"smite," beat; "sorry," grieved; "stood up," arose; "sprung up," grew up; "strawed," spread; "suffer," bear with; "taxed," enrolled; "teach," make disciples; "told," spoken of; "tormented," in anguish ; "travelling," going; "understood," perceived (an excellent rendering, chap. xxvi. 10); "valued," priced (chap. xxvii. 9); "wrought," spent (one hour).

Among many changes of phrases are these :-" will be changed," for would become; "let him be," for shall be; "to be afflicted," unto tribulation; "to this time," until now; "make ruler over," set over; "receipt of custom," place of toll; "take no thought," be not anxious (chap. vi. 25); "God forbid," be it not so (this is the footnote alternative rendering, and is a far more accurate rendering than that in the text); "generation of vipers," offspring of vipers; "by the way of," toward (chap. iv. 15); "his fame," the report of him; "was set," had sat down.

"All manner of sin and blasphemy," is altered into every sin and blasphemy; and "the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost," into the blasphemy against the Spirit. This is an exact rendering of the Greek text, the reading of which is every sin, and which has not the word Holy (chap. xii. 31). The "dry places" of the unclean spirit, in verse 43 of the same chapter, are waterless places in the Revised Version. The simple negative, "not," in verse 14 of chap. xiii. of the Old Version, is expanded in the New into the form of in no wise; and in the next verse, the phrase, "lest at any time," appears as lest haply; and "be converted," puts on the Anglo-Saxon garb, of turn again. In many places the term "lest," is enlarged into lest haply. In verse 17 of this chapter the perfect tense is exchanged for the past tense, as frequently is the case, and in many places the past yields to the perfect. In verse 21, "by and by he is offended," gives place to straightway he stumbleth. In our Lord's exposition of the Parable of the Sower (verses 18-23), "that which was sown," passes into he that was sown; and the "parable put forth unto them," becomes a parable set before them. "A merchant man," becomes a man that is a merchant (v. 45). In chap. xxvi. 15, the question put by Judas to the priests, is changed from "What will ye give me ?" to What are ye willing to give me ? and, "they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver," is changed into, they weighed unto him thirty pieces of silver. Peter's protestation, "Though I should die with thee," yields to, if I must die with thee. After the account of the miraculous feeding of the five thousand, the Old Version says "they took up of the fragments that remained," &c. ; the Revised Version has altered this into, they took up that which remained over of the broken pieces: and the boat "tossed with the waves," is distressed by the waves (chap. xiv. 20, 24). In ver. 34 of that chapter, instead of the reading, "And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret," we read-And when they had crossed over, they came to the land, unto Gennesaret. And for the

next verse, "And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were diseased;" we read-And when the men of that place knew him, they sent into all that region round about, and brought unto him all that were sick." Coming to chap. xv. 14, "If the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch," we find the reading changed to-if the blind guide the blind, both shall fall into a pit. In verse 22, "a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts," is rendered-a Canaanitish woman came out from those borders. The king "which would take account of his servants" (chap. xviii. 23) is described as a king—which would make a reckoning with his servants. "The good man of the house," in chap. xx. 11, is briefly, in the New Version, the householder. "I will give,” in ver. 14, is rendered-it is my will to give.

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We have noted many other alterations of this class; but having indicated more than a sufficient number for our purpose, we leave the rest, and give a few instances of changes in the tense of verbs. In chap. x. 34, 35, am come," gives place to I came. Chap. xi. 3, "he that should come," is rendered, he that cometh. In verse 17 also of the same chapter, the perfect tense yields to the past. We find it so also in chap. xv. 13. In verse 31 of that chapter the infinitive form of the verb is exchanged for the present participle. In verse 32, "I will not," takes the form of—I would not. In chap. xvi. 24-26, the auxiliary verb "will" is represented throughout the passage by would. In the 26th verse the present tense is exchanged for the future. In chap. xvii. 4, instead of "let us make,” &c., Peter says, "I will make," &c. In the next verse, "While he yet spake," is altered to-while he was yet speaking; and “a voice which said,” into—a voice saying. And in verse 8, "when they had lifted up their eyes," has become-lifting up their eyes. In verse 11, instead of "Elias truly shall first come and restore all things," we read, Elijah indeed cometh, and shall restore all things.

