lieveth on Him hath everlasting life;" and others of like import. Promising to call again in a few days, I prayed with her, and left.

On my next visit I found, to my surprise and delight, that the Spirit of the Lord had been evidently working in her soul. She saw and acknowledged her sinfulness, her desert of the Divine displeasure, and yet had a gleam of hope in Him I had spoken of as the Saviour. Subsequent visits satisfied me that she fled to Jesus, committed her soul to Him, and, indeed, was ripening for glory. She sank gradually, and her hearing became more and more indistinct. On one occasion I said something to her in which the name of Jesus occurred. Though entirely missing the meaning of what I said, she caught the sound of that "Name which is above every name," and, lifting up her transparent hands, with streaming eyes she said, "Oh, Sir, that is the blessed name of Him who has pardoned all my sins!" In this state of mind she remained a few days, and in this state she died. Who can estimate the happy results of a few words addressed (even though casually) to the young?

Some years since, on making a pastoral visit to the family of one of my flock, the lady of the house, addressing me, said, " Mr. H., I believe my son, P., is a converted lad. Ever since you preached the funeral sermon for T. E., from The harvest is past, the summer is ended,' &c., he has become thoroughly altered.' I expressed my gladness on hearing this, and inquired on what ground the fond mother came to this conclusion. I was then informed that though the youth's engagements took him from home early every day, and kept him away till late in the evening, yet, before he left, and after his return, his mother regularly overheard him wrestling with God for

the pardon of his sins through Jesus: and, especially in the morning, praying for grace to preserve him amid the temptations of the day. I, naturally enough, said this was a good sign, and inquired when I could see him. His mother replied that this was difficult, since his occupation absorbed so much of his time.

Providence, however, though in a way quite unexpected, furnished me with the opportunity. The youth fell sick of the disease, so emphatically, if not elegantly, called "gal. loping consumption." On hearing of his illness, I took an early opportunity of seeing him, and found him to be, according to the best judgment I could form, a true though feeble disciple of Jesus. We had many interesting conversations, and under the delusion which that disorder so frequently practises on its victims, he hoped soon to recover, and would devote his whole life and energies to the service of his Redeeming Lord. In reality, he grew daily worse and worse, weaker and weaker, and all around him perceived that the time of his departure was at hand. One morning when I called, he received me with an unusual degree of excitement and delight, saying, "Oh, I am so glad you are come, I am delighted to see you: the very person of all others I wanted." I replied, "My dear friend, you are always glad to see me; is there any special reason for this excessive joy?" said, "Oh, yes; my friend R. S. went on Sunday to hear Mr. J., and what do you think he said?" I replied that "I could not undertake even to imagine what Mr. J. would say." "Oh, Sir," the anxious youth answered, "Mr. J. said if we are elected we shall be saved, and if not we shall be damned, and prayer is of no use whatever." Then the poor youth, throwing his whole soul into his countenance and his query, said to me, "Is it so? oh! is it so?" I

He

He now became composed and happy. I prayed, and on taking my leave he said, “Oh, when will you come again?" I said, "Whenever you wish. To-night after service, if you like." He said, "Oh, do."

After my service at the chapel, therefore, I went again, and as I landed on the stairs of his room, I met a young person who said, “ Oh, Sir, I fear you are too late. He is gone, I think." Saying, "I hope not," I sprang into his room, and there he lay, life calmly ebbing out. I placed one hand by the side of his head, and the other on his wiry, fitful pulse, when he looked up at me, and said, "Oh, Sir, I could not die till you came.' I asked, "Are you happy, my dear friend? He replied, "Oh, so happy in Jesus, who says 'Him that cometh to Me, I will in no wise cast out.' In a moment the jaw fell, the pulse ceased, and the spirit was gone.

How could I ever forget these healing words of Jesus-"Him that cometh to Me, I will in no wise cast out ?" How could I ever again doubt but that "The word of God is quick and powerful ?" What could I do as I left that chamber, but in grateful adoring wonder lift up my heart to God, and say, "Thou

hast magnified Thy word above all Thy Name."

