Ver. 37. He hath done all things well. This open confession, made by people who were influenced by men high in rank to detract from His credit, proves the great fact that His miracles were real and not impositions, done in open day, and with the full knowledge of people about Him. Mahomet, Joseph Smith, and other impostors, who are said to have performed miracles, took care to let no one see them do so. There was no better authority for their miraculous powers than their own word. Application. (1) Christ's sympathies are with men in their bodily sufferings, and He takes delight in relieving rather than adding to them, unless He sees that pain will draw His creatures to Himself. (2) Men are too often "deaf" to His call and "dumb" as to His praise; let it be our aim to present ourselves humbly before Him, and He will loose the strings of our tongues and make us speak of His goodness and mercy in spiritual things as well as temporal. QUESTIONS ON THE COLLECTS FOR THE USE OF TEACHERS. Those beautiful collects which had soothed the griefs of forty generations of Christians."-Macaulay's History of England, vol. i. p. 160. [Luke COLLECT FOR THE NINTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY.-What word may be put in the place of "grant?" [Vouchsafe or give.] Who is meant by the "Lord?" [God. Is Jesus ever called "Lord ?" [John xiii. 13.] For what "spirit" do we pray? Do men generally "think" first, and perform afterwards? Mention an instance in which a man's thoughts dwelt much on what he was about to do. xii. 17, 18.] Now you know why thinking is mentioned in the Collect before doing; but can we really think or do what is rightful in our own strength? Whose strength do we require? How are we to obtain it? Mention other means of grace besides prayer. Why cannot we do any thing that is good without God? And how did man become weak and sinful? [Gen. iii. 17.] Why is this act called the Fall? The Collect speaks of "living according to God's will"; where do you learn His will? and what promise is given to those who do it? [John vii. 17.] Through whom do you offer this prayer? What does " Amen" mean? COLLECT FOR THE TENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY.-When you speak of the eyes of the Lord," and also of His "ears," do you mean that God is formed like unto men? What is God? [John iv. 24.] And has a spirit any bodily parts? [Luke xxiv. 39. Then what do you really mean when you ask God to let His "ears be open ?" Does God know our wants before we ask? [Refer the class to the Fifth Collect at the end of the Communion Office.] Then why does He require us to pray? [To bring us near to Himself.] What does "obtain" mean? And what does the word "petition" mean? Mention some one who asked what pleased God. [1 Kings iii. 9, 10.] And some one who asked for a good thing from a bad motive. [Acts viii. 18, 19, 20.] Mention persons whose prayers were answered. [Gen. xix. 21, 22; James v. 17, 18; 2 Chron. xxxii. 20, 21.] Does God always answer prayers? Mention two cases in which He does not answer Christians' prayers. [(1) When their faith is very weak; (2) when they ask for things which are not suitable.] Which is the best of all prayers? Show that it is to be used as well as to be a pattern. [Luke xi. 2, "Say Our Father," &c.] Men COLLECT FOR THE ELEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY.-What words may stand here instead of "declarest ?" [Makest known to men.] And instead of "most chiefly ?" [Especially or particularly.] What does" almighty" mean? [Having the power to do every thing.] How does God especially make known His power? tion examples of His mercy and pity. [Gen. viii. 1; Num. xxi. 8; Josh. xx. 2.] Does His mercy or pity extend even to the lower animals? Jonah iv. 11, "Much cattle," &c.] What was His chief act of mercy to man? John iii. 16.] When were you made a party to or an heir of His merciful covenant? [At baptism.] Then are you sure of being saved? Why not? [Because I may neglect through sin and indifference to do His will.] Whose fault, then, will it be, if at last you do not obtain the benefits of His mercy and pity?" Will your works give you a title to salvation? [No: Christ's merits give me a title; but God expects me nevertheless to "work out my salvation in fear and trembling." Phil. iii. 12.] What does "grace" mean? [The favour of God's help. What does the Collect say this grace is to help you to do? What does "running the way of God's commandments" mean? [Keeping them.] Are people ever said to "walk" with God, or walk" in His ordinances? [Gen. v. 24; Luke i. 6.] What does God's heavenly treasure mean? [The happiness prepared in heaven.] What is it sometimes called? [God's kingdom.] COLLECT FOR THE TWELFTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY.