Chapter III: Reading of the Scriptures

The reading of the Bible should form a part of public worship, both because it is the fitting recognition of Scripture as the Word of God and the church thus presents itself as reverently seeking instruction from Him, and because the omission of this would imply that the words of man are of higher moment than the words of God. The Scriptures should have a large and reverent use in the pulpit, as the fountain of all instruction and the sole standard of faith and practice.

1. _The selection._ Here several suggestions may be made: (1.) The passage should be adapted to the purposes of devotion. Thus, a selection from Leviticus giving minute regulations in regard to leprosy, or one made from the long genealogical lists of Chronicles, however instructive to the student of the Mosaic system or Jewish history, might not be the most helpful to devotion in a Christian congregation. The primary end in any selection is instruction adapted to inspire devotion. (2.) The passage should be, in its character and tone, in harmony with the subject of the sermon, but it need not be the passage from which the text is taken. If the text has an extended connection--and an understanding of this is important to the force of the sermon--then this may be selected, unless, as would rarely be the case, it is unfitted to aid devotion. Often, however, a related passage presenting and illustrating the subject of the text may be a wiser selection, and sometimes a devotional passage having no special reference to the text may be of more interest and value. (3.) Some read a selection from both Testaments. In such case the passages selected should harmonize in general teaching and tone. This method has the advantage that, while it reverentially recognizes the Old Testament, it often strikingly presents the harmony between the Old Testament and the New, and thus shows the essential unity of the Bible as in all parts the utterance of the one Spirit. (4.) The length of the passage selected must depend, to some extent, on the subject of it, for it should, at least in some measure, have completeness. The reading service should always occupy such prominence as to show a true reverence for God's Word. Any abridgment of it, such as might suggest that the preacher thought his sermon of higher moment, would obviously be unfortunate. The pastor himself, when he knows the ordinary limit for the whole service, can best determine the amount of time to be occupied by this part of it, and especially as he marks the extent of the interest of the congregation in it, for no part of worship should reach the point of weariness.

2. _The reading._ Effective reading of Scripture in the pulpit is a comparatively rare attainment. Many able preachers fail in this--a failure which probably arises from an undue concentration of interest on the sermon, and consequent want of care in preparing for this service. This, however, is undoubtedly a mistake. A correct expression in reading is the best commentary on Scripture and is often the most effective way of developing and enforcing truth. No minister should allow himself to fail of power in this. The following remarks may here be of value: (1.) The passage should be carefully studied, so that its true meaning, not only in its general scope, but also in the connection of its separate thoughts, be thoroughly understood. Without this the emphasis will often be misplaced and the truth thus be obscured. (2.) It should be so studied that its thought shall fully permeate the mind of the reader and enlist his sympathy, for only thus will the modulations and tones of his voice give a natural and clear expression of the passage. Without this sympathy a practical elocutionist may indeed develop the thought, but his emphasis and tones will of necessity be artificial, and he must fail to make the thought a power to touch the springs of emotion and conviction in the hearers. (3.) True expression in emphasis and tone will often be attained simply by attending to the above suggestions; but in some instances, false habits in reading have become so fixed that only thorough elocutionary drill can break them up. In this case the duty of the young minister is plain: he should take all possible means to remove such an obstruction to his pulpit power.

3. _Comments._ On the question whether the minster should make a running commentary on the passage while reading, there are several points to be considered: (1.) It is doubtful whether such an interjecting of man's words among the words of God, though elucidating possibly here and there an obscure point, does not on the whole mar the impression of the passage as the Word of God, and whether the simple reading of the Bible, with just emphasis and expression, is not more instructive and impressive than a reading thus broken up into fragments by interjected comments. I confess that this doubt grows on me with added observation and experience, and my impression is that in most cases the majesty and power of the Scriptures will be most distinctly presented in a careful reading, without commingling the words of man with the words of God. (2.) Besides, such comments require time, and the practice thus tends to an undue protraction of public worship, seriously interfering with the Sunday-school when, as in many places, it immediately follows the service. (3.) Few men possess the gift for such an exercise. Spurgeon, indeed, has it in an eminent degree, and makes effective use of it. This is true, perhaps, of some others, but most men fail; and if there is a failure, it is here a most serious one. My advice, therefore, is that, unless a minister have special aptitude for it, he should not attempt this form of exposition, but in the public reading of the Scriptures make his best effort to develop and impress God's thoughts in the simple, right reading of them.