospel were unusual , being imprisoned as spies at the -capital of Burma for nearly two years . On their re
e l ase Judson was forcibly detained in the B urman camp . O n h is n retur he found Mrs . Judson almost dead and thei r new
in born child the hands of a squalid nurse . Yet she recovered and they returned to Rangoon . But returning from a j ourney not long after he found his faithful helper dead and buried .
th e Still directing inquirers to the truth , and superintending printing of the New Testament, he gave himself espe cially to the completion of the Old . Seven years more of labor ,
—fi rst 1 834 and on the thirty of January, , he wrote that mem l “ o ra b . e Thanks be to God , I can now say I have attained
I have knelt down with the last leaf in my hand , and imploring his forgivene ss for all the sins which have polluted my labors ff in this department, and his aid in future e orts to remove errors and imperfections which may necessarily cleave to th e.
work, I have commended it to his mercy and grace , I have
I I o rinth ia n s dedicated it to his glory . ( a C
During his course in the Missionary Training School at
z R obe rt Gosport , Morrison , the eminent missionary , e n de a v o re d to l earn - something of the spoken Chinese language
n - from a Ca tonese named Yong Sam Tak , then in London ; and of the written language by copying a manuscript Latin
n th e and Chinese dictionary, and a versio of New Testament as far as H ebrews . B oth these manuscripts p roved of great h i assistance in s future labors . If we could ever learn who had made this translation his name and labors would de se rv e dly be held in esteem ; but we can recognize a providence in placing the manuscript where it came into good use , and thereby honoring the work of the unknown scholar, who was probably a Roman Catholic . As an evidence of the capacity of M orrison ’ s memory for the Chinese language it is said that at the age o f thirteen he repeated from memory the one hundred and nineteenth Psalm without an error .
John of Monte Corvino , one of the earliest of mission
1 250- 1 332 aries , , after a hard j ourney, at last reached China , ’ and the emperor s residence at Kambula . In two letters , e h f writte n h ome from th e r to t e brethre n o his order, he por 244 FAVORI TE TE XTS tra e d l y his experiences and tria s . He dwelt eleven yea rs u t te rl y alone surrounded by pagans , by the rough Mongols and their friendly ruler , and by unfriendly Nestorians . He wa s
! accused by the latter as a spy and impostor , not there as envoy from the pope but an assasin who had murdered the
n former, and appropriated the presents which he was bringi g
. i for the khan H e endured such persecut ons five years , some in times prison , often apparently near his death by the hands of the executioner . At last the plot against him was con fessed , and his slanderers sent into banishment . Amid these vexations he mastered the language of the people , translating th e into it Psalms and the New Testament .
E TH E E E B I B L AM O N G H ATH N .
Am ong many miraculous occurrences in connection with the work of Robert M offatt in Africa was the testim o ny of
h e t e . a cruel chief, who was bitter against missionari s The ’ chief s dog , a vicious animal had gotten hold of a copy of
Psalms , bound in soft sheep skin , which was to his taste , and e he ch wed and swallowed the book . The chief was enraged
do ss and said the g was worthle , since he would no more bite a or te r, now that he had swallowed a Christian book .
Rev . John B atchelor , missionary among the Ainu , a tribe o f e Japan se aborigines similar to th e American Indian , told the following in the Christian H erald :
The Ainu women are very fond of charms , and gener ally have some of them hidden away in their homes or store
é o u rs houses . Of e they do not keep these things after they
o e become Christians . I hear of s me poor wom n who keep ' ’ e pi ces of snake skin as charms , some who hide away birds nests and others the skins and bones of birds . One of the lady missionaries casually came across a poor
Pira to ri e h a d woman the other day close to , whos little baby j ust died , and , curious and sad as it may appear , she had got hold of a leaf of an Ainu New Testament and had tied it to the neck of the dead baby as a sort of charm , passport or ticket to heaven .
246 FAVORI TE TE XTS to train your children to ways of rever e nt familiarity with
’ ’ ’ ’ ” — God s word , God s house and God s day . Bishop H . C .
Potter .
. Prof Blackie , speaking on true patriotism , once said : “ ’
I m a very old man , and can say it without conceit . I know nine languages , and something of a good many more ; but
if I were to be shut up in a dungeon or on a desert island , ’ I d ask o nly for th e Bible and the songs of Scotl a nd and be ” , 1 37 : 1 happy . (Psalms ,
T ) wice do e s a minister learn beyond all question th a t . the B ible contai n s th e word of the living Go d— once when he preaches the forgiveness of sins to the p e nitent ; once when he sees a soul in the great straits of life lifted com ” , t — e . . for d, and filled with peace and j oy D r John Watson.
Thousands and tens of thousands have gone through the evidence which attests the resurrection of Christ , piece by ‘ im piece , as carefully as ever a j udge summed up; the most
r a i o ta n t ca s e . t p x I have done myself many times over , not to ! persuade others , but to satisfy myself . I have been used for
o m t many years to study the history of ther ti es , and o ex amine and weigh the evidence of those who have wri tten about them , and I know of no fact in the history of mankind
is of which proved by better and fitter evidence every kind . — D r . Arnold .
— n There is the B ible potent in the past and potent ow. There in its records lies the broad line of revelation I n law
and Psalm and prophecy, growing more . and more luminous until the day dawns in Jesus Christ . It is all clear and con Th . e sistent , and history has crystalized around it energies that h a ve shaped the advancing centuries are here brought
e to view . It can n ver be outgrown , and it can never be dis
credited . There is an actual history behind it . There is a
deathless life within it . And these are driving it, with irre sistibl e momentum into the present and the coming years .
