the capacity of natural causes. Thus Christ was transported from the wilderness to the top of the pinnacle of the temple; and thus different agencies may be brought together, by which objects may be made to move, speak, &c. as though they were possessed of life, all of which may come within the province of Satanic power, and yet not transcend the laws of nature. Thirdly, wicked men and spirits are often allowed to perform real miracles for wise purposes, which God controls. (See Deut. xiii. 1; Matt. xxiv. 24; 2 Thess. ii. 9; Rev. xiii. 18-19.) These I apprehend were the class of wonders the magicians performed in the court of Pharaoh. Moses makes no difference between the miracles he performed and those of the magicians, so far as their reality is concerned. Every man threw down his rod, and they became serpents. They no doubt looked upon Moses and Aaron as magicians, and threw down their rods not knowing what would be the result. When they became serpents, they felt that the invisible powers acted as well through them as through Moses and Aaron; but when the serpent of the latter devoured all the rest they were confounded. They were permitted to exert their utmost power, so that Moses and Aaron triumphing over them, might show that their works were not the works of magic, but of the God they professed to serve. It should be remembered that the Egyptians and Israelites alike believed in magic, and that they would have been most likely to attribute all the miracles performed by Moses to the result of magic; and in so far as they excelled the magicians, they would have been considered superior magicians. But by bringing them in contact, and allowing the magi; cians to perform wonderful works, and at last compel them so signally to fail, they were forced to acknowledge the finger of God in the works of Moses. This, also, was calculated to destroy the influence of magic or Satanic arts among the people, and establish the authority of God's ambassadors. Had they in the beginning performed works which the magicians could not, they would have said it was superior magic. But allowing their own acknowledged sorcerers to perform miracles, and then discomfiting them entirely, was calculated to clear Moses from all connection with their sorcery, and gave an everlasting triumph of divine power over magic skill, which might serve to preserve the Israelites from seduction by false miracles from the true worship of God. raelites who had refused the interposiThe suspicious and desponding Istion of Moses, and who after they had witnessed his miracles among themselves, chided him for interference in their behalf, needed evidence upon evidence to bring them to a knowledge of God's power. When, therefore, they saw the immense disparity between the cause when they saw the rods of acopposers and the defenders of their knowledged magicians, and those who had proved themselves to be such by the transmutation of their wands into serpents when they saw these swallowed up by the rod of Aaron — when they saw these same magicians turn water into blood, as Moses did, and then prove unable to restore it to its former nature, as did he—when they able to rid the palaces of Egypt of the saw them produce frogs, but were unvermin-when they beheld them able to produce calamities, but had no power to remove them; and when, at last, wonders are performed which they are compelled to acknowledge beyond all their powers, they ascribe them to God, and they could not fail to see the truth of the pretensions of Moses, and to be willing to place themselves under his conduct. lowed to proceed, really accomplishing their desires and exceeding their expectations, when suddenly, all their power and hope are concentrated upon their success appears only in striking an object in which they are baffled, and contrast with their disgrace and disappointment. Thus evil-workers are oftentimes al Thus, too, faith is tried, the might of her power called forth, and her excellence or triumph established, not in man nor all his boasted powers, but in God, who is in, and yet over, all his works. And I cannot allow myself so often to repeat this everywhere established truth without pointing you afresh to its power to support and comfort us, amid all the discomfitures and disappointments of earth-born and earth-bound expectations; for truly as there is but one God, so but one "ONE adequate support For the calamities of mortal life AMERICAN BIBLE UNION. From The Disciple." THE second anniversary of this noble institution has just been held in New York, in the first Baptist church in that city. Understanding and highly appreciating the objects and character of the Union, we are much pleased to see several of our brethren among its permanent officers. From the extensive report in an extra of the New York Chronicle, lying before us, we can make but few extracts, although we should be glad, did our space permit, to give the Report in extenso. From it we rejoice to learn, that the blessings of God have, so far, rested upon this enterprise for the brief space of its existence, and that a most praiseworthy and godly courage and zeal are manifested by its managers and advocates. Among these we are happy to notice the names of many Christian men who will not shrink from this great work, in the day of trial and duty, either from the frowns or favors of men. Neither the sharp words of anger or reprobation even from friends, from brethren nor the honied words and insinuating seductive smiles of fraternal friendship