*

have trespassed against me, when they dwelt safely in their land, and none made them afraid. When I have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations; then shall they know that I am the Lord their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more. Neither will I hide my face any more from them, for I have poured out my Spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord God." Can anything be more plain and intelligible than this, taken in its obvious and literal signification? And if this and similar predictions do not prove the future restoration of the literal Israel to the land of their fathers, it may, certainly, be asked, In what language could such a promise be made, that would not be liable to be equally misinterpreted, perverted, or discredited? If it is not a figurative dispersion they are now suffering, why should we suppose a figurative restoration? "Unless some very decided and undeniable canon can be adduced for a contrary principle to be applied in interpreting the prophecies relating to their restoration, which we are compelled by history to apply to the predicted dispersion, common sense and consistency will lead us to conclude that the same analogy prevails throughout."+

Your correspondent further inquires, "If the predictions of their restoration are to be taken literally, why are not many other prophecies, which relate to their conversion, literal also?" Certainly: why not? We may as well deny the literal conversion of the Jews as their literal restoration, as most of the passages which predict the one foretell also the other. On this subject the New Testament is equally explicit and decisive as the Old. Take, for instance, the 11th of Paul's Epistle to the Romans. He first shows that the rejection of the Jews is neither total nor final, 1-11. He next reasons, that their full reception back into the church will be an immense benefit to the Gentiles, 12-15. He then proves that in their relative capacity they are still holy, or separated from the rest of the world, and destined for the service of God, 16; and although for the present they are without the pale of the true church-their place being occupied by Gentile believers-yet, on renouncing their unbelief, they shall be reinstated, 17-24. To remove all doubt on the subject, he further declares, in express terms, that the state of judicial insensibility in which the Jews now are, is only to be partial or limited in duration; it is only till a widely-extended conversion of the Gentiles shall have been effected, and they, through the reciprocal action of the merciful favour shown to the latter, the great body of the Hebrews shall be brought to a saving participation of the blessings of the gospel (an event anticipated by Isaiah, in the 59th chapter of his Prophecies), 25-32. With these passages of inspired writ (says the learned author from whom I quote)‡ present to his view, with what shadow of consistency can any Christian deny the future conversion of the posterity of Jacob? It is as clearly revealed as any doctrine of Scripture; and, consequently, demands to be received, not as a matter of human speculation, but as the word of God, who worketh effectually in all them that believe.

But again," J. S."-" As some passages may be figurative and others literal, by what rule shall it be determined that those belong to one, and these to the

"This positive assurance demonstrates that the fulfilment is yet future, and nothing is more notorious than that the Jews have been under the hidings of God's face for centuries past."-"The Dry Bones of Israel Revived; an attempted Proof, from Ezek. xxxvii., of the Restoration and Conversion of the Jews." By G. Bush, Professor of Hebrew, New York City University. Wiley and Putnam, London.

+ Brooks's "Elements of Prophetical Interpretation." Seeley, 1836. Lectures on the Conversion of the Jews, &c.

other? If this were settled, the controversy would be at an end." It would have been well if " J. S." had cited some passages which present this difficulty to him; but, "If there be any principle of interpretation more reasonable than another, it is this—that the clear declarations of Holy Writ shall regulate everything on the same subject which is doubtful or obscure. That the literal should yield to the metaphorical, or the certain to the equivocal, would be to reverse the law of reason, and to involve the whole science of hermeneutics in inextricable confusion."* I think this rule a perfectly safe one, and to require any other would be to search for the philosopher's stone. If I had not already occupied too large a space in your valuable "Record," I should be tempted to transcribe a passage from an author of some celebrity, who has devoted many years to the study of prophecy; but I forbear, and content myself with taking this opportunity of recommending the work itself, in which will be found much that is interesting, and bearing immediately on the point in question.