D r . A . J . F . Behrends . E E OF FAM OUS P OPL . 247
’ Robert Burns says in The C otter s Saturday Night :
’ ’ Th e ch e e rfu supper done wi serious face ,
They round the ingle , from a circle wide ; ’ ’ The sire turns o er wi patriarchal grace , ’ ’ The big h a — Bible ance his father s prid e : ’ re v re ntl His bonnet y is laid aside , ’ His lyart haffets wearing thin an bare ;
Those strains that once did sweet in Zion glide ,
H e wales a portion with j udicious care ,
! . And let us worship God he says , with solemn air
f r . Here , then , I am , a from the busy haunts of men I do wn l o n _a e . e sit ; only God is here In His presenc . I open ,
— I read His book for this end to find the way to heaven . I s there any doubt concerning the meaning of what I read ? D oes anything appear dark or intricate ? “ ‘ m F , I lift y heart to the ather of Lights ; Lord is it no”t W ? in thy word , If any man lack isdom let him ask it of God
l u bra ide st . Thou givest libera ly, and p not Thou hast said if any man be willing to do thy will , he shall know . I am will m h ’ ing to do ; let e kn ow t y will . “ I then search after and consider parallel passages of scripture , comparing spiritual things with spiritual . I medi tate thereon with all the attention and earnestness of which my mind is ca pable . “ If any doubt still remains , I consult those who are ex pe rie n ce d in the things of God , and then the writings where by being dead they yet speak . And what I thus learn that , ” , — I teach . John Wesley .
The foll owing is from an address given at a Y . M . C . A . conference “ George Muller of B ristol , who has recently died , n strongly comme ded the method of continuous reading, and he planned to read the B ible through four times in each year .
There are 773 pages in my B ible . In reading two pages each day and an extra one on Sunday, you can cover it in a year .
The former method is preferable . I would plead for this old fashioned method of continuous reading, so as to becom e 248 FAVORI TE TE XTS
m h familiar with the subj ect atter of t e whole book . Izaak Walton so quaintly puts it : ‘E very hour
1 1 1 I read you kills a 8 , Or lets a virtue in ’ To fight against it .
In traveling on the Grand Trunk I had occasion to go
o - int the baggage car, and seeing a Bible on the shelf I asked ' - h the baggage man wa t h e did with that book . His reply
— — was that, having a long run Toronto to Montreal and con
side ra ble re a din ‘ h e spare time , he occupied it g t Bible and , ” had then almost completed his third reading in that year .
th George Muller, e apostle of prayer , and head and founder during his life of a large orphanage and other in
stitu tio n s : “ I ca n tell h o w great has been th e blessing from co n
c i se u t v e diligent daily study . I look upon it as a lost day I when _ h a ve not had a good time over the word of God . ‘ F o riends often say t me , Oh , I have too much to do , so ’ n fOr ma y people to see , I cannot find time scripture study . There are not many who have had more to do than I have
had . For more than half a century I have never known a
day when I had not more business than I could get through . For forty years I have had annually about thirty thousand
~ h n d o wn a . letters , and most of them have passed through my a lwa s t I have nin e assistants y a work, corresponding in Ger E n l s man , French , g i h , Italian , Russian and other languages .
As pastor of a church with twelve hundred believers , great i has been my care ; and , besides these , the charg e of five m
mense orphanages , a vast work ; and also my publishing
dep ot , the printing and circulating of millions of tracts and books ; but I have a lways made it a rule never to begin work til l I have had a ' good season with God and then I throw myself with all my heart into this”work for the day with only a few minutes interval for prayer . In replying to a delegation of colored people from Bal a timore who had j ust presented to him large , beautiful B i “ c : a ble , President Lin oln said In regard to the gre t B ook, I
' 25 0 F AVORI TE TE XTS
e s When Hugh Mill r, the Scottish stonema on , destin e be the literary lead r of the Disruption , came to look e a over his life , he r membere d that wh t wakened his mind and
a s th made him conscious of thought, w e history of Joseph .
I H a F e e e John B rown , of rpers erry, wrot thes tru
‘ words in his prison B ible : Th e re is no commentary in the world so good in order . to a right understanding of this
le sse d book, as an honest , childlike and teachable spirit .
H ow pathetic th e words which poor H artley Coleridge
- fi fth re wrote in his B ible , as from his twenty birthday he V 1 e we d a wasted life
When I received this volum e small My years were barely seventeen ;
When it was hoped I shoul d be all ,
“
e . Which once , alas , I might hav been
- fi e And n ow my years are twenty v ,
r. And every mothe hopes her lamb ,
And every happy child alive ,
May never be what now I am .
wh o Another boy of high promise , a young Scottish poet , died on the threshold of life , with the prophecy of his boyhood all unfulfilled , and his B ible on his pillow , with these last lines penned by his feeble hand : ’ Tis very vain for me to boast H ow small a price my B ible cost ; The day of j udgment will make clear ’ — Twas very cheap o r very dear .
“ — th e E . Pattison , History of nglish Bible
E ‘ In her rich , deep voice , George liot, as her life drew to “ its close , would read daily from her B ible a very precious and sacred book to her, not only from early associations , but also from the profound conviction of it”s importance in the devel opment of the religious life of man .
fe w In a Conference address , given a years before his “ : death , the great London preacher, Spurgeon , said After OF E O E FAMOUS P PL . 25 1
th e preaching gospel for forty years , and after printing the sermons I have preached more than six and thirty yea rs , I reaching now to the number of in weekly succession , am fairly entitled to speak about the fullness and the richness ’ in e xh a u sti of the Bible as a preacher s book . B rethren , it is ble . N o question about freshness will arise if we keep close f to the text of the sacred volume . There can be no di ficulty about finding them e s totally distinct from those we have han dle d before ; the variety is as infinite as the fullness . A long life will only suffice to skirt the shores of this great continent of light . In the forty years of my ministry I have only touched the hem of the garment of divine truth ; but what vir
‘ o u t o f ! — in fi n i e tue has flowed it The Word is like its author t , I f immeasurabl e , without end . _ you were ordained to be a
r “ preacher th ough eternity, you would have before you a ” theme equal to everlasting demands .
r Patrick H enry, th e statesman and o ator, a little r r befo e his death , rema ked to a friend , who found him read “ ing his Bible : Here is a book worth more than all the other books which ever were printed ; yet it is my misfortune never
a l to h ve , till ”ately, found time to read it with proper attention and feeling .
