138 "To whom did the Lord swear-of which He will not repent-saying, 'Thou art a Priest for ever'? "Who is the Root of Jesse which standeth for a beacon unto the people, and to Him shall the Gentiles seek? "Who is He that we 'esteemed smitten, stricken of God, and afflicted? but He was wounded for our transgression, and with His stripes we are healed?' "Who is the righteous Branch? "Who is the Branch of David that shall grow up out of His place, and His name is the Lord our Righteousness? "What is the New Covenant'? "Who is the Angel of the Covenant, respecting whom the prophets spoke to us in vision? "And perhaps I may obtain your good will thus far that you will deign to peruse my book, Philosophy of the Plan of Salvation,'7 which I placed in your hands ere we parted, that you may perceive and discern how much the root of the matter is found in the faith of Jesus the Nazarene, and what just claims He possesses to be for a Light to the Gentiles, and to promote the salvation of the Lord to the end of the earth. "As for me, my eyes are lifted up heavenward, and from the innermost recesses of my heart do I pray to God, the Most High, who has granted unto you length of days, upwards of fourscore years, that in His love and compassion He may make you one Oh! that ere your sun goes of His elect, and not forsake you in this good old age. So down towards evening you may behold The Light, even the light of the face of the Son of God, Who is High and Lofty and very eminently exalted; whose throne is like the sun before the face of the Lord. Then shall your end transcend your beginning; for you may open the gate of redemption and salvation to the children of your house, and to your congregation, a community of upright and sincere men. that you may be called the Second Abraham,-a father in Israel to all who keep the New Covenant, and exalted amongst all people, who shall hear your fame. The stroke of death shall then have no terrors for you, for your soul will be bound up in the bundle of life, and you will go down in peace to the grave; you will lie down and your sleep shall be sweet. "This prayer and supplication springs from the bottom of the heart of your humble servant, "ISAAC E. SALKINSON." The contents of the foregoing epistle effectually dispose of the eccentric theoryso constantly and sedulously promulgated by anti-Christian Jews, and believed in by ill-informed professing "Christians"-that Christianity is something different from the religion which was shadowed forth by Moses and the Prophets in the Old Testament. DAS ERSTE PROBLEM, ODER DER MONOLOG EINES SKEPTISCHEN KÜCHLEINS. By A. Glanfield Clark. London: P. Rolandi, 20, Berners Street; and Newcastleupon-Tyne: Franklin, Mosley Street. This is a very clever version of the very clever satire, entitled "The Rationalistic Chicken," by the Rev. S. J. Stone, Author of "The Knight of Intercession," and other Poems. We congratulate the brilliant and accomplished bard at the European reputation which his witty composition has acquired, as well as the amount of good it has done. We know of many a sceptic who has been laughed out of his silly philosophy, by having had made plain to his mind that his free and easy thinking did not transcend The satire has been translated in sublimity the reasoning of a scarcely fledged chicken. into French by PHILPIN DE RIVIÈRES, under the title of LE POUSSIN RATIONALISte. The translation has done good service amongst the Gallican would-be-philosophers. We believe that the German version will be equally successful amongst the Teutonic free-thinkers. We would recommend to such of our readers as have friends and 7 Our brother translated the excellent work, under the above title, into Hebrew, and called it Sod Hayeshuah, The Mystery of Salvation. A play on the name Abram; a compound word, the first syllable of which means father, the second, exalted. acquaintances, of the above description, in Germany, to enclose a copy of A. Glanfield Clark's version of Mr. Stone's "RATIONALISTIC CHICKEN." By the Translator's courtesy, we are permitted to reproduce it here:- " Wie räthselhaft, und doch wie schön das Leben, Frei bin ich jest zu forschen und zu fragen. Das Erste, worüb'r ich mir Fragen gemacht, Und-Daß ich den Ausweg nicht eher erfand.— Genug um mir den Pipps zu geben, So lass' mich die Sache doch ernstlich beschau'n, Beleidigt den Stolz, und spricht Hohn dem Verstand. Wie ist es denkbar, solch' armsel’ge Hülle Umfaßte meines Geistes reiche Fülle? Daß ich hineingekonnt, vom Schwanz zum Schnabel, Je mehr ich die Sach' mir bei Lichte betracht', Je mehr ich den bloßen Gedanken veracht'; Beweist es mir, scharfsinn’gem Küchlein, erst wie, Denn, was ich nicht fassen kann, glaub' ich auch nie.— Wo kam ich aber wirklich her? Der Zweifel drückt mich immer mehr ; Die Welt, die Erde, ja, alles Leben, Ei! wie die Mutter gackert dort! Was schwaht sie da? Na, hört nur zu! Wohl ahnst Du nicht, daß Dir am Rücken, Noch klebt eins von der Schale Stücken."