Lucile, Take and Read

"Take and read." Saint Augustine thought he heard those words as he debated whether to follow Christ or continue his old way of life? He obeyed, read the Bible, and his life was transformed. Adolphe Monod (1802-1856) gives the same advice to readers of Lucile. Take and read. --- Yes, but is the Bible true? Is it really God's Word to his people? Can we read it ourselves and understand it without going astray? These are the questions that troubled Lucile as she sought to find peace with God and with herself. If you have ever wondered about these issues, you will find Lucile, Take and Read to be a charming but well-reasoned source of help. If you already love, trust, and read God's Word, this book will both challenge and strengthen your faith. --- Set and written in mid-nineteenth century France, Lucile is a fictional account of real events told in the form of dialogues and letters. The first part of the book is a carefully reasoned defense of the Bible's authenticity and authority as God's Word to his people. Once convinced of this by a godly abbot, Lucile eagerly desires to read the Bible for herself, but the abbot tells her that she must look to the Roman Catholic Church to tell her what parts she can read and to explain their meaning. She is dismayed but timid. Then a family friend who has become a new person through reading the Bible comes to her aid and finally convinces her that God not only permits but commands his people to read the Bible while praying for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. --- Lucile was enormously popular when first published in 1841, and it remained so for over forty years. It was translated from French into English and at least seven other languages. This edition represents a new translation and editing of this classic work so that it reads more naturally to twenty-first century readers. Despite its age, the issues addressed are still with us today, as relativism and skepticism abound. Therefore, follow Monod's advice. Once you leave this book, find yourself a Bible, then "take and read."