Knowledge of the B ible will refine , enlarge and elevate the vocabulary of any one , and the girl who studies her Bible daily and reads Shakespeare , Scott , Macaulay and Ruskin will be a better talker than she who limits her reading to the — ’ daily newspaper or the latest agreeable book . Ladies H ome
Journal .
s E ven such is time that takes in tru t ,
Our youth , our j oys , our all we have ,
And pays us but with earth and dust ,
e Wh O in th e dark and silent grav ,
When we have wandered all our ways ,
Shuts up the story of our days .
But from this earth thi s grave , this dust, , ” u My God shall raise me up , I tr st .
— Sir Walter Raleigh . 252 FAVORI TE TE XTS
e f Writt n the night be ore his death . Found in his B ible in the Gate house at Westminste r .
What can we imagine more proper for the ornaments of wit and learning in the story of D eucalion than in that o f Noah ? Why will not the actions o f Samson afford as ple nti ful matter as th e labors o f Hercules ?
’ ' Why is not Je pth a s daughter as good a wo man as ? Iphigenia And the friendship of D avid and Jonathan more , worthy celebration than that of Theseus and Pirithous ? ’ D oes not th e passage of Moses and the Israelites into the H oly land , yield incomparably more poetic variety than the voyages of Ulysses or Aeneas ? “ What do I instance in these fe w particulars ?
Of th e e a re a dmir All the books Bibl either already most .
“ abl e a n d exalted pieces of poetry or a re th e best materials in — the world for it . A . Cowley .
— This B o ok o f Stars lights to e ternal bliss . George
H erbert .
Th u s I cloister my native villainy with o ld Odd e nds ” , — stolen forth of H oly Writ . Shakespeare .
n h in — It speaks o less t an God e very line . f J . D ryden .
a nd th e In an article on Great Men Bible , Carl Ackerman mentions th e following : In the realm of music whose names have lived and stand higher on the pinnacle of fame than those of B ach , B eethoven , t ? Handel , H ayden , Mozart , Mendelssohn and o hers Yet all e had felt the power of the Bibl and were earnest Christians .
B ach sang of the birth and passion of Christ. Handel could
find no more glorious masterpiece than the Messiah . Men “ de lssoh n caught strains o f music from out the pearly gates E and chained them in his St . Paul and lij ah . While Hayden “ : sang of the Creation , and himself says Never was I so pious as when composing th e Creation . I knelt dow”n every day and prayed God to strengthen me for the work .
’ i Leonarda da V in c , Michael Angelo and Raphael are uni ’ th e ve rsa lly acknowledged world s greatest artists, yet the
2 5 4 FAVORI TE TE XTS volume will make better citizens better fathers and better ” , husbands .
: Wm . H . Seward says The whole hope of human prog ” - ress is suspended on the ever growing influence of the B ible .
Charles Sumner called Christianity the true religion a nd ” our faith , and in all his addresses recognizes God and Chris i n i t a ty.
E E TH E M I S C LLAN OUS O PI N I O N S O F B I B LE .
. : D o Prof O M . Mitchell , LL . . , astr nomer The , mos”t
e . wonderful volum in existence is , beyond doubt , the B ible “ — . e D . D r Lyman B eech r , D . _ Our republic in its consti tu tio n a e e wa s n o t and l ws is of h av nly origin . It borrowed from Greece or Rome , but from the Bible . Where we bor
e rowed a ray from Greec e or Rome , stars and suns w re bor ” — rowed from another source the Bible . “ Pere Hyacinthe— That which produces the p ower and
a superiority of Protestant people is , th t they p ossess and
th e n fi re i e s h read B ible at their o w s d . I ave been twice to
E ngland a n d have learned that the B ible is th e strength of , ” that nation .
s Charles H . Spurgeon The go pel is perfect in all its
1 t parts and perfect as a whole ; it is a crim”e to add to , trea son to. alter it, and felony to take from it .
Prof . Swing A B ible well worn in that part which con tains the Se”rmon on the Mount is the book which our age most needs .
D r . Samuel Johnson , the great literary writer , in speak “ : t ing to a young friend once said Young man , a tend to the voice of one who has possessed a certain degree of fame in the
th e world , and who will shortly a”ppear before his maker ; read Bible every day of your life .
h e sh e Lady Jane Grey , on t night before was beheaded , sent a Bible to her sister Catherine with the following e n “ : d co miu m written at the end of it I have sent you , ear sis
o o be o ter Catherine , a b k , which , although it not utwardly OF O E O E FAM US P PL . 2 5 5
o e I S trimmed with g ld , y t inwardly of more worth than pre cio u s stones .
is H on . Robert B oyle , natural philosopher The Bible ’ th e indeed among books what the diamond is among stones , most precious and sparkling ; the most apt to scatter light , a”nd yet the solide st and the most proper to make impressions . John Milton There are no songs comparable t o the songs of Zion no orations equal to those of the prophets , and , ” no politics like those which the scriptures teach . John Quincy Adams I myself for many years made it a practice to read through the B ible once every year . My custom is to read four or five chapters every morning imm e dia te l m y after rising from bed . It employs about an hour of y time and seems to me the most suitable manner of beginning the day .
