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care, and report regularly to the Meetings which appoint them.

An interesting letter from J. M. Washburn, a Presbyterian Minister, of Wabash, Indiana, was read on the second day of the Conference. He expressed a very lively interest in the object of the Conference, and a thorough devotion to the Principles of Peace. At the last sitting the Clerk was directed to inform him that his communication was favorably received.

Ireneus, of France, quotes most of the books of the New Testament.

Athenagoras, who lived in the second century, wrote an apology for Christianity, addressed to the Emperors Marcus Aurelius Antonius and Lucius Commodus. Discoursing on the Resurrection, he quotes Matthew, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, First and Second Corinthians, First Timothy, James, Second Peter,and Revelations.

Tertullian, who lived in both the second and third centuries, quotes from all the books of the New Testament, except James, 2nd Peter, and 3rd John.

In addition to the authors here named, were Hypolitus, Origen, Gregory, Dionysius, Cyprian, and Amobius, besides many others of both Christian and heathen celebrity.

The business being concluded, a weighty silence overspread the Conference, and expressions were made by several Friends, intimating that we had been blessed together, and expressing the hope that from this small beginning, much good would eventually result. The voice of thanksgiving and praise ascended to In the quotations made by heathen the Most High, and under a precious writers of that age, the object was not feeling of solemnity and Christian to disprove the authenticity of the fellowship, the Conference adjourn- New Testament, but to show its uned.

D. C.

THE GENUINENESS AND AUTHENTI

CITY OF THE BIBLE. SUPPOSING all the New Testaments in the world had been destroyed at the end of the third century, could their contents have been recovered from other writings of the first three centuries?

ANSWER:-This question will not, probably, admit of an unqualified answer. Lord Hailes has answered it as nearly, perhaps, as any man may. After about two months examination of the writings of the various authors of the period specified, he tells us that he has found the whole of the New Testament in them, excepting not more than eleven verses, and he had confidence to believe the rest could be found.

truthfulness in facts, and narrative. This was always successfully met by the Christian writers, who could appeal to the archives of the Roman Senate, which contained the reports of Pontius Pilate and other procurators of Palestine in the time of Christ and his Apostles, and were found to confirm the historical incidents mentioned in the Apostolic writings, with sufficient accuracy.

B. C. HOBBS.

For the "American Friend. " NEW TRANSLATION OF THE BIBLE.

IN the closing number of the Freedmen's Record, we notice an article from the Lutheran Observer in which a strong protest is entered against a new translation of the Bible. We entirely coincide with the statement Polycarp, who lived in the time of there brought forward from distinthe Apostles, has nearly forty allus- guished men and scholars in support ions to the New Testament, and quo- of the comparative excellence of the tations from Matthew, Acts, Romans, English version. The sum of these First and Second Corinthians, Gala- testimonies is briefly given in the tions, Ephesians, Philippians, First language of the first, that of Seldon: and Second Thessalonians, First "The English translation of the Bible Peter, First and Second Timothy and is the best in the world." This, however, may be truly said without

First John.

disproving either the necessity or the propriety of a new translation. And, as it is well known that many learned and pious men in various leading denominations, unite in calling for a new version, the subject is certainly one claiming a calm and patient consideration, which it hardly receives when met in the declamatory tone of the article in question.

We think we have sometimes observed a kind of sensitiveness on this subject of a new translation of the Scriptures, which seems to us hardly consistent either with a healthy, vigorous faith in the Inspired Word, or with the earnest truth-seeking spirit of genuine scholarship; a sensitiveness rather calculated to recall the superstitious tenacity with which Romish theologians cling to their Vulgate, than the enlightened zeal with which the early Reformers went back to the original text, and sought to draw the sacred truths afresh from their fountain, and present them anew to the people. For our part we have no fear of the divine contents of the Scriptures disappearing in a new translation, or losing any of their hold on the public mind. On the contrary, we believe all their heavenly truths would but grow more radiant under the full light of modern scholarship, and would but come home more closely to the hearts of all when made to speak the living dialect of the nineteenth century.

As bringing to view a different side of the question from the one presented in the article referred to, we have condensed the following remarks from Mrs. Conant's "Popular History of English Bible Translalation!"