The name of Elijah occurring here, reminds us of another and most commendable feature of the Authorised Version; which is, that all proper names quoted from the Old Testament in the New, are given as they are found in the Authorised Version of the Old; the Hebrew terminations being retained, to the exclusion of those which the Old Version adopted from the Greek: so that we now read Elijah instead of Elias, Isaiah instead of Esaias, Jeremiah instead of Jeremias, Joseph for Joses, Noah for Noe, &c. Names of another class also are subjected to the same general rule; as Immanuel for Emmanuel; and Zion for Sion. We observe, also, the form Gadarenes for Gergesenes, Magadan for Magdala, and Bar-Jonah for Barjona. Barachias and Zecharias exchange the terminals for h, in conformity with the Hebrew.

Among the adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, adjective-pronouns, prepositions, and conjunctions are changes more numerous than we can pause to specify. We mention only a few. For "prudent" we have, under

standing; for "blameless," guiltless; for "stony" (places), rocky. "Immediately" is changed for straightway; and "presently" for immediately; "spitefully," shamefully; "hereafter," henceforth; "straitly," strictly; inward," inwardly; "outward," outwardly; "whosoever," every one, and every one who; "his," its; "which," that; "on," upon; "in," into, and, on (chap. iv. 6); "by," with, and through; (6 for," from; "until," unto; &c.

Not the least important of the changes, are those made in the articles; and they are very numerous. The definite is often changed for the indefinite, and the indefinite for the definite. Many also are inserted and many omitted, and the indefinite is modified in accordance with the nicety and exactitude of modern grammar. Before an aspirated initial h the cumbrous and superfluous n is dismissed; so that instead of “an hill," "an house," " an hundred," &c., we read a hill, a house, a hundred, &c. The pedantic use of n before such words as one, union, &c., is discarded, and instead of the barbarous form, "such an one," which destroys euphony for the sake of observing a good rule of grammar mechanically rather than rationally, we now have the pleasant satisfaction of reading, such a one. In chap. i. 23, "a virgin," is the virgin, in literal conformity with both the Greek of the New Testament (ʼn rap¤évos) and the Hebrew of the Old ( Isa. vii. 14.) In chap. ii. 13, "the angel of the Lord," is correctly rendered an angel, &c. In chap. v. 15, also, " a bushel" is rightly given as the bushel. In verse 41 of this a mile," the article gives place to the adjective, one, reading,

chapter one mile.

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The great importance of an exact study of the Greek article, and of its accurate representation in any language into which the New Testament may be translated, was learnedly and skilfully argued by the late Mr. Boyd, whose Essay on the subject is placed by Dr. A. Clarke in his Commentary, at the end of the Epistle to the Ephesians. Those of our brethren who read the New Testament in Greek, will derive real profit from a careful study of that Essay.

We have said nothing yet of the omissions and additions that distinguish the Revised from the Authorised Version. Some of these, both of the one class and of the other, are almost appalling, at the first view, to the English reader. No vital truth, however, is imperilled. It is no wonder that variations occur in the readings of some hundreds of manuscripts. Their transcription was a mechanical act unaided by Divine inspiration. If some of the writers wrote whilst other persons read to them, an inevitable consequence would be mistake in places. If some wrote in a dark monastic cell, or with impaired sight, mistakes would be equally inevitable. It is nevertheless difficult to conceive, that however easily some omissions might occur, any additions to the manuscripts would be made by transcribers. We defer what we have yet to say until our next issue.

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WINNING SOULS FOR CHRIST.

THE following remarks, and any that may follow in succeeding numbers of this magazine, are intended for the perusal and meditation of Local Preachers in their grand work of preaching the Gospel.

In order to attain success in " winning souls," it is essential that the preacher be "one sent from God." By this we mean that he shall have "preach the Gospel."

a clear, undoubted call from God to Two things are indispensable in connection with this call: 1st. He must be converted, "and have become a new creature" in Christ Jesus, for not until he has felt the agonising smart of a guilty conscience, and of a sinful and polluted soul, and sought and found redemption through the precious blood of the Lamb, can he possibly be in a condition to lead sinners to Christ.

