21 January 2010

Daily Quotation



I missed not having a Bible at hand.  Oh, no doubt there were Catholic Bibles at the basilica three blocks away... in Latin or in Spanish.  I wanted the King James version.  Again no doubt there were copies of it somewhere in this city--but I did not know where.  For the first time in my life I envied the perfect memory of Preachin' Paul (Rev Paul Balonius) who tramped up and down the central states the middle of last century, preaching the Word without carrying the Book with him.  Brother Paul was reputed to be able to quote from memory any verse cited by book, chapter, and number of verse, or, conversely, correctly place by book, chapter, and number any verse read to him.

I was born too late to meet Preachin' Paul, so I never saw him do this--but perfect memory is a special gift God bestows not too infrequently; I have no reason to doubt Brother Paul had it.  Paul died suddenly, somewhat mysteriously, and possibly sinfully--in the words of my mission studies professor, one should exercise great prudence in praying alone with a married woman.
~ Robert A. Heinlein - Job:  A Comedy of Justice ~

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