narrator, who lived in a later age, the name JEHOVAH and the Hebrew of later times are adopted. On the same principle too, there are actually two languages in the seventh of Daniel, the introduction being written in Hebrew, and Daniel's dream itself in Chaldee, a language which that prophet had been taught by the command of Nebuchadnezzar.”

plishment of prophecy, and accompa nied by diversified means of illustra tion: and both these auxiliaries of Divine truth have multiplied their aid more and more, as the age of miracles has been receding.

It does not, however, appear to have been an invariable object of Providence to preserve the original distinctions of language and idiom: but the less has often given way to the greater. For God's great benevolent maxim bas been," Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it." An inflexible adherence to the dialects of antiquity might, indeed, like the pyramids of Egypt, have transmitted to posterity what is truly venerable. But what would have been our condition if the scriptures had been ás difficult to be understood as the Egyptian records! God, however, has not left us thus to sit in darkness and in the shadow of death. For, during the time the Sacred Books were accumulating, they were under the superin. tendence of Him" without whom even a sparrow cannot fall to the ground." Under such care and direction, the earlier records were so transcribed, in corporated, and transmitted, as to be INTELLIGIBLE from generation to generation whilst Hebrew was a living language; and this procedure brought the Hebrew Scriptures, at last, to a state in which they might be UNDERSTOOD after the ancient Hebrew had ceased to be spoken, and in which they will be intelligible even to the end of time. For if any writings are intelligible at any particular stage of a varying language, such writings, if extensive, remain intelligible when the language itself is dead, as the respective words must, generally speak ing, occur so repeatedly, as to be abundantly illustrated by a comparison of the different passages in which they are found. Thus Divine truth, though written with perishable materials, and in the vacillating languages of mortals, has, nevertheless, reached us not only unimpaired, but corroborated by new accessions of proof from the accom

The apparent contradictions, then, will at once disappear, if we advert to a very simple circumstance: namely, that the writer of the Book of Genesis lived after God was called JEHOVAH, 0. and that he wrote in the language of his own times, and not in a dialeet that had, like Wickliff's English, become antiquated: and, consequently, the word Jehovah is not intended to furnish us with the identical word used by the Patriarchs, but it occurs in connexion | with other words where the object is to give the sense. That this is the true state of the case may be seen from Joseph's language in his first interviews with his brethren; for bad it been the object of the sacred writer to record the words actually used, the whole of Joseph's conversation at that period must have been written, not in the language of his brethren, but in the Ancient Egyptian. Thus we read, "They knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spake unto them by an INTERPRETER." Gen. xlii. 23.

That the sense, and not the words, was intended to be conveyed in Genesis, may also be shown by a reference to the language spoken at Padan Aram. For we should not even have been aware of any difference between the Aramitish dialect of Laban, and the South-Canaanitish dialect of Jacob, if some proper name had not, like a monumental pillar, transmitted the identical words to distant generatious. Thus in Gen. xxxi. 47, we are informed that the same object that Laban called JEGAR SAHADUTH-A was by Jacob denominated GAL-A-'AD, according to the pronunciation of later times, GALEED.

or,

It is obvious, then, that the Book of Genesis is uniformly written in the diafect and style of the Inspired Narrator; and thus what was foreign or antiquated was expressed by synonymons words. Hence, if Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob, used the word ON for the same Divine Being that was afterwards called JEHOVAH, the latter name was used and there was as much prepriety in thus substituting JEHOVAH

:

પ

for ON, as there is when we ourselves express the sayings of Alfred the Great, or of William the Conqueror, in words which those monarchs never used.

That ON had been used in the days of the Patriarchs, as a name of the true God, is evident from its being used as a substitute for EL, God* even in Jacob's own name. For this word IsraEL which means a prince with GOD, is sometimes changed into IsraON, or, according to the pronunciation with which we are familiar, Jeshur UN and JesurUN. Thus in Isa. xliv. 1, 2, we read, "Now hear, O JACOB my servant, and IsraEL whom I have chosen: Thus saith Jehovah that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, who will help thee: Fear not, O JACOB, my servant; and thou, JesurUN, whom I have chosen."

With respect to the perpetuation of Sacred Truth among the Jews, it is abundantly evident that some parts of the Old Testament were transcribed from earlier writings. Thus in Prov. xxv. 1, we read, "These are also Proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiab king of Judah COPIED OUT." All transcriptions, however, that affect the Old Testament stand on as solid a basis as the quotations in the New Testament. For our Lord himself gave his hearers to understand that the Jewish Scriptures were all of Divine authority, and that there was not any exception to be made even with respect to one jot or tittle of the law. The Apostle Paul also has expressly said, "ALL SCRIPTURE is given by INSPIRATION of GOD." 2 Tim. iii. 16.

Bromley, Middlesex.

J. F.

REMARKABLE CONVERSION.