— Es ist nicht wahr,—ich kann's nicht denken,— It is beautifully got up; it is printed on stiff card-board, and has a photograph of Süs' painting of the newly-hatched chickens, which first gave the worthy Vicar of St. Paul's, Haggerstone, the idea for his cutting satire. CORRESPONDENCE. THE LATE DR. CURETON. TO THE EDITOR OF THE "HEBREW CHRISTIAN WITNESS," &c., &c. SIR,-I gladly respond to your invitation to record my personal recollection of the late Dr. Cureton. It is, I presume, unnecessary to discuss here the claims of the Doctor to be considered an eminent Oriental Scholar. Opinions may vary as to the special value of his contributions to that branch of knowledge; but that he was painstaking, and that he widened the path already trodden, will, at any rate, be conceded. Eminence appears sometimes to be the result of accident, or to be attained by a happy combination of industry and good fortune. The results are sometimes dazzling; and, if the horizon of knowledge is extended, we acknowledge with special gratitude the benefits conferred upon us by a Columbus or a Newton. Those, again, who adapt and almost remodel knowledge already acquired are also worthy of distinction, and thus we gratefully acknowledge our obligations to the genius of a Shakspeare and a Bacon. I do not wish to express an opinion as to the degree of merit to be assigned to the literary labours of Dr. Cureton, and would merely remark that unwearied industry, such as he showed, must be productive of an advance in our knowledge, and may lead the way to still greater discoveries. I would rather write of Dr. Cureton in his social and professional character. I had the privilege of being closely associated with him during two years at St. Margaret's, Westminster, of which parish he was the Rector. My first introduction to him left a very pleasing impression upon me. view took place in 1852 at his residence in the Cloisters, Westminster. were playing about him while he was reading a Persian manuscript. The interHis children He received me most kindly, and without that air of condescension which literary men sometimes evince towards those whose names are not recorded in the annals of fame. His appearance was handsome and intellectual, his manners were frank, and his smile pleasing. During the two years that I was associated with him his manner towards me never changed. As a clergyman he was indefatigable. Although very much engaged in his Oriental studies, he was not content to receive the reports of his curates about the condition of the poor, but was to be seen almost daily among the sick and afflicted, and by his judicious liberality and kindly manner endeavouring to alleviate their sufferings. He was very indulgent towards the special failings of the poor, and deception never had the effect of diminishing his patience and benevolence. He identified himself with every scheme which had for its object the amelioration of the condition of the poor; and on public occasions he advocated their cause with an earnestness which, to those who did not know him well, appeared excessive. Although the congregation of St. Margaret's comprised some of the most learned men of the day, Dr. Cureton's sermons appeared to me to be specially designed for the instruction of the ignorant. When, however, he was Canon in residence at the Abbey, it was evident that he recognized the duty, as a leader in the Church, of referring to political questions in their relation to the Church, to pass in review recent debates in Parliament, and to discuss their bearing upon religious thought. As an instance, and also as an indication of his disposition, he, on one occasion, advocated with considerable force the efforts of those who were urging the abolition of capital punishment. He may, indeed, have overestimated the efficacy of the precautions considered by some to be sufficient to protect society against extreme violence. But he stated, with his usual earnestness, his conviction that it is the duty of the Legislature, as representing Christianity, to abrogate a mode of punishment which he considered inconsistent with that profession. On one occasion I had the privilege of meeting Signor Pannizzi, and the Chevalier Bunsen, at the residence of Dr. Cureton. The eminent Italian, although as I have been informed most despotic in temperament, was even brotherly in his manner towards the Doctor. In personal appearance Dr. Cureton was like the Chevalier Bunsen, but I must admit that, although this was the case, and although there was a harmony in the mind and sentiments of these two distinguished men, the handsome, grave and refined features of the Chevalier were as pre-eminent as his mind appeared to me to eclipse all present. Dr. Cureton took his part freely in the conversation, and, in the society of his two literary friends, was one of a triumvirate which reminded me of the time when a few used to talk, and the many to listen, or only by an occasional remark give a new turn to the conversation. These eminent men are now no more. The labours and talents of Signor Pannizzi, and of Chevalier Bunsen, have received graceful recognition from pens far better qualified than mine is to pay tribute to their greatness. Of Dr. Cureton I may, I hope, be permitted to record my pleasing remembrance of his kindliness, of uniform courtesy, of an absence of all pedantry, of enlarged views, and, indeed, of mental and moral qualities calculated to inspire the respect and affection of those who had the privilege of his acquaintance. 55, Kensington Gardens Square, December 8th, 1876. