: Mark says-Very early in the morning, the first day of the week, the two Marys came to the sepulchre at the rising of the sun, and entered into the sepulchre, and saw a young man sitting on the right side of the sepulchre. Luke says-That the two Marys came to the sepulchre early in the morning the first day of the week, and behold two men stood by them in shining garments. John says-That Mary Magdalene came to the sepulchre on the first day of the week while it was dark, and stooped down and looked in and saw two angels sitting one at the head and the other at the feet where the body of Jesus had lain. An explanation would be thankfully received. ANSWER TO THE ABOVE. I confess, after a careful examination of the four Evangelists, (on the above subject) that I cannot see a material difference; their phraseology differs, and each of the writers takes his own way of expressing the same subject; and if we may judge any thing in this case, or argue the subject on the principles of the beginning and ending of the day among the Jews, there appears to me no cause of stumbling. Among the Jews, the night belonging to the day, preceded the day. The night was reckoned from the setting to the rising of the sun. A day, strictly speaking, comprehended all the time from sun setting till sun setting, viz. twenty-four hours; but for distinction, the twenty four hours are divided into day and night, as above mentioned. According to this, the first day of the week did not begin till sun rising, although the first day night, which preceded it, began at the sun setting next preceding. The foundation is now laid to see whether there be or be not that material difference between the four Evangelists, which is pretended by him who requests this explanation. Matthew says, In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn towards the first day of the week. If it began to dawn towards the first day, it is evident that the first day night had nearly past since the sabbath was ended, because the sabbath ended the sunset before. If our querist is stumbled with this expression, "in the end of the sabbath," Matthew immediately explains himself by saying, "as it began to dawn towards the first day of the week."-The first day night had intervened between the end of the sabbath and the time of which he here speaks; so that according to Matthew it was between the dawn of day and the rising of the sun, on the first day of the week, that the women went to the sepulchre. The expression, "in the end of the sabbath," as it is in our translation, is not strictly correct; after the end of the sabbath, is more agreeable to the original, and certainly is the only form of expression, which can comport with what follows, viz. as it began to dawn, &c. Thus Matthew is clear, that the women went to the sepulchre, after the dawn, while the sun was rising on the first day of the week. Mark says, And when the sabbath was past, very early in the morning, the first day of the week; they (i. e. the Marys) came to the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. If the sun had risen, it could not be very early in the morning, but if (as is the common expression,) the sun was about to rise, or was about rising; then Matthew and Mark agree. Besides, they, no doubt started for the sepulchre, after the break of day, and arrived towards sunrising. There is a perfect coincidence, then, between these two Evangelists. Luke says, Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning. Undoubtedly, it was between day and the appearance of the sun; it was while the sun was rising, not afterwards. This Evangelist, then, agrees with Matthew and Mark. John says, The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, &c. Darkness remains in a considerable degree after the dawn of day, and as darkness and night are inseparable; and as night continues till the sun rises ;-and as Mary's coming was between the dawn of day and the appearance of the sun; so it follows that it was yet dark, in some degree. Hence, unless we are disposed to cavil at expressions, it will appear that these four Evangelists are agreed, perfectly, as to the time in which the women visited the sepulchre. The next thing is to reconcile the different accounts of what was seen at the sepulchre. Matthew says, that the angel, who rolled back the stone, sat upon it. Mark says, that the women entered into the sepulchre, and saw a young man sitting on the right side of the sepulchre. Luke says, that two men stood by them in shining garments. John says, the women stooped down and looked in, and saw two angels sitting, one at the head and the other at the foot where the body of Jesus had lain. If I were asked the question, whether here were a contradiction, I should answer in the negative. If my reasons were asked for so doing, I should answer, that Matthew does not contradict Mark, nor Mark contradict Luke or John; in short no one of these Evangelists contradicts another. All these appearances, no doubt, were real, and the women mentioned them; and each of the Evangelists writes the account, not with a design to write the whole, but to give a true account in what they did write. Hence, from them all, we have the account of the whole. The whole of the evangelical writing is reconciled on the same principle. They do not contradict each other, but each of them rehearses the life and actions of Jesus Christ, not with a view of communicating the whole, (for in that case the world itself could not contain the books that should be written) but to give a general and true account in their relation, so far as they have written upon it. Thus we see a great difference in their relations, yet no contradiction. Messrs. Editors, From the Universalist Magazine. CELEBRATION. At the request of the Society, and agreeable to previous notice in the publie prints, a number of ministering brethren assembled at Gloucester, Mass. on the 3d instant,* for the purpose of attending the semi-century commemoration of the first preaching of Universal grace and salvation in that place, fifty years from that day, by the late Rev. John Murray. This occasion awaked in many bosoms the most interesting and sacred recollections. The goodness and help of Divine Providence "in the day of small things ;" the faith, patience, and perseverance with which some endured trials; and the peace, joy, and triumphant hope in which many others had finished their earthly course, passed in review before us in the animated visions of remembrance, and reminded us of our sacred obligations of gratitude and faithfulness to Heaven, for the success *November, 1824. and prosperity of that holy faith which now causes the pulsations of joy to beat high in so many hearts, in the full assurance of universal happiness, through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. The public services of the morning were introduced by the reading of the second chapter of St. Paul to the Corinthians, first Epistle; and after singing, continued by an introductory address, by Br. Thomas Whittemore, of Cambridgeport, on the importance of the occasion, the propriety of commemorating the joy with which the proclamation of God's universal salvation was at first received by the believing Gloucesterians; the sufferings and persecutions through which they had contend'ed for the faith delivered unto them; and the success which had crowned their perseverance in the doctrine of impartial grace: after which he also offered the introductory prayer. A sermon was then delivered by Br. Paul Dean, of Boston, from the 7th chapter of the 1st of Sam. and the 12th verse. "Hitherto hath the Lord helped us." In this were noticed the good Providence and favor of God in sending to this country, his servant, the late Rev. John Murrav, to preach to its since free, independent and favored inhabitants, "the grace of God that bringeth salvation to all men ;" and in the success which attended his personal labors-in the courage and constancy with which the early believers of this heavenly doctrine met, sustained and overcome the trials of excommunication, calumny, and oppression, in the name, and for the sake of christian liberty--in the progress which has attended this cause in that place, and in our Commonwealth and country, notwithstanding the tide of determined opposition which set against it--and in the gift of Br. Thomas Jones, as a second gift and messenger of "good tidings from a far country," to be the Pastor and |