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sidered as a remark substantially true, that no man was ever the worse for discovering his exact place in society. Put him highest; if it is his place, will not the greatness of mind which brought him there anticipate the ill effects of his elevation? Place him lowest; and if he knows it to be his station, will not "the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit" be likely to grace and elevate his humble pedestal; or the force of an useful emulation prompt bim to correct the errors which placed him there? Almost all the mischievous elevations which have taken place amongst mankind are those in which the seat of honour has been, through some untowardness of circumstances, usurped; or where the line of excellence itself has been wholly fantastical or erratic. And if the different consequences of a true and an usurped elevation may not be fairly exemplified in the contemporary characters of a Cicero and a Cæsar, let us at least behold them in the philosophical humility of a Newton and the pert conceit of a Voltaire. Upon the footing of these principles your correspondent cannot be surprised at finding the introduction of emuJation into the system of education, not so much acquitted of all its enormity, as commended for its high utility. The systems of Bell and Lancaster, (with the latter indeed as distinct from the former, the writer is but imperfectly acquainted) seem to be on this ground peculiarly commendable. Not only are the objects of improvement confessedly of the bighest kind, but of all systems of education ever devised by, we were going to say ever inspired into, man, these seem to be the best for securing his proper place to every individual pupil under instruction. And let pride, let the most selfish passions, have given the first impulse to the pupil, he may safely be expected to come forth (and experience already confirms the expectation) delivered from those over-weening conceits with which he entered the school; knowing of himself, consi

derate of others, and humble to

wards all.

But this is some deviation from the second and still more pertinent inquiry; May not emulation take place and fully operate without the intervention of pride at all for its motive? Most assuredly it may. Motives may be found in abundance for emulous exertion, the bare mention of which will be sufficient to justify it; and at all events to prove the injustice of charging every zealous candidate for distinction amongst his fellows, with the dishonest ambition of pride. Let us enumerate some of the more prominent supposable motives for emulation. 1. The pure love of success, independent of all personal considerations, which having led the aspirant to say, "I wish to gain such or such a point of excellence, or, if you please, such or such a place of eminence," cannot miss of being disappointed in failure, and pleased in the attainment. Discard this amongst the unworthy motives, you must discard at once in all cases the pleasure arising from all kinds of games, to which schools of emulation bear indeed a very close resemblance. In serious pursuits, you must discard all pleasure arising, for instance, from success in the various professions: nay, it is a question whether you must not, on this discarding plan, identify the pleasure felt by a skilful anatomist in the success of his operation, with a bestial satisfaction in the writhings and shrieks of his agonizing patient. however, vilify the love of success as you please, you will never identify it, except accidentally, with the love of superiority over others: for the love of success would follow a man to Robinson Crusoe's island, with not even his man Friday for a spectator. 2. Take, as another motive for emulation, the love of praise or commendation. This is also essentially different from a love of superiority over others. For you may bestow the meed of commendation on your child in a closet, and it may be never associated at all with the

Still,

notion of eminence over others. When, therefore, it happens to be so associated at school, is it not fair still to suppose that the two motives may be completely dissevered in the heart of the pupil; and that he may be uncontaminated with the baser feelings of ambition, whilst he is nevertheless deeply conscious of the Corda favor pulsans, laudumque immensa cupido? It is true, the love of praise is in itself a questionable principle. It is, like all other original principles in the mind, just what it is made by the breast which holds it. We are taught to look, as our highest reward, for that dread hour "when every man shall have praise of God." To be "made a spectacle to angels," was no mean honour to an Apostle. Laudari laudato viro, was an allowable pleasure to a heathen. The praises of the good are a permitted pleasure, in moderation, to the Christian. The commendations of the bad only, are inherently and essentially unworthy and dangerous of pursuit; though even where they are capable of pronouncing a just sentence, as in works of art, &c. great moralists are agreed that the meed of admiration may be, if honestly obtained, honestly enjoyed. But the pupil of Dr. Bell needs not this last refinement. It would be hoped, that like a little king in his territory, Dr. Bell "can do no harm” at Baldwin's Gardens; and the pupil, in desiring his commendation, desires assuredly praise from one who is, in a very high sense, "the minister of God to him for God." Surely then, to" have praise" of his master, may be a laudable motive for emulation in the mind of the scholar, and one, at least, which is different from the mere love of superiority over others. It cannot surely demand more than the mention of a third motive for emulation, viz. a desire to please, gratify, or reflect credit on one's friends, to prove it to be a legitimate ground for emulous exertion, and one also totally distinct from all feelings of pride. That, both "in CHRIST. OBSERY. No. 147.