"Through the whole of the sixteenth century, during which the Bible gained its firm hold on the popular life of England, the work of Bible translation as its determining element, was one of constant growth and progress. Each new ray of light that fell on the original Scriptures, was turned with generous haste by the scholars of that age upon the vernacular Bible. It was not then

found unsafe for the common mind to know that every translation of the Scriptures, being the work of men, is liable to error and susceptible of improvement. But there is one point of view in which all the English versions, from Tyndale's to King James' stand on a level. All belong to a single epoch of scholarship, progressive, indeed, but in its leading features one and the same; and our common version was the last great effort of the infant period of Biblical science in England. With the second quarter of the seventeenth century, there dawned a new era of sacred learning. All over Europe was witnessed a simultaneous advance, both in the materials of Biblical Science, and the genius and ardor of the minds devoted to it. From the middle of the nineteenth century, we look back on the accumulated results of more than two hundred years of the most profound and brilliant scholarship the world has known, and not one ray of this has yet been allowed to shine through our English Bible. We are assured that much of the seeming obscurity of the Scriptures belongs not to the inspired word itself, but to the imperfect expression of it by the translators; and that in instances without number the scholar of the present day, finds clearness, force and beauty in the original text, where the vernacular Bible is dark and confused, and can trace connected trains of thought where that presents it broken into incoherent fragments.

And in regard to the Sacred text itself, while those who prepared our common version, were acquainted with the inspired text of the New Testament, only through copies made a thousand years or more after the Apostolic age, the more favored scholars of the present have access to manuscripts divided from it by only three or four centuries; and the variations between the Text these coincide in establishing, and the one from which our common version was made are reckoned by thousands.

Is it possible that a version which

embodies none of these results of modern scholarship, can long command the public confidence? Is it it not to be feared that the English Bible, so long the chief element of Anglo-Saxon progress, may gradually relax its grasp upon the popular life, to be honored at length, rather as a monument of the past, than the living power which penetrates and controls the age?" Z.

THE PARABLE OF THE UNJUST

STEWARD.

LUKE Xvi; 1—14.

THIS parable appears to be a continuation of the discourse related in the preceding chapter, and it is mentioned that the presence of many publicans and sinners characterized the assembly to which our Lord was then speaking.

To this circumstance, perhaps, his parables were, to some extent, adapted; for he does not, as when he addresses the self-righteous representatives of Judaism, speak of the fruitless fig tree cumbering the gronnd, of the marriage feast neglected by those who were bidden, or of the vineyard let out to wicked husbandmen, but now he tells of the lost sheep and the lost piece of silver found, of the prodigal son restored, and then as if selecting a circumstance, which the publicans, those "children of this world," wise in worldly matters, would fully comprehend and appreciate, he tells them of the prudent conduct of the unjust steward.When he understood that he would be put out of his stewardship, and his livelihood be taken away, at once he revolved in his mind, while his lord's goods were still in his power, how he might provide shelter and maintenance for himself at a time when he should be no longer steward. He sets clearly before himself his own case; he has not strength to labor, and he is ashamed to beg. His decision is quickly made, "I am resolved," that is, I see, "what to do." He does not allow the opportunity now his, to escape him, but he uses

the time, the trust, and the means at his command, to make friends of his lord's debtors, and thus secure to himself a reception in to their houses when his office should be taken from him. He calls them together, and under his direction, they fraudulently diminish the bills of their indebtedness, and these dishonest accounts he returns to his lord when he gives up his stewardship. His lord discovers the fraud, but he sees also the purpose for which it is committed, the calculation, the forecast, which his steward has displayed, and he commended him, "because he had done wisely, commended, not his dishonesty, but his shrewdness.

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Let it be observed the narrative sets forth worldly wisdom, contrivance, and forethought only. Moral considerations have no place in it. The steward who used dishonest. means, the debtors whose friendship could be secured by an unrighteous advancement of their private interests, and the rich lord who, although a loser by the scheme, could appreciate and commend the shrewdness of his servant, were all "children of this world; " but of such our Savior says, "they are in their generation," that is, in what pertains to them as children of this world looking out for their worldly interests, "wiser than the children of light." And he would have his disciples learn wisdom, learn forethought from them :-imitate the unjust steward, not in his dishonesty, that it is well understood the followers of Jesus cannot do, but imitate him by using their stewardship to secure their future and eternal interests. "And I say unto you, make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations." Make to yourselves friends out of the wealth of this world, of which ye are stewards, not owners, that when ye are no longer stewards, ye may be received.-the use ye have made of your stewardship may be a means of your being received,-into everlasting habita

tions.

We do not understand our Lord to say, Secure the friendship of individuals, as the poor, and the afflicted, with the riches of this world; bnt make to yourselves friends for the day of account of good deeds and a righteous use of your possession.

