the New Church; let us now consider in the same light their work as Revisers of the Greek text. On this subject we read in the doctrines of the New Jerusalem in the "Last Judgment," n. 41: "I can assert that every least particular in the Word contains in itself a spiritual sense, and that all things of the Church as to its spiritual state are in that sense described in fulness from beginning to end; and because each word there signifies something spiritual, therefore not a single word can be omitted without the series of things in the internal sense undergoing a change; therefore at the end of the Book of Revelation it is said, 'And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book."" In the same place we further read, "If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book.' What a fearful responsibility, therefore, devolves on a body of men who have been called upon to establish the true text of the Sacred Scriptures! As every least particular in the Word, as we are taught in the doctrines of the New Church, contains in itself a spiritual sense, therefore no one, as we believe, unacquainted with the spiritual sense, can know what really belongs to the letter of the Divine Word and what does not, suppose he even has spread out before him all the various readings contained in the more recent as well as in the most ancient MS. copies of the New Testament which have reached our times. No wonder, then, at the sad havoc which the company of the present Revisers of the original text of the New Testament have made with that holy book; for in violation of the Lord's injunction in the last chapter of the Book of Revelation, they have not only "taken away" from the words of the prophecy of the Divine Word, but they have also "added" unto it; and besides, in a number of cases they have altered the words and therewith the meaning of the sacred text. Some of these alterations are as follows:·- In Matt. xxvii. 34, they say, "and they gave him wine to drink,” instead of "vinegar," which produces a complete change in the spiritual signification. In John iii. 36 they say, "He that believeth on the Son hath eternal life: but he that obeyeth not the Son shall not see life," instead of "but he that believeth not the Son," which is required by the spiritual sense. In the Book of Revelation there are a number of such alterations, which destroy the spiritual sense. In chap. i. 5 we read, "Unto him that loveth us, and loosed us from our sins by his blood," instead of "who washed us" (that is, regenerated us) "by his blood." In chap. viii. 13 John says, "And I saw, and heard an angel flying in the midst of heaven;" but the Revisers make him say, " And I In chap. xiii. 1 we read, "And I [i.e. John] stood upon the sand of the sea;" but the Revisers make him say, "And he [the dragon] stood" there. In chap. xv. 3 they alter, "righteous and true are thy ways, thou King of saints," which is required by the spiritual sense, into "thou King of the ages." In the same chapter, verse 6, they translate, "arrayed with precious stone, pure and bright," instead of "arrayed in pure and bright linen," which yields a different spiritual signification altogether. In chap. xxi. 3 we read in the new translation, “And I heard a great voice out of the throne saying," instead of "out of heaven." And in chap. xxii. 6 they say, "and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets," instead of "the God of the holy prophets." And the well-known 14th verse in the same chapter they render, "Blessed are they that wash their robes, that they may have the right to come to the tree of life," instead of the old translation required by the spiritual sense, "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that their power may be in the tree of life." The extent, however, in which the present Revisers of the sacred text "have taken away from the words of this prophecy" is simply fearful; for in this manner they have mutilated no less than fifty-one verses in the New Testament, seventeen of which they have either left out in great measure or altogether; and twelve more verses they have put into brackets in order to indicate their doubtful authenticity. And fifty out of those sixty-three passages which the Revisers have either left out altogether, or which they have represented as doubtful, are verbally quoted in the writings of the New Church, and of most of these passages the spiritual sense is given. But the Revisers have not only "taken away from the words of the book of this prophecy," but they have "added unto them." In some places their additions are marked by italics, as has been done in the Authorized Version; but in three passages they have embodied their additions into the text of Scripture (Rev. viii. 7; xiv. 1; xx. 14). From this treatment which the letter of the Divine Word has experienced at the hands of learned men, skilled in a knowledge of its various readings, but unacquainted with the teachings of its spiritual sense, it is plain that the Lord has committed into the hands of the believers in the mission of Swedenborg not only the preservation of the spiritual sense of the Divine Word and of its doctrine, but also the preservation of the very letter of the Divine Word itself. May the members of the New Church remain faithful to this trust, and may they never be carried away by a mere acquaintance with the various readings of the text of the New Testament, follow in the footsteps of the present Revisers, and lay violent hands on the sacred text of the Divine Word, taking away from the words of the book of this prophecy" in one part, and "adding unto it" in another! 