Oratory Music

Secondly we have to weigh the fact that the children were to be gathered before the Lord to hearken to His Word. Both of these facts are full of weighty instruction for all the members of the Church of God— instruction urgently called for on all sides. There is a most deplorable amount of failure as to these two points. We sadly neglect the assembling of ourselves together for the simple reading of the Holy Scriptures. There does not seem to be sufficient attraction in the Word of God itself to bring us together. There is an unhealthy craving for other things. Human oratory, music, religious excitement of some kind or other seems needful to bring people together—anything and everything but the precious Word of God.
It will perhaps be said that people have the Word of God in their homes, and that it is quite different now from what it was with Israel; everyone can read the Scriptures at home, and there is not the same necessity for the public reading. Such a plea will not stand the test of truth for a moment. We may rest assured, if the Word of God were loved and prized and studied in private and in the family, it would be loved and prized and studied in public. We should delight to gather together around the fountain of Holy Scripture, to drink in happy fellowship of the living water for our common refreshment and blessing.