and the preaching of the gospel. as the pre-eminent means, some may These are instruments of his own fall into the error of regarding it, to preparing and commissioning, and, the exclusion of the written word, as therefore, we, and all mankind, who our only means of knowing what have been blessed with the privilege God requires of us. The paragraph of an acquaintance with them, onght, selected relates to this passage in our at all times, to receive and profit by former article: "He [Peter] does the their ministrations with thankful same thing our Savior did when the hearts. B. Jews would not believe his words: 'Search the Scriptures,' Jesus said, "for they are they that testify of me," " and is as follows: WE give above an article from our correspondent "B." on the "More Sure Word of Prophecy," designed to follow the article of "W. E." in the 6th number of the AMERICAN FRIEND. We have also received from the latter another communication on the same subject, maintaining substantially the same ground as that taken in his former article, and with arguments not materially different. But assured, as our readers will also be, upon reading the articles we have published from them, that there is no essential difference of opinion between our correspondents, or between them and ourselves, respecting the Christian doctrine that "the Holy Spirit is the primary authority and foundation of all true and saving knowledge," we have thought it best not to continue a discussion which thus becomes not so much an inquiry after truth, as a debate about the use of words, which, from the resources our language affords, might be indefinitely prolonged, and perhaps to little edification. "I do not question that Peter recommended the same thing our Savior did; but what was it he recommended? He said, 'Ye search the Scriptures;' (the indicative, not the imperative, form; for thus upon good authority it might be rendered; and so indeed it is clearly indicated it should be by the words following ;) for in them ye think ye have eternal life,' (ye search them, for, or because ye think so,) and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me,' (to my spirit, and take heed to it-to that spirit or 'word of prophecy' more sure than the Scriptures ye search,) that ye might have life;' which is the only way ye can have it: and notwithstanding ye think ye have it in the Scriptures it is all a mistake. To those only give I 'power to become the sons of God' who 'receive' metake heed to the 'light that shineth in darkness,'-a 'dark place,'-to that 'that is the true light which lighteth We extract from the article of "W. every man that cometh into the E.," above referred to, a single paraworld.' From the above passage it is graph, one of several criticisms con- clear that Christ did not point the tained in it on our article in our last people to the Scriptures as unto a number. We select this, not alto- light, that is, a lamp, or a candle, gether to call attention to what we shining in a dark place, whereunto consider the insufficiency of the ar- they do well that they take heed until gument adduced to refute our own, His directions were to come to himthe time when the day shall dawn.' but partly that we may use the opportunity thus made of pointing our self,-to follow him, not the Scripreaders to the abundant evidence the tures, in the regeneration; which New Testament affords, that our state perfected is the "day" spoken of Savior, in whom the fulness of the spirit dwelt, yet made much use of the Scriptures as a means of instructing and convincing those whom he taught, and of confirming to them his own words. For there is danger that, while insisting on the witness within by Peter. How then can we suppose the Apostle would assign to the Scriptures the same place and power Christ did to his own pure, holy light and spirit?" We remark first that the assertion that the form is indicative and not 66 imperative, in 'Search the Scriptures,' the word with readiness of mind, John 5: 39, is gratuitously made. and searched the Scriptures daily, Critics and commentators both an- whether those things were so;" from cient and modern have been quite which passage it appears that it was evenly divided on the question as to thought commendable in them to whether the word, which is spelled bring the testimony of him who “was with the same letters in both forms, not a whit behind the very chiefest ought to be considered indicative or apostles," to the Scriptures to be testimperative; and we think the ten- ed thereby. dency of criticism is towards regard- We agree with "W. E." that Christ ing it as imperative, as it is rendered bade "to follow him," but we certainin our common English translation. ly would not have added, "not the But granting that it is, or may be, Scriptures." As both are of, and indicative, the admission would effect from, one spirit, it would be possible the argument derived from this pass- to follow him and the Scriptures. age very little if we take in the con- But that we may not too hastily context to the close of the chapter. For clude that Jesus was not accustomed Jesus undoubtedly speaks approv- to point the people to the Scriptures, ingly of the Scriptures as they which and thereby be led to undervalue this testify of him, which if the Jews means of learning the will of God, would but believe they would come let us read Matthew 5: 19, where to him of whom they testify, that speaking of the law and the prophets, they might have eternal life. And Jesus says, Whosoever therefore so if he does not directly bid them shall break one of these least comsearch the Scriptures, he reproaches mandments and teach men so, he them for not believing them; saying shall be called the least in the kingthat Moses, and not himself, accuses dom of heaven; but whosoever shall them to the Father: "For had ye be- do and teach them the same shall be lieved Moses ye would have believed called great in