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and sacred importance. That the education of their own youth, under circumstances the most favourable to their continuing in their own religious principles, is so cherished by all descriptions of Christian people, with the exception of protestant Episcopalians, in these states, he asserts with a confidence that needs no qualification. Permit me, then, respectfully and affectionately, to submit the question, can we be thus excepted, consistently with a sound and rational, however moderate preference of the Christian doctrine and discipline, under which our particular religious profession ranks us? Must not such a preference, where it really exists, naturally and inseparably associate with it, an anxiety, that the principles we profess, should be those in which our children, and the generations following us, should abide, and under whose influence, their character, both for this life and the eternal, should be formed? Is not the subjection of our youth to influences unfavourable to their continuing in the faith we entertain, virtually conceding as a point not worth our care, the character of their religion? If domestick nurture and admonition, be insisted on as sufficient to prevent or remedy any such aberration of the mind of youth, from the way of the parent's religion, the appeal is to fact and experience, abundantly certifying the contrary, and to the conduct of all other religious communities, exhibiting the strongest persuasion of the contrary. No Christian community in Christendom, except that of protestant Episcopalians in the United States, does not as a community, make provision, or where provision cannot systematically be made, anxiously watch against what is considered the perverting influence of academical education. It is the mode in which, above all others, a real solicitude to transmit to their children the religion which men cherish, is most unequivocally expressed, to commit their education to no circumstances that shall have a tendency to counteract its claim upon their respect and adherence. Let me, I pray you, not be understood to intimate, much less to allege, any thing derogatory to the claim of the respectable institutions, by charter appropriated to other religious denominations, and of unquestionable right, subject to a religious influence peculiar to themselves, for the candour and indulgence, with which the interests of denominations, differing from their own, as far as they are committed to them, may be treated. I have no reference but to the indirect and unavoidable effect of the circumstances under which academick education is conducted, to influence the future feelings and decision of the mind, with respect to religion, in a manner more corresponding with the prejudices of the college, than, except under circumstances of more than ordinary care and judgment, of the parents' roof. I would not be thought unaware of the facility, which the expression of sentiments such as these, may afford, where the subject is not duly considered or understood, to the reproach of narrow and illiberal conduct. I feel, at the same time, so incapable of that, in religious sentiment or conduct, which might, with any rational construction, be so imputed, that I could not forego this opportunity of bearing my testimony, however feeble and vain it may prove, against a laxity and indifference on the momentous busi

ness of education, in its relation to the moral interests of character and life, for which we are not more unconsciously distinguished, than, to say the least, wondered at, by our Christian brethren at large. They readily enough, indeed, may explain the difference at present existing between the Protestant Episcopal Church and others, as to the possession and government of seminaries of learning, into the difference of the circumstances of our institutions, and theirs, before the colonies became independent states. But they know that our communion embraces much of the wealth and liberality, at least, of all the Atlantick states, and might, long ere this, have otherwise provided for a subject, with them always sufficiently important for any sacrifices and exertions it may require. Brethren, in laying before you these impressions, I am not conscious of the existence of any feeling in my mind, which you could, on the closest inspection, disapprove. Out of the fulness of a heart, anxious for the permanent, sound respectability and strength, of our peculiar institutions, I have spoken what I have; nor can I imagine any circumstances of moral consciousness, under which it could prove painful to me, to be reminded, that I had thus expressed myself before you

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The present amount of the bishop's permanent fund, is $8655; about 443 dollars having been added to it the past year.

Delegates to the General Convention.

The Rev. Christopher E. Gadsden, D. D., Rev. Allston Gibbes, Rev. Maurice H. Lance, Rev. Milward Pogson, Col. Lewis Morris, William Heyward, Gouverneur M. Wilkins, Hon. Benjamin Huger.

Standing Committee.

The Rev. Christopher E. Gadsden, D. D., Rev Paul T. Gervais, Rev. Frederick Dalcho, M. D., Rev. Allston Gibbes, Rev. Christian Hanckell, David Alexander, Joseph Johnson, M. D., John Dawson, Robert J. Turnbull, Thomas Lowndes.

We are pleased to see the following resolution on the journal, adopted on the motion of the Rev. Dr. Gadsden: "Resolved, That the clergy be requested, in their annual reports to this convention, to state the number of families, and, if practicable, of individuals in their respective congregations, discriminating, in each instance, the number of families belonging likewise to other congregations.”—A more minute and energetick system of annual parochial reports in every diocese is, we think, highly desirable.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

WE approve the spirit and object of the communication of our friend C. on Missionary Exertions, and have inserted a part of it. We beg leave, however, to suggest to him, that a subject of such importance should be discussed with more precision in its statements; and also, that it is worthy of more purity of style. We recommend to him, the simple, majestick, and comprehensive style of our incomparable liturgy.

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REMARKS ON LUKE II. 49.

Ουκ ηδειτο οτι εν τοις πατρος μου δει είναι με.

In order to acquire a critical knowledge of the scriptures, it is necessary that we should acquaint ourselves with the various elliptical forms of expression, which so frequently occur in the Hebrew and Greek languages. In the passage before us, the specifick idea which our Saviour intended to express, entirely depends on the word by which the ellipsis is supplied. The authors of our English translation have supplied the word gayμari after ev Tols, and consequently have translated the passage thus: "Wist ye not that I must be about my father's business." Rosenmueller seems to have preferred this rendering, and bas quoted a passage from Philo in support of it. He has also shown that the phrase είναι εν τοις τε βασιλέως οι σρατηγέ, signifes in classick writings, to be occupied in those pursuits which appertain to a king or military commander. But he has not referred to a single example where this phraseology has that meaning in the scriptures The pas

sage will admit of a different translation, equally consistent with the context, and perfectly in accordance with the usage of the inspired writers.

