EXHIBITION AT EARLHAM
COLLEGE.

communication. In its present mode JUNIOR of employment the phrase has evidently grown too vague and ambiguous to be any longer serviceable, THE examination which took place except for those who sometimes need at the close of the winter term is a convenient phrase to take the place spoken of by those who attended it, of an idea or an argument instead of as having been quite creditable to conveying one. If we are still to hear both students and instructors. In the phrase, let us honestly endeavor most instances the students acquitted to bring it back to some intelligible themselves well, and showed plainly meaning accepted alike on all hands. that their instruction had been thorIf it is still to continue a watchword ough. of caution amongst us, let it no longer give "an uncertain sound" If it is to denote an undue forwardness of the natural impulses instead of a proper awaiting of the Divine prompting, let its application be consistent with its acceptation. Let it not betray those in whose mouths it is most frequently found. Let them not give too apparent evidence by its employment of a "creaturely activity" in themselves, impatient of everything not in the precise line of their own way of thinking and acting as the disciples of old took it upon themselves to rebuke one who was casting out devils in the name of Jesus, because he followed not them.

It is a very common form of selfdeception to regard any divergence from our own opinion and practice as, so far, wrong. Hence the jealousy that prompts to brand with an invidious phrase any departure from our own way of thinking and doing; though, as far as we are entitled to judge, it may be the result of an impression of duty quite as distinct and positive as our own.

A dread of "creaturely activity" will frequently be found to resolve itself into a dread of being uncomfortably jostled out of our own ease, and settled ways, by the greater zeal and earnestness of others, when very likely this is the very thing we most need for our spiritual health and

I was present only at the closing exercises, which consisted of a literary exhibition, by the members of the Junior Class. The high moral tone of the essays, and the decided avowal of a recognition of the hand of Providence in all his works, spoke well for the character of the authors. So far as the construction of sentences was concerned, the productions were not wanting in merit. In the grouping of words, the arrangement of clauses and phrases, there was but little to condemn, and much to commend. But one marked defect in nearly all of the essays, was a want of definiteness,--in other words, a want of point; rather like a grindstone without any grit in it. Too much was said over the subject, but not enough about it. There should have been less of generalities and more of particulars.

In

It is with no unfriendly spirit that this is written, but it is with the hope that it may meet the eye of some of the authors alluded to, and lead them in future to study more carefully the subject matter of their essays. connection with this subject it may be added that composition writing is, in most instances, sadly neglected in the greater portion of our schools. Even when some attention is given, it not unfrequently happens that the usual method of acquiring a knowledge of any science, is in this particular department reversed. In most things the student is required to beLet us then either reject the un- gin with first principles, and to leave gracious phrase altogether, as savor these only as they are understood. ing too much of narrowness and But in this the student is too often selfishness, or take better heed that left to his own judgment in the matwe do not employ it in a way that ter, and he begins by attempting a renders it meaningless, or at most discourse on some question of social' gives it a signification that only re- science, or mental or moral philosobounds upon him that uses it.

progress.

Z.

1

room. That a great part of the appropriate work of the Church is to educate, no one can deny. "Go teach all nations," is a part of her great commission. That the State has formed a system for the common school education of all its youth, so wise and so beneficent, is because it had been led on to this noble ground by the Church.

phy, subjects about which he has no definite idea, and, after dealing awhile in some hackneyed phrases, and generalities which have not even the merit of being "glittering," he winds up by an exhortation to be good, and great, and glorious, and so on to the end of the vocabulary, and the composition is finished. It is time that we had a change in this respect. It must, however, be admitted, that Shall the Church or our Society as there has, of late, been a manifest a branch of it, now withdraw from improvement upon the rant, bombast, the field and leave its children to the and stump orator styles, so prevalent common schools, unaided by any a few years ago, but still further progress is necessary before the majority of our public writers and speakers shall have attained to any high standard of excellence in the art of composition.