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, December 28th, 1876. Reverend and DEAR SIR,-On the margin of a J. Bates' Crit. Heb. Bible, I find the following given in explanation (in MS.) of the word,, YAH,, suffers --referring the title, I presume, exclusively to the LORD JESUS CHRIST. As I often hear the title applied as "JEOVAH the FATHER," and "JEHOVAH the ETERNAL SPIRIT," which strike very harshly, and scarcely appropriately, on my ear, I ask: "YAH SUFFERS" a proper and just reading? I have re-read Professor WARSCHAWSKIS' article in the HEBREW CHRISTIAN WITNESS, for November 1873; also HAVERNICK'S introduction to the Pentateuch; also KITTO'S Encyclopædia, but am not satisfied. I feel desirous of further information. Yours, &c. Notice to our Readers and Correspondents. All Literary communications intended for the Editor, such as Publications for Review, Notes, Queries, &c., &c., to be addressed to him, care of the Publishers. All Business communications, such as orders for the Magazine, Advertisements, &c., &c., to be addressed to the Publishers themselves. Several important articles—such as OUR READINGS in the Hebrew Scriptures the Diagrams of the HEAVENS, and of the DISPENSATIONS from the BEGINNING to the END; SCRIPTURE PORTRAITS; Memoir of HILLEL; Life of Rabbi AKIBA ; THE OFFICES OF CHRIST; Several Queries with Replies; &c., &c.—some of which are already in type-are unavoidably postponed for want of space. A. L. B.-Your pulpit instructor is not the only one who darkens counsel by displaying Hebrew Scholarship, without possessing a knowledge of the rudiments of the sacred Tongue. Isa. v. 16 must be interpreted in connexion with the seventh verse of the same chapter. The sixteenth verse should be rendered : "But the Lord of Hosts is exalted by judgment, And the Holy God is hallowed by righteousness !" : That is, when the house of Israel and the men of Judah shall bring forth the fruit for which the Almighty looks, even true judgment and the works of righteousness. B. M.-It is quite true: the principal Jewish paper in this country begins to advocate, unreservedly, conversionism, on the part of the magnates of the synagogues, amongst certain "Christians." Sit venia verbo. A WATCHMAN.-The following cutting from The Times of the 26th ult. will suggest a reply to your query : THE JEWS IN PALESTINE.-Mr. William Knighton writes to us from Kilburn :— During the early part of this year I was in the Holy Land. Everywhere, from Dan to Beersheba, I saw evidence of the renewed energy and activity of the Jewish race. As a people the Jews are flocking back to the land of their forefathers in great numbers from all the countries of Europe. In Jerusalem and its neighbourhood particularly every plot of ground for sale is eagerly bought up by them. The Jews are a wealthy race. The Turks, who nominally govern their promised land, are greatly in want of money. Would it not be possible for the Jews to issue among themselves a new Turkish loan on condition that they should obtain the right of governing their own land under the guardianship of the Great Powers of Europe? Would not many wealthy Christians be ready to assist them in this matter if the leaders of the Jewish community throughout Europe undertook it with some degree of vigour? A Republic or a Sacerdotal Government might thus be established in Jerusalem, nominally under the Turks still, but really under the guarantee of the Great Christian Powers of Europea Government which might be of incalculable benefit to Palestine, in which scarcely a farthing of public money is now spent for its improvement or for the development of its magnificent natural resources. .—Thank you for your lesson in the Hebrew language; but we prefer to construe our motto in the sense which the "man greatly beloved" had done. (Look at Dan. xii. 2, in your Hebrew Bible.) You will therefore bear with us, if we respectfully-in this instance, amongst many others, though not in all-abide by the Masoratic punctuation, and point the second word in our motto, and with all due deference decline to adopt your ingenious substitution of, for more reasons than one. J. C. G.-We cannot trace any connecting link between E, Deut. xxxii. 42, and Micah ii. 13, or Gen. xxxviii. 29. But we perceive a clear connecting link between Gen. xxxviii. 29, Micah ii. 13, Matt. i. 3, Luke iii. 33, and Rev. v. 5. We translate the epigram in Gen. xxxviii. 29, "How hast thou prevailed! prevalency shall be thine!" In allusion to the origin of the name , or PHAREZ, from whom the REDEEMER was lineally to descend, Micah spoke of the SAVIOUR as they, or PREVAILER. We translate Micah ii. 13 thus :-"Ile who prevaileth has gone up before them they prevailed. They shall pass through the gate, and they shall go out by it. And their King shall precede them, even the LORD shall be at their head." In allusion to the significant name, did one of the elders say to the "Beloved disciple":"Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath PREVAILED to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof," Rev. v. 5. More about this in our Articles on OUR READINGS IN THE HEBREW SCRIPTUres. A RELATIVE OF THE TRADUCED.-Like you, we are not disposed to act either as the defenders of, or apologists for many of the painfully eccentric and inconsistent vagaries of the poor frail brother, your relative, who has departed this life, some few years ago, at STRASBURG. But we, like you, are in a position to give an unqualified contradiction to the gratuitous assertion that he had ever denied the FAITH, or that he had ever asked of his old bitter Jewish enemy, the quondam usher in a Liverpool School, for sepulture in a Jewish cemetery. We have demonstrated, on a former occasion, the value of the utterances of the Berkeley Street oracle, and of the virulent vapourings of his Bedford co-religionist-as well as of the statements of the Jewish organs, when the reputation of a HEBREW CHRISTIAN is concerned. We would as soon believe the pious Israelites who swore away NABOTH'S life, or those honest Jews who swore away the Life of our BLESSED REDEEMER, as the oaths of those two men -par nobile fratrum-when the honour and life of a HEBREW CHRISTIAN is at stake. |