-What does "everlasting" mean? How do you know God is more ready to hear than we to pray? [Isa. iii. 18: He "waits" to be gracious.] Put some other word instead of "wont." [Accustomed.] Do we really deserve any thing from God? Why not? [Luke xvii. 10.] What does " pour down" mean? [Give largely. Put other words for "whereof." [Of which.] What does conscience do? Whispers to us when we have done right or wrong.] Do you know whether any persons will at last be judged by their conscience? [Rom. ii. 14-16, especially ver. 15.] What do you call such? [Heathens, who know not the written law.] Mention some of the "good things" of a spiritual kind which we may receive from God. And of a temporal kind. Why is Jesus a Mediator? And what is His coming between God and us called? [Mediation.] What word has the same meaning? [Intercession.] NOTES ON SCRIPTURAL AND LITURGICAL WORDS, BY REV. J. EASTWOOD, M.A. "You will not find that this study of words will be a dull one when you undertake it yourselves. Only try your pupils; and mark the kindling of the eye, the lighting up of the countenance, with which the humblest lecture on words, especially words which are familiar to them in their play, or at their church, will be welcomed by them." Trench's Study of Words. BEAST is frequently used collectively in the singular number, like the Lat. pecus, where the plural would be more strictly correct. See especially Gen. i. 24, 25; Exod. xxiii. 29; Judges xx. 48, where the Hebrew idiom exactly corresponds. In Rev. iv. v., &c. (zoon), and Daniel vii., the original words mean "living creature" of any kind, not "beast," in the modern sense. In Ps. lxviii. 30 (Pr.-Book), "beasts of the people;" Authorised Version, "calves of the people," is explained by Bythner to mean "chiefs or princes of the people." Piers Plowman, in allusion probably to the four beasts in the Revelation being assigned as symbols of the four Evangelists, has the following quaint usage of the word: Polyd. Verg. (p. 9) speaks of "the wilde beaste and fyshes." BECAUSE, Used Matt. xx. 31, for " in order that" (iva). So Bacon (Ess. xxv.), "It is the care of some only to come off speedily for the time, or to contrive some false periods of business, because they may seem men of dispatch." The etymology of the word by cause, or as spelt in Pol. Verg., bie cause (Lat. causâ, "for the sake of"), evidently shows that the word may as properly be applied to the intention of an action as to the reason for it. BEEVES (Lat. boves) occurs Lev. xxii. 19, 21; Numb. xxxi. The word is the genuine plural of beef, itself a corruption of bœuf, which still in French means the living animal, not the flesh of the slaughtered animal. In like manner, veal, mutton, and pork, correspond to the Norman or French names of the animals whose flesh only they are used in English to denote. Sir W. Scott, in one of his writings, alludes to the fact of the animals of a conquered country retaining their ancient names long as they were alive, and required care and tendance; but when dead, and become matters of enjoyment, receiving names taken from the language of the conquerors. BEHEMOTH (Job xl. 15), "the hippopotamus." The word is really the plural of the Hebrew behemah, "beast." Gesenius calls it the plural of majesty, that is, used in the plural to convey the idea of grandeur, as if it were "a mighty beast." In this passage it is followed by a verb in the singular; but it frequently occurs in the Hebrew text in its ordinary sense of "beasts, or animals." BERYL, Occurs nine times. In the seven passages in the Old Testament where it occurs the original has Tarshish, which points to Tarshish, or Tartessus, as the place where the gem was obtained; hence some take it to have been the chrysolite, or topaz, and not the beryl, which is a species of emerald. The word itself is Greek (bẻrullos), of which pearl is said to be a corruption. Chaucer, and writers of his age, use beryl to denote a finer description of crystal glass, which resembled the beryl in transparency and colour. BESTEAD. This word, which Tyrwhitt calls an Anglo-Saxon past part., meaning "situated" (compare steady, instead, homestead, &c.), occurs only in Isa. viii. 21, which Buxtorf translates "oppressed with difficulties" (Heb. root, "to be hard, or difficult"). Prompt. Paroul." bestad, or witheholdyn yn wele or wo, in hard plyt set." Chaucer, "Men mighten know him that was so bestad." Halliwell gives several references. BESTIR (2 Sam. v. 24), "move with life and vigour," used only in this passage in the Bible, but still very