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By supplying the word δωμα or οικημα, instead of πραγμα, the sen. timent expressed by our Saviour would be this: "Know ye not that I must be at my father's house?" The parents of Jesus, on returning to the temple, after having anxiously sought him in every place where they supposed it probable he might be, express their astonishment at finding him still in that sacred place, conversing in a familiar manner, with the learned rabbis and doctors of the Jewish church. "Son,' said his mother, "why hast thou thu's dealt with us? Lo, thy father and I have made diligent search for thee, with sorrow." Our Saviour replied, "Why did ye seek me? Know ye not that I must be at my father's house?" This translation accords with the Syriack, the latter Persick, and the Armenian versions.* Origen, Chrysostom, and several other learned fathers of the church give the same interpretation of the passage. Titus Bostrensis, a Christian bishop of the 4th century,

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* See Adam Clarke's note on the passage. GOSPEL ADVOCATE, VOL. III.

quotes the passage in such a connexion as leaves no doubt that he understood it in the same manner. Εις τον ναον ων το θες, εφη, ηδειτε οτι εν τοις τ8 πατρος με δει είναι με: Being in the temple of God, he, i. e. Christ,) said, know ye not that I must be at my father's? This interpretation of the ellipsis is supported by classical authority. Josephus (L. 1. c. Apion) designates the temple of Jupiter by the phrase TOIS TOU Διος. The same phraseology occurs frequently in Homer and other Greek writers.* It is also a common idiom in the Latin language. Thus Terence: Ubi ad Diana veneris, ito ad dextram. Adelphi. A. 4. 2. 43. "When you come to the temple of Diana turn to the right." Let us now see what light the scriptures throw on this subject. Our Saviour himself, in another place, calls the temple of God, his father's house. "Make not my father's house a house of merchandize." John ii. 16. This of itself may be regarded as an authoritative interpretation of the passage in question. But to render the meaning more certain, a few among the numerous instances in which the same idiom occurs in the bible, will be quoted.

Gen. xli. 51. "For God," saith he, "hath made me to forget all my toil, and all my father's house." This is a literal translation of the

The Septuagint, though not so literal as the ואת כל-ביתאבי אבי Hebrew

English translation, conveys precisely the same idea. Και παντων του πατρος μου. Esther viii. 2. "And Esther set Mordecai over the house (i. e. the family) of Haman." Heb. -.___Sept. πάντων των Αμαν. See also Esther vii. 9. Sirac xli. 10. The phrase Es va dia is of frequent occurrence in the holy scriptures, and the idiom and ellipsis are precisely the same as in the phrase Ev Tois TOU πατρός μου. John xix. 27." And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home." Es raidia. John xvi. 32. Behold the hour cometh, yea is now come, that ye shall be scattered every man to his own;" sta dia, i. e. when you being separated from me, shall return to your homes. Esther v. 10. And when he (i e. Haman) came home." Heb. - Sept. s Taidia. See Esther vi. 12. Thus it is evident that the proposed rendering is in accordance with the Hebrew, and likewise with the Helenistick and classick Greek idioms. Gilbert Wakefield, and the authors of the Improved Version, as it is falsely called, have translated the passage in this way but Dr. Campbell's translation and also the new German translation of De Wette exhibit all the ambiguity of the original. The reason which Campbell, after the example of Doddridge, has assigned for his translation, would be perfectly satisfactory in cases where no doubt or hesitation existed in respect to the meaning of the original; but in the present instance it does not appear to me to be conclusive. On recurring to the Hebrew New Testament published by the society in England for promoting Christianity among the Jews, I find that the authors of that translation have supplied the ellipsis by inserting the pronoun instead of the noun. Perhaps some of your learned correspondents can state the

Vid. Wakefield's note in loco.

in

authority upon which this rendering is made. I will only remark, conclusion, that our Saviour may have called the temple onμa rɣ Targos, his father's house, partly, as Koineil observes, in allusion to the preceding observation of his mother, "I and thy father;"-partly in order to impress more deeply upon her mind his intimate union with God. He wished to recall to her remembrance, those signal manifestations of divine Providence, with which God had distinguished his birth and infancy; and thus to convince her that all solicitude on his account was entirely superfluous and improper.

CANDIDATUS.

SERMON.-No. XXVI.

ROMANS XI. 11—14. I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid but rather through their fall, salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them, the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness? For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office; if, by any means, I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.

In the chapter from which these words are selected, and commended to your particular attention, one of the deep mysteries of a wise and merciful Providence is wonderfully unfolded to our view. The reasonings of the apostle respecting God's purpose of election; his mercy to the Gentiles, and the objections of Jews and Judaizing Christians against the doctrine of justification by faith, which, through ten chapters, he has so ably pursued, are here brought to a close; and such a "depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God," is displayed, as excites in his own mind the most rapturous admiration. The things unfolded in this chapter are many and important, and our remarks on the several parts will be brief and imperfect: the most I can hope from them, is to direct your attention to things so well calculated to excite in our minds, reverence, adoration, and gratitude to God. It will here be still more clearly seen, that those dispensations of the Almighty, so offensive to human wisdom, are not only just, but merciful: those very dealings which excited murmurs, and gave offence to men, exhibit unbounded equity and benevolence. St. Paul commences this chapter with words of consolation to his "brethren, his kinsmen according to the flesh." He had shown "the severity of God," and directed their view to that fearful tempest of Divine judgment which was gathering over their nation; and that "sure word of prophecy" which predicted their excision from the family of the faithful. But for the comfort of all who had eyes to see, he points to the angel of peace, who "rides in the whirlwind and direcis the storm." He shows that the rejection of the Israelites would be limited both in extent and duration. 66 "I say then, hath God cast

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