Andrew Jackson , pointing to the family B ible that lay on the stand near him remarked to a friend : That book sir , ” , , r k is the o c o n which our republic rests . i B enj amin Franklin said to a young man who had doubts “ : in regard to the truth of the scrip tures Young man , my advice to you is that you cultivate an acquaintance with , and a
in th e in firm belief , H oly Scriptures . This is your certain ’ t e re stf
in William H . Seward I do not believe human society, f cluding not merely a e w persons in any state , but whole masses of men , ever has attained or ever can attain a high s state of intelligence , virtue security , liberty, or happine s without the Holy Scriptures . D aniel Webster 1 have read the Bible through many times ; I now make a practice of going through it once a year . I t is a book of all others for lawyers as well as divines ; and I c pity the man who an”not find in it a rich supply of thought and rule for conduct . E dmund Burke , the great statesman and philosopher
I have read the B ible morning , noon and night , and have ” v e er since been the happier and better man for such reading .
E 1 785- 1 806 Kirke White , nglish poet ( ) I will never pass ’ a day without reading some portion of the scriptures . “ ir e s — n S John H r chell , astronomical discoverer All huma 25 6 F AVORI TE TE XTS discove rie s seem to be made only for th e purpos e o f co nfi rm ing more a”nd more strongly the truths contained in th e H oly Scriptures .
G o ethe It is a belief in the B ible the fruits o f deep m , meditation , which has served e a s the guide of my moral and literary life . I h a ve found it a capital safely invested and ” , richly productive of interest .
Lord B acon There never was found , in any age of th e
la w world, either religion or” , that did so highly exalt the public good as the B ible .
Thomas Paine wrote regarding the B ook of Job : As a composition it is sublime beautiful and scientific ; full of , ” sentiment, and abounding in grand metaphorical description . E 1 7 2 John Keble, nglish poet ( 9
There is a book , who runs may read , Which heavenly truth imparts ; And all the lore its scholars n”eed , Pure eyes and Christian hearts . Nathaniel Hawthorne The Christian faith is a grand cathedral with divinely pictured windows . Standing without
o u se s y e no glory, nor can pos ibly imagine any ; standing v o f' u n spe a ka ble within e e”ry ray of light reveals a harmony splendors .
Rousseau I will confess to you that the maj esty of th e scriptures strikes me with admiration as the purity of the gos hil pel has its influence on my heart . Peruse the work of our p j o so h e rs o f h ow h o w p with all their pomp diction ; me”an , contemptible are they compared with the scriptures . “ John Huss— I never preached any doctrin e of an evil n o w tenden”cy and what I taught with my lips I seal with my blood .
a n d o so William Carey I am , indeed , poor will als be until the Bible is p ublished in B engali and Hindostani and t he people want no further instructions . Isaac Newton We account the scriptures of God to be a u the most sublime philosophy . I find more sure marks of th e nticit th e e ” y in Bible than in any profan history, what e ver .
25 8 FAVORI TE TE XTS
’ l F a n nie Casseday Duncan , secretary of th e Women s and ’ Young Women s Christian Association , said that the Bible
be o should looked upon as a whole, perfect nly in its larger reading .
Chief Justices of th e Supreme Court of th e United States
. . F . . r a o th e e ff M W uller and D J B rewe ppr ved ort , but be a - asked to excused on ccount of lack of time Arthur T. “ Hadley, president of Yale University, said : I find it rather hard to make any individual selection of a text becaus e there
, e v x are a hundred and en a thousand te ts which m”eet the n ff ff eeds of di erent people and di erent circumstances . “ Lady Aberdeen replied : I do not think it possible to answer your question as it is surely the case tha t special mes
to sages are suited special times , and that thes e vary very ’ much according to circumstances , in every person s life . More o I to o ver, regard such incidents as private and sacred for , ” use in the manner you suggest . s Charles G . D . Robert , the Canadian author, replied in
a the s me strain , adding that he would not have one conclude that h e held carelessly the incalculable influence which the literature of the B ible exerted upon him t hen and from his childhood .
Lady Randolph Churchill doubted th e usefulnes s of the method in creating interest in th e B ible . John Kendrick
Bangs , editor and humorist, expressed interest in seeing the bu t favorite texts of others , had never settled upon a text for his favorite . f Joseph Jef erson , the veteran actor, said in autograph let ter that he did not care t o express himself . And one of the leading novelists replied with gracious and sincere humility : “ B ecause I am not worthy to be quoted in such connection , I have failed to respond to your request, yet it has not been forgotten for I have a favorite chapter , and have had it for , ” — long years the fourteenth of St . John . OF O E O E FAM US P PL . 2 5 9
Th e B ibl e is th e e mbl e m of r e l igio u s l ib e rty a n d h i — t s be ll th e e mbl e m of civil l ib e rty b oth cl ose l y a ssocia te d. — IND E X NA MES .
60 Abbott , Anstice Birney, Mrs . Theodo re 45
’ 1 38 a 1 70 Adams , Jane Bl ckburn , Sen . J . C . S 5 . . 253 25 f Adams , John Quincy , Blackie , Pro . 240 a 1 Adler, Very Rev . Her B olton , S rah K 8
1 B n fi l D . o n i e . 1 05 man , D d, M . S ’ 249 . 223 a A Kempis , Thomas B ottome , M rgaret Of r 1 70 B ou rda lo n Alex, Bishop A gyle e 1 78 " 24 7 Alden , I . M B rady, John G 20
1 1 1 z D a i 1 2 Alfred the Great B rainard , v d 9 - 1 82 e . Alma Tadema , Sir Law B reck nridge J lD a v 1 d 1 29 rence B rewer, J B re witt m 9 Anderson , Thos . Ja es C . 1 0
‘ Andronicus B right , John 46 ' . 21 4 Angell , J . B B rooks , Phillips 1 07 Anthony, Susan B B roughton , Len G 5 Arnold , D r . B rown , John 2 0 E 52 Arnold , dwin B ryan , William Jennings . 22 A rnold , Matthew Bunyan , John 0 '
a T . . 26 Aquin s , hos Burdette , R J
Athenagoras Burns , Robert 247 51 Atkinson , G . W B urwick , Jim 1 B 4 Austin , Alfr e d B utler , enj amin F 8 2 65 Butterworth , Hezekiah 3 ,
B abcock , Maltbie D aven
port Calvin , John 1 C B acon , Franc s aledonia , Bishop of h ' C B aer, Jo n Willis ambon , Jules C a n fi e ld B ailey, Hannah J . James H E B aldwin , thel Carlyle , Thomas
B anks , Louis Albert . Carlyle , Mrs . Thomas r M s . , B arney , " J K Cary, William
Ba rnum , P. T Chalmers , D r .
