savage, for it is the slavery of one who has freedom in view, but is cut off from the hope of it. It is a slavery of the heart, that would fain love, in all the fulness of love, but dares not commit itself beyond a certain degree,a slavery of the mind that would fain know, in all the fulness of knowledge, yet dares not inquire beyond a certain limit. It is as the torture of Tantalus, with the water at his lips, and fruit at his mouth, but hindered from actually enjoying one drop or one morsel.

But in this slavery a voice calls to us, makes itself heard through the buzz of business, and even through the confused murmur of manifold and complicated theological voices

"Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free!"

And the truth is, that the true God has no more those attributes which prevent the unbounded flight and the soaring of his love, than that He has the tail attributed to Him by the poor heathens in the distant isles.

His justice is, indeed, an appendage to his love, but is in full accordance with it—not a hindrance to it.

It resists the idea of peace to the wicked, but is perfectly consistent with full and free forgiveness of past sins; it requires real goodness, proceeding from real faith in and love to the true God, as requisite for God's satisfaction, because necessary for our weal.

And this is fully shown us in Jesus Christ, who came to manifest to us God's loving heart, God's wisely planning mind, God's unchanging perseverance and immovable patience, who came to reconcile us also to God, to win us, teach us, and help us to imitate the perfect, consistent character of the Almighty.

In short, to show that God is good, and to bring us to God, make us good, teach us to choose as God chooses, to will as God wills, and to do as God does. This is a glorious work to imagine, Glorious to undertake,

Glorious to perform ;

Glory be to Him who does it!

His finished work is man reconciled to God, and renewed after the image of Him that created him.

Evil overcome by good.

How bright, clear, and simple the plan as revealed by God!

How misty and complicated the scheme, as added to and altered by man's teaching!

Yes, ye heathens of the islands, we have surpassed you; we, civilized ones, we have surpassed you in the absurdity and the hurtfulness of our superstitions and prejudices, as much as intellectual things surpass bodily; and the error of our inconsistent attributes exceeds the folly of your tail, as much as spiritual things exceed material.

But for us and for you there is relief: "GOD is GOOD."

ERRORS IN TRANSLATIONS OF THE BIBLE.

Some pious persons dread the idea that such errors exist, though they know they do exist; and still more do they dread the idea of its being generally known that such exist. They say, "If the people knew it was so, they would cease to respect the Bible."

What! is God's truth so fallen that its respect depends on concealment of any truth?

Is the respect which ought to be rendered to God's Word such as is supported necessarily by falsehood? For it is falsehood to imply that which is false, or knowingly to allow another to think and act upon a false notion.

In anything but religion, this would at once be admitted. Shall it be denied, then, here?

Assuredly, if the Bible be the Book of Truth, it can bear all the light of truth. Nay, more, it cannot, it will not, bear the shameful support of concealment or of falsehood, of equivocation or dissimulation.

The fact being acknowledged generally, that there are doubts as to many portions or passages in the Bible, both in the original and in the translations, will lead to a general inquiry into the spirit and meaning, as being more important infinitely than the letters and words.

Those who doubt that God has given men a reasonable mind, and that God's Holy Spirit is always present to instruct and lead that mind into all truth, will either remain conscious of miserable helplessness, or will blind their conscience by a slavish appeal and submission to the arbitrary dictates and explanations of some fellow-man or men, who may be arrogant enough to usurp dominion over the faith and conscience of others.

But those who believe in God as the Father of spirits (that is, of us), and who believe in God as the Spirit who teaches his children, will never be able to shelter truth under falseness on the one side, nor to be afraid to prove all things; and, among the first things, to prove that which professes to be the Word of God.

If they find that certain writings profess to be God's own truth, and that these writings shun the full light of

truth, as if truth could damage truth, they may well doubt if these writings are truth.

The Bible shuns no trial. But the miserable, fearful spirits who would defend the Bible, (as they say and think,) and would shield it from the blaze of the light of truth, do thereby keep others back from holding fast the real glorious truths which that Bible reveals.

The truth will, indeed, often reveal to the bold inquirer the terrible fact, that he is and has been an unbeliever; but no truth, no true light, can ever make an inquirer an unbeliever.

And if it is true (as it is true) that our translations are faulty in several passages, doubtful in more, and that the earliest and best copies in the original languages are in places uncertain, the knowledge of this truth cannot damage the effect of the truth.

Protestants who dare not look truth in the face, may say, the doubts which would arise from an idea of errors in the Bible would drive people to the Roman Catholic priesthood.

Those who are afraid of any truth will very likely seek, and find, a temporary refuge from their fears there, where truth is consistently hidden,-more satisfying, for a time, than the inconsistent concealing of any truth by those who say God's Spirit will lead us into all truth, and yet would hide some truth.

And while men are afraid of any truth, the religion which hides truth best is a very natural refuge from that which hides truth badly, which gives a sleeping draught, but not strong enough to put the patient to sleep, and which only makes him the more uneasy and restless.

The very fact that this one truth about errors in

translation is considered dangerous, is strong evidence that the most important truths are neglected. And it is not by suppressing one truth that men are kept in the right place, but by enlightening them with all truth, especially with the "light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."

He who knows this truth shall be made free by this truth; and neither this nor that priesthood or priestcraft will bring him into bondage. He may be in doubt about one or one hundred passages in Scripture, but those which are by God's Spirit written in his mind and kept in his heart will do their work. He will know that his faith and hope do not rest on the authenticity of a disputed passage, or a doubtful expression, but on a voice which has spoken through the Book of revelation to his heart and conscience, by which THE ETERNAL has said to him

and by which THE ETERNAL has made known the eternal law of holiness in love, and love in holiness. The illustration of all which is

GOD IN CHRIST.

MEASURE OF TRUTH.

In order to measure we must have some standard to go by. The first requisite is, that our standard be correct and true; the second, that it be convenient.

If we have to measure a thing ten yards or twelve yards long, a foot-rule will do it very well, though a yardmeasure would be better, for it would take less trouble.