As to the restoration of the Mosaic economy, with its sabbaths, sacrifices, &c., 1 confess to a difficulty in reconciling it with the character and genius of the Christian dispensation; but "when a proposition is established by unquestionable evidence, every principle of just reasoning obliges us to give it our assent, in spite of its apparent inconsistency or irreconcilablenesss with other acknowledged truths." And while I feel utterly unable to apply a figurative meaning to the last eight chapters of Ezekiel, I feel bound to regard the Word of God as the most unquestionable evidence in proof of a fact which, nevertheless, I acknowledge my inability to explain. Dr Henderson, in the lectures already referred to, alluding to Isaiah lxvi., supposes that a certain number of Jews, in their unconverted state, will return to Palestine, and that some of them will vainly (?) attempt to restore the temple and temple worship, with the whole sacrificial system connected with it. But this is a very different thing from the prophecy of Ezekiel, which describes the matter with a surprising particularity as to the details, and which he must possess a most fertile genius who should interpret the whole in a figurative sense.

But it is for God himself to explain, by the course of events, what, to us, at present appears inexplicable. In the meantime, let us beware of setting our ignorance in opposition to God's truth; and, because we cannot see clearly the meaning of everything, believe nothing, however plainly and positively it is affirmed. This would not be to "receive the kingdom of God as a little child."

Oxford.

J. T. D.

ADMINISTRATION OF BAPTISM.

TO THE EDITOR OF "THE BAPTIST RECORD." SIR,-I have been gratified to find that questions of doubt are frequently satisfactorily evolved by some of your intelligent correspondents. I should be greatly obliged if some one of these gentlemen would kindly consider the following:Suppose a person, having been excluded from the fellowship of a gospel church, forms a society of his own, receiving members by immersion. One of this society, perceiving his shepherd unworthy of the sacred office, renounces all connexion with him, and wishes to unite with a church "composed of faithful men," and in friendly relations with others of the "same faith and order." It may even be the same from which his late spiritual guide was excluded. Under these circumstances, should the ceremony, administered by a person such as described, be regarded as Christian baptism, or should that rite take place without reference to any previous transaction?

It may be said that the validity of the ordinance, being the act of the individual receiving it, cannot be affected by the character of the administrator; still

Garbett's Bampton Lectures.

+ Vide Tyso's "Inquiry after Prophetic Truth," pp. 10-12.

it is worthy of consideration, whether or not a person declared unfit for church fellowship can administer that rite, which many consider not only a necessary prelude, but, if there be consistency of character, an absolute qualification for its privileges?

If persons are admitted to the fellowship of respectable churches, contrary to the usual course with new applicants, shall we be acting in a manner which shall suitably betoken our entire repudiation of the deeds of false teachers," and "those who cause divisions" in the churches of Christ? Anxiously looking for a clear elucidation of this matter,

I am, yours, very respectfully,

THE AMASSMENT OF WEALTH,

M. R. T.

SIR,-A correspondent, "J. B.," inquires how the prohibition of our Lord, in Matt. vi. 19-21, is to be understood-whether in an absolute or comparative sense. The settlement of the question is important, because of the application of the principle involved. I presume that we are to take every precept in its_literal signification, unless there is some scriptural reason for the contrary. If so, I would ask, whether such a reason exists in reference to the passage in question? Why should we depart from the plain and direct terms in which the prohibition is conveyed? Is not the meaning as clear as in the command "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved"? If we blunt the edge of the precept in one case, why not in the other? The salutary effects of simple obedience to the words, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth," would bring out, with much force and beauty, the pilgrim character we are called to sustain in this wilderness, and would, perhaps, as effectually as any portion of God's truth, prove that his people "are not of the world," even as their Master was "not of the world." But the "absolute" sense is abnndantly proved by the subsequent part of the chapter, where we have the assurance that by “seeking first the kingdom of God," food and raiment "shall be added" unto us. Thus would child-like faith be kept in constant exercise, for we have only to remember that our "Father knoweth that we have need of these things.' Our Lord prayed that his disciples might be "sanctified," (that is, made holy, or set apart for one particular use,) by God's truth; and I verily believe that the not unusual custom of reasoning away the force of some of the plainest precepts of the gospel, is a most serious hindrance to the sanctification of the children of God, and does much to prevent that separation from the world that would make them indeed appear as a "city set on a hill."

"J. B." will of course perceive, that the prohibition relates to amassing wealth for ourselves, which is a totally different thing from laying up for others; in fact, we are told that the parents ought to do so "for their children," 1 Cor. xii. 14. That the words of our Lord may be increasingly precious to all his people is the prayer of, Sir, yours, &c.

Oxford, 12th April, 1845.

HOME RECORD.