and pretended peace, have been able to seduce or avert them from the stern duty that God, for His truth's sake and man's salvation, has imposed upon them. What could not be gained by open war, was attempted by insinuating smiles, by pretensions of peace; but we rejoice that both efforts have failed. Our heart dilated with joy when we read this report. We felt that the mighty influence of the Spirit of God, and of the love of His truth, was there. The utmost unanimity and harmony prevailed, as these Christian men had assumed the right, and the only right position; and all felt that it was the work of God in which they were engaged: this consciousness, and the humility of devotion flowing from it, brought them to unity of heart, and voice, and hands, in their labors. A prominent Christian teacher has lately said, that this is the greatest work of the age; and so we believe. Send out to every home of man that book-pure, full, and perfect as God gave it to man-the sword of the Spirit of God, whose power will scale and level with the earth the strongholds of darkness-that will bring the light of hea ven and the salvation from above into all the dark places of the earth-making the deserts of the human heart to blossom as Sharon's Vale, and exposing and scattering the corruptions and abominations of apostate Christian churches -announcing ruin and desolation to the Apocalyptic harlot. Send it out free and abundant as the light of heaven, as the waters of the earth, with the blessings of all pious hearts on earth, and the co-operation of the powers of heaven accompanying it, and it will do a work that will fill Satan's empire with dismay, and heaven with highest hallelujahs! The far-off islands of the sea, that have been waiting for His law, will rejoice; and continents, emancipated from darkness and sin, will sing praises to God. It is the most efficient work at this momentous crisis, to oppose the floods of Infidelity in its varied forms-of Scepticism, Deism, Rationalism, and of the revived modernized systems of ancient heathen philosophies, that are now rising to deluge the Christian world. Only by rejecting all that is human in religion, wherever found, even in the most consecrated sanctuaries-and by being panoplied only by the truth as it is in Jesus, can Christians expect to see the triumph of God's religion on the earth, over the hosts arrayed and arraying against it. This effort of The Bible Union" is a most auspicious undertaking-it is the ripened fruit of the reformatory progress from Luther's day to the present. God grant that its advocates and managers may remain, and continue to act, true to their first purpose, undismayed by fear or obstacles, unwearied by the toils and labors of their work! May God give them ever an eye single to the glory of God and the best interests of man, and perseverance and patience to endure to the end! A resolution which characterizes and declares the whole bent and purpose of the "Union," was unanimously passed in the following words: "Resolved-That appropriations made by the Union shall in no case be employed for the circulation of a version, which is not made upon the following principles, viz: The exact meaning of the inspired text, as that text expressed it to those who understood the original Scriptures at the time they were first written, must be translated by corresponding words and phrases, so far as they can be found in the vernacular tongue of those, for whom the version is designed, with the least possible obscurity and indefiniteness." In accordance with this resolution, as the Union desires to scatter the Bible in the three great languages in Christendom-the English, French, and Spanish -pure versions are to be secured as soon as possible in these tongues. Arrangements for this end are being made, and will doubtless, under the blessing of God, succeed. Efforts are also being made at present to obtain a corrected German version, which we regard as most necessary, as that language is spoken by many millions of the most enlightened people of the earth. We shall keep our readers advised, from time to time, of the progress made in this work of giving pure versions in these languages. The magnitude of this work cannot be over-estimated. Let the friends of God's truth everywhere lift up holy hands to God, and send up their united prayers to His throne in its behalf; and let their prayers be accompanied by their hearty co-operation in contributing the means of success to this cause. We are happy to know that our brethren in various quarters are contributing liberally to the Union. An attempt, it appears, was made by the American and Foreign Bible Society to gain back the friends of the Union. This attempt appears in the last Annual Report, where it professes to hold forth to the Union what it calls "the branch of peace." A committee of five was appointed by the Union at its meeting, to examine and report upon the propositions of amity offered in this "branch of peace." The following is an extract from the Report of this Committee:"The American and Foreign Bible Society has, by solemn resolution, declared its purpose in its issues and circulation of the English Scriptures, to be restricted to the commonly received version, without note or comment,' and in the same solemn form it has been asserted that it is not the province and duty of the American and Foreign Bible Society, to : attempt on their own part, or to procure from others, a revision of the commonly received English version.' Language more