B arrows , John H enry . Chamberlain , Jacob , M . D . ,
D . D . 1 47 B arton , Clara ' a 1 00 B rton , James Chant , Laura Ormiston - 1 52 . W . . . B ashford , J Chapman , J Wilbur
E . Charlton John 21 2 Baskerville , Agnes , ’ E E 203 Baxter , Richard Chivers , . E 1 65 B eardslee , Rear Admiral C lark , Francis d A . . 35 L . , U . S N Clevelan , Grover 46 B edell , B ishop Clews , H enry ’ h r . 1 84 B eec e , Henry Ward Clough , Mr . and Mrs E 1 06 B ehrends , D r . A . J . F . Coke , Sir dward C 1 9 E . s 7 B elknap , George ole , Jame H
f a x. o e a r 50 B ernard Q Clairv u C leridg , H tley 2
I D E X— E 2 6 2 N NAM S .
1 39 Hall , Chas . Cuthbert King H amilton 1 56 Hall , C . Stanley Knapp , Jacob 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 58 o Hamlin , Cyrus Knox, J hn T n i 1 46 H a mlin , e u s S 28 203 Harrison , Benj amin Lamb , Chas . 209 1 5 Hart H . Martin . . 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 , Lambuth , W R
H a m e e r C . 1 94 21 0 ve . y , J Lark, William Blake e 256 1 1 2 H awthorne , Nathani l Lee , B enj . F . 1 09 76 H emans , Felicia D orothea Lee , Fitzhugh E e 1 82 L e ffi n we ll 30 Hendrix , ugen R g , C . W 251 1 32 Henry, Patrick Leland , Charles Godfrey . . 1 05 H erbert, George Leonard , John W e 1 79 H erron , G orge Lewis , James Hamilton ' 21 4 1 53 H iatt, Caspar W Lincoln , President
E 1 07 ~ 49 H igginson , lla , Lind , Jenny 21 5 -A 1 87 Hill , Rowland Livermore , Mary e e 1 04 e 1 83 Hillis , N w ll Lock , John d 1 50 59 H oa ley, James H Long, John D 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 o 1 33 1 88 H gg, Quinton Longstreet , James 21 5 r 1 64 H oward , B ronson Lorimer , Geo ge C
. 21 6 X 21 9 H oward , O . O . Louis I o 206 56 H we , Julia Ward Lowell , James Russell 209 1 20 H owell , D . Loyola , I gnatius 34 1 02 H owell , Very Rev . D avid Lubbock , Sir John 1 38 1 50 1 77 H owells, Wm . D ean Luther, Martin , 86 Hughes , Hugh Price 1 86 l in 200 M a cA p e Ge o. D 221 , Hunt , H olma Ma cC ra ck e n Henry Mitchell 1 39 , Huss , John 1 07 70 Huyler, John S M a Ka ie 223 c , Hugh M a cKe nz ie 221 , Peter M cC a be I ngalls , John J , Charles M C lu re 1 94 c C . , James K E M cD o we ll 1 00 James , Cornelia , William O ff 253 McD owe ll 1 24 Je erson , President , Wm . F Johnson Andrew 38 M c Gre go r Tracy 1 8 1 , , 254 Mc Kinle 1 1 1 Johnson , D r . Samuel y, Wm . n 1 06 M c L a re n 1 44 Johnso , Herrick , Duncan 1 82 M c Ph e e te rs 29 J ohnson , John , T . S M cRa e 1 49 Jones , James K , Milton A
Jones , Samuel M a a Jordan, D vid Starr M bie , Henry C E Judson , dward Maclaren , Ian
Junius , Francis Maj or , Charles M'allali e u '
Keg, Joseph S March , F . A r Kelle , Harry Marden , Orison Sweet ’ E Kent, late Duke of Markham , dwin I D E — E N X NAM S . 2 6 3
M . . a arsh , T P P ine , Thomas E Martyn , H enry Palma, T . strada E Ma son , William Pansy E Massillon Parker , . W E Mather, Cotton Parker , dwin P C Maybury, William Parker, Joseph M e la n cth o Paulinus
Merensky , A . Payson , D r . ff . Merrill , Selah Pe er, W A
Merritt, W . Pemberton , Max a e Merry, William L wrenc Pentecost , Geo . F
F . . , Meyer , B Phelan James D
Milburn , W . H Pierson , Arthur T
Millais , J . G Pitzer , A . W C * Miller, Hugh Potter , Bishop H .
Miller, Joaquin Potts , James H .
Mills , B . Fay Powell , W . T
Mitchell , D onald G Purinton , D . B .
Mitchell , George W
Mitchell , . Murray J Raham Mahomed 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ff Mo at , D r . Raleigh , Walter o M ody, D . L Randolph , John 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Moody, W . R Reade , Charles
Morrison , H . C Reed , Roland
Morse , Prof . Rhodes , Cecil John 92 Moule , H . C . G E Rice , dmund 1 02 Moulton , Louise Chandler i R chards , H . 28 o . M unt , Geo A J Ridley, B ishop u 247 248 M ller , George o Roseberry, L rd ' 1 00 Murphey, Francis Rudisill, A . W 1 94 Murray, Andrew Ruskin , John e Ruth rford , Samuel
Nares , Sir G . S
Newall , Wm . R Salisbury, Lord Newcomb , Simon Sample , Robt . F Newton , Mr . Sampson Archibald o , J Niels n , Alice i Sangster , Margaret N ghtingale , A . F Sankey, Ira D o o o o o o o o o o o o . X “ Ninde ’ W Savage , Richard Nordau , D r . M E Savonarola N orton , Chas . lliott S ch u ffle r a , D . D
” Sch D u k e o f Ormond , Sch 1 :
O sgood , H oward Scott, S
Otterbein, Phillip Scovel , Syl . F
0 0 Selwyn , S . A 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Page , Thomas Nelson . . Sewall , May Wright S h a ffe r Paine, Albert B igelow . , Wm . R I ND E X— AME N S .
