The Talmud. BY REV. J. HUNT COOKE. A GRAND museum here of antique thought, Visions sublime, which holy prophets saw, Weird gleams of light from unknown thinkers rise; The soul of man is the lantern of God; The law, the light it should scatter abroad. Be your care that God's light shine bright and clear; When heaven's gates are closed to prayer, Tears may affect an entrance there.-Brochus. If I care not for self-Where shall I be? If for self only-Who will care for me ?-R. Hillel. The righteous souls have not so high a place As humble penitents in God's great grace.—R. Abooka. For antlers would a camel pray His ears were taken both away.-Talmud. Trouble not yourself about the sun; Without your aid 'twill set when day is done.-Talmud. If you would choose a wife, one step descend; Ascend one step in seeking out a friend.-Talmud. A coin, though small if shaken in a jar, A myrtle, let it bloom where'er it will, The pitcher falls upon the stone, The stone upon the pitcher falls, To the pitcher, woe again.-Talmud. It is God's will that poverty That scope for holy charity On earth may still abound.-R. Akivah. *A most extraordinary notion has been promulgated, that our Lord took some of His sayings from the Talmud. Men have been filled with surprise on learning that several of them are to be found there. But considering the fact that the Talmud was not reduced to writing till long after the coin of Christ's wondrous words had been widely circulated, the surprise ought rather to be that more of His golden thoughts are not to be recognised there. Society stands upon pillars three Law, and worship, and charity.-R. Simon. Make the resolve, with purpose high, To repent the day before you die.-R. Eliezer. To finish work is not required of you, But that with diligence you still pursue.-R. Tarphon. The pious man will wield a greater power After his death, than in life's little hour.-R. Dhoma. He who forsakes his first love, once so dear, For him God's altar sheddeth many a tear.-Gittin. Ever should on you bestow, This the root of all the law is, All the rest as branches grow.-R. Hillel.* If you would hang yourself, be sure to choose The meekest birds and beasts God chose for sacrifice; The hunted, not the hunters, Are dearest in His eyes.-Sabbath. If short thy wife, yet ever be sincere, Bend down to her and whisper in her ear.-R. Popa. The thief who finds no chance to steal, An honest man himself will feel. When strong shoes on thy feet are worn, Then is the time to crush the thorn. The best course of conduct is that which, when known, Gains another's esteem without loss of one's own.-R. Jehudah. He who God's holy law has learned, Yet never has His fear discerned, Is one who has the inner keys That open up the treasuries, But never has the wealth beheld. The outer key has been withheld.-Talmud. Slander has a triple tongue, On three its venom must distil, Working for the slanderer, The slandered, and repeater, ill.-Talmud. The sun and moon had equal light; Now she but shines with borrowed ray.-I. Ben Uzziel. Flimsy as a spider's web, A bad thought enters in; Like a cable strong it twines, And binds the soul to sin.-R. Akibah. He who a spirit of pride retains, Hardens his heart and softens his brains.-Rav Ashe * But where is the evidence that this was not taken from the Evangelist (whose writings were assuredly in circulation before the Talmud) and fathered on Rabbi Hillel? NEW CHAPELS. To withhold a gift is a lesser blame Than to give with display and thus bring shame.-R. Yanay. The world is kept alive by the breath Of the children at school, a Rabbi saith.-Bove Metzea. Gracious manners, true and fair, Show the fear of God is there.-Sucka. Live not nigh him who wears a saintly dress To hide a soul deformed by foolishness.-Sabbath. Not a mere plaything, but a helpmate true.-R. Popa.* His mind with wisdom's store, Is one who has designed a house And only built the door.-R. Alexandria. New Chapels. I.-WOODBOROUGH ROAD, NOTTINGHAM. 391 We opened our new sanctuary on Tuesday, September 11th, commencing with a dedicatory prayer-meeting at seven o'clock in the morning. The attendance was very good, most of the members having, at the special request of our pastor, made an effort to be present; and as the morning sun lighted up the place and cheered us by its beams, we felt it good to be there, and whilst we realised then in God's house that for which we had so long waited, we prayed that the Jehovah Himself would deign to bless our work and to accept it at our hands. Revs. R. F. Griffiths, C. D. Crouch, J. Holzhausen, as well as our pastor, were present. In the afternoon the weather proved unfavourable, nevertherless a considerable number of friends and sympathisers gathered to hear the Rev. Archibald G. Brown. At the conclusion of this service 270 assembled in our new school-rooms for tea. Visitors greatly admired the entire arrangement