Reverence for the Word of God…
"No trait of the primitive Christians was more remarkable than
Their profound reverence for the Scriptures and their diligent
Study of them.
The word of God, dwelling in them richly and abounding, was
Their meditation all the day long. Those who could read never
Went abroad without taking some part of the Bible with them.
The women, in their household labors, wore some portion of
The sacred roll hanging about their necks; and the men made
It the companion of their toil in the field and the workshop.
Morning, noon and night they read it at their meals.
By the recitals of the narratives of sacred history, by constant
Reading, by paraphrase, by commentary, and by sacred song,
They taught the Scriptures diligently unto their children; talked
Of these heavenly themes when they sat in their house, when
They walked by the way, when they laid themselves down, and
When they rose up.
One relates with great delight that he never sat at meal with
Origen, A.D. 225, but one of the companies read to the other.
They never retired to rest without first reading the Bible.
So diligent were they in this divine employment that prayers
Succeeded reading of the Word, and the reading of the Word
To prayer"
- Lyman Coleman
(Ancient Christianity Exemplified pg. 57).
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