explicit or intelligible could not be devised, and your Committee would esteem it unbecoming themselves as Christians to endeavour to prove, that it meant aught else than the words themselves imply. The Society declares its adherence to the commonly received version, without correction, and its determination never to aid in its correction directly or indirectly; neither to do the business itself, nor to procure it from others." This "branch of peace" was of course not accepted. The following address of the veteran Spencer H. Cone, President of the Union, and formerly President of the American and Foreign Bible Society, we give entire. We have no apology to make to our readers for this. We consider the question of a pure version of the Bible, and to humanity everywhere, that we as so vital and important to the church desire to have its merits and features fully placed before the Christian public. Reader! peruse with attention this address from an aged soldier of the cross, and one of the foremost in this cause of Bible truth, and strive to imbibe its spirit. There are declarations made here involving principles for which our brethren have been long and valiantly contending. A number of other addresses the cause, from which we may probably were delivered by prominent friends of give some extracts. C. L. L. DR. CONE'S ADDRESS. Friends of God and of Revealed Truth,-It affords me peculiar pleasure to welcome you to the second anniversary of the American Bible Union. The God of the Bible has strengthened our hands and encouraged our hearts, and has given us abundant reason, as lovers of his Holy Word, for renewed thankfulness and praise. As President of the Union, and as Pastor of the first Baptist church, I heartily welcome you to this place. Last year, after the unanimous invitheir meeting-house, the opposition of tation of the church itself to occupy four Trustees neutralized the action of the church, and the Union was obliged to meet elsewhere. It is to-day my happiness to inform you that the troublers of this church are gone out from us, and Church and Pastor, Deacons and Trustees, are united as the heart of one man, to aid in the glorious enterprise in which you are engaged. During the year your Board of Managers has met, month after month, and a quorum was always present; harmony and brotherly kindness have abounded-the current business of the Union has been conducted with fidelity and zeal—and death has not been permitted to remove a single member from this delightful field of evangelical | labor. Brethren and friends: The American Bible Union has a mission of grave responsibility. We are called, in the providence of God, to employ our best efforts to procure, print, and circulate faithful versious of the Sacred Scriptures in all lands! With all the disposition to peace and quiet which the great TEACHER inculcated and exemplified, He never gave the slightest countenance to error; nor can we as His disciples lend our sanction to the principle or policy of disseminating as His Word, aught but the most faithful representation of the inspired original that can be procured. To circulate as true what we know to be erroneous or defective, would be contrary to our character as honest men, and in direct opposition to our duty as professing Christians. But the attempt to maintain the principle of pure versions in all languages, the English not excepted, has subjected us to obloquy and reproach even from many who once professed to be our warmest and best friends. Is it not astonishing that the desire "to correct errors and remove obscurities" from the commonly received version, should expose men to persecution from their own brethren-to opposition the most violent, unrelenting, and uncompromising? That the strongest bonds of personal friendship should be dissolved in consequence? That even church relations and pastoral connections should be threatened, if we declare ourselves in favor of allowing every man to know just what God has said? Yet however astonishing, such has been the afflictive experience of your presiding officer. He has dared to say from this pulpit, again and again, that Christian baptism is immersion only; that if right to preach it, it is right to print it; TO PRINT IT IN THE BIBLE; for if it is not in the Bible, we have no right to preach or print it as a part of God's revealed will to man. For preaching these "principles and projects of the American Bible Union," as they are called, he has been denounced in a printed "Statement," as having "departed from his duty," and it is of the Lord's mercies alone that he has not been driven from these walls of our Zion. The mission of the Bible Union, under existing circumstances, is evidently twofold. While we would gladly devote our attention exclusively to the important business of procuring and circulating pure versions, we are compelled, reluctantly, to defend ourselves against the rage and violence of opposition; and thus the time which we desire to consecrate to our special vocation, must unavoidably be sometimes spent in combating erroneous arguments and malevolent aspersions. This is not a One of the most specious arguments that has been advanced against the correction of the common- version is, that thereby we must forfeit the name of Baptists. The words relating to the ordinance must necessarily be translated, and because the common people will learn that it is the duty of believers to be immersed, therefore the term Baptist will cease to be the appellation of those who follow