ON THE TRANSLATION OF THE SCRIPTURES.

305

2dly, That it conveys, as much as possible, the manner of the sacred original: that the revelation of God may appear as the inspired penmen have left it to us; — and,

3dly,That the style be pure, correct, perspicuous, and simple: not above the common people, who can read; nor beneath those who have received a good education.

Now, who is the person qualified to accomplish this work? Is it not an essential requisite that he be a Christian ?—if it be a rule, as Bishop Newcombe has laid it down, that a translator should not be a controversialist, lest his favourite scheme give a certain cast to his performance, which it ought not to have; certainly, if a Pagan, or a Mahommedan, or a carnal-minded professor of Christianity, be employed in the translation of the Scriptures, the carnality of the latter, and the Pagan or Mahommedan notions of the former, will give to their performances a cast which does not belong to the book of God. Neither is there reason to be lieve that any but a Christian, who knows and who feels the im portance of divine truth, would be at sufficient pains to give it, pure and uncorrupted, to his fellow-men.

Is it not a requisite that the translator understand thoroughly the language from which he translates, aud that into which the translation is made? That no one can translate into a language which he does not know, is self-evident; nor is the other less so, that he ought to understand the language from which he translates. Whether a Malay, who is not actuated by the love of God and the love of the truth, would be at pains to learn even the English language sufficiently to translate from it, is much to be questioned; and so of any other Heathen: - but is it not, if not essentially necessary, yet highly to be desired, that he wo engages in the work of translation should know the sacred origi. nals; for in proportion as he is removed from the source, in the same proportion is he the more liable to error. - Now, if these rules be good, it will not be difficult to determine which of the above plans ought to be adopted.

As to the superintendance of persons who are not fully acquainted with the languages into which the translations are inade, it is not of any, the least, use as to the perfection of those translations.

If the plau here preferred be the better one, let men of God, on whom the Christian world can depend, devote their lives to the work; for a good translation of the Scriptures is not to be made in a day. Let them reside in that country into the language of which the translation is to be made; and having made themselves perfectly familiar with it, sit down to their work, which, under the blessing of the great Head of the church, which they have reason to expect, they will be able to accomplish to good pur pose; for "the word of our God shall stand for ever." It is To muμa Te sopalo, al," the spirit or breath of his mouth," which shall consume the empire of Satan in the world. Z.

XIV.

Rr

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"THE heart of the wise," says Solomon," is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth." How different is this estimate from that of the generality of men! To be the spectators of sorrow rather than joy, to prefer the abodes of misery rather than of mirth, seems so repugnant to human nature, that it is accounted a spécies of folly rather than of wisdom. There is a sense, however, in which Solomon's ob servation, paradoxical as it may appear, holds true. Sorrow of itself cannot indeed be preferred to Joy; but when we connect with it advantages which result from it, and which can never be derived from Mirth, the propriety of the wise man's choice will be evident. The house of mirth is often the house of forgetfulness, of excess, of blasphemy, and of ruin; but the house of mourning is frequently found to be the place of recollection, of repentance, and of life. If we examine the superior advantages of one to the other, we shall find,

How

1st, There is an advantage as to character. What a poor, frivolous, ignoble character is that who is only seeking the gratis fication of his own crupt passions, who spends his time in the scenes of dissipation, who never thinks of the miseries of others, who, absorbed in himself, lives as if there were no scenes of distress in the world, or if he has heard that there are, only resolves that the miscries of others shall not lessen his enjoyments. low is this man in the scale of honourable, useful, yea, happy existence! But how glorious the character,- how god-like the conduct of him who is concerned for the happiness and welfare of his fellow-creatures! who voluntarily enters into the house of mourning, listens to the tale of woe, drops a tear over wretch edness, offers his prayers to almighty God, and reaches forth the hand of Benevolence for the relief of suffering Humanity! This is the character truly honourable! This is he who lives not for himself only, but for others also. Yes! this is he of whom the Scripture declares, that he shall be blessed upon earth *."

2. There is an advantage as to improvement. He who goes to the house of mourning to do good to others, gets good for himself, Here are learnt some of the wisest and best lessons which human beings are capable of receiving! - here we see the vanity of the world, the sad effects of sin in our nature, and the uncertainty of all human enjoyments! — here too we sometimes behold scenes which create our astonishment, which excite our admiration of the goodness of that God who supports his people in the most trying moments! For a creature, while sitting at the table of Prospe rity, unacquainted with Distress, and a stranger to Want, for

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• Ps. xli. 2.

1

307 such to be cheerful and full of gratitude would be no wonder: but to behold a man, who has long been struggling with Dis ease, surrounded, perhaps, by an affectionate family, hard pressed with poverty, and no certainty of human relief, to see such a man resigned to the will of God, yea, even cheerful and thankful, indulging a firm hope and confidence in the divine goodness, and never dropping one murmuring word, -ah, what an improving, interesting sight is this! And say, ye who have the honour and feel the disposition to attend the abodes of Calamity, whether ye have not beheld such scenes as these? Have you not returned blessing and praising God? Have you not seen Religion exemplified, and Grace triumphant in the support of suffering mortals? Yes, we may write on the door of that house where afflictions are sanctified, as well as on the temple, "The Lord is there!? bna Jong, pift slidw