the kingdom of heavme; for he wrote of me." And ob- en;" and 23: 2, 3, "The scribes and serve what he adds: "But if ye believe the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat; all not his writings, how shall ye believe therefore whatsoever they bid you my words?" where the Son of man, observe, that observe and do;" also who knew what was in man, makes it 19: 16-19, when one asked, What clear that he judges the Jews will be good thing shall I do that I may have more likely to believe the Scriptures eternal life," he answered "If thou than even his words; though often wilt enter into life, keep the commandwas the divine authority with which ments," and pointed first to those in he spoke the marvel of those who the law of Moses; and, Luke 10: 25, heard him. And how much more, 28, to a lawyer addressing him the for the disciple is not above his mas- same question he replied by asking ter, might Peter expect them to prefer him, "What is written in the Law? the testimony of Scripture to his How readest thou?" And when the word. That he did expect so, and lawyer answered him by quoting therefore, in accordance with the ex- from the commandments of the law, ample of Jesus, directed them to the he said unto him, "Thou hast answerevidence the Scriptures afford, is the ed right; this do and thou shalt live." point made from this passage in our In the parable of the rich man and former article. And let it be observ- Lazarus, Luke 16: 19-31, those who ed that nothing was there averred as have the Scriptures are held accountto the Scriptures being intrinsically able for not profiting by them, and the more reliable; but only that those farther testimony and warning are addressed had confidence in them. In denied as useless; "If they hear not Acts 17: 11th it is said of the Bereans Moses and the prophets, neither will to whom Paul preached, that they they be persuaded though one rose 66 were more noble than those in from the dead." After his resurrecThessalonica, in that they received tion our Lord upbraids his sorrowing 66 66 1855 to 1865" 36 66 1835 to 1845 241 1865 to 1967 " 512 66 1825 to 1867 "357-12 excluding those under 10 years was 47 1-6 years. disciples for unbelief of the Scrip- Average age from 1825 to 1835 was 2734 yrs. tures; Luke 24: 25-27, "O fools and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself." From Luke 4: 16, we learn that it was the custom of Jesus to read from the Scriptures to the people in their synagogues; and if it be said that in this he only conformed to the custom of Jewish teachers, it may be answered that it is not to be Greatest No of deaths in any one year was 18 supposed he conformed to a custom of which he disapproved. And one needs only to observe with reference to this point, to see, in the New Testament, evidence upon evidence that so far from its being contrary to the usage of Christ and the apostles to point the people to the Scriptures, as well as to the witness of the Holy Spirit in their hearts, they constantly referred to them in their teachings, and directed Jewish inquirers first to them, and held those who rejected their testimony inexcusable for their spiritual blindness, for the moral darkness in which they were thereby left; and that Christ even after his resurrection, still directed the attention of his disciples, not to the inspeaking word alone, but also to the written word of Seripture. Do you wonder at my smiling? Do you wonder that I faint not 'neath the burden of my load? O the gloom and toil and duty Change to light and praise and beauty, Though the way is long and dreary, abode; As the light of earth grows dimmer, Though the talent seemeth meager, Though I now go forward weeping, I shall come again with singing, Sheaves of plenty with me bringing 90 To His harvest, at the end of the road. " births 66 66 deaths births 260 "" 92 Peace shall follow tribulation; "134 This the boon divine compassion upon mortai hath bestowed: Heavy, now, the cross I'm bearing- In the Temple at the end of the road. L. LECT. "Canst thou by searching find out God? Canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection?"-JOB XII: 7. GOD INSCRUTABLE TO THE INTEL- spring, may repose forever; an idea on which the mind, retreating from the shallowness of human knowledge, may rest, and be sure that no plummet cast by mortal thought or imWHETHER We seek God in the mortal inquiry will ever sound that realms of space, in the processes of infinite deep. Man needs this mysnature, or in human life, he hides tery for the health of his spirit, as he himself from the curious intellect, needs for his physical well-being the more unscrutable now, in the full age sweet intercession of overshadowing of the human understanding, than in night. He needs the relief of shade its childhood; retiring ever farther, for his mental eye as well as for his the farther we advance in culture and bodily. Religion needs mystery and knowledge. To the early world, he cannot exist without it. Without seemed separated only by distance of mystery, it degenerates into mere space. The imagination enthroned mechanical philosophy; into ethical him on mountain-tops or above the systems that may serve to soothe the clouds. It was deemed not impossi- outward life, but exert no quickening ble that he might appear to human power on the soul. The tree of life, eye in a human form, and converse like the plants of the earth, needs with mortals face to face. But darkness for its roots; while its fruitscience, which has scaled all heights bearing branches rejoice in the light. and sounded all deeps, has dispelled It is good to know that here is a this illusion, and, while extending mystery which no inquisition of indefinitely the bounds of creation, science can detect, and no reach of can find no room for a local God. intellectual vision comprehend; that He is separated from us now, not by the highest created created intelligence, distance of space, but