ABOUT the middle of the seventeenth

century, the venerable John Flavel, whose excellent practical writings are known to many of our readers, was settled at Dartmouth, where his labours were greatly blessed.

For the meaning of El, and the early age in which it was used, see the Baptist Magazine for April last, page 163..

Mr.Flavel's manner was remarkably affectionate and serious, often exciting very powerful emotions in his hearers. On one occasion he preached from these words: “If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema maranatha." The discourse was unusually solemn, particularly the explanation of the words anathema maranatha-" cursed with a curse, cursed of God with a bitter and grievous curse.' At the conclusion of the service, when Mr. Flavel arose to pronounce the benediction, he paused, and said, “How shall I bless this whole assembly, when every person in it, who loveth not the Lord Jesus Christ, is anatbema maranatha?" The solemnity of this address deeply affected the audience, and one gentleman, a person of rank, was so overcome by his feelings, that he fell senseless to the floor.

In the congregation was a lad named Luke Short, then about fifteen years old, and a native of Dartmouth. Shortly after the event just narrated, he entered into the sea-faring line, and sailed to America, where he passed the rest of his life, first at Marblehead, and afterwards at Middleborough, Massachusets.

Mr. Short's life was lengthened much beyond the usual term. When an hundred years old, he had sufficient strength to work on his farm, and his mental faculties were very little impaired. Hitherto he had lived in carelessness and sin; he was now a "sinner an hundred years old," and apparently ready to "die accursed." But one day as be sat in his field, he busied himself in reflecting on his past life. Recurring to the events of his youth, his memory fixed upon Mr. Flavel's discourse above alluded to, a considerable part of which he was able to recollect. The affectionate earnestness of the preacher's manner, the important truths which he delivered, and the effects produced on the congregation, were brought fresh to his mind. The blessing of God accompanied his meditations: he felt that he had not "loved the Lord Jesus Christ;" he feared the dreadful" anathema;" conviction was followed by repentance, and at length this aged sinner obtained peace through the blood of atonement, and was "found in the way of righteousness." He joined the Congregational Church in Middle

borough, and to the day of his death, which took place in his 116th year, gave pleasing evidence of piety.

In this case, eighty-five years passed away after the seed was sown, before it sprang up and brought forth fruit. Let the ministers of Christ be encouraged: "in dae season they shall reap, if they faint not."

"Though seed lie buried long in dust,
It sha'n't deceive their hope;
The precious grain can ne'er be lost,
For grace ensures the crop."

The above narrative is taken from the American Baptist Magazine.

The hissing Audience reproved.

A CELEBRATED Vocal performer being taken ill on the night of the promised appearance, an inferior singer was iustitute being hissed by several of the troduced to supply his place. The subaudience, he came forward very humbly and said, "Gentlemen, you expected to hear a voice of fifty guineas a week; but, consider, I have only five."

Washington Gazette, Wednesday, June 1, 1825.

MRS. ANN PORTER,

OF OAKINGHAM.

THE subject of this Memoir was born in the neighbourhood of Oakingham, and went, when about the age of fifteen, to reside in the family of Mr. Whitehood, at that time pastor of the church at Hosiers-lane, Reading; she soon became seriously impressed under the ministry of Mr. W. It appears from the account she has at various times given, that her first convictions were deep and poignant, and it is probable they did not subside until she had obtained that relief which the gospel is designed to impart; and which she first enjoyed under a sermon preached by Mr. Whitehood from Prov. viii. 17, "I love them that love me," &c. From what she has often stated, it is believed her former distress was succeeded by a measure of that joy which is "unspeakable and full of glory;" and that, under that influence she was constrained to testify her obligations to her Redeemer, by making a public profession of her love to him, and uniting herself with the church at Hosiers-lane. When about the age of twenty-six, she was married to Mr. Mark Porter, who, for some time previous had been a member of the same church; he was afterwards many years an honourable member, and an active and useful officer of the church at Oak

ingham; his memory still lives in the affections of many of the members of the church, aud his name is never mentioned but with respect.

Not long after the union of this pious couple, they came to reside at Oakingham; at that period there was no church of the Baptist denomination there; and the town and its vicinity, in a moral and spiritual point of view, presented a dismal aspect, but very few persons making any pretension to the possession of vital religion. About this time the little band that feared the Lord, and wept over the miserable condition of their neighbours, began to meet together for social prayer; if these meetings did not originate with Mr. and Mrs. Porter, they took a most decided part in supporting them; and they eventually led to the introduction of the gospel and the formation of a church in the town. Mr. Davis of Reading at first preached occasionally in a private room, and had to encounter the most violent and determined opposition; success, however, attended the word preached, and Mr. Davis had the happiness of witnessing the fruit of his labours. In the year 1773, a house was erected for the worship of God; and in 1778 a church was formed, consisting of seventeen persons dismissed from the church at Reading; including Mr. and Mrs. Porter: only one of these is now living.