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.