Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 19
December 7, 1967
NUMBER 31, PAGE 4-5a

Hugh Clark Has Gone Home. After Closing A Fine Meeting With The Calmont Church In Fort Worth, Texas Sunday Evening, November 12Th, He Drove To Dallas To Spend The Night With His Son. Sometimes During The Night He Answered The Final Call.

Editorial

Concerning "Talking Bibles"

For several years now the American people have been becoming increasingly aware of the "talking Bibles" on the market. The American Bible Society was first in the field with its "Bible for the Blind"; other companies have followed with records of varying quality. But lately there has been a tremendous interest generated, and a rapidly growing demand for these "talking Bibles" for use by those who are not blind at all.

What is the value, one might ask, of a talking Bible when the printed book is so easily available? The talking Bible is in no way competitive with the printed Bible, but rather is supplemental to it. It has a distinct value of its own, enhancing and emphasizing the printed word. Consider some of the advantages of such a recording: Listening to the Bible can be a family, or group activity, while reading a printed version is of necessity a strictly solitary affair. Furthermore, listening to a good reader can give an insight, understanding, and appreciation of the word that one often misses in his own reading. Reading aloud is tiring; listening to another read aloud is restful if the reading is done well.

If one listens to a good reader while following the printed text at the same time there is a "double impression" of the truth that is taught. The brain accepts messages from the ears simultaneously with the message being received through the eyes. This tremendously deepens and strengthens the force of what is being read or heard.

But there is one other aspect of the "talking Bible" which, perhaps, has more value to our generation than any we might mention — and that is the TIME factor. Many people do not read the Bible because of the sheer pressure of time. We live in a hectic and hurried day. The pressures of jobs and business, of school and home, of varied community affairs are such that every day seems filled to overflowing. When can one spare the time for even a chapter or two a day? The answer is that many thousands of Christians feel they can NOT spare the time -- and consequently the Bible is not read on any regular or systematic basis. The talking Bible will come into its own right here. For the record can be turned on, and set at whatever volume one wants, and the Bible message will be "absorbed" while one goes right on engaging in any number of routine household tasks which are normal to every day -- eating breakfast, dressing for the day or undressing for the night, washing the dishes, making the beds, brushing one's teeth, or hunting the misplaced car keys! In other words, the Bible message can be a normal, routine part of every day's activities, and consume no time at all!

Many experiments have established the fact that impressions gained in this type of learning are most effective if there is repetition of the material. That is, the same record should be played over each day for about a week before going on to the next. And it is not necessary to listen consciously to the words that are being spoken. There is an "absorption" by the mind of material that is repeatedly presented to it, even if the person is not aware of the content of what is being heard.

We have listened to ALL the recorded versions of the Bible we could find, produced by ALL the manufacturers who make them. Some are of superior quality; some are not well done. We have selected the one reading which we believe to be on the whole the best of the lot; and are offering it to our readers (see advertisement this issue) at a cost approximately $30.00 LESS than the price being asked for some of the inferior readings. The New Testament album of some of the major manufacturing companies is on the market at $99.50; but the superior recording we are offering is exactly thirty dollars less than that — $69.50. And even that cost can be cut (to $59.50) if one desires to pay cash. The $69.50 cost contemplates a time payment plan of $9.50 down and $5.00 a month for one year.

Regardless of how one buys, however, we do believe the talking Bible is going to become one of the prized possessions of nearly every Christian family. And it is going to enrich and strengthen appreciation for the familiarity with the Word of God in every home that has it. Why should not a growing child in a Christian home become as familiar with the words of Jesus as he is with some silly and irritating commercial praising beer or tobacco, soaps, cereals, or deodorants? The talking Bible Will be an answer to prayer for many harried and anxious parents who have been fighting a losing battle for the minds and attention of their children. For it has been demonstrated by numerous experiments that children enjoy listening to these records; and are far less likely to be addicted to television violence and sensuality if they can be weaned from it by high quality and well read Bible recordings By whatever means, and in whatever way, every parent owes it to his child to get the word of God into that child's heart and mind and life at as early an age as he can possibly do so. The talking Bible is one way to make an early start.