HELPFUL THOUGHTS

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 3987, 22 August 1929, Page 1

HELPFUL THOUGHTS

“THE BOOK NOBODY KNOW'S.”

It is seldom that a GovernorGenei’al addresses people of New Zealand from the pulpit. As representative of the Throne he is heard in many places and in varied circumstances, but recently at the annual meeting in St. Andrew’s Presbyterian (Church on the Terrace of the Wellington auxiliary of tho British and Foreign Bible Society he ascended to the pulpit. It was accidental that he should do so, as he resorted to it merely to combat th§ acoustic properties of the church, but the fact pleasantly enhanced the effect of his quiet and .pleasing talk (says the Dominion). It was a homely talk in which His Excellency in his inimitable style recalled whimsically experiences of his boyhood days. He showed that the Biblical teachings of his youth had meant much, and that his wish was for a similar appreciation on the part of the generation of to-day and of generations to come for the Bible that was aestrange book in many a home.

“The story of the progress and .the advance made by the society is wonderful, and one wonders, in thinking of the future, how that progress is to be maintained,” said His Excellency. “It occurs to me it is not unreasonable to say it will continue to progress so long as we appreciate ourselves what the Bible is and the inspiration it contains. I take it this society can only flourish so long as it has virile, energetic feeling at its back, and therefore one thinks of what future generations are going to do to carry on this society, and whether they will appreciate as you do the value and inspiration of that great book.”

He went on to refer to a book he had iread, named curiously, “The Book Nobody Knows,” 'by Bruce Barton. 'The book referred to was the Bible. The author said in one passage that the Bible was incomparably the world’s best-seller, a book that had maintained its hold on the public throughout years, a book that had been printed more than any other book, a book which was to be found in one copy or more in the house of every educated person, and yet a book which few really read and really knew. Its contents provided: (1) A bird’s-eye view of mankind from the birth of the world; (2) some of the finest poetry ever written; (3) the finest possible side of human nature; and (4) the story of the greatest life ever lived, a life which changed the whole train of human thought and which still, after nearly two thousand years, was able to influence and transform individuals, communities, and nations. Charles Dickens wrote to his son: “I put the Bible among your other things for the reason that it is the greatest book that has been or ever will be written, and because it teaches the finest lessons by which any human creature can possibly be guided.” When Sir Walter Scott was on his deathbed he asked Lockhart to read to him out of the Book. Lockhart asked “What Book?” Sir Wjalter Scott replied: “Is there any need to ask what Book?” “This is the book that the society is trying to give the world,” said His Excellency. “My plea is that our young people should be brought up to appreciate this Book. It is in old Government House, not one hundred yards from here, that I remember how, when I was a small boy, every morning we children went into my father’s room and read a few verses of the Bible. I remember how, on Sunday afternoons, our greatest delight was to give half an hour to having oiie of the Bible stories read and discussed; and the Sunday game, which consisted of questions, and answers from the Bible. And aren’t we now thankful and grateful to the parents who brought us up to appreciate the Bible and what is in it? Therefore, I do pray the rising generation may be 'brought to the same appreciation and the same knowledge of the Bible, and then I think we will have no fear that the Bible will continue to be called a Book nobody knows, but it will be the Book everybody knows, everybody loves—the only Book.”