by the impos- searching, soaring, sounding through sibility, in our intellectual enlighten- eternity, can never attain to a theory ment, of forming any image of his of God which shall cover all the dibeing which reason does not imme- mensions and define all the attributes diately rebuke as incongruous. To and exhaust all the secrets of his the intellect he is removed by the being. A God whom the intellect impassable gulf which yawns between might fathom would be no God to us. the finite and the infinite, between Let us understand this; let us freely every organized nature and uncreated admit it,-admit the futility of all mind. He hides himself the more, attempts to demonstrate God to the the nearer we seem to approach understanding, to prove him from the him in intelligence. Other myster- marvels of nature, to establish the ies disappear like spectres of the fact of Godhead by induction. Let night before the spreading illu- us freely concede to the atheist, to mination of science; but this one the positivist, the inadequacy of such mystery deepens and deepens with demonstration, the inconsequence of increasing light. most of the reasoning employed for this end. And let us be glad that it is so; that this aboriginal mystery remains inviolable, impregnable, unsearchable still; that while the profane intellect is removing the veil from so many a wonder which its marvellousness had endeared to our early faith, and letting day-light in upon so many a recess long consecrated to our imagination by embowering shade, here still is a veil, which no human intellect will ever lift; a covert where wonder and awe, and faith, their off There is no danger that science will ever unclasp man's hold of this primal truth, or seduce the general heart from the Being more assured to us than our own; the Being whose certainty is the basis and guaranty of all certainty besides. God withdraws from the speculating intellect. He will not be laid hold of with scientific inquiry; but shut the eye of speculation and the heart soon finds him who is personally related to every soul. Let every soul bless, the never-to-be- stand face to face with the final fact, known,-grateful, like the prophet in and write her eureka on the core of the rock-cleft, for even the vanishing creation. Religion is content to bow skirts of the mystery in which the low before an Unknown, UnknowEternal hides, reverently adoring able. PROF. HEDGE. where we cannot comprehend; content to follow where we cannot fathom; happy if we are able to walk by faith where neither man nor angel can ever walk by sight. At the funeral of Ferdusi, says his biographer, the Scheikh Aboul Hasem refused to repeat the customary prayer, because the deceased had sung the praise of the Magi. The following night, he saw, in a vision, Ferdusi in Paradise, in a blaze of glory. Being asked how he came to be thus exalted, he replied: "It was because of that one verse of mine in which I sung the unsearchable God: "Thou art the highest and the deepest. I know not what thou art. Thou art all that thou art."" FAIRNESS. THE duty of fairness should be recognized, not in pecuniary transac tions only, but in every engagement of life. This may sound very like a truism; and yet we believe that there are many who would scorn to act otherwise than with perfect justice and uprightness in things of a mercantile nature, whose practice in other matters is often open to challenge. It is because we are convinced that such practice arises from want of reflection far more frequently than from intentional unfairness that we proceed to explain our remarks by a couple of illustrations. Both relate to the proprieties of discussion and have come before us in the course of Society deliberations, though it is self-evident that they are far from necessarily confined to the latter. Religion would press science into her service, and compel her to testify of theism. But science has her own appointed way of serving the truth: she furnishes her own incidental and involuntary illustrations of Deity, and will not be subsidized by religion, nor render the kind of testimony which religion demands. Science is no theist: her business is to seek the causes of things in the universe of things, and not to appeal to supermundane power. Her mission and that of religion, as ministers of truth, are essentially one; but the methods and immediate objects of the two are entirely distinct, and neither should usurp the other's function. The end of science is knowledge; that is, intellectual possession: the end of religion is worship; that is, intellectual renunciation. The aim of the one is conquest; the aim of the other is surrender. Both, in different ways, are a search after truth. But in ways how different! Science seeks with the senses, with the understanding, with computation and deduction, Our second illustration is furnished with analysis and hypothesis. Relig- by the practice of introducing stateion seeks with the trusting heart and ments of opinion upon open quesdevout aspiration. Science would tions, under circumstances of time or • fathom all the realms of being, would place that preclude the facility or The one is the practice, when replying to an opposite opinion, of so attacking something or other, which is felt to be indefensible, that the latter may appear to have been held by the previous speaker, and thus his general opinion be damaged. Obviously unfair as this is, yet so natural would it seem to be that we have known it repeated even after the untenable something had been expressly disclaimed on the opposite side. Of course a speaker is perfectly at liberty to point out that such and such objectionable consequence would follow from the adoption of any proposed course; but then this should not be done in a way that would lead even a somewhat inattentive listener to conclude that the said consequence was foreseen and accepted by the party whose views are controverted. |