o r 1 47 o 0 Shattuck, C inna Welland, Th mas James 6 203 204 Shaw, Albert D Wellington , Frederick 1 70 1 24 Sheldon , Charles M Wellington , The Duke of . 1 27 Sigsbee , Chas . D Wesley , John o 59 67 0 21 7 247 Simps n , Sir John , 9 , , 34 61 Slo a n , Samuel Welsh , John
1 99 a A n n e H o llin Smith , H enry C Wh rton e gs 1 03 Smith , Robt . B worth
Sousa , John Phillip Whately, Archbishop 1 46 e Spencer, J . O Wheel r, Joseph ff i ' 93 Spo ord , Harr et Prescott Whewell , D r . iC h a s Spurgeon , . Haddon Whipple , H . P 32 209 250 254 a , , , Whit ker, O . W 63 St . Augustine White , Andrew D a a 1 55 / M r St nley, D e n Whitefield . , 79 a H Whitm n , B . L Stanley, enry M b 222 F r Ste bins , Geo . C Whittle , ancis M n o Ph 46 r Stein , J . Whittle , Maj o D . W 1 02 r a Stevens , Lillian M . Wilbe force , Willi m 57 E Stevenson , Robt . Louis . . Wilcox, lla Wheeler C o k 1 9 ~Ro u n ce ill Stiles , n y Wildman , v e E 97 1 . Stock, ugene Wilkes , Rev Mark E Strong, Augustus H Wilkins , Mary 57 I E o f Sumner, G . W William I , mpero r 78 41 Swift, Dean Germany
‘ Willia ms ir 1 56 , S George o 60 Taylor, H ward 5 Wilson , John M 1 8 1 23 Taylor, . Hudson 1 1 4 J Wilson , H enry L . Tennys o n 21 8 2 Wilson , Margaret 1 8 38 Tesla, Nikola 72 Wishart, Geo . 1 88 Thayer, . J . H enry o i B 5 W lsey , Sir Geo . K . C . 6 M 69 Thoburn , . E 74 J Wood , Sir velyn
1 l 30 Thompson , D . C ro a Wu Ting Fa ng . . 1 25 ‘ 70 Thwing, Chas . F ff E 55 Wycko , C . 98 Tolstoy, Count Leo ff 1 22 Wycko , Walt e r A 67 Toplady, Augustus 0 Wylie , D avid G 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 49 1 63 Torrey, R . A 208 Trumbull , H . Clay U cra ft p , W . M 1 55 ' Tupper, Kerr B oyce A Ussher, ichbish o p Wanamaker John 21 4 , Van Dyke, Henry 1 26 Warner, Chas . 1 03 1 Warner , Lucien C X av er, Francis 1 59 Warren , H enry W a 57 W rren , Sir Chas Yonge , Charlotte M 246 Watson , D r . John Y E oung, gerton R 73 1 28 Watson , J . C - Pe l o e 1 95 Z n ill Webb p , H . W a gW , I srael e D 1 21 255 Z e me r W bster, aniel , w , S . M
2 GE NE R L I ND E X 6 6 A .
Cromwell ’ s army Habakkuk of Curiosities in the B ible . Heart Africa . H eathen and angels H eaven on earth Daughter of John Knox . H enry George and the D earest thing on earth . D espair of Cowper Cardinal ’ His pillow for Jesus Devotion , Gladstone s ’ Disappointment Hymn writer s texts
Diversity of Scripture . Identified with ’ I n fi d l s E e investment arthquake at Manila . Influence of sermon on E mper o r— preacher E ngland ’ s great statesmen Joseph Cook Influence of scripture on E pita ph of a novelist Ruskin E pitaph of Franklin E pitaph of Webster Influence of texts E Inspiration of Bible very knee shall bo w. . E Spurgeon xpect, attempt ” ’ Inasmuch, children s E xperience of Webb - Pep traveling card
su s a s a gu e st Faith laid th e cable Jgb Family concordance John F e ld E u e n e i , , g Joseph and B rethren F l rS t message . Joseph and the Chief But c MI S S I O H Floren e , San ler Jose . ’ 1 43 Franklin s use of a text . 1 89 Kindergarten text scheme .
' re a ch in to 1 05 King, p g ’ 1 1 1 wa 1 62 King, faith of a Gangin another y ’ s 205 Garfield and Romans 1 80 n , Chinese Gordon s .
Gift to grandchild , ’ ’ 5 Moody s Landlord s wife , story of 9
Gift , a great . Life and morals of Jesus God and sinners of Nazareth 35 L i 72 Gospel , social e saved by Psalm 1 1 9 E 1 24 Gospel and the world Li e , rule of Golden Rule Light of nature 1 86 1 54 Golden Rule , Chinese and Lincoln and Speed Christian Literal text 1 3 1 39 Literature , Bible as Grant ’ s message to Sun Lord ’ s prayer 1 06 ’ day School scholars ” Lord s prayer— Carlyle 1 06 ’ ’ Great men s opinions of L ord S h a fte sbu ry s ideal 78 245 257 1 83 the Bible , Love and hate 44 a n X 1 20 Grenada , prince of Loyola d avier . Guide for young men 34 Luke 1 25 E E I D E 26 7 G N RAL N X .
