"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth."

And we will find one other verse, because it is the first verse of a
chapter which also speaks of "the beginning."

"Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?" (Prov. viii.
1).

Now that we have read these verses; I must tell you that Ernest and Chris
and Charlotte and May used each to learn a verse for me every day, and say
them in turn; indeed, they usually said two verses, for I liked them always
to repeat along with the new verse the one they had said the day before, in
order that they might not forget it. I am glad to tell you that the verses
were generally learned so perfectly, and repeated so distinctly, that it
was quite a pleasure to hear them; for even little May knew that if we
repeat anything from God's Book we must be careful not to put in any words
of our own. If we did, we should be like Willie, giving the message in our
own way, should we not? Then, every one of God's words must be remembered,
and none left out; not even a little word like "and" or "the," which
perhaps would not very much matter if we were repeating merely what men had
said.

Perhaps you may think this chapter about Wisdom was a difficult chapter for
my boys and girls to learn, and not so interesting as some of those which
you know. I will tell you the reason why I especially wished them to learn
it; but I will first ask you to find in the New Testament three verses
which also tell us of "the beginning"--

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was
God.