157

colleges and halls," this motive for honourable contest though secretly, operative, there can is strongly, be little question: and perhaps it would reflect more credit than we might expect upon the still remaining amiable qualities of our fallen nature, were we to know how large both our universities and our larger a number of youthful students at schools, if diligent at all, are substantially kept so by this motive; and to whom the accidental, and not disagreeable, elevation of rank would be no sufficient stimulus to industry at all, were it not for this sideration. The news of a son, first, more excellent and paramount conuniversity examination, is music to second, or third, at a college or respondent destroy that system of a parent's ears: and would your coreducation which beguiles a youth far onward in the path of uninviting but useful science, and inspirits him with his peers, that he may sound to a lively and honourable conflict that note so cheering, and lay his hard-earned honours at an honoured father's feet? You ask, Why does the success of his son? For the same the parent himself take pleasure in reasons which will very soon come to influence even the moderately reflecting mind of the student himself; not because he has contrived to beat half a dozen sturdy heroes to the ground, and has, by dint of jockeyship, passed in the course. such or such a candidate for the attained certain solid excellencies common prize; but because he has of which his place is only the criterion and the index; because it talents, have not been spent in vain; proves his time, his labour, his because he has established a character which will stick by him for ever after in life; because he has qualified himself for useful and honourable stations, and has acquired at once a knowledge, a zeal, a courage and an use which will hereafter make the sound philosopher, the able lawyer, the skilful physician, the correct merchant, the enterprising

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mariner, the accomplished soldier, the deep and "thoroughly furnished" theologian. This motive for an active emulation touches indeed upon another and principal one, which, as in some measure embracing all the rest, and more or less involved, we may hope, in the feelings of every candidate for literary or any other kind of honourable distinction, need only be alluded to, viz. the love of that excellence itself, of which the desire and the pursuit has already entered into our definition of emulation. That which we have seen may be desired on so many other and varying accounts, may also, your correspondent will allow, be desired and loved for its own sake. The means, the measure, of its attainment will be found not only in imitating, but in surpassing others. With this motive in view, your correspondent allows of imitation; and with the same motive, therefore, he will surely allow of an endeavour to outstrip our neighbour.-But a fifth motive, the last I shall mention, and that which I will join hand and heart with your correspondent in endeavouring to infix in the breast of every candidate for distinction, every pupil of emulation, is the desire of promoting the glory of God. In distinctly assigning this as a conceivable motive for emulation, and the only ultimate one allowable on Christian grounds, I am conscious at least of an attempt to relieve much of the embarras which has so long over-hung this doubtful question. "How should emulation be a proper ground for exertion," it has been repeatedly asked, "when, to a Christian, no legitimate principle or end of action can be assigned, but obedience to the will of God and a desire of promoting his glory?" And I fear your correspondent himself would triumphantly enjoin the inculcation of this grand principle of action upon the mind of his pupil, and then laugh at the puny addition, not to say base commixture, of a subsidiary emulation, as an incentive

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to youthful energy. Now this formidable objection, I apprehend, will be easily found to stand upon a mere contusion of terms, and the whole difficulty to shrink into nothing, when we state to ourselves the act of emulation as capable of being wholly dissevered from its motives; those motives as varying indefinitely according to the temper and state of mind of the pupil; and the high and transcendent motive above-mentioned, that of promoting the glory of God, as being perfectly consistent with the strictest, most energetic, and most unceasing exercise of the act of emulation. "Whether ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God," says the great Apostle and Example of Emulation in the best of causes. Did that illustrious Minister of Inspiration deem an excision of the natural appetites of hunger and thirst necessary, in order to and drink to the glory of God?" Though he kept under his body, and brought it into subjection" to his great designs, did he "forbid to marry, and command to abstain from meats which God had created to be received with thanksgiving?" No. And yet, in allowing the fulfilment even of these natural appetites, in subordination to the great end of God's glory, he was allowing that which is most questionable, as belonging only to the sensitive part of nature. How much farther then would he have been from disallowing other principles which belong to the higher, the rational, the spiritual substance within us! How little did he seem to apprehend, in his own case, the noble feelings of an elevated emulation to be at all inconsistent with the great end of the glory of God! And how much, may I be excused for saying, would he have been surprised at those who, allowing the subordinate application and proper use of every other individual principle, both of mind and body, cannot content themselves without excluding one of the most active, most universal, most essen

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tial and indestructible principles from a subordinate use, or indeed from any use at all.