66 The resolution was put to the meeting and adopted. Mr. GUNTON proposed that "Whereas in the opinion of this meeting it is desirable to establish a branch depot, where the writings could be kept prominently before the public, resolved-That the Committee is hereby requested to give this matter such attention as may be found practicable, and to take such steps as may be deemed desirable." This was seconded by Mr. JOBSON, and carried unanimously. Mr. HORTON proposed a vote of thanks to Dr. Bayley for his services in the chair, which was seconded by Mr. ELLIOTT and adopted. In reply, Dr. BAYLEY said he could not but take that opportunity of thanking the Treasurer and Secretary of the Society in the name of the meeting for their valuable work during the past year. In Mr. Elliott they had a hearty, energetic, diligent, and loving officer, and in Mr. Teed one who spared no pains in the management of the finances of the Society. The meeting then terminated. "THY KINGDOM IS AN EVERLASTING KINGDOM." Ps. cxlv. 13. BE then, Lord Jesus Christ, my King! To Thee, Omnipotent, I bring The multitude of powers that cling Around my central life. A strange, a wondrous gathering, Poor though they be, accept, I pray, To swear allegiance to thy sway And worship at Thy throne! No want to those who thus serve Thee Thy kingdom theirs, eternally! Come, Holy Truth! and then Come, Love! Let both henceforth have free And welcome reign of perfect Use in me! Amen, and yet Amen! J. B. Miscellaneous. MAKING THE WORD A LIVING BOOK. (From the Messenger.) The Rev. W. F. Crafts, in a recent number of the New York Independent, gave expression to a want which the New Church came especially to minister to. In an article on "The Translation of the Bible Most Needed," he takes the position that we want the Sacred Scriptures interpreted into forms of modern thought. He says: "The world to-day needs this translation of the Bible by ministers and Christians into modern and definite application to present things and living men. Let all become Bible translators and render the Scriptures into life. Below the incidental and temporal parts of the Bible's narratives and poems and precepts, let us always find the principles that are eternal laws and apply them to our This writer even goes further, and recognises the fact that by giving a spiritual interpretation to the natural relations in the Bible this may be accomplished. Thus alluding to the Old Testament narratives, he exclaims, "What have we to do with the wars of Joshua and the Judges in conquering and reconquering the Perizzites and Hivites and Jebusites and Midianites? Under the incidental names and events lies the eternal law, as important to-day as then, that a nation, or a city, or an individual can prosper only when the wrong is exterminated, or, at least, subdued by the right. Out of our hearts let us drive the Amalekites of anger, and the Perizzites of pride, and the Hivites of hatred, and the Edomites of envy, and the Amorites of appetite, and make our inner life a 'holy land.”” If the Word is made alive by each man's giving it such a figurative application as may suit his purpose or fancy, how full of eternal life should the sacred volume become when we regard it as written for the sake of a spiritual sense, and when we believe that this spiritual sense is the Divine truth from the Lord, and is embodied in the letter under the eternal law of correspond ence! This paper from Mr. Crafts appears to us as the expression of a deep-seated want of the human heart. The Bible to be really a living book must treat of the soul and its eternal interests. But it cannot be made thus living by letting loose the reins of our fancy, and by giving a self-derived metaphorical interpretation of its imagery; but it becomes a Divine book of eternal life by our recognising within the clouds of its letter the true spiritual sense, the Divine Truth itself, which is the Lord in His Second Coming. THE LATE MR. CARLYLE. The publication of the "Reminiscences of this distinguished writer has led to no little commotion, and some diversity of opinion, among his admirers, The brilliancy of his intellect, and the beauty and accuracy of many of his published sentiments, is unquestionable, and had secured for him the proud title of "The Prophet of Chelsea." The publication of these "Reminiscences has disclosed infirmities of character which threaten to seriously affect the world's opinion of this eminent man. What has hitherto been