3. There is an advantage as to usefulness. How little good, but often how much evil, is done in the house of Mirth but in the house of Mourning, what scenes of usefulness present them selves to us! There the heart is often rendered susceptible; the mind, which has long been engaged in surveying and pursuing outward objects, now turns upon herself. With what a probability of success, therefore, under the divine blessing, may we urge the consideration of those important subjects which relate to man's eternal welfare! How many have been more useful here than even in the pulpit! They have witnessed the house of Mourning turned into the house of God, the place of Affliction has become the place of Conversion, and they have blessed God a thousand times that ever they were directed thither to become the instrument of such good. What a contrast too is here between the house of Mirth and the house of Mourning, as to the use of property! In the former, how much is lavished away in intemperance, folly, and fashion; but in the latter, it is consecrated to the relief of misery, to the supply of wants, to the removal of anxiety. How often have we seen the tear start from the eye of Grief, when support has been given to the disconsolate widow! How have whole familics, wrapt in gloom, and overwhelmed in distress, suddenly assumed the air of cheerfulness, when even a little pittance has been left for their subsistence! Ah, ye who abound with this world's good, think how many might be gladdened by your exertions! Enter into the house of Mourn ing;-behold the dying husband calling for your aid; the wretched wife looking forward with painful sensations to the hour of bereavement; the children weeping by her side, and exclaiming, "O my father, my father!" Go then, and say, "Fear not, I will be a father to the distressed, and a friend to the helpless; so shall the blessing of him that is ready to perish come upon you, and you shall cause the widow's heart to sing for joy.

4. There is an advantage as to happiness. The house of Mirth frequently leads to the house of Misery. Intemperance begets disease, Extravagance leads to poverty, and excess of worldly gratifications to destruction; but there is nothing of this kind to interrupt the pleasure and sting the mind of him who is employed in benevolent offices in the house of Mourning. On Оп the contrary, the peace and happiness of his mind are increased. He is humbled under a view of the weakness of man; - he is weaned from the world, which he finds full of vicissitudes; he is made thankful for the mercies which God has given to him. His discontent is checked and kept down by beholding so many beings worse off than himself: his desires for Heaven are increased, where he expects to dwell for ever with those whom he has been the instrument of saving and consoling; and, finally, while the careless and profane will have to look back on a life spent in dissipation and folly, he will have to reflect, with grati tude and pleasure, that while passing through this world, he has been enabled to do the least good; and, through grace, to give evidence that he has been influenced by that pure and undefiled religion, which is, as the apostle says, " To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world."

Reader, Has God blessed thec? - be a blessing to others. Go to the house of mourning, sympathize with the miserable, pray for the afflicted, contribute as far as thou art able to the necessi ties of the sick and indigent, and especially countenance those institutions formed for this humane and benevolent purpose,

C. B.

James i. 27.

ON THE EVILS OF BACKBITING.

PEACE, harmony, and love are some of the graces of the Divine Spirit, which create a little heaven upon earth, wherever they are fond to prevail; while the contrary tempers must have just the contrary effects.

The sin of backbiting stands registered in the word of God, not only as a great evil in itself, but as being very mischievous in its consequences and effects. It is a great evil in itself: it is recorded as being one of the worst of crimes committed by the Heathen world, who are said to be full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, and malignity. From these principles, we have next whisperers and backbiters; while even on the same list are next registered the haters of God. The Psalmist observes, that such are not to be reckoned among the real citizens of Sion; for he,

Rom. i. 29, &c.

THE EVILS OF BACKBITING,

309 the real citizen, " speaketh the truth in his heart, he backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour t;" and in the fiftieth Psalm. we have the following sharp rebuke of the same evil: "Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit: thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother's son:" and in the 120th Psalm, David offers up this prayer against the same evil: "Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue;" and then adds, " What shall be given unto thee, or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue? Sharp arrows of the Almighty, with coals of juniper." Even among the professors in primitive times, this spirit was unhappily found to exist. St. Paul thus complains against some belonging to the Corinthian church: "I fear, lest when i come I shall not find you such as I would; and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults." But it is enough further to observe, that it is a direct violation of the ninth command; while the evil consequences which attend a backbiting spirit are incalculable. Chief friends are separated thereby; and the spirit of mutual patience, forbearance, brotherly love, and all these milder graces which so eminently belong to the Christian character, are entirely forgotten and thrown aside. It were well if all professors would but remember," that the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity:" that it defileth the whole body, and settet on fire the course of nature, and is set on fire of Hell ;" and that " it is an unruly evil, which no man can tame +.”

Now, notwithstanding these evils are so glaring, and the con sequences so pernicious, yet there is scarce a backbiter upon the earth who cannot make an excuse for his crime, I mention some of them: "I spoke nothing but the truth; and where is the harm of that?" "But we are never in a right spirit, or fit to speak at all, but as we are enabled to speak the truth in love. Let such apologists for themselves ask their consciences the following question: "Are they ready to repeat the same words, and in the same spirit, they formerly uttered behind your back, when they next meet you face to face?" Besides, as most backbiters speak at random, and by mere report, where would be the harm of going personally to such people, that if falsely accused they may have a fair opportunity of explaining themselves? It is amazing, what astonishing mischief is done by the false colouring that is frequently put upon the words and actions of others, quile the reverse of their real purpose and design!

This sin of backbiting, perhaps, may discover itself by other vehicles than by the tongue. When the envenomed anonymous Jetter-writer sends you his rancorous charge, is not he a back

• Ps. xv. 2,

3.

+ See James iii. 5, &c.