How She Learned to Love the Bible

The Rev. Frederick G. Clark thus writes of an answer to prayer, from one who wanted to love the Bible more:

“Twenty-seven years ago, in the congregation of my first charge, was a lady whose love for the Bible was something remarkable. In the confidence of a pastoral visit, she told me of her joy in the divine word, and also recited the incidents of her experience in this regard. She had formerly read her Bible as so many do — a chapter now, and a halfchapter then, without much interest or profit. She was, even then, most interested in religious things. But her chief sources of spiritual strength were in such writings as those of Baxter, Payson and Robert Phillips. It was her custom to read the Bible from duty, and then turn to these uninspired volumes for the kindling of a higher devotion. For a good while this satisfied her; but, at length, she came to feel grieved about it. She thought it a dishonor to God’s word that any book should be as interesting to her as the Bible. She tried to change this, but, at first, with little success. The Bible was still duty — Baxter was pleasure and spiritual elevation.

At length, she could hear it no longer; so she took the case to God, with strong crying. She told her Heavenly Father how grieved she was that any book should rival the Bible in her affections. She asked this one thing — and she renewed her prayer every day — that her first delight might be in reading the word of God. I think it was some time before she felt that her request was granted. But, at length, the answer to her prayer was complete and marvelous. A strange light came over the sacred page. A fascination held her to her Bible. She discovered a depth, a meaning, a curiosity, a charm, which were all new and most wonderful. Sometimes, when she had finished reading her Bible for the night, and had closed the book and had moved towards her bed, she would go back again and enjoy the luxury of a few more verses.