Such are briefly some of the ceremonies connected with the great feast and fast of the Moslim's year. It is easy to trace (as before hinted) the resemblance which they bear to our own feast of Christmas and the observances of Lent. We can only hope and pray that this resemblance may one day, by God's blessing, become a reality; and that those now walking in darkness, and imitating afar off the observances of Christianity, may at last be brought to see the light of the Gospel-day, and learn to rejoice in the blessings offered by it to every people and nation alike. AN EASTERN CHAPLAIN.

CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor of the Christian Observer.

DEAR SIR,-Allow me to say a few words in reference to two points in W. B. S.'s interesting paper on the "Signs of the Times," in your January number, which I have just been reading: points incorrectly spoken of, I doubt not, by him; and on which I trust he will gladly receive the suggested corrections by a Christian friend.

First, at p. 59, he designates "spiritualism as the third form of error alluded to in the Apocalyptic vision:" his reference, I presume, being to Apoc. xvi. 13, where three unclean spirits of delusion are spoken of as going forth out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the (seven-headed ten-horned) wild beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet, to deceive men; soon after the drying up of the waters of the mystic Euphrates. The two former of these he had noticed (correctly, I conceive) at p. 54, as the deluding spirits of Infidelity and Popery. But how can he suppose the third, or false prophet, to symbolize spiritualism? The Apocalyptic false prophet is identified, in Apoc. xix. 20, with the two-horned lambskin-covered wild beast of Apoc. xiii. 11; which used its powers with the purpose and effect of "making men worship the first wild beast,-i.e., as we both agree, Popery. Now (not to notice sundry other incongruous characteristics of this false prophet with W. B. S.'s theory) how can this be said of modern spiritualism? On the other hand, taking our Lord's own explanation of the Apocalyptic symbol, (for such it really is) "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves,"-as a designation of false-teaching selfexalting ministers and teachers, as if "prophets," or teachers from God, in Christ's professing Church,-in other words, ministers teaching in the spirit of antichristian sacerdotalism, or priestcraft,-taking this explanation, I say, of the Apocalyptic symbol, all, as I have abundantly shown in my Horæ Apoc., answers to our modern antichristian sacerdotalists: the spirit of whose teaching, all tending Rome

wards, has now gone forth far and wide over Europe and the world; as witnessed by the Westminster Review itself, in the remarkable passage cited by a reviewer in the March number of the Christian Observer of last year, p. 196.

Secondly, at p. 57, W. B. S. speaks of "Voltaire's attempt to laugh down Sir Isaac Newton for having concluded that, before certain prophecies were accomplished, men would possess the power of travelling at the rate of fifty miles an hour adding, "But who is the dotard now?”

It was in a Buxton Guide-Book, the summer before last, that I first saw this statement about Sir Isaac Newton and Voltaire. It was there given more fully, in inverted commas, as a quotation, but without mentioning where quoted from. In the passage, as there cited, Sir Isaac Newton was said to have expressed this remarkable anticipation as to the speed men would arrive at in travelling, either in his Treatise on Daniel, or in that on the Apocalypse. It was my persuasion that, had such been the case in either of those treatises, I must have remarked the passage. I looked, however, again into them, on returning home, as in duty bound; and found, as I expected, that no such statement, nor anything like it, was discoverable in either the one treatise or the other. Of course the prophetic verse on which it was most likely to have been made, had it been ever made by Sir Isaac, was Dan. xii. 4, " Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased." But Sir Isaac Newton's comment on Daniel ends with Daniel's Chapter xi.

The Buxton Guide writer being unable to recollect whence he had taken the quotation, I had some difficulty in tracing it; but at last did so to a published lecture on "Astral Wonders," by the Rev. J. Craig, of Leamington. From his reply to my letter of inquiry, I had to infer that he was unable to give any authority for the statement. And a London literary friend, having looked for me into the passage of Voltaire's Works, where he speaks of Sir I. Newton, found nothing whatsoever there about Sir Isaac's inference from Scripture prophecy as to men travelling fifty miles an hour, at the time of the end; nothing whatsoever in regard of marks of dotage in his old age, beyond that of his having then become a student of the Bible, and commentator on the Apocalyptic prophecy; with the usual Protestant explanation of the Pope being Antichrist.* E. B. E.

