to live by

Dr. Gregory's Book of St. Matthew

What, another reminiscence, Uncle David?
Yes:

When I was a kid going through Confirmation Class
My minister gave us a complete Book of St. Matthew’s
Gospel

Printed in a readable form
2 inches by 1-1/2 inches by ¼ inch
And he said of all the Gospels this was the one
With the best rules of life

And we should keep it, carry it with us
Whenever possible
And refer to it often

To LIVE by it

It’s now been about 68 years
Since I received that book
From the venerable Dr. Gregory
Our minister

I’ve read it often as he told us
But somehow I could not keep those
Rules
I bent them and I forgot to read them;
An imperfect but well-meaning
Christian;

Now my wife is teaching the Confirmation Class
At that same church Dr. Gregory served
(Mightily)

She is casting about for a gift
To give the confirmands
And I thought of my bent book

of St. Matthew
And suggested such a thing
If now procurable;

I kept the book

[Zep 2-12-08]