of this statement of the origin of man, how contemptible and ridiculous does the dreary and miserable theory set up by some learned men of the present day appear! The theory which endeavours to trace up our origin through a long line of ancestors, more or less hideous and repulsive, to the ultimate parentage of an oyster or a jelly-fish. May we not apply to such men the language of the apostle concerning ancient philosophers, that 'professing themselvesto be wise they became fools," and that for the same reason, viz., because they like not to retain God in their knowledge, and deny the account He has given of His own work of creation. They prefer the fatherhood of a baboon to that of God.

66

as

8. Because, and which reason should have preceded the previous one being of greater importance, the Bible contains in such clear and easy to be understood terms, a full and sufficient account of the way of salvation. Paul writing to Timothy, commends him for his early knowledge of the scriptures, which, saith he, are able to make thee wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus." By reading the Bible under the teaching of the Holy Spirit, we become good scholars in the school of Christ, and grow in understanding in respect of God's way of salvation, the means of it, and the great and glorious Saviour Himself, all of which is of the utmost importance to our immortal souls.

9. Because the Bible contains all the truths respecting God, Jesus Christ, the plan of salvation, and the church of God, that God has thought good to reveal to man in the present state. And to know these truths aright cannot but be highly beneficial to the mind. 66 'Sanctify them by thy truth: thy word is truth," said our Lord in His most memorable prayer to His Father. The truth of God sanctifies and ennobles the soul of man; the lies of Satan pollute and debase it. The words of God tend to make us like Himself, pure and truthful; the utterances of Satan, the doctrines of devils

tend to make men like himself, polluted and false.

10. Because the Bible contains so many of the most excellent rules whereby to shape our conduct in all the various relations of the present life. Paul wrote to Timothy that he might know how to conduct himself in the house of God. And in the Bible our Heavenly Father writes to us that we may know how to conduct ourselves in His house, in the church, in social life, in the family, in the conjugal relation, and in every condition of life, according to the various excellent and very clearly expressed rules, laws, and precepts, which He has given us in this His most blessed and holy book.

11. Because it tells us who are to be the inhabitants of the two worlds that are to be the everlasting dwelling places of all the past, present, and future inhabitants of the present world.

That is, it tells who amongst

the human race are on the way to heaven, and who on the road to endless woe; who are to dwell with Christ for ever, and who with Satan for ever. Not by their names, but by their characters.

12th, and lastly, but by no means least, because it tells us of the second coming and glorious appearing of the great God and Saviour, our Lord Jesus Christ. It does not tell us when He will come, but it informs us as to the great and important fact, and of the manner of His coming and for what purposes. The church of old looked for the first appearing of her Lord with great desire, and earnest expectancy. The church of the present day of time, should do so in reference to the second coming of her Lord, and with more glorious hope. Query, does she do so? Oh that at His coming we may be found amongst the number of His chosen, called, and faithful company, and hear the joyful words, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you before the foundation of the world." Amen.

written out, and that each should subscribe his name to it; so that father, mother, brother, or sister might know in what spirit they laid down their lives. Of course they did not all meet again. The incident was related afterwards by one who survived the battle.

Brother in Christ, sister in Christ,

QUESTIONS

FOR THE THOUGHTFUL. To the Editor of the Gospel Herald. MY DEAR BROTHER,-John Stevens, whose memory we all so much revere, is recorded to have said that "He saw no harm, provided it were done reverently, properly and humbly, in exercising the intellect in thinking to the very furthest bound of the imagination." Not being of a speculative turn of mind, however, I rarely indulge in considering such speculative subjects as delight some of my brethren. On the other hand, I find pleasure in thinking, although my thoughts often lead to my sadly confessing how limited my knowledge is. In my notebook I have recorded several questions the answers to which I am unable to give, and as other Christians may have shared my difficulties, I venture to submit a few queries to you, hoping that some better taught brother may be able to solve them.

With all kind wishes for your success, I am, yours, &c.,

A LEARNER.

