A voice from the fire : a sermon occasioned by the public burning of the Bible at Kingstown, by the Redemptorist Fathers, on the 5th of November, 1855

In this stirring mid‑nineteenth‑century sermon, a Redemptorist priest confronts a shocking public act: the open burning of a Bible in Kingstown. Using the dramatic imagery of fire from which God once spoke, he urges listeners to recognize the sacred text as the ultimate source of moral certainty, far above any human institution or tradition. The preacher weaves biblical history with contemporary concerns, reminding the audience that even great civilizations have faltered when they ignored the written word.

The address moves from the ancient covenant at Horeb to the perils of relying on oral tradition alone, illustrating how easily true faith can be eclipsed by superstition and idolatry. With clear, earnest language, the speaker argues that Scripture, as a divinely‑authored record, stands as the firm foundation for belief and conduct. Listeners are invited to contemplate the lasting relevance of the Bible in an age where its very pages are threatened by hostility and misunderstanding.