Marching orders Proposed Jubilee pro ce s ’ Mark s gospel s 1 on Marseillaise of the Re Psalm 1 00 formation 66 Psalm 23 rd 61 62 Martyrs for the faith . . , Psalm for the dying ’ Me la n cth o n 39 , call of Psalm , Cromwell s Memorizing Bible 1 9 Psalms Merchant prince ’ s 1 68 Psalms 1 21 and 1 35 202 Missing sword Purity, apostle Missionary heroism 68 hI o b queued 1 48 Quick reply Modern prodigal 88 / Moment by moment 87 Railroad engineer’ s gospel ' o M ther, Grover C leve Remonstrance the mar land ’ s tyr ’ s Mother ’ s psal m Resurrected text ’ -Mother; Ruskin s Riches of church
Morse , Prof . Ruskin and Spurgeon ’ M otto , Moody s Ruth My grace is Scepticism 56 Nature in Bible Scotchmen and Job 48 Need of Christ Scotland ’ s last martyr 1 83 Need of Church Scott in B ible 1 7 - ff 5 Notes , expository Scrap b o ok Je erson 3 , Sermon on the ‘Mount 40 a me n 78 Opinions of gre t , Sermon , short , charity e 245 85 B ibl , Sermon that slumbered years 1 92 Passion for preaching ” Shakespeare in the Bible 1 7 ’ Paul s two men Shortest sermon 50 ’ Peace S h u na mite s reply 46 Peace making poet Social gospel 97 ’ 79 Pentateuch Stanley s experience 0 0 0 0 0 1 9 Perplexities Stiles , Conky Persian ’ s conversion Success of kingdom 35 Phonograph Suffer little children 1 1 3 ’ 1 1 9 Power of gospel Sympathy, Christ s Powerful words 42 Prayer, a time saver Telegraph , invention of
fi Prayer, ceaseless Temperance sermon 78 Prayer meeti ng Temptation 28 29 v ’ ’ 92 Prayer, Ste enson s Testimony, Gladstone s Praying in crises ” Text : 68 Prescriptions, scriptural . Resurrected , woman s ’ 74 President s prayer habits . For a code ’ Princess Alice s motto Committing 208 Promis e Fro m heaven 209 GE NE RAL I ND E X 268 .
— ! C o i d fi Te xt nt nue . Veri ed text Nearest north pole Verses in th e B ible O n e hundred F ’ or besieged Wesley s l a st sermon Around the world What think you A Whiter than snow ’ O n baking day o W rld , God s plan for the I n the Transva al Words in the Bible Testimony Words of power Th e sin bearer Word
o o o th e s T lst y, C unt, and B read of life beggar Power to move men To o go o d to believe Power to speak Trea sure s Wyckoff and th e lumber Twain Mark ma n
2 7 0 C I I D E S R PTURAL N X .
I saiah Matthe w I saiah Ma tthew ' I saiah 43 : 25 M a tthew ‘ Isaiah 44: 22 Matthew 54: 2-3 I saiah Matthew R . V Isaiah 53 : 5-6 Matthew 25 : 41 -43 I saiah 53 - 55 Matthew 25 ° 40 Isaiah 54: 1 7 Mark Isaiah 55 Mark 8 : 23 Isaiah 58 : 1 3 Mark 8 : 36 I saiah Mark 1 : 35 I saiah 65 Mark 8 : 36 Jeremiah 1 Mark 9: 24 Jeremiah 1 : 7 Mark 9: 42 Jeremiah 33 : 3 Mark 1 0: 21 H a bakkuk Mark Habakkuk 2: 1 5 Mark 1 1 : 21 - 22 Habakkuk 3 Mark 1 1 : 22 Zechariah 8 : 5 M a rk 1 2: 30-31 Micah 6 : 8 Mark 1 4: 36 7 M 1 6 : 1 Amos : 8 . ark 5 Malachi 2 : 6 95 Luke 6 : 31 Matthew 4: 4 r . 242 Luke 2: 1 1 M a tthew 5 : 4 1 05 Luke 2 : 1 0 5 6 7 1 67 2: 1 4 Matthew , , Luke Matthew 5 : 8 Luke 9 Matthew 5 : 9 99 Luke 9: 58 Matthew 5 : 43 48 1 05 Luke 6 : 1 0 1 00 1 06 6 : 30 Matthew , Luke a 6 : 9- 1 1 05 1 06 M tthew 3 , Luke 6 : 20 98 1 07 41 Matthew , Luke 98 99 1 07 e 1 1 : 9 Matthew , , Luk 6 : 1 9 34 1 49 1 4: 1 8 Matthew , Luke Matthew 7 : 1 1 08 Luke Matthew 7 : 7 1 08 Luke 1 5 Matthew 7 : 1 2 1 08 Luke 1 5 : 7 Matthew 8 : 27 1 24 Luke 1 5 : 25—30 1 1 : 28 - 30 1 09 1 1 0 1 8 : 1 Matthew , Luke Matthew 1 1 : 29 1 09 Luke 1 8 : 1 3 M a tthew 1 1 1 Luke 1 8 : 1 3 - 1 4 Matthew 1 1 1 Luke 1 9: 1 0 Matthew 1 1 1 1 36 1 37 1 38 1 39 1 55 Matthew 1 1 2 Luke 1 40 Matthew 1 8 : 1 4 1 1 2 Luke 23 : 46-47 1 39 Matth e w 1 9: 1 4 1 1 3 Luke 24: 1 3 —35 1 40 Matthew 20: 20-28 1 1 3 Luke 1 40 Matthew 21 : 22 1 1 3 John Ma th 39 28 1 1 4 1 t ew , John I D E SCRI PTURAL N X . 27 1
3 : 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 John 3 : 1 6 Acts 0 0 0 0 5 - Acts 7 : 5 56 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 : 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 John 4: 21 23 1 5 Acts 7 9 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 3 : 1 o o 1 0 o o o o o o o o o o o John 5 : 39 1 5 Acts o