J. H.

HERTFORDSHIRe and BedfordSHIRE ASSOCIATION.-On Thursday, June 5th, the annual meeting of this association of Baptist churches was held at Toddington. The Rev. Edward Adey, of Leighton, preached in the morning, from 1 Thess. v. 25. The business of the association was transacted in the afternoon. The meeting was addressed by Messrs Upton, Gould, and Owen. The services of the day were closed by the administration of the Lord's Supper, in which all the brethren united.

UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH.-At the recent examination, the degree of Master of Arts was conferred upon the Rev. Henry Ierson, late student of Stepney College.

DAVIS and HASLER, Printers, Crane court, Fleet street, London.

ASIA.

CALCUTTA.

The Calcutta Missionary Herald contains an account of the proceedings at the Annual Meeting of the Calcutta Baptist Missionary Society, held January 2nd, in the Circular Road Chapel. G. Edmondstone, Esq., C.S., occupied the chair. After Dr. Yates had supplicated the divine blessing on the engagements of the evening, and the Chairman had made a few introductory remarks, Mr. Wenger read the Report, and several excellent addresses were delivered. As these were the speeches of men practically acquainted with the difficulties of missionary work, living in the midst of scenes which the friends of missions at home cannot fully realize, it appears to be desirable to transfer some extracts to our own pages.

The following are the resolutions unanimously adopted by the meeting :

I. That the Report, an abstract of which has now been read. be adopted and circulated under the direction of the Committee, and that this meeting desires to express sincere and devout gratitude to Almighty God for the measure of success granted to the Society in this and other countries, where its agents are occupied in diffusing the truths of the gospel.

What

of moral and spiritual wretchedness pres<nted itself. Success, he believed, had been adequate to the means used, and the church had no right to expect more than she had reaped, but success had not been equal to the hopes raised in past years. The friends of missions had anticipated only success, and that on a large scale, and so it will be vouchsafed; but hope deferred maketh the heart sick, and the heart of the church had become faint. The Rev. T. Boaz, of the London Mission- she wanted was to be made to realize the real ary Society, in moving the above resolution, difficulties, as well as the hopes of missionary remarked that he had no hesitation in moving labour-when she saw and knew the actual the adoption of the Report an abstract of which trials she would nerve herself for the work, had just been read, for it was a brief and and not wait in soft and dubious expectancy faithful account of labour actually performed. of a miraculous millennium. The fruit of This should always be the character of such this system had been a lull in the missionary documents: the more they were faithful records feeling of the church. From this she had both of the dark and the light, the successes been aroused by a new agency, popery and and reverses of missionary labour, the more its twin sister Puseyism. By their vigorous would they be calculated to enlist the intelli- and daring efforts they had aroused the church gent sympathies and aid of the friends of to a sense of her duty; they had at least put missions in all countries. It was to be feared her on the defensive. But she must assume that the habit of dwelling so much on the the aggressive. bright, and hopeful, and pleasing nature of The Rev. G. PEARCE, in seconding the resomissions, had induced in the mind of the lution, said: the resolution speaks of success, and church feelings of high immediate expectation of gratitude to God on account of it, and justly which had rendered a constant system of ex-so, for notwithstanding the reverses to which citement and novelty essential to keep alive the Report alludes, a considerable amount of the flame of missionary zeal. In the early success has been granted to the Society during stage of mission labour there was all the novelty of new people with strange habits and languages-newly discovered lands with their wild, luxuriant, and captivating scenery-a first insight into the religious customs of many people. This, at the onset, and in the absence of conversion, served to keep up the attention of the friends of missions-but it could not be permanently sustained-it only tended to wither the hopes of the church. The labour which to the missionary was a labour of faith, was to distant friends one near at hand. Year after year they inquired when shall these hopes, which have been excited, be realized? No new countries were discovered, no new scenes were depicted; the mere stern reality

the past year. It is my desire, Mr. Chairman, to exercise faith in God, and to excite in others the same grace. It must be allowed that the Report exhibits a vast amount of labour performed in the course of the year. The word of Christ, which is the only appointed means of salvation, has been most extensively proclaimed, and that word is incorruptible seed, it cannot be lost. When a society scatters widely this precious seed, it cannot be said to exist in vain. The past year has been one of almost unprecedented disease and death in this part of the country, and thousands have been cut off around us, yet amidst the dangers that have threatened them, the agents of the Society have all been