"But now the Bible is a new book to me altogether. I can truly say, in its own words, `The law of thy mouth is dearer unto me than thousands of gold and silver.' The more I read, the more I wonder: often and often, when I come to some marvellous passage, I am constrained to stop and bow my head in astonishment and adoration. There's nothing like studying the book itself--asking God, of course, to give one the guidance of his Holy Spirit. The more I read, the more I find verses that just as exactly fit into my own experience as if they had been penned especially in reference to the history, circumstances, character, and wants of William Foster; and no doubt they were, for that's a most wonderful thing about the Bible, and shows that it is God's book,--I mean that it as much suits each individual man's case as if it had been originally written for that man only. "I remember there was an American in our country some years ago, who said he would open any lock you could bring him; and so I believe he did, by making ingenious picks that would get into the most complicated locks. But that's nothing to the Bible; for without any force or difficulty it comes as one universal key that will unlock every heart, and open up its most secret thoughts and feelings, and then throw light and peace into the darkest corners. This is what the Bible has been and is to me; it shows me daily more of myself, and more of Christ and his love, and more of a heaven begun on earth. "Now I would just advise and urge you all to take up this blessed book in a humble and teachable spirit, and you'll find it to be to you what God in his mercy has made it to me. And I'll tell you how to deal with difficulties, and hard places, and so on. Now, mind, I'm only just giving you a leaf out of my own experience. I'm not setting myself up as a teacher. I'm not saying a word to disparage God's ministers, for they are specially appointed by him to study, and unfold, and expound the Word; and I can only say with sincere thankfulness that I come home with new light on the Bible from every sermon which I hear from our earnest and deeply taught clergyman. But, as regards our own private reading, just let me say, if you come to a hard place, read it again; and if you don't understand it then, read it again; and if you don't understand it then, why, read somewhere else in the book, and you'll find that the more you study the Word throughout, the more one passage will throw light upon another, the more your mind and heart will expand and embrace and understand truths which were wholly hidden or only imperfectly seen before. This, at any rate, is my own happy experience, and my dear wife's also. May God make it the experience of every one of you." He sat down again amidst the profoundest silence, and then all joined heartily in the hymn beginning,-- "Holy Bible, book divine, Precious treasure, thou art mine." The vicar then called upon James Barnes to speak.