Query 1. In Heb. xii. 24, the grammatical construction warrants us in understanding either (1) Abel's personal testimony, or (2) the blood of the sacrifice he offered, or (3) his own blood-to be intended. Which is most in harmony with the analogy of faith and best accords with the context?

(2.) Romans v. 1 has received three quite different interpretations. (1) Being justified by faith instrumentally or evidentially; these are the

common views.

(2) Being justified on the principle of faith, i.e., by a salvation in which faith, not works, is the dominant characteristic: this is Mr. Atkinson's views, or (3) Being justified, by faith we have peace; in which by changing the punctuation the sense is quite altered; which is Dr. Hawker's view. On a calm review, which is the right way of regarding the passage?

(3.) Rom. viii. 26. It is common to cite this as if it stated that the Holy Spirit assisted us to pray, though sometimes in groanings which cannot be uttered. The text, however, in its strict grammatical construction, states that it is the Holy Spirit, who Himself groans? Is this view tenable, and is it in harmony with other Scriptures ?

(4). Who is "the sinner" in James v. 20. If he were not previously regenerated and converted, how could he be called " one of you" and be said to " err from the truth." If he be a backsliding saint, how can it be said that his soul is "saved from death" if he be "converted' and turned from the " error of his ways ?" Is this reconcilable with the fact that Christ gives "to His sheep eternal life," and that they "shall never perish." ?

(5.) Gen. ix. 13: "I do set my bow in the cloud." Dr. Watts informs us that the learned are divided as to whether this was the first rainbow, or whether the phenomenon had from time to time been seen from the commencement of the world's history. Does modern science help us in deciding this query? Campbell, the Bard of Hope has the fine lines:

-

Triumphal arch that fill'st the sky
When storms prepare to part!
I ask not proud Philosophy

To tell me what Thou art.

Not science laws, nor fabling dreams
But words of the Most High
Have told why first thy robe of beams
Was woven in the sky.

And fresh in yon horizon dark
As fair thy beauties seem,
As when the eagle from the ark
First sported in thy beam.

Is this the language of poetic fancy or sober fact?

MEMOIR OF THE LATE MR.
SAMUEL JONES.
COMPILED BY HIS SON.

As my father, Mr. Samuel Jones, late of Peckham-grove, Camberwell, was well known to many of the readers of the Gospel Herald, a brief memoir compiled from his own manuscript will, I trust, be found interesting.

He was born on 21st June, 1817, at No. 23, Budge-row, City of London, of respectable God-fearing parents. At first his life was despaired of, as he says, writing in 1872: "I was a sickly child for some time, and in the nurses' arms till I was three years of age; yet, through the kindness of my covenant God, I never had a serious illness till I was past fifty, although I have had much hard work, bodily and mental." In childhood he met with several accidents, but was always mercifully spared. Early in life his mind was impressed by serious thoughts, and he says that, when living with his sister at Mortlake, in Surrey, he could point to many places where he had received morcies at the Lord's hand. When eight years old he was sent to school at Welwyn, Herts. Here, he says, he had religion enough to be laughed at, and his religious impressions were deepened by the following incident:-Walking through Panshanger-park, his attention was directed to some ivy clinging to a tree, his mother saying it was like sin to a man's heart, it sticks close. This remark he never forgot. After being at school five years he returned to London, to be with his father in business as hotpresser; and he says,

Boys, forty years ago, had to do all

the drudgery: very different from what it is now." In 1833, his mother died of paralysis, at the age of 55. She was buried in Bunhill Fields, the funeral service being performed by Philip Butcher and J. Andrew Jones, late of Jireh Chapel, whose church my father afterwards served as deacon. This loss occurring just as he was entering life, he felt deeply. At this time he very much wished to be a railway engineer, being present at the opening of the Greenwich Railway, the first out of London; but his path was ordered otherwise.

