Show BIBLES PLACE IN literature know knowledge ledge of the scriptures has been acknowledged essential to education I 1 the ignorance of the bible is to be deplored for other than religious reasons its cultural value is very great we have been learning arning a during the last half century that a knowledge of en english 9 literature is an indispensable element in public education that in getting to know as Matt matthew liew arnold contended the best that has been said and thought in tho the world v orld we broaden our horizon and purity purify our ideals and thus prepare ourselves for tho ilia du ties of citizenship our colleges and universities have been enforcing this truth upon us by their requirements for admission but if a knowledge of literature is indispensable to the education of a blitzen ci cl itzen acquaint acquaintance ante with the english bible is surely fundamental for that knowledge washington gladden writes in the atlantic all our best english literature is shot through and through with biblical quotations maxims metaphors characters allusions the one book with which a reader needs to have familiar acquaintance is the english bible it is ridiculous tor for anyone to undertake to teach english literature who does not know his bible ible at least as well as lie he knows his shakespeare on the pages lie he is undertaking to elucidate lie he will meet the bible five times where he will meet shakespeare once for purposes of critical exposition it is certainly quite as necessary for him to understand jacob as to understand der stand shylock familiarity with job is of greater practical value than familiarity with paradise lost |