This grand motive of promoting the glory of God, cannot indeed be too often reiterated both in these pages and from the mouth of every Christian instructor of youth, as the only legitimate ground for emulation,or indeed any species of exertion in any cause. Without it, even the exertions of a Paul would have been nothing, and worse than nothing. Let the objects of his emulation have continued what they were, the noblest ever presented to the human mind; if his motives for pursuing these objects had been selfish, had been merely, for instance, to obtain commendation, though from the wise and good, nay, even merely to gratify his native feelings of benevolence, or, if possible, merely to effect his own salvation; if his metives, otherwise pure as light, only had excluded that single, and with him paramount, ambition, to promote the glory of God, they would, in that omission, have experienced a loss greater than the whole sum of their excellencies: his high attainments in temperance, courage, selfdenial, humility, long-suffering, generosity, and even respect for the will of God would have lost their proper place and his loved charity itself, not coupled with and founded upon a predominant love to God and his glory, would have been but "as sounding brass and tinkling cymbal." I need not apply this reasoning to those inferior subjects of emulation which we must attribute even to the purest plan of an ordinary education. I need not carry it on to shew the necessary subordination of every species of emulation to just and legitimate motives. Neither need I use any further argument to press on your correspondent my own conviction, that of all motives for emulation, the one which alone can lawfully hold the ascendant in the devout Christian's mind, of whatever age, is that which has the love of God as its ground, obedience

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proceedings' did not agree with its principle. Its principle, that of circulating the Scriptures, the whole Scriptures, and nothing but the Scriptures, they cordially approved; but they conceived that in two particulars the proceedings' did not tally with the principle."

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1. "The Society professes to circulate the Bible without note or comment;' whereas the authorised version, which only they use (I speak of course of England) has a perpetual commentary, in the form of tables of contents, at the head of each chapter. How small soever be the degree in which these abstracts of the chapters interfere with the private Christian's liberty of judgment, they are certainly at variance with the profession and title of the Bible Society.

2. "The Society professes to circulate the pure Word of God, and yet distributes the English Version, which contains some evident mistranslations, some false readings, and at least one interpolation."

Having, sir, admitted into the pages of your valuable miscellany so much discussion on the general subject, you will, probably, be induced to accept the preceding paragraphs. They are a specimen of the objections existing against the British and Foreign Bible Society, in a quarter which till of late excited, with regard to this subject, but little

notice, and which continues to exhibit comparatively few symptoms of glowing attachment and fervour; it ought in justice to be added, of virulent hostility.

I am still more confident that you will assign such objections to the class already shewn to be worse than futile; and that, like all the rest, they will serve to establish your various reasonings on behalf of an institution justly considered, both at home and abroad, as the glory of the nineteenth century and the earnest of unspeakable blessings to generations yet unborn.

Mr. Aspland has cited a charge, without either sustaining or confuting it. If he concurs with me in pronouncing the latter practicable, I wish he had himself accomplished the task for what charge can be more serious, and, in particular circles, more prejudicial, than one which alleges, that "the proceedings do not tally with the principle?" Sorry would the individual who now addresses you be, if his name, however humble, were found in close alliance with an institution so palpably mismanaged. Let the accuser prove his charge, and he will find it easy to remove the officers of the British and Foreign Bible Society, if not from their employment, at least from the place which they now occupy in the feelings of a grateful (but it should seem deluded) public. That a man of Mr. Aspland's acuteness (to say nothing of his apparent esteem for the Society) should for a moment propose to sustain the charge, is, scarcely credible. It has no strength except for its own destruction.

The question at issue, we should recollect, is simply this; "Are the proceedings of the Society at variance with its profession?" In support of the affirmative, we are reminded of "the tables of contents" of " some mistranslations," of "some false readings," and of "one interpolation." To this we reply: The words" without note or comment" contain merely a part of our pro

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fession, which displays, with equal distinctness, the words "authorised version." From the manner which Mr. Aspland introduces these latter words, a stranger might infer, that they mark our "proceedings." not our "profession;" whereas Mr. Aspland must be perfectly aware that they mark both—a circumstance which demonstrates, in opposition to the charge, that, whatever be the character of the Society in other respects, it lays a just claim to the praise of consistency. Granting, for argument's sake, that the authorised version" is deformed by as many "mistranslations," "false readings," and "interpolations," as the hardiest Unitarian ever imputed, and, consequently, that the Society's constitution is radically corrupt; this is certainly the point at which censure should have paused. Even then it might not have followed, that the objector was bound, in duty, to withhold his support; since a better version, from a purer text, is not likely soon to acquire the patronage requisite for extensive circulation, while the "authorised version," with all its faults, is surely better than none, having already conducted millions, and being capable of conducting millions more, into the paths of righteousness and into the kingdom of heaven.

To return from this digression, I ask, Would the friends of the Society, constituted as the Society is, have had it in their power to vindicate their practice, if they had presented the Bible in a version different from that which they have exclusively employed? On the contrary, would they not have risked their undertaking, and ruined their credit? These questions, I apprehend, are perfectly fair and relevant; the charge being, not that the Society proclaimed, as it did from its origin, a determination to employ exclusively the "authorised version," but (mirabile dictu!) that such determination has been adhered to with inviolable precision. It is obvious, therefore, that the Society has redeemed its pledge,

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