children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundred "fold, and shall inherit eternal life.' But the truth and security of your assumption itself, that in your state of mind and character you answer this description; and therefore have an established interest in this promise. The truth and security of this assumption in your own favour remains yet to be proved. You have begun well in following me, and have entered at an early hour of the day into my service; and ye that make good these hopeful beginnings by enduring to the end, shall be saved, shall receive an hundredfold for all your labours, and "shall inherit eternal life." But beware, either of trusting in yourselves or despising others; of 66 many that-like you-are first, shall be last, and the last shall be first."

L. B.

BIBLICAL CRITICISM.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE CHRISTIAN EXAMINER. SIR,-As I am sure there are many of your Correspondents who are able to afford information in Divine things, I hope that some of them will be willing to assist me in the critical interpretation of a passage of Scripture which a short time since was offered to my notice. A friend of mine, whose mind has latterly been a good deal occupied in considering the nature of the Millenium, founds, in a great measure, the correctness of his views on what he conceives a mis-translation of the 31st verse of the 11th chapter of Paul's Epistle to the Romans. In the translation which he would suggest, 1 believe he follows a late writer on the Prophecies. Now as I fully agree in the Examiner's views regarding this subject, which are expressed in an article on Prophecy, in the Number for May last, I do not pursue this subject with the zeal with which many at this day investigate it. I believe, as stated in the Paper to which I allude, that "speculation is ever more interesting to the human mind than practice; and the humbling and convicting truths of the Gospel, are far less palatable to dwell on, than the half-seen events of a true, yet unrevealed Millenium," and therefore, though I would fear to be carried away with this subject, yet where a mis-translation is pointed out, then I think all are concerned, no matter what may be the views founded on the correction.

In the Greek T vμɛtéρw ¿λéɛɩ seems by the punctuation to be connected with Tei0noav, but according to the authorized version, it is governed by a preposition understood, and connected with the latter clause of the sentence, from which in the Greek it is separated by a comma. The removal of the comma from λéεl to rεionoar, would not, I think, make the English translation correct; for according to it, the iva should come before the r VμETÉρw. Since the circumstance was pointed out to me, I have

given the subject some consideration, and will state what strikes me as the interpretation of the verse; but as I am not quite satis-. fied yet, and as I write for information rather than to afford it, I hope that some one more competent will take up the matter.

In the chapter, the Apostle has been considering the rejection of the Jews from God as a people, and the reception of the Gentiles-He also speaks of the return of the Jews to favour-"And so all Israel shall be saved." Now I consider the 32d verse as a key to the interpretation of the two former. He says, "for God hath concluded them all in unbelief, (that is both Jews and Gentiles,) that he might have mercy upon all." I think that in the 30th verse he states, how the Gentiles were in unbelief, and ob tained mercy; and in the 31st he states, that the Jews are in unbelief, and promises that they shall obtain mercy. I do not think that the Our requires a stronger similarity between the verses, than is here given; though some think, that as it was through the unbelief of the Jews that mercy was extended to the Gentiles, so it will be through the unbelief (or subsequent to it,) of the Gentiles, that the Jews will obtain mercy, and they would supply, "through your unbelief," at the end of the 31st verse:I therefore consider that he mentions the unbelief of the Jews, in the 30th verse, as it were incidentally his object in the two verses, seeming to me to be the exhibition of the love of God to the once unbelieving Gentiles, and his promised love to the unbelieving Jews. The only difficulty which I see in this interpretation is, how he proves the Jews unbelievers. The Gentiles, he says, did not believe in God, their unbelief then is clear;-But the Jews ἠπείθησαν τῷ ὑμετερω ἐλέει. I think this might mean, "what proved a mercy to them," that is the Gospel. If this could be borne out by Scripture, it would shew us the different nature of the unbelief of the Gentiles and the Jews; the first did not believe in God, the others did not believe in Christ. This is consistent with the circumstances in which each nation was placed, and both are alike guilty before God:-The Apostle then viewing the mercy of God to these two unbelieving divisions of mankind, bursts forth into the raptuous exclamation, "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!"

L. B.

CHRIST THE ONLY MEDIATOR.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE CHRISTIAN EXAMINER.

SIR,-The soul of man, immortal in its nature, must be either saved or lost for ever: it must dwell in heaven, and partake of the happiness of angels, or be doomed to eternal banishment in hell, far from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power. It knows not the moment when it may be summoned hence, and separated from all earthly connexions, and therefore the important inquiry should be made by every individual, what

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must I do to be saved? To assist your readers in making that inquiry, I would entreat their attentive perusal of the following short extract from the work of a man who knew no pleasure equal to that of exalting and glorifying the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only Saviour of sinners, the one mediator between God and man. May the God of all grace, give them understanding to the acknowledging of the truth, and by his Holy Spirit, enable them to believe to the saving of the soul-that the new year upon which they enter, may witness in them a new life-a life of dedieation to the service of God, and of separation from the worlda life of holiness and of usefulness.

"I THINK it behoves me to testify, 1st. That the justification of Sinners, from first to last, is by the free Grace of God, through the obedience unto death-the one atonement, and the one righteousness of the Son of God, without any of our works or deservings.* 2d. That the comfort of this justification is enjoyed in the heart and conscience through faith, by those who are regenerated by the Spirit of God. 3d. That this Grace of God which bringeth Salvation, most powerfully teaches us to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world. 4th. That this faith through which the Salvation of Jesus Christ is received and enjoyed, excites and animates the saved, sanctified, justified soul to all holiness of heart, lip, and life. 5th. That believers are created anew in Jesus Christ unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in; though not in order to be justified by them either first or last, in whole or in part; but to show forth the praises of God who hath called them out of darkness into his marvellous light-to glorify God who hath translated them out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of his dear Son-to adorn the doc. trine of God their Saviour, and to evidence that they are made meet for the inbeitance of the Saints in light.† 6th. That where these fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ to the glory of God, are not brought forth in the life; if we do not hate sin, which once we loved, and love holiness which once we hated, we have no evidence that we possess the faith of God's people, that faith by which Salvation is now enjoyed, and to which eternal life is for ever secured in Christ Jesus: for to all who believe, Christ is equally precious, as a Saviour from the power of sin, and as a justifier from the condemnation of sin."