From the time he left school, in 1830 till 1834, he attended with his parents at Bury-street, and at Mr. Palmer's, Founders' Hall, Lothbury. Both these places of worship cease to exist; in fact, my father lived long enough in the city to see thirty-five pulled down for city improvements and other causes. What he calls the first link of the chain in reference to his Divine life was hearing a sermon at Bury-street, one Thursday evening by Mr. Denham, of Margate, who afterwards settled at Unicorn-yard, Tooley-street; and there, with his father's consent, my father worshipped from December, 1834. At this time he took great delight and interest in Sunday-school work, sometimes crossing London-bridge eight times on a Lord's-day, from six in the morning till past nine at night. Referring to this period of his history, he says: "I am one of those who cannot put a date

to my first serious thought of myself as a sinner before God. I felt such as I never felt before, and nothing on earth could pacify me." For some months

he experienced much soul trouble; but at length he says: "I gave my God no rest, and was like Jacob of old, 'I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.' I obtained deliverance July 5th, 1835, and have never doubted the quality of the work from that day, though it has now been sorely tried almost forty years by the world, sin, the devil, and self." About this time he was present at a baptismal service at Little Alie-street, when Mr. Dickerson preached from the words, "What is that to thee? follow thou me. Soon after this, my father was himself baptized and admitted a member at Unicorn-yard Chapel, on the first Lord's-day in November, 1835.

Of his twenty-first birth-day he writes:-"My coming of age was a solemn day with me; I poured out my soul to the Lord to take care of me, as my father was not any longer obliged to do so. That day I shall never forget. I asked my Lord to take charge of me, and He has done so.'

In 1841, he married Anne Worley, whose parents had for many years worshipped at the same chapels as his own parents. They celebrated their silver wedding-day in 1866, surrounded by many tokens of God's love and goodness. As the fruit of their union there are four sons and one daughter, who all survive him. In 1845, he commenced business on his own account in Bush-lane, Cannonstreet, as hotpresser and paper glazer. This, he says, was uphill work at first, and for some time he had to work very hard; but he had many good friends, for whose assistance he was always grateful. He has also recorded many instances of God's great goodness to him in time of need. In the result, industry and perseverance, both sanctified by acknowledging God's hand in all things, met with their reward. He moved his business to St. Thomas the Apostle, and afterwards to Watlingstreet. Here he continued to prosper, and lived known and respected for many years, and was elected to several parochial offices.

During a great part of this time he was serving God on the Sundays by preaching, as opportunity was afforded, the unsearchable riches of Christ. He thus became well-known in Watford, Bushey, King's Langley, and in other towns and villages of Hertfordshire and neighbouring counties. He often spoke of the great pleasure he found in this work.

In 1865, his house in Watling-street was taken down for city improvements. He then removed his business to College-hill and his residence to Brixton, and afterwards to Camberwell, where he died.

In 1873, being afflicted with asthma, which kept him a prisoner during the winter months, he retired from business, and taking a house at Margate, spent there the summer months. Finding in that town a lack of accommodation for those holding the same views of truth as himself, he, with others, hired the Mart in the High-street for preaching services, and afterwards was mainly instrumental in building the place of worship known as Mount Ephraim Baptist Chapel, Thanet-road, where Mr. Wise now labours.

Last autumn, he returned from Margate, apparently in his usual health; but, as I have said, he suffered from asthma in cold weather. For some years past it had been his custom to have all his family with him on New Year's-day. This year he wrote, saying he did not feel strong enough to entertain us all. Still, we did not think him materially worse till Thursday, January 29th, when the late severe fogs set in. We sent again for the doctor, who pronounced him in a critical state, owing to the bad atmosphere. On Friday he was particularly anxious to see all his children; but this wish could not be gratified till the next day, when he saw us all; but we did not think he was so near his end. During the evening he said, "Lord, hold thou me up, and I shall be safe." He afterwards became worse, and at nine o'clock the doctor said he would not live through the night; and this proved true, for at two o'clock in the