On one occasion I met with a rather remarkable and interesting circumstance in connection with my Bible-class. I had during that season an unusually interesting and industrious class, and we were much interested, I hope profited, by reading and conversing together on the Epistle to the Hebrews in order. On one occasion, however, the night of our meeting was so exceedingly wet and stormy, that only a few could be present. On my arrival I found only six or seven of my young friends. I therefore proposed that we should postpone the appointed lesson to the following week, that the whole class might benefit by it, and that for the evening we should read and talk over a Psalm. Though this proposition seemed to disappoint them, it was adopted, and we agreed to take the 27th. We passed as usual through each of the verses till we came to the 9th, when something like the following conversation took place:- Query: "For what does David pray in the early part of this Answer: "That God would not hide His face from him, nor put him away in anger." Query: "Then David deprecated the withdrawal of God's approbation?" Answer: "Yes." Query: "Is this the case with all good men?" Answer: "Yes." Query: "Does he acknowledge the gracious aid of God in time past?" Answer: "Thou hast been my help." Query: "And on this does he ground a plea for continued mercy ?" Answer: "Yes, leave me not," &c. Query: "How does David address Jehovah in the last clause?" Answer: "As the God of his salvation." By a little mental pre-arrangement, the next question came to a fine intelligent young person, and looking her earnestly in the face, I asked, "Can

verse?

you say this to God?" In inoment I saw that the question had gone home. The checks blanched, the lips quivered, the eyes were suffused, but no answer came. I made a remark or two on the importance of having God for our salvation, and the happiness of being able to say so. We finished the lesson, prayed as usual, and separated.

A few months afterwards this young person sought membership with the Church, and in her profession of faith stated that this question was fixed in her heart "as a nail in a sure place." No one doubted the sincerity of her profession, so she was baptized, and united to the disciples of Jesus. She has since gone to a far distant country; but I hear that she maintains a character becoming the Gospel of Christ. Surely "the Lord hath His way in the whirlwind and the storm," for the storm of that night was the instrument of this young person's conversion to God!

In a discourse I delivered many years since, I made reference to the fearful crime of suicide. I had no special reason for this, but, as coming naturally into the subject of discussion, I adverted to it as a great sin; as Mr. Jay describes it, "not only a leap in the dark, but a leap into the dark." I did not dwell upon it, but said in a few words what I thought of the crime, and what I deemed must be its award.

Though I was utterly ignorant of it at the time, there was present a young man belonging to a respectable family residing in the neighbourhood, an apprentice to one of my people, who had made every preparation that same morning to put an end to his life. He had provided a loaded pistol, and walked out alone to execute his dreadful purpose. Somehow he shrunk back, and thought he would go to chapel first.

them.

The explanation he gave to his distracted parents was, that he had been led into bad company, had fallen deeply into sin, had to a serious extent robbed his master; and a burdened conscience, together with fear of discovery, had led him to resolve on the rash act. They at once urged him to make full confession of his sin to his employer, which, indeed, he was now quite prepared to do. He gave up the keys of his boxes to his father, who brought them to his master, and told him all. They together opened the boxes, and found trinkets, watches, chains, &c., and a considerable sum of money, all of which the poor youth told them he had stolen, and, as far as practicable, restoration was made.

At the same time the father called on me to "bless "me, as he said, as the instrument of saving his poor and only son. He bore also the lad's request that I would visit him. I did so, when I heard all this, and much more, from his own lips. I felt that I could not be sufficiently thankful for the honour God had thus put upon me; and I thought I had some ground to hope he was truly concerned for the salvation of

his soul.

As the youth confessed his dishonesty, he was not prosecuted. He did not return to complete the term of his apprenticeship. It was important that he should be separated from his associates; nor could the confidence of his employer be suf

ficiently restored for this. For awhile I lost sight of him, but on visiting a not very distant town a few years after, I found him in good business, a respected citizen, and an esteemed

member of a Christian Society. What can we say to these things? "Thy way is in the sea, and Thy footsteps are not known!"

O those who love and venerate the

English Bible, as a gift of unspeakable value, its history will ever be a matter of deep interest; and although Anderson, Westcott, and others have written fully on the subject, yet many of the readers of this Magazine may be thankful to have presented, in a concise form, the main features of the history, thus marking very distinctly the successive stages by which the English Bible has reached its present condition.