2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 John 6 : 37 1 5 Acts 0 0 0: 2 2 o 1 2 4 o o o o o o o o o o o o John 5 : 24 5 Acts o
27 : 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 John 6 : 37 1 52 Acts 9 0 0 0 0 0 1 53 3 25 o o o : o o o o o o o John Romans o o 6 6 : 37 1 53 1 9 3 2 0 0 0 John , Romans : 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 : 47 John Romans 5 : 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 John 7 : 1 7 Romans 7 : 1 9-25 o o o o o o o o o John Romans John 9: 25 Romans 8 : 1 8 - 1 9 o o o o o o o o o 6 : 57 L . n 8 26 o o John Roma s : o o o o o o o o o o John 1 0: 1 0 Romans 8 : 24- 25 o o o o o o o o o John 1 0: 1 6 Romans 8 : 28 o o o o o John Romans 8 : 38 - 39 o o o o o o o o o John 1 0: 27—30 Romans 8 : 1 4- 1 8 - 31 - 37
8 32 0 John Romans : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
8 1 o o o : 0 o o John Romans o o o o o o o John Romans - 27 o o o o o o o o o John Romans 8 : 35- 39 o o o o o 3 1 : 1 1 0 0 0 John Romans 9: 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 : 1 4 2 o o o o 9: 3 o o John Romans o o o o o o John 1 3 : 34- 35 Romans 1 0: 9- 1 0 o o o o o o o o o
John Romans o o o o o o o o o o o John Romans 1 2 1 4: 1 - 1 2 1 1 83 4 : o o o John Romans o o o o o o o o o 1 2 : 2 1 84 John Romans o o o o o o o o o o o o 1 4: 1 1 2 1 84 6 : 7 0 1 John Romans 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 4; 1 1 84 John 7 Romans o o o o o o o o o o o o
1 4: 4 6 1 3 : 1 0 0 0 1 59 John Romans 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 69 John Romans o o o o o o o o o o o o 1 4 1 5 1 1 1 2 6 6 : 2 o o o 2 John Romans o o o o o o o o 1 4 1 4 1 65 1 66 1 67 1 26-31 1 85 7 63 6 I : o o o o 1 . o o o o o o o . , , Cor o , , , 1 61 1 85 John I Cor . o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 1 61 0 1 46 1 0 o o o o 9 6 o o o o o o o John , , I Cor . o o o o 5 1 66 1 3 1 1 John 1 : 5 7 I Cor . 47 87 1 88 1 99 1 67 M 3 : 1 8 1 86 John I C . 47 John I Cor . 1 91 7 1 John 1 I Cor . 1 9 4 1 0 0 John 1 7 I Cor . 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 66 1 70 1 John I Cor . 1 9 8 : 2 1 70 1 92 John 1 2 I Cor . 1 70 1 5 5 - 2 John I Cor. : 4 57 1 9 8 John 20: 21 1 3 I Cor . 1 92 21 4: 1 -1 1 93 John I I Cor . 7 8 1 71 John 21 : 22 I I C or. 1 93 I I SC R PTURAL ND E X .
” 1 1 55 a 4 1 6 206 I I C o r. 5 : 7 I Thessaloni n s : r 8 - 1 93 5 : 1 48 I I C o . 9 I Thessalonians 1 2 1 94 2 8 “ 206 I I C o r. 8 : I I T hessa lonians : 243 ° 1 207 I I C o r. I I Thessal onians 3 0 ‘ 1 94 209 I I C O I . 9 8 I Timothy 1 : 1 5 I I Cor 1 97 I I Timothy 21 0 o r 1 95 2: 9 21 0 I I C . I I Timothy r 1 2: 1 4 1 96 4: 2 87 21 1 I I C o . I I Timothy , ~ 1 97 4 21 1 21 2 I I C o r. I I Timothy : 7 1
‘ G alatians 2: 20 Hebrews 21 4 a 6 : 2 28 1 1 4 77 Galati ns , H ebrews Ga latians 6 : 7 1 99 Hebrews 1 1 : 6 21 4 E 1 : 3 1 99 1 67 phesians H ebrews, E phesians 1 7 200 H ebrews 25 26 21 3 E 2 200 L phesians Hebrews . . E phesians 2: 1 0 200 H e brews E phesia ns 2 : 1 3 200 H ebrews 1 3 : 1 4 E phesians 3 : 8 201 James 1 : 1 9 E phesians 4: 1 3 201 James 1 : 27 E phesi a ns 5 : 1 5 202 James 27 E phesians 6 1 I Peter 3 : 1 3 E phesians 20) I I Peter Philippians 1 : 21 202 I John 1 : 7
“ Phil1 ia n s 2 200 I John J pp Philippians 1 38 I John 2 : 1 Philippians 1 : 21 203 I John 2: 1 7 Philippians 29 I John 2 : 1 Philippians 2 : 1 0- 1 1 203 I Joh n 3 : 7 3 : 1 3 28 1 1 4 4 Philippians , I Jo hn : 7 Philippians 3 203 I John 4: 8 Philippians 4 1 47 I John 4: 1 9 Philippians 4: 6- 7 203 I John 5 : 1 2 Philippians 4: 9 204 Revelation 3 : 8 Philippians 4: 1 1 204 Revelation 3 : 20 Philippians 4: 1 3 204 Revelation 5 : 9 Philippians 4: 1 9 204 Revelation Col o ssians 1 : 9 205 Revelation 21 : 6 - C olossians 1 : 1 8 1 9 1 59 Revelatio n .22: 3
De a cidifie d u sing the B ookke e pe r proce ss: Ne utra liz ing a ge nt: Ma gne siu mOxide Tre a tme nt D a te : Ma y2005
Pre se rvationTe chnologie s A WO RL D L E A D E R IN PA PE R PRE S E RVATION
1 1 1 Th omson Pa rk D rive
C ra nbe rr Townshi PA 1 6 06 6 y p, (724) 7 7 9-21 1 1