Our schools and colleges may do much towards developing a correct literary taste, and it is certainly to be hoped that they may give the subject that attention to which its importance entitles it. C. D.

THE NEED OF FRIENDS' SCHOOLS.

So broad and liberal are the provisions of some of our Western Statesi for the education of all the children, that it is thought by many Friends that we need only exert our influence in the great cause of literary education through the system conducted by the machinery of law. In other words, that there is no need of organized educational efforts on the part of the Church.

special Christian effort, apart from the occasional and uncertian visit of the individual Christian as a citizen?

I shall take the ground that whatever any truly Christian society shall do to elevate any of the schools of the land, is a benefit, a free gift to the State, to the nation, and to the world. It is not then to usurp the rights, nor to trespass upon the privileges of others, that I would urge upon Friends the importance of exerting their influence as far as possible on the schools where their own children are taught; to provide for them according to good old Quaker phrase a "guarded religous and literary education."

But how shall we bring these schools under our care? By sending our Committees to visit them, as an agency entirely subordinate to the District organization?

Visits of this kind even from our best educators, in the exercise simply of a privilege, with no control which could give any authority, would, it seems to me, effect little.

This is becoming increasingly one of the questions of the day with our There are many neighborhoods, Society in many parts of the West, like my own, consisting almost enespecially in Iowa, where there are tirely of Friends, and those among thousands of Friends' children pur- them who are not Friends would suing their education in the common generally prefer schools under schools and public institutions of the their care. The money of Friends State, or in those under the auspices must build the school-houses, and of other denominations. It is with sustain the school principally.a hope of eliciting some of the best By voluntary action instead of thoughts of the best minds on this taxation, they might build their question, that I submit it, with a few school-houses, and in many places considerations, for the columns of bring the District school into them, the AMERICAN FRIEND. without infringing upon the rights of

We know that many of the most any; and while complying with the potent influences in the formation of necessary requisitions of the law, character, are exerted in the school- they could thus reserve to our Socie

ty such power as would give it authority in the selection of teachers, and the providing and enforcing of such regulations as would secure a high standard.

ally accepted English translation of the Holy Scriptures, has been in use more than 250 years; and, hence it has the benefit of venerable age added to its sacred character. I may also be excused for expressing my high regard for that part of our language which is derived from the original Saxon, and it has been said that our English Bible is the most pure specimen of the Anglo-Saxon language

The duties of the Friend in this matter are two-fold,-as a member of the Church and a citizen of the State. Which of these relations should be held subordinate to the other? The true answer to this question would lead down to others more fundamen- extant. tal.

But if the paramount claims of the Church are conceded; if the religious education of our children is of the first importance, and if this is to be sought not apart from, but along with, all their education and training, then it is clearly the duty of the Church to lead in the matter.

As I have traveled over our young State, and visited the settlements of Friends spreading abroad in various localities, it has seemed to me that one of our most pressing needs, both for our own sake and the sake of others, both for the present and the future, is that our own educational institutions should be planted here. Institutions thorough in discipline as well as instruction, through which the moulding hand and the pure spirit of vital Christianity may be exerted with telling power upon the coming generations. Here is a field wide enough, and promising enough, for all the energy and the means which can be bestowed upon it. IOWA.

J. B.

NEW TRANSLATION OF THE BIBLE.

Editors of the American Friend:Having read with considerable interest the remarks of Z. in the first number of the AMERICAN FRIEND, on the subject of a new English translation of the Bible, and having reflected somewhat upon this question, which it appears is beginning to engage, to a greater extent than heretofore, the attention of the religious community, I have penned a few ideas upon the subject, which are at your disposal.

Our present authorized and gener

There is no doubt in my mind that the simple, yet terse and commanding, phraseology of our present version of the Bible, distinguishing it from secular works, and the writings of uninspired men, give it a more sacred character in the minds and hearts of the people than if made to speak in the "living dialect of the nineteenth century," although it might be graced with "the full light of modern scholarship."