BEDELL.

ON MONTHLY MEETINGS OF RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE CHRISTIAN EXAMINER. MR. EDITOR.Although unaccustomed to the pleasure of seeng any of the productions of my pen, among the number of excellent papers, which gratify and enlighten the public mind; from time to time through the medium of your interesting Periodical.

*See the 11th Article. See the 12th Article.

I have ventured to sit down to write to you, upon a subject which has often occupied my mind, especially of late; and relative to which, I feel almost certain, I shall find a corresponding interest existing in your mind. That the present age is one in which eventful and extraordinary occurrences present themselves from day to day, giving a prospect of succeeding ones more pregnant with importance, cannot I suppose be doubted. A conflict of opposing principles is perceivable in the womb of futurity: two emphatically distinct, and different manner of people are contained therein,-two people shall be separated from thence.

A little time will manifest the truth more fully; it seems at present to be pretty generally agreed to, by the best informed on this subject. The voice of prophecy, as far as we can judge, confirms it. Preparatory to those great events, and to the universal struggle which impends-while opposite parties concentrate their forces, and prepare their every energy for the contest, Missionary labours are undoubtedly an object of especial interest to the friends of truth; they are means whereby the Saviour's kingdom is encreased, whereby auxiliaries are enlisted in its cause. A ten-fold obligation therefore is presented to the Christian public, at this solemn crisis, to unite in such exertions-to put forth all their energies-to apply their entire strength-to strain their every nerve to make the Missionary cause victorious. Among the various Societies which unite their labours in this cause, to every church-man, it will be allowed, the Church Missionary Society, presents the strongest and most reasonable claims for his co-operation and support. Now although a great deal is doing at the present, to promote the usefulness and success of this Society; and church-men are beginning to be interested for it, and make an effort generally in its aid; it cannot be denied that much is left undone, and that an effort stronger and more general is called for, than any that has hitherto been made.

There are, it is true, public Annual Meetings through the country, and charity sermons, and the diffusion of knowledge upon missionary subjects, by the Register, and Quarterly Papers; and there are collections connected with all these, and of late there has been edited a monthly paper to assist collections, and disseminate information, and excite an interest on the subject of Missions generally. But there evidently is needed the excitement of an interest far greater. The diffusion of a knowledge of missionary labours far more extensive, together with an enlistment of the public mind, and a drawing forth of public contributions, far more general than any that has hitherto been attempted. That all this, though certainly no easy matter, is attainable, you will, I am convinced, allow; but probably you are prepared to answer. How? It appears to me that the general establishment of Monthly Missionary meetings for the purpose of reading extracts from the Registers and other missionary papers, and praying for the general out-pouring of the Holy Spirit, and a blessing upon missionary labours; and the collection of such small sums as might be contributed by those assembled,-should be a very powerful auxiliary to the means already

using, if not more efficient and successful in accomplishing this object, than any that has hitherto existed.

In scriptural matters the human mind requires to be informed fully, to be reminded frequently, and by constant stimulating appeal, to be excited to the conduct which is desirable; yea, it needs to be stirred up to zeal by the force of example, and to be impelled by more than human power, to be constantly quickened, ́influenced, directed by the Holy Spirit from on High.

But all this cannot be attained by all the means at present used in missionary matters, and while each one of them is severally exposed to some exceptions, altogether they appear to be in this respect inferior to such monthly meetings, and less able to accomplish the object desired.

The want of frequency prevents the usefulness of some of these, the impossibility of being generally circulated militates against that of others; sermons and meetings cannot be more frequent than once in every year: the quantity of knowledge communicated to the public by such means, is also necessarily limited. The difficulty of giving general circulation to the Registers, and procuring their perusal, will be granted: in few places can collectors be found who will go about continually from house to house, to regulate the circulation of the papers; and in fewer will the different subscribers generally be found willing to examine the contents of Registers, and to read with sufficient expedition to afford facility to others to do the same; and none of those means connect prayer for the out-pouring of the Holy Spirit generally, and a blessing upon missionary labour, with their exertions.

Monthly Missionary meetings in the first place, are for prayer, for all these objects; and in so far they supply what none of these present: They call together the poor, the maimed, and invite them to contribute to the cause of God, what certainly they can— their prayers the richest offering that can be made. They kindle through the land so many altars to ascend as incense to the Lord of Hosts :-They raise so many cries for the deliverance of God's people :-They regulate the feelings, and bring down a blessing upon present labour, while they are the best security and earnest of their continuance and encrease, The frequency of these meetings gives an opportuinity to those who may be hindered from attending some, to be at others, which the general meetings and the sermons do not. They supply more frequent stimuli, and information also; opportunities of getting knowledge on the subject of missions more generalized. Here then the defects arising from the limited circulation of papers and the fewness or apathy of collectors and subscribers, all are obviated by the regular communication to all who will, of the most interesting extracts of missionary correspondence.

That they are social also, is an advantage in those meetings, which advances them in usefulness beyond the circulation of the missionary papers. Here example stimulates, earnestness begets earnestness, love engenders love, and every penny consecrated by the mutual prayers and praises of the whole, is offered as a hal