common. BESTOW, in the sense of "stow away, dispose of" (1 Kings x. 26; 2 Kings v. 24; 2 Chron. ix. 25; Luke xii. 17, 18). So in autobiography of Sir John Bramston, "The care of prouidinge for a familie, of gettinge, manageinge, and bestowinge an estate" (p. 2). In its more usual sense of "give, confer, impart," it occurs several times in our version as the translation of four different words. BETHINK, used 1 Kings viii. 47; 2 Chron. vi. 37, where the original exactly corresponds, being "bring back to the heart, or mind." Halliwell calls this a north-country word: it certainly is common in Yorkshire, and probably elsewhere. Wiclif uses it. BETIMES," early, in good time." It occurs several times in our translation, but has no corresponding word in the original; the idea of early is included, however, in the two roots which it helps to render, viz. shakhar, "to seek early," and shacam, "to rise early." BETTERED (Mark v. 26), " made better." "The works of nature do always aim at that which cannot be bettered."-Hooker. "To better oneself" is a common phrase. BEWRAY (Prov. xxvii. 16, xxix. 24; Isa. xvi. 3; Matt. xxvi. 73). In these texts, the original words are respectively, proclaim, uncover, point out, and make evident, which are each of them sufficiently well expressed by bewray, in the sense of discover or betray. In Prov. xxvii. 16, "ointment of his right hand bewrayeth" means, that a fragrant perfume enclosed in the hand cannot be concealed, but will indicate its presence by the scent. Polyd. Verg.: "They were sodanilie bewrayed bie the noise and crie of geese." Nashe's Lenten Stuffe: “bewrayeth this conspiracie." Chaucer: "And thou bewreiest alle sacrenesse" (5193). "Eke if thou speke she wol thy wo bewrein" (9748). Nares quotes Shakespeare and others. BIER (2 Sam. iii. 31; Luke vii. 14). A frame of wood for carrying (or bearing) dead bodies to the grave. Thus Lat. feretrum, from fero, to bear. The thing itself is fast going out of use, and the word will probably soon follow it. BITTERN (Isa. xiv. 23; xxxiv. 11; Zeph. a bird ii. 14). Bewick describes this as of the heron species, but somewhat smaller, with stronger legs, and a body more plump and fleshy. It is a shy solitary bird, never seen on the wing in the day-time, but sitting commonly, with the head erect, hid among the reeds and rushes in the marshes, where it always takes up its abode, and from whence it will not stir, unless disturbed by the sportsman." It will be readily seen how this description suits the above passages. BLAINS (Exod. ix. 9, 10). This word is common in the West Riding to denote large pustules or boils. The Hebrew word is from a root meaning to swell or boil, in which sense it occurs Isa. xxx. 13; lxiv. 2. BLASPHEME, literally, "to hurt with the voice" (blaptein phēmē), but generally applied to speaking against, or irreverently of, the Supreme Being. "Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost," or the unpardonable sin, is usually taken to be, attributing our Lord's miracles to the agency of Satan. BLAZE (Mark i. 45), "to spread far and wide," as a blaze or light illuminates every thing far and wide. The more usual form is blazon. Imp. Dict. quotes, "To blaze those virtues which the good would hide." Pope. STRAY NOTES. "Mount Carmel forms a promontory on the coast of Palestine. The name signifies, 'the country of vineyards and gardens.' Otto Von Richter gives the following account of it: Mount Carmel is entirely covered with verdure. On its summit are pines and oaks, further down olives and laurels, every where plentifully watered. It gives rise to a multitude of crystal brooks; the largest issues from the socalled Fountain of Elijah, and they all hurry along between banks thickly overgrown with bushes to the Kishon. The prospect from the summit of the mountain over the Gulf of Acre and its fertile shores, and over the blue heights of Lebanon and the White Cape, is enchanting.' Mr. Carne says (Letters, ii. 119): No mountain in or around Palestine retains its ancient beauty so much as Carmel. Two or three villages and some scattered cottages are found on it; its groves are few, but luxuriant; it is no place for crags and precipices, or rocks of the wild-goats; but its surface is covered with rich and constant verdure.' The Hebrew prophets often allude to Carmel: thus Isaiah xxxv. 2; xxxiii. 9; Jer. i. 19; Amos i. 2."-Kitto's Cyclopædia, vol. i. p. 398. In no work is there greater need of patience than in that of teaching, and this is put with much force and terseness by Mrs. Hannah More: "You must be content," says she, "to tell a child the same thing ninety-nine times, and to find that it is remembered at the hundredth time of asking." The care which childhood requires is very profitable to ourselves. It helps to make us tender and considerate. What a cold-hearted, selfish, conceited world it would become, if the sick, the aged, the bed-ridden, and the helpless young were removed out of it!