What is your earliest memory of the Holy Bible?

That was a question our bible study leader Rev. Mary Wrye proposed to our bible study group this morning. Several related scripture verses and their challenges of memorizing scripture at a young age.

Mine was different than that. My first recollection of the Bible was my namesake Miss Mabel Nisbet McLaughlin and rather small black New Testament that sat on a marble top table. I was always told it was a special book and was always to be on top of other books.

To this day, I cannot see a bible put at the bottom of any stack of books. Some in my group said they were taught that the bible was never to be placed on the floor. I wasn’t taught that one but if the bible was put on the floor it was to be on top of other books.

Granny Mable always told me that book was special. She said if I was to ever be elected president of the United States that would be the bible that I would be sworn in on. She had great expectations of me.

Many times in Mrs. Willis Butler’s 4-6 grade Sunday School classes at my growing up church we were charged with memorizing the books of the bible. I never could do that. Later we were involved with bible drills. I couldn’t do that either. I thought they should let us use Bibles with tabbed markers for the books, but they said that was cheating.

Always during Vacation Bible School each year we would do a pledge to the bible. I remember it being something like this:

I pledge allegiance to the Bible, God’s Holy Word. I will make it a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path and will hide its words in my heart that I might not sin against God.

Thank goodness there was church music! For without church music and hymns I would not have learned any scripture at all.

Tell me about your earliest memory of the Bible?