INSPIRATION.

To the Editor of the Christian Observer.

DEAR MR. EDITOR,-I believe it is usual with all periodicals, when an argument has been propounded in one issue and questioned in

* "Une preuve de sa bonne foi, c'est qu'il a commenté l'Apocalypse. Il y trouve clairement que le pape est l'Antichrist; et il explique d'ailleurs ce livre comme tous ceux qui s'en sont melés. Apparement qu'il a voulu par ce commentaire consoler la race humaine de la supériorité qu'il avait sur elle."-(Voltaire's Works, vol. viii. p. 89.)

another, to give to the first writer an opportunity of reply. I hope you will therefore permit my letter to appear in the next Christian Observer.-Yours very faithfully, JOHN EDMUND CARR.

The Outwoods, near Derby, Dec. 6th, 1865.

[As Mr. Carr claims a right of reply, we are not disposed to contest the matter. Our number for January was full before his letter reached us; being printed off earlier than usual, in anticipation of the Christmas holidays.-ED.]

SIR,-Assuming (which I shall believe to be the fact till stronger reasons are alleged) that the main question with those who contend for a strictly verbal inspiration of the Bible is a question of authority, I shall compress what I have to say in reply to "G. S." within a small compass. "G.S." does not deny that, owing to the ambiguity of language, the word used by the sacred writer, though it contains, does not necessarily convey, the divine idea; but he argues that, notwithstanding this, some advantage would be gained by the fact that the word, as well as the idea, is from God; and I do not dispute that there might be some advantage in the way of conscious satisfaction, though not of authoritative guidance. I say, not of authoritative guidance; for granting the fact assumed, the divine word will either be the same as that which would naturally occur to the human agent, or a synonyme thereof. If the same, then the meaning of the word, which alone carries authority, would, on either supposition, have to be determined by precisely the same process. If a synonyme, then, since the writer would naturally select the word most apt in his judgment to convey to others the impression made upon his own mind, there could be no gain in point of perspicuity. And since the authority of a word is in the inverse ratio of its ambiguity, there could be no gain in point of authority. If it be alleged that the divine word, quà divini, is more authoritative than its human synonyme, this could only be on the assumption that the sense of the divine word is less liable to be mistaken; but even granting this to be the case, inasmuch as beyond all question the authority is not in the symbol, but in the thing symbolized, so far as we are dependent on human scholarship for the meaning of the word, so far its authority must be pervaded by the same human element.-Yours faithfully, JOHN EDMUND CARR.

:

P.S.-To "A Church of England Protestant Catholic," I reply That his arguments carry to my mind anything but conviction, and I think his statements, especially that broad and unqualified one that St. Peter affirms, ("The inspired writers did not-because they could not-fully understand the matter and meaning of the inspired communications, and consequently &c.,") ought not to go unchallenged. Should you be of the same opinion, you will oblige me by publishing the annexed observations, either as a postscript to my letter to "G. S.," or in any other form which you may deem preferable.

To the letter on Verbal Inspiration, by a Church of England Protestant Catholic, it may be replied, that-The inspired writers in general did, because they could not but, fully understand the matter and

meaning of the inspired communications. Is it conceivable that St. Paul should not have understood the matter and meaning of his own Epistles? Or St. Peter, and St. John, and St. James, and St. Jude, can it with any truth be affirmed that they did not understand the matter and meaning of the letters addressed by them to the Churches and individuals to whom they wrote?

If" all Scripture is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness," how could it be profitable, if not understood; and if understood by those to whom it was written, à fortiori by those who wrote it? And if some of the prophets, when writing of Gospel times, did not understand the full scope and meaning of their prophecies, and the times and circumstances of their fulfilment, they must at least have understood the terms in which they were expressed, whether the words were immediately dictated, or the exponents in their own language of the ideas impressed upon their minds by the Divine Revealer. Otherwise, how could they have searched into the meaning, not of the words, but of the events and the times," What and what manner of time the Spirit of Christ, which was in them, did signify, &c." ?

His first "ergo," therefore, falls to the ground.

His second "ergo" is so palpable a non sequitur, that it needs no refutation.

NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS.