2nd. He must be strongly impressed with a desire to call sinners to repentance; not a temporary emotion, but an abiding, ever-present longing to save souls; and which will manifest itself on every occasion when opportunity offers: to such a one the door will soon be opened, the path soon made plain by Divine Providence and the teachings of the Holy Spirit. With a Divine call will assuredly be given zeal for the work. The preacher must be an aggressor, an assailant, and that of a determined character; his work is "against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places, against the prince of the power of the air.”

one.

So imperative is zeal for God in this work, that no amount of learning, no powers of eloquence, will suffice for it. These will greatly assist, but alone are powerless for the overthrowing of the kingdom of the evil This zeal must know no abatement; for however much we may comprehend the magnitude of the evil, and the strength of opposing powers; and though, like David, we feel ourselves to be but "striplings," and apparently have to go singlehanded to the battle, yet we must remember "The Lord your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies;" and, "They that be with us are more than they that be with them."

A true zeal implies a deep love for the cause. It is no use "putting on spurts," or trying to be earnest; it will be but the report of the rifle without the bullet, and therefore without execution.

Some writer has said, "What is preached coldly, is heard carelessly;" and if as preachers we manifest but little concern upon such stupendous and all-important topics, it can scarcely be expected that our congregations will manifest much more. We will only add here, that mingling in revivals, wherever found, throwing aside any minor matters, and lending our brethren a helping hand, will be the means of quickening our own zeal, and fitting us to carry on such work in our own churches.

THE ECUMENICAL METHODIST CONFERENCE.

WHEN it was intimated that a General Conference of the great Methodist Family throughout the world should be held at some time and place, the project seemed somewhat utopian. The idea, however, found supporters and promoters, and it has been carried out; and such a meeting was held in the far-famed CITY ROAD METHODIST CHAPEL, LONDON.

The Methodist Family was marked out by the preparatory Committee according to its geographical relations into two divisions, distinguished as East and West.

THE EASTERN SECTION embraced the Wesleyan Methodist Church, the Irish Methodist Church, the Methodist New Connexion, Primitive Methodist Church, Bible Christian Churches, The United Methodist Free Churches, Wesleyan Reform Union, United Free Gospel Churches, French Methodists, and the Australasian Methodist Churches. Here we have in "The Wesleyan Methodist Church" the original stock, from which has shot forth eight distinct branches, grouped together.

The Western SECTION is headed by what is now called "The Methodist Episcopal Church," as the original stock; and the branches are, The Methodist Episcopal Church South, Methodist Protestant Church, Evangelical Association, United Brethren, American Wesleyan Church, Free Methodist Church, Primitive Methodist Church in the United States, Independent Methodist Church, Congregational Methodist Church, African Methodist Episcopal Church, Methodist Episcopal Church Zion, Coloured Methodist Church of America, Methodist Church of Canada, Methodist Episcopal Church of Canada, Primitive Methodist Church of Canada, Canadian Bible Christians. With the exception of the last two bodies, which are connected with England, the other fifteen have each a separate organic existence, and are entirely independent of each other.

Whatever may have been said respecting our divisions in this country, it is evident that our American brethren have exceeded us in this, as well as in other respects.

Dr. Edwards, of the Methodist Episcopal Church in America, gave us statistics, which we will arrange under the two great sections into which on this occasion, the Methodist Family is divided. The Eastern Section, according to Dr. Edwards, has 53,206 local preachers; 5,429 travelling preachers; 1,052,559 members; 15,325 Sunday schools; 195,281 teachers; 1,684,250 scholars. In the Western Section, 31,207 local preachers; 26,743 travelling preachers; 3,710,385 members; 43,656 Sunday schools; 322,324 teachers; 2,796,384 scholars. The total in the two sections, 84,453 local preachers; 32,172 travelling preachers; 4,762,944 members; 59,161 Sunday schools; 577,542 teachers; 4,480,634 scholars.

Dr. Edwards supposes that the travelling preachers are not reckoned