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Original.

GOD’S BIBLE, A BOOK FOR ALL.

At a meeting of the thirty-sixth anniversary of the American Bible Society, May 13, 1852, many thoughts were suggested worthy the special attention of all Christian mothers.  A few are here registered, in the hope that they may continue to call forth the prayers and efforts of all Christian parents, and lead them to feel that whatever else they neglect in the daily instructions of their children, they cannot safely overlook their sacred obligations to see to it that the minds and hearts of their children be early imbued with a love and reverence for this Book of books.

As was justly remarked, the Bible is the teacher of true philosophy, in fact the only fountain of truth, and suggests the best and only plan adequate to the conversion of the world.

Let the prayers, then, of all Christian mothers be daily concentrated in asking God’s blessing upon this noble institution, keeping in mind the Savior’s last prayer for his beloved disciples, “Sanctify them through thy truth:  thy word is truth.”

We particularly invite attention to a resolution offered on that occasion by Rev. Theo.  L. Cuyler of Trenton, N.J.: 

“Resolved, That the adaptedness of the Bible to all conditions of society, and all grades of intellect, as shown by past history, brings us evidence of its divine origin, and inspires us with hope of its future success in enlightening and purifying the world.”

Mr. C. remarked—­“A wide field swells out before me in this resolution, for it is nothing less than the universality of God’s Word in its complete adaptedness to the possible conditions of humanity.  The truth which I hold up for you all to gaze upon is, that ’God’s Bible is the book for all.’  Like the air which visits alike the palace and the cottage; like the water which meanders its way, or gushes from deep fountains for the use of all men; so this book is adapted to the wants of all immortal men.  It is adapted to every grade of mind and heart, rising higher than human intellect ever reached, and descending lower than human degradation ever sank.

“Go to that closet in the neighborhood of Edinburgh, and see one of the mightiest intellects the world has ever produced, upon whose transcendent eloquence a Brougham, a Canning, and the greatest names of the age, have hung entranced, bending over the pages of the Book of Life.  He reads, and writes his thoughts as he reads, until his writings become volumes, and the world is blessed with his meditations on the whole Bible.  So thoroughly does his spirit become imbued with the thoughts of this book, that Chalmers was said to have held the whole Bible in solution.

“Upon Alpine peaks it spreads a moral verdure which makes their rugged valleys smile, and adorns them with flowers of heavenly origin.  Upon the Virginia plantation, it made Honest John, the happy negro.  It was adapted to all climates and all conditions of life.  It was the only book which comforts in the last hour.