The Christian Monitor; or, Selections from Pious Authors. London: S. W. Partridge.-In times of sickness, or in old age, when the mind is not equal to deep study or close application, a book of short extracts from good and pious authors is often a great source of comfort and spiritual help. As such we can heartily recommend "The Christian Monitor." It is indeed what the title indicates, a monitor. It is full of most interesting incidents in the lives of eminent Christians, and may well admonish those who have begun the Christian course, to follow their example who have reached the prize. It is printed in a large clear type, nicely illustrated, and in every way suitable as a gift book for old or young.

The Progress of Science, Art, and Literature in Russia. By F. R. Grahame, Author of "The Archer and the Steppe," &c. London: James Blackwood & Co.-We believe that Russia is yet destined to play a foremost part in the world's history. She has those qualities which make a nation great. Intense enthusiasm, a firm belief in its own future destiny, and a devoted loyalty to its own method of government, arbitrary as it seems to us, which nothing can disturb. We must add to these, other qualities, for which we owe our acquaintance entirely to this volume. Indeed, we say at once, without hesitation, that it is the most instructive book on Russia with which we are

acquainted. We think the following sketch will be new to most of our readers:

"While the institution of serfdom still existed, the great land-owners, as was formerly the case in England, objected to the education of the peasant, on the ground that it caused him to become discontented with his lot; (Count Tolstoy and some others, however, formed noble exceptions to this rule); but now that this barrier to all true civilisation has been raised, the Russian peasant has shown himself most eager to improve his mental as well as physical condition, and grasp all the rudiments of education that have been placed within his reach. The demand has been met by a vast accession of schools, the introduction of Sunday schools for working men and boys, and an immense increase in the literature, both of standard books and periodicals, that is now poured forth from the press every week, and at a price which places it within the reach of the poor. Not only original Russian works, but translations from the best English authors, are eagerly read by the lower classes in Russia, and the whole of Shakespeare's plays, which were translated by M. Ketcha, ran through its first edition in one year. But in the annals of his own country the Russian peasant especially delights; and her history, as related by the old villagers to their grandchildren in their cottages, is coloured very differently to that recorded by conventional chronicles. With them Ivan the Terrible was terrible only to his enemies, and if he occasionally killed a courtier or an attendant for amusement, it was almost an act of benevolent condescension on the part of so great a man. An old white-bearded peasant, too infirm to move from the side of the cottage stove, relates to his great grand-children, who listen with wondering ears, how he remembers his great-grandfather, who used to tell him how his father had fought at Pultowa under Peter the Great, and describes accurately the usual dress and appearance of that prince, as he recollects hearing it then described. In the same way, in different parts of Russia, old traditions of all the Czars, almost as far back as Demetrius of the Don, are repeated, often with numerous embellishments, having come originally from some ancestor of the relater, who was an eyewitness of the event. The Russian ploughman, while following his avocation, will dream of the past or future glories of his country, and flatter himself that it will some day rule the world. The songs with which he urges on his horses are frequently historical: and, as already stated, the legends repeated in the peasants' huts, and handed down from generation to generation, are generally built upon a historical foundation, and relate the deeds or eccentricities of some ancient Czar. Poetry, satire, and caricature, are also arts in which the Russian excels; but, though as faithful a copyist as the Chinese, the native drawings have generally the same disregard to light and shade. On the subject of his religion, a Russian is generally better instructed than a Western European of the same class. The biographies of the various saints, the seven general councils, and the different points in which the Eastern Church differs from that of Rome, are usually carefully taught in the village schools; and sermons and theological controversies are often favourite topics of conversation and discussion even with the peasants." (pp. 7-9.)

The work admits us to the interior world of the Russian history. It also contains an admirable account, from the Russian point of view, of Napoleon's invasion in 1812, together with sufficient reference to that of Count Ségur, who accompanied Napoleon. There is an interesting chapter on the doctrines and ceremonies of the Russian Church, and of its schismatical sects, some of which are as extraordinary as Mormonism itself. It is a valuable work, and we shall be mistaken if the public do not appreciate its worth.

The Path on Earth to the Gate of Heaven: Essays of Counsel and Encouragement for the present day. By the Rev. Frederick Arnold, of Christ Church, Oxford. London: F. Warne and Co.Beautifully bound and illustrated, this is one of the most attractive