admired and lauded as purest marble is now more than suspected of being at best but inferior Parian. But this publication, and the controversy to which it has given rise, raises a most important moral question. This question is discussed with his usual ability by the well-known writer, who assumes the title of "Verax" in his letters on current events published in the Manchester Weekly Times and Examiner and Times. The question is thus stated: "The question so hotly debated is this, Was Mr. Froude justified in publishing Carlyle's 'Reminiscences' just as they fell from the author's pen, without revision or excision? Ought he to have mended them? Ought he to have blotted out everything he deemed objectionable? Ought he to have suppressed all comments and criticisms and autobiographical notices which, though helping to place Carlyle more completely before us, were not exactly fitted to enhance his reputation? Ought he to have mutilated and falsified the real Carlyle in order that certain impressions which people had acquired of an idealized Carlyle might remain undisturbed?" After the discussion of this and other questions which have arisen in the course of this controversy, the writer continues, and concludes with the following remarks, which may be commended to all lovers of truth: "Miss Wedgewood gives us a theory in accordance with which all biographies and autobiographies should be constructed. Speaking of the duty of reserve, she says: 'It is not that any one should desire to have a portrait of himself given to the world which is fairer than the original. It is that he or we should desire that in all self-revelation a noble ideal should give the keynote of utterance; that while unfaithfulness to that ideal should be confessed, yet in this self-revelation, as in all other actions, a man should aim at rising above himself, and setting the influence of his words on the side of that greater permanence in what is pure and lofty, which, as compared with the superior present effectiveness of evil, forms our only hope of the final triumph.' I reverence Miss Wedgewood for this wonderful sentence. is the most heroic effort I have known towards reconciling the claims of private hero-worship with those of truthfulness and common sense. biographer is to start with an ideal, and not to disclose anything at variance with it except in the way of such general confessions as we hear in churches in the course of morning prayer. The truth must not be told; nothing but what is edifying and exalting. If Carlyle ever thought, or said, or wrote anything mean, narrow, or spiteful, it must be buried in silence; we must be allowed to cherish the illusion that he was always gentle, magnanimous, and sublime. If this maxim is applicable in one case, it is applicable in all cases. the supreme canon of history, and the application of it would mean universal falsification of character and a lying version of the conduct of mankind. Such are the lengths to which a It The or It is worshipper will go in order to spare subjective sentiments which hasty inference, or partial estimates, or reflected self-love have inspired. I humbly submit that where great characters like Carlyle are concerned it is just as well for us to know the truth; and that when they have taken the pains to become their own limners, it is an act at once of presumption and injustice to rush forward with a mantle of darkness in order to conceal a single feature from public inspection. Mr. Froude has been asked to submit the remaining_manuscripts and letters to three of Mr. Carlyle's friends, who shall determine whether they are to be permitted to see the light. Was affectionate adoration ever more absolutely inverted or more grotesque? It concerns the words of a prophet whose matured utterances are held to have made two generations wiser, and it is now proposed that three mundane men shall sit as a committee upon the prophet to settle how many of his posthumous revelations may be safely permitted to steal upon the senses of mankind. To the memory of the prophet it is an insult; what is it to us?" PROFESSOR W. ROBERTSON SMITH. The case of this Professor of Systematic Theology in the Free Church College at Aberdeen, to which we have occasionally alluded, and which has been a long time before the Church Courts, has at length been summarily concluded by the removal of the Professor from his chair. The knot has been cut rather than untied. Dr. Adam moved a resolution formally removing the Professor from his chair, and declining to commit the Church to a formal investigation of the lectures entitled "The Old Testament in the Jewish Church." Professor Bruce met this resolution with a motion declining to give effect to it, on the ground that what it proposed was inconsistent with the Scriptural principles of discipline and the form of process hitherto observed in the Church, and would contribute nothing to the settlement of the vital questions at issue. The true wisdom of the Church was, he held, not to deal with the present case by judicial procedure |