The facts here given have been carefully selected from the best authorities.

Brief mention must first be made of the principal Anglo-Saxon versions. The first attempt at a translation was a poem, as little like a translation or paraphrase as any modern poem on Scripture subjects. But it was a beginning, and may have prepared the way for real translations. This poem of Cadmon, who was the father of English poetry, is of the seventh century, and contains the account of the fall of the angels, the creation, the deluge, the journey of the Israelites to the promised land, and also references to the histories of Nebuchadnezzar and Daniel.

In the eighth century Bede translated John's Gospel into AngloSaxon; this appears to have been the first portion of the New Testa

The Pentateuch, Joshua, Judges, Esther, and parts of other books were translated about the tenth century, all from the Latin Vulgate (Bede's, perhaps, excepted).

The earliest version of the Scriptures in English which produced any known important result, is that of John Wycliffe. He was born in a Yorkshire village in 1324, became Theological Lecturer at Oxford in 1372. Here he expounded the Scriptures; this, besides greatly benefiting his hearers, imbued the lecturer's own mind more and more with God's truth. In these lectures the author has one prominent theme-the Person and work of Christ, and nothing is placed between the sinner's soul

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and God, but the blood of Jesus. This is very important when Wycliffe's testimony, in a corrupt age, is considered. In his public ministry the Reformer commenced with attacking the Papacy; then he preached the Gospel to the poor; finally he gave the people God's Word.

In one of his lectures, Wycliffe says, “All truth is contained in Scripture. We should admit of no conclusion not approved there. There is no court beside the court of heaven. Though there were a hundred Popes, and though all the friars in the world were turned into cardinals, yet we could learn more from the Bible than from that vast multitude."

The portions of the Bible translated by Bede and others were rare volumes, hidden like curiosities in a few convent libraries. Now the time appeared favourable for the publication of the Bible. Increase of population, attention paid by the people to their own language, these, and other things, favoured the attempt. This attempt was not made without opposition; but God's Providence enabled Wycliffe to carry on and complete his grand work. Ignorant of Greek and Hebrew, he could not reach the pure fountain of the original. He was, however, a good Latin scholar, a man of sound understanding and great penetration; above all, he loved the Bible. Imagine him in his study, with the Latin text corrected after the best manuscripts before him, together with commentaries of Church fathers. From ten to fifteen years he steadily pursued his work, receiving assistance from learned men, especially from Nicholas of Hereford. The work was finished about 1380. Then followed the laborious work of the copyists, and before long the Bible was circulated, either entire or in portions. The characteristic of this version is its extreme faithfulness, and in some

instances it is so literal as to obscure the meaning. One result of its circulation was a great increase in the number of Wycliffe's followers, so that a contemporary said, "You cannot meet two persons in the highway but one of them is Wycliffe's disciple." The Reformer died of paralysis, 31st December, 1384.

After Wycliffe's death, his translation was completely and carefully revised by John Purvey-the revision subsequently taking the place of the original version.

In 1408 a Convocation of the Province of Canterbury was held at Oxford, and thirteen constitutions were enacted. One was to the effect that, "from henceforward no unauthorised person shall translate any part of the Holy Scriptures into English, or any other language, under any form; neither shall any such version made either in Wycliffe's time or since be read, either in whole or part, publicly or privately, under the penalty of excommunication, till the said translation shall be approved."

In 1410 Wycliffe's doctrines were condemned and his books burnt. But this indignity was not enough, for, in 1428, his bones were dug up and burnt, and the ashes cast into a stream flowing by Lutterworth, of which place he had been rector. But still his opinions gained ground, and during the remainder of this century those were to be found who, in spite of every danger, read and circulated the English Bible. In 1429 one was charged with being "a most perfect doctor in that sect (Lollards), and can very well expound the Holy Scriptures, and hath a book of the new lawin English." Another was charged with buying a New Testament in London for £2 16s. 8d. (equal tɔ about £40 in our time), and "that he taught William Wright and his wife, and diligently studied the said Testament." Some were brought before the Bishop charged with this,