From these remarks it will be apparent that I am totally opposed to remodelling our version of the Holy Scriptures on the basis of "the living dialect of the nineteenth century. I think it would have the pernicious effect of reducing our veneration for the Sacred Volume, and tend to bring its standard down to the level of the common literature of the day.

I have seen some of the new English versions, especially one of late date of the New Testament, which, in my estimaation, is chargeable with the objections above mentioned. Yet I am not altogether opposed to some alterations in the present version. I think some such could be made to general advantage. But they should be applied only to such cases as would not change the general character of the established version, and should be generally approved by Evangelical Christians. They might be classed under the following heads:

1st. Elucidating ambiguous passages, where "modern scholarship" and late accessions to our knowledge of the manners and customs of the nations of the East give us light in that direction.

I might give a few instances: "Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by

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man shall his blood be shed. He- would be generally adopted. But if brew scholars have rendered this a radical change should be made in passage, "by man will his blood be the language and the Saxon element shed," thus making it a prophecy in- be discarded so as to make it consist stead of a threat or command.- with the modern phraseology of the Whence no authority can be derived nineteenth century, it is my opinion for war or capital punishment. that it would not be accepted by the generality of Christians, and would fall a dead letter, or only be kept by amateurs and antiquarians as a literary curiosity. B.

MT. PLEASANT, O.

AVERAGE DURATION OF LIFE.

Another passage is, 2nd Peter, 1st Chap. 19. "We have also a more sure word of prophecy. This rendering has led to much controversy, whether this was the written word of the Scriptures, or the word written in the heart. That the word of the Scripture was meant by the Apostle, there can be no doubt from the ex- "That human life is fleeting and planation in the second and twenty- transient we all know, but what is first verses. But that the written word its average duration under ordinary was more sure than that "voice which circumstances, does not seem to be came from the excellent glory," we so clearly ascertained. Thirty years cannot believe. Therefore by looking is frequently stated as about the peinto the original we find the word riod required for a generatien of the more a mistranslation. William Tyn- human family to pass away, and, dale, whose translation is generally perhaps, if the entire population of considered very accurate, renders this the globe be included in our view, passage, "We have also a righte sure this estimate may not be far wrong. worde of prophecy. Now this There is, however, good reason to makes the whole text clear. The believe that in those countries, which word of the Lord which came to the have attained a high degree of civiliprophets was undoubtedly "a right zation, and more especially in the sure word of prophecy. Yet this United States and Great Britain, the translation does not say it is more period is extended considerably besure than the voice that came from yond thirty years. the excellent Glory. A slight change of one word removes all the difficulty. 2nd. The rendering of obsolete words, and such as then conveyed a different sense from their modern signification, into words that will convey to us the intended idea.

3rd. The changing of some passages of which we have a too literal translation, into language that would be equivalent, but avoid indelicacy.

I recollect seeing a version of the Bible, perhaps thirty years ago, in which it was said changes were made upon the principles I have endeavored to describe, but I cannot now remember where it was published. I have little doubt one could be found at the Bible House in New York.

In such a version for the reasons I have before given, the Saxon phraseology of our present version should be retained as near as circumstances would allow, and then I think it

Having access to the records of interments belonging to one of the Monthly Meetings of Friends in the city of Philadelphia, I have found that the average age attained by 1196 individuals whose deaths and ages are recorded therein, during a period of over fifty years, has been 38 years, 5 months and 5 days. Of these, 153 died under 12 months, and 83 at about the age of one year. If these be excluded, the average age of the remaining 960 persons, at the close of life was 47 years, 9 months and 10 days. It may be instructive to give a few more results of the examination of this record. It appears, then, that 331, or 27.67 per cent of the whole 1196 died at or under 5 years; that the mortality between 5 and 15 was only 45 or 3.77 per cent.; that from 15 to 30 there were 148 deaths, 12.37 per cent; from 30 to 45, 141 or 11.79 per cent; from 45 to 60, 160 or 13.37 per