Wealthy men, men of the world, but seeking now to know how they might become his disciples, were his hearers. He compares them to the steward, thus unfolding to them their real relations to the things which they possess. They are stewards receiving them in trust from Him whose is the earth and the fulness thereof. If they dispose of the treasures in their hands for the good of others, they shall have treasure in Heaven. It is our Lord's teachings elsewhere more plainly expressed: "Do good and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great; Sell that ye have and give alms;" Give to the poor, "they cannot recompense you, but ye shall be recompensed at the resurrection of the just;" a teaching that called down upon him the derision of the covetous Pharisees, who also heard him.

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These worldly goods,-and time, talent, position, opportunity, as well as riches, are trusts committed to your care, these, compared with the gift of the Holy Spirit, the true riches, "which God hath prepared for them that love him," are little, are "the least;" but "he that is faithful in that which is least is, or will be, "faithful also in much; and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. "If, therefore, ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon," in these bestowments of your heavenly Father, which pertain more especially to this world, if ye are found faithless stewards of these things, can you expect that He will commit to your trust the true riches? and if he does not who will? If ye have not been faithful in that which is another's," in these things which belong to your heavenly Father, will He give you that which is the promise and the rich inheritance of the faithful, that which if ye were such would be your own? and if he does

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much vigor of both body and mind, able to walk one or two miles, and to enjoy the pleasure of life, having lived near his present location for more than fifty years, honored and beloved for his uprightness and integrity, and seen grow up around him a large family of descendants, "who rise up to call him blessed," has just shown his desire to relieve the suffering of the Freedmen by a contribution of $200, to our Treasurer.

He has ever been a warm and earnest friend of the slave, and for many years conscientiously abstained from using the products of slave labor, and now says that if he was younger, he should feel like personally devoting his time among them. Such an instance of liberality is encouraging, and will, we have no doubt, yield to our worthy Friend a rich reward. May his example be followed by others, and may his declining years be blessed with an abundance of peace.

WHITEWATER Quarterly Meeting has united with the request of Chicago Friends to have a monthly meeting in that city, to be opened next 4th month.

The American Friend. search and discussion in gaining and

RICHMOND, IND., 1ST мo., 1866.

imparting clearer and fuller views of old truths, and acknowledged principles, and it is our purpose to conduct the paper so as to bring these out in their varied applications to the prac tical affairs of life.

It is in no narrow view of our ob

THE AMERICAN FRIEND is published to aid in the growth and spread of Christianity, Morality, and Knowledge amongst its readers. It is in- ligations and duties that we regard tended to supply an obvious want by our paper as intended chiefly for our furnishing a medium of intercourse own Society, but simply because the and communication amongst Friends want to be supplied is mainly amongst in this country, and especially in the ourselves. Desiring that our publiWest, where the larger number of cation may be acceptable and benefithem reside. As a Society we are an cial to Friends, we shall endeavor, at intelligent, thinking people, deeply the same time, to make it instructive interested in education and the vari- to others and worthy of their supous questions that pertain to the im- port; and our hope is that it will not provement and Christian culture of be exclusively dependent upon our mankind. The spirit of investigation own members, either for material and inquiry, and the desire for carnest practical work, now existing amongst us, seem to demand a paper of this kind, and we believe that such a publication will be beneficial to the cause of truth, by disseminating information and knowledge, and by stirring us up individually, to greater zeal and faithfulness in our duties.

Its columns will be open for candid statements, and fair discussions of the various religious, civil and social questions that concern us as a Christian people, in our relations to each other, and the world at large, provided such discussions are carried on in the proper spirit of inquiry with the view of arriving at the truth, and not for the sake of controversy. We hope not to shrink unduly from the investigation of new and open questions, but it will be our object to call attention to settled principles and established doctrines rather than to novel and curious speculations. There is a large field for thought, re

support or contributions to its columns.

Denominational exclusiveness has

too long separated brethren of the same household of faith. It is time that the followers of a common Master, recognizing the fact that they are enlisted in a common cause, should labor together in harmony, and extend to each other a helping hand, while engaged in the different departments of the common work. We desire that the "AMERICAN FRIEND' may exert an influence toward this end, and through it we would extend the hand of friendly greeting to all true followers of the Lord Jesus.

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We trust that the "love of Christ constraineth us to enter upon this work, and our prayer is that it may be instrumental in advancing His cause in the earth. To the spread of His Gospel and to the establishment of His kingdom in the hearts of the children of men, we humbly dedicate our undertaking.

E. J.

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