| Deuteronomy 17:19
| And he shall have it with him, and shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, and keep his words and ceremonies, that are commanded in the law,
| Law. Pious Christian emperors and kings have esteemed it their greatest glory and happiness to read and meditate on the holy commandments of God, in order to regulate their conduct, amid the various dangerous occupations of their station. (Haydock) --- Constantine the Great, Charlemagne, St. Stephen of Hungary, Alphonsus I of Spain, were noted for the zeal which they shewed in this particular. Alphonsus of Arragon, had read the Bible, with the Commentaries, 14 times over, and the great Alfred wrote all the New Testament twice over with his own hand. (Calmet) --- He had translated into English Saxon all or most of the Bible before 900, as king Athelstan did about 925. (Encyclopedia Britannica, Bible, etc.) Yet the Catholic Church never condemned this conduct of her children, as Protestants would insinuate. (Cath. Doct. by N. G.)
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