of class and main teaching rooms, and congratulated us on the complete plan of the work. At seven the second sermon was preached-the capacity of the building tested to the utmost-chairs being needed in the aisles. Collections £40. Rev. J. Lewitt preached on Lord's-day, Sept. 16th, in continuation of opening services, to large audiences-the evening meeting being larger than on the preceding Tuesday. Collections £27. Rev. J. Alcorn preaches on Sunday, Sept. 23rd. Although on the night before the opening workmen were busily engaged with hammer, saw, and chisel, yet we presented a tolerably complete appearance, in spite of some exterior work yet remaining to be finished. We feel that we are fully justified in the step we have taken, and trust that the liabilities incurred will not be too burdensome. A debt of more than £2,300 remains. The neighbourhood is one where a good and efficient cause may gradually be established the Sunday school having already received considerable additions. We ask the prayers and help of friends in the denomination, that we may be sustained in our arduous work. II.-SWADLINCOTE. OUR new chapel was opened on Wednesday, September 5th, and two following Sundays, and the services will not soon be forgotten on account of the manifest tokens of the Divine presence, help, and blessing through them all. The Rev. A. Mursell was expected to preach on the Wednesday, but being too unwell to fulfil his engagement, and applications to several other ministers to take his * On the other hand, many most contemptuous things are said by the Rabbis about women; but the Talmud abounds in contradictions. place being unsuccessful, John Clifford, M.A., LL.B., kindly consented, much to the relief and satisfaction of the people, to fill up the vacancy. There were large congregations; many friends came from all the region round about, who showed kindly sympathy and rendered generous help. The Rev. W. Evans conducted the devotional part of the service in the afternoon, and the Rev. W. Green in the evening. The collections for the day amounted to the very handsome sum of £165 9s. 4d. On Sunday, Sept. 9th, J. Clifford again occupied the pulpit. The chapel was crowded at both services. At night it was literally crammed, and great numbers went away unable to find even standing room. The collections amounted to over £62. On Sunday, the 16th, the Rev. T. Goadby, B.A., was the preacher. The congregations were again most satisfactory, and upwards of £27 were collected. The total sum realised by these services is over £255-a cause for extreme thankfulness and great encouragement. Not a few friends unable to be present sent most welcome contributions. Prominent amongst these was E. Smith, Esq., of Burton, who forwarded a cheque for £50. The architects, Messrs. T. Horsfield and Son, sent a contribution of £7 10s.; Mr. E. C. Ellis, of Derby, £5 5s.; and sums were received from friends at Leicester, Derby, Ripley, and other places. Mr. J. Gutteridge, of Coalville, gave a challenge that if nine others could be found to give paper money at the opening services, he would make the tenth. A successful effort was made to accept this challenge, and the following gentlemen were contributors of £5 each, though most of them had previously rendered liberal help :-C. Roberts, sen., Esq., Peterborough; T. Webster, Esq., Leicester; Messrs. John Ellis, T. Bramall, W. Wardle, Burton-on-Trent; R. C. Chawner, Desford; J. Gutteridge, Coalville; Geo. Dusautoy, Derby; J. Smith, Donington-le-Heath; J. H. Haywood, Swadlincote. The chapel, which has been erected from designs supplied by Messrs. T. Horsfield and Son, of Manchester, is an exceedingly neat and commodious structure, capable of comfortably seating 500 persons. It is well arranged, admirably lighted, tasteful in its appointments, well ventilated, and its acoustic properties are all that could be desired. It is expected that the entire cost will not be more than £1,700. Towards this sum there has been obtained by subscriptions, public services, etc., upwards of £1,100. The G. B. Building Fund has granted loans of £200, so that there yet remains about £400 to be raised to meet the liabilities incurred. The prospects of the Saviour's cause here are most encouraging, and it is hoped that soon a man will be found to labour amongst the people, full of holy earnestness and deeply imbued with the spirit of Christian enterprise-one who will upbuild the church on the living truth, feed the people with the bread of life, and lead many to enjoy the consciousness of pardon which the God who is light and love is so ready to bestow; then will the God who answereth by fire show that He is God, and will make the place of His feet glorious. [As Secretary of our Home Mission, I should like to say how intensely gratified I am with the progress of the work at this station, with the hearty and enthusiastic self-sacrifice