Oswald Chambers’ Bible

Clippings, Quotes, and Outlines

I turned the pages of Oswald Chambers‘ Bible a dozen years ago at Wheaton College’s Special Collection Library.

A black leather Bible he bequeathed to his student Eva Spink prior to leaving for World War I in Egypt, Oswald’s King James Version looked and felt well-worn.

(Eva treasured the gift the rest of her life. It wasn’t his only Bible, of course; leaving for war meant he downsized his possessions.)

The Bible was a living document to him, and Oswald used it every day for his devotions, study, and lectures.

He was the principal of a Bible Training College (BTC) that he and his wife, Biddy, founded.

Oswald Chambers’ Bible lecture notes

Oswald spoke extemporaneously on the League of Prayer circuit and while teaching at the BTC.

That does not mean, however, that he did not pray, plan, and outline his talks.

You can see outlines in these photos taken of his Bible.

Clippings in Oswald Chambers’ Bible

Oswald Chambers honored the Bible but wasn’t above cutting it up in his studies.

Years later, his daughter Kathleen remembered, “He used to have one Bible and cut it up and stick in the one he did special studies with.”

The interviewer commented, “Some people would think that was heretical.”

Kathleen agreed: “Completely.”

But it served his purpose. Here’s a photo of one page with the clippings pasted in.

Oswald Chambers quotes about the Bible.

Obviously, as the principal of the Bible Training College, Oswald thought and talked about the Bible all the time. Here are a few select quotes from his books.

“The Bible deals with what no ordinary mind sees—the scenery behind the things that are seen.” (Baffled to Fight Better)

“In the Bible it is never—Should a Christian sin? The Bible puts it emphatically—A Christian must not sin.” (My Utmost for His Highest, August 15)

“The Bible reveals that apart from the Spirit of God men have no moving emotion towards God, they are described as “dead.” (Biblical Ethics)

“We are not asked to believe the Bible, but to believe the One Whom the Bible reveals (cf. John 5:39–40 ).” (My Utmost for His Highest; May 6)

To read about Biddy Chambers’ Bible, click here.