-J. F. Notices to Correspondents. We beg to thank the Rev. J. M. Clarke (Christ Church, Forest Hill) for pointing out our correspondent's error in commenting on the wrong gospel for the Third Sunday after Trinity. The heading was correct, St. Luke xv. 1-10. "R. K." We thank you for your remarks, and shall be glad of the papers you propose to send us. You will see that a correspondent has to some extent anticipated you in "Questions on the Collects," &c. "A Sunday-school Teacher" is thanked. We hope to find space for his letter on School-Routine. *We shall be glad to publish brief accounts of Meelings of Sunday-school Teachers, for the preparation of their lessons, provided they treat of work done. THE Committee of the National Society has now adjourned its Meetings for the Autumn Vacation. Monthly Paper. Those Subscribers to the Paper who have not yet paid their Subscription for the current year are reminded that it should be remitted at once, in postagestamps, or otherwise, if the Society is to be spared the necessity of forwarding a bill by post. Half-Yearly Abstract. The following are extracts from the Midsummer Half-Yearly Abstract of Proceedings: Trained Teachers.-The number of trained teachers sent out from the three Training Institutions of the Society at Christmas last, the only time at which managers of schools can now be supplied with a master or mistress from a training school under Government Inspection, was as follows: St. Mark's, 38; Battersea, 50; Whitelands, 50. In estimating the work done by the Society by means of its limited income, the number of duly trained teachers annually sent out from the three Training Institutions of the Society, and qualified to secure for the managers of schools the pecuniary benefits held out by the Committee of Council on Education, ought not to be forgotten. School-Building.-It is stated in the Annual Report of the Society for the year 1856-7, just issued by the Committee, that the Building Fund of the Society is exhausted; and that, in order to enable the Committee to continue this important branch of their operations, a considerable increase on the income of the Society is necessary. The required increase would be easily obtained, if every parish which has been directly benefited by the Society would make an annual collection in aid of its funds. During the last six months the sum of 27417. has been paid to promoters of schools, which have been certified to the Treasurer as duly completed. By the help of this outlay, schools affording accommodation for 10,242 children, together with 53 teachers' residences, have been provided. School Books and Materials.—The Committee, anxious to raise the standard of instruction in schools, have lately invited the Diocesan Boards of Education to cooperate with them in a scheme for voting small grants of school books, materials, and apparatus, out of a joint fund to be provided by the Society and the Boards. The VOL. XI. K selection of the schools to be assisted is to be left to the judgment of the Board. The Boards which have already consented to act with the Society in this scheme, and to meet whose contributions towards it the Committee of the Society have voted a grant, are the following: London, Winchester, Essex, Exeter, Derby, Hertfordshire, Huntingdon, Oxford, Salop, and West Cornwall. Other Boards are expected to join in the scheme. Managers of schools must bear in mind that all applications for aid out of this joint fund are to be made to the Secretary of their Diocesan Board, and not to the Parent Society. Branch Depôts.-The Committee, in addition to voting in several cases small grants of specimens of the materials and apparatus on the Depository Catalogue, to be exhibited in country depôts, have lately voted grants, varying from 10l. to 50l., in aid of the formation of branch depôts in the following places, on the application of the local managers: Manchester, Durham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Exeter, Derby, Bedford, Beverley, and Stamford. Building Grants. The Treasurer has been authorised to pay the Grants voted to the Schools in the following places, the several undertakings having been reported as completed: The following Donations and new Annual Subscriptions have been contributed since the last announcement, and are hereby thankfully acknowledged. The List is made up to the 15th August. |