Fauquier Baptist Church
Thursday, March 28, 2024

The Books They Show

A certain rich man bought a book.
It had a most impressive look--
'Twas bound in leather, richly tooled
And penned by one most wisely schooled.
Full many a poor man passing by
Had seen it with an envious eye
And by his sigh made plainly known
His wish so rare this book to own.
To drain those pages shining bright
He would have read throughout the night.
 
A certain poor man stopped and found
The self-same volume paper bound
And gladly for this precious tome
Paid 50 cents and took it home.
Each night he sat and page by page
He drunk in the wisdom of the age
And made before he'd reached the end
The man who abridged it his friend,
Claimed the knowledge for his own
And by this book had wiser grown.
 
A friend beside the rich man's shelf
Exclaimed, "Why I've this same book myself.
Yours is a handsomer copy, though,
You've read it?" Exclaimed the right man, "No.
Someday I may but now indeed
I find I haven't time to read."
And then he spoke on noble thought and said,
"I wish that knowledge could be ought like bread.
I can but books but this I find.
Study alone improves the mind."
 
Oh you who read with eager eyes
The treasures that the rich man buys, know this
Though all men have of gold
Knowledge is neither bought nor sold.
Pages by fingers must be turned,
And knowledge is neither bought nor sold.
Oh you who read what prophets write
And sit with them throughout the night
Know more than they will ever know
Who never read the books they show.
                         (Edgar A. Guest)
 
Luke 1:37, For with God nothing shall be impossible.