of our friends there, and the most cordial and generous support rendered by the neighbouring churches. May our best wishes and prayers be more than realised!] THE ESTABLISHED CHURCH-POLITICAL ACTION. "SCARCELY anything is more important-especially at the present time-than arranging for political action. There are no rumours in the air, but there are clouds around us that may break at any moment. Whoever a general election may find unprepared, it should not find the Disestablishment party unprepared. The battle may not be won this time; but what is done at the next election will have an important influence upon that which follows. And, let it be remembered-what recent experience has shown-that, throughout the country, a Disestablishment candidate can be carried more easily than one who halts at that, to him portentous policy." This passage from the Liberator we endorse with all our heart, and again counsel vigilance, organization and promptitude. The European Outlook Is certainly far from re-assuring at the present moment. The serious defeats sustained by the Russian armies, combined with the speedy approach of winter, when the sanguinary campaign must close, at least for awhile, render it extremely difficult to forecast a swift and satisfactory settlement of the questions which have broken the European concord. True, Russia is not defeated because her avowed mission was unjust. The rescue of Bulgaria and Bosnia and the neighbouring states from the systematic oppression and legalized iniquity of the governing Turk was, and is, an obligation cast on civilized and industrial Europe: and if the motives of Russia, like most human motives, were mixed, still that object was a righteous one, and ought to have rallied round it the united forces of the Great Powers. But the Muscovite Government is paying for insufficient preparation, and perhaps for an irrational indifference to the immense forces of a horde, that has always been and always will be, military in its spirit and organization. It is dangerous to despise the devil, if you have to fight him. "What king, going forth to make war against another king, sitteth not down first and consulteth whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand." Turkey has a large sea-board, and enormous facilities for the transport of troops and provisions. Russia lacks both: and the righteousness of a man's cause will not compensate for a blundering despisal of the enemy's forces, or an ill-conditioned outfit. Thoughtful Englishmen, with the memories of the Crimea freshened within them, and the knowledge that their Government has made the war necessary, have no room either for censure of Russia, or exultation over her present defeat. What will Austria do? What will Germany do? Can peace be secured now? Such are the questions agitated just now. Such the questions nobody can answer. The outlook is unpromising. Our confidence is, "the Eternal reigns," and the Eternal is Righteous, and therefore, sooner or later, Righteousness reigns. POOR FRANCE! Alas! poor France! The magnificent self-possession of the Republican party, i.e., of all France, minus the clerical faction, is, just now, undergoing a further strain from the stupid folly and autocratic silliness of Marshal MacMahon's Manifesto. Heine said of Wellington, in 1832, "Till now I never knew how contemptible he was. People have been blinded by his stupid victories; they never guessed how dense he was. He is a blockhead, as all men are who have no heart. For thoughts come from the heart, not the head." MacMahon has not even the merit of a good soldier, and he is an arrantly bad statesman. His address is incurably feeble and glaringly inconsistent, a gross insult to the French people, and a proof of the consummate incapacity of its composer, a violation of the principles of constitutional government, and an outrage on common sense. Still we are eager to believe that the good sense of France will be victorious. Extremely disquieting as this appeal is, yet the capacity for self-effacement, the excessive moderation and beautiful equipoise of the French Radicals will be equal to it. Their strength is to sit still, vote straight for the 363, and quietly enjoy their victory. We shall look with keen interest upon the elections, and pray that the people may preserve their noble calm in the trying hour. Turning from these sights, how solacing to behold the British people rising in their generous might to send the famine-bitten people of India the bread for which they cry! "Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free," and that ye feed the hungry, and give bread to him who is ready to perish? JOHN CLIFFORD. "WAR? the worst that follows Things that seem jerk'd out of the common rut Of Nature is the hot religious fool, Who, seeing war in heaven, for heaven's credit Makes it on earth.”—Tennyson's Harold-Act I., Sc. 1. |