Public Reading of Scripture

In April when we opened our new building, God let me see the power of the pure reading of the Word of God. Ever since that weekend, we have read the Word of God in every service. Oh, the power of the Word. I will encourage our membership to commit to read through the Bible next year, but as far as the church itself; we'll continue reading the Scriptures.

Let me share a quote with you from a pastor in 1840. He said,

“‘It was a common thing, as soon as the Bible was opened, after the preliminary services, and just as the reader began’ — here, you will observe, it was the simple reading of the word without preaching; yet such was the power upon the minds of the people that ‘it was a common thing, as soon as the Bible was opened, after the preliminary services, and just as the reader began, for great meltings to come upon the hearers. The deepest attention was paid to every word as the sacred verses were slowly and solemnly enunciated. Then the silent tear might be seen stealing down the rugged but expressive countenances turned upon the reader. ‘. . . The word of the Lord was precious in those days.”