their Lord. They will be called Immersionists. necessary consequence. Episcopalians are not called Bishopites, nor Presbyterians Elderites, although Episcopos is translated Bishop, and Presbuteros Elder. These denominations take their names from the Greek, and Baptists might continue to do the same if they chose. But is it possible that a Christian man can suppose there is any weight in such an argument against the translation of God's truth? What if all denominations, by such a measure, should lose their distinctive human titles, or have them changed- what evil would ensue? These distinctions will probably not obtain during the millennium-certainly they will not in heaven. It must, therefore, be of little consequence what we are called on earth. The great thing is to follow Christ-to be his disciples in deed and in truth-to believe what God says, and practice what God commands. Does he command believers in Christ to be immersed in his name? Where is the difference in criminality between preaching it and printing it? If the latter be wrong, the former cannot be right. A most strange and anomalous con- | Episcopalian scholars, and not one of dition of things exist at present. Go any other denomination was permitted where you will, and you may hear to meddle with it. It was designed, as Pædobaptists talking about the impiety its preface teaches us, "for the benefit of our attempting to correct the Bible. of the Church of England." Who then Their minds are filled with prejudice have fulminated the thunders of cenand misconception about our under- sure and rebuke against its correction? taking—and their erroneous ideas upon Have Episcopalians?-No! They have the subject, alas! may be traced to been well content to be quiet, and leave Baptists! Who have raised the hue their cause to Baptist pens and Baptist and cry that it is sacrilege to "correct tongues. Bishop and Easter please them errors and remove obscurities" from well, and if baptize can only be kept the translation of God's Word?-Bap- untranslated, it may mean sprinkle, or tists! Who have sung the ditty, "The pour, or christen, or anything else that old Family Bible that lay on the men may fancy; "and so they wrap stand?"-Baptists! Who have endea- it up." vored to prove that baptize is not properly translated immerse ?—BAPTISTS! Who have raised the shout, "Our craft is in danger" the translation of the words relating to baptism will endanger the denomination? - Baptists! Who have reproached and vilified their brethren for wishing to give the plain and unadulterated truth of God to the common people? - Baptists! Melancholy, mortifying facts! The people who have the least reason of all to fear the truth, oppose its printing. Baptists, "who cleave to the simple and determinate language of Holy Writ:"| who have, in every age and in every clime, steadfastly maintained that the text of Scripture is the only infallible authority in all matters, both of faith and of practice. How strange-how inexplicable that any who wear this name should be afraid or ashamed to print what they believe and preach. We might pursue this subject and inquire, who has endeavoured to prove that the versions of our missionaries, the translations of the sacred writings, made by Carey, and Yates, and Judson, are "Sectarian?" A Baptist! And who combined to print the slander, and scatter it by thousands over this land? Baptists! Well may Pedobaptists now lay aside their armor, and watch with complacency the progress of events. They have no more need to fight, while Baptists take King James's sword in their defence; and so far as recklessness of attack and fierceness of invective are concerned, they certainly surpass those for whose "Infant Sprinkling" they are indirectly, but most powerfully contending. The Common Version is exclusively Episcopalian. It was prepared by the direction of an Episcopalian King-by But some say we are not the men, and this is not the time. The principle that the Bible ought to be faithfully translated in all lands, is generally admitted; that the English Version needs correction the ignorant only deny; and we hear of many who are willing to coöperate, as soon as "all Christendom shall unite in the work.” If we understand this loud and oft vociferated cry, it means, that as soon as those who hold "Infant Sprinkling," shall agree with those who believe it to be "part and pillar of Popery," then witl be the time to correct King James' Version, for sprinklers and immersionists will cordially unite in the enterprise. This sentiment is so absurd-so impracticable-that to name it, is to refute it; and as to the men, why that is the very thing about which the Bible Union is anxiously, industriously, and prayerfully inquiring. We are looking after learned men, good brethren and true; having neither the "fear of man" nor of Pedobaptism before their eyes; who will do their work in "the fear of the Lord;" and we trust in God that, in the use of appointed means, the men will in due season be found. But, brethren, be not discouraged. However severe the conflict between truth and error-between Bible principle and worldly expediency - victory will ultimately crown the right. The Hansard Knolly's Society is affording us efficient aid by bringing to public view the writings, labors, sufferings, and deaths of those who were stigmatized as "Anabaptists;" but "an ardent attachment to the doctrines and ordinances of the gospel, and a simple reliance on the Christ crucified," more accurately describes their character. |