ing fact, there must have been an adequate cause; and it would be difficult to assign any other sufficient cause for the divine choice, except the fact well known to all competent judges that the Greek language is the most perfect instrument by which truth, both in its simplest and also in its most abstruse form, can be best communicated to the mind of man. It would have been as easy for the Apostles, and their immediate followers, to have written their histories and letters in any of the numerous languages, which were familiar to their thoughts and lips, by the gift of the Spirit, as in that sole form in which they have been transmitted to us. It might be naturally expected that St. Peter, in directing his spiritual exhortations to the Jewish converts, dispersed among the nations, should have used the sacred language of their common Jerusalem; that St. Paul, in addressing the Christian residents of Rome, should have used the Latin language as the vehicle of his thoughts; that the Galatians should have been rebuked and encouraged in the ancient language of Gaul; and that to the Hebrews at least he should have communicated the extraordinary verification of the types of the ancient covenant in the mission and character of Christ, through those words, and that language, in which they had been recorded by Moses and the Prophets. But if it were so, the fact is unknown to us. As far as we are concerned every communication was made in Greek, for in Greek alone have they have been handed down to us. Such a fact, so contrary to what might naturally be expected, could not have been the result of chance. It must have proceeded from an act of the divine foresight, full both of wisdom and of mercy. For by this ordinance, which confined the revelation to one language, the work of the theologian is greatly simplified, and a standard of truth constituted from the authority of which no sane Christian can possibly withdraw himself.

When Luther first received a full copy of the Greek Testament, printed with clearness and care, he said with his usual sagacity and terseness,-"The sole work of divines henceforth is clearly to discover the whole truth revealed in

this volume," and so it ought to have been; but mankind are ingenious in error, and in this case have "darkened counsel with many words." Commentaries upon the Scriptures contain fully as large a portion of the reflected spirit of the commentator himself, of his age, and country, as they do of the divine will itself; while the word itself remains for ever an infallible and immutable exponent of the mind of Christ. And this truth is gradually gaining its proper place, nor is it difficult to predict, that the time is not very distant, when all the great questions which are now dividing the Christian world will be decided by the authority of the written word, not dependant on any translation, however excellent (seeing all translations are but human traditions,) but as conveyed to us in the original expressions of Christ and His Apostles. And it is a consolation to know that these original expressions form a portion of a language, of which the principles are so simple, and the framework so scientific, that it can be fully mastered by any individual, who with moderate leisure possesses a clear head and the necessary industry.

Our Saviour could by one act of His will heal the sick, we in our attempts to imitate Him in this respect, are compelled to build infirmaries and maintain hospitals; he by a word could open the eyes of the blind, and make the dumb speak, we however can only by charitable institutions palliate physical evils, which he could instantly remove; he could, with one breath of his Holy Spirit, infuse into his ministers a complete knowledge of that language in which alone his revealed will is embodied; we can attain an adequate knowledge of the same language only by slow process, laborious exertion, and no small expense.

Should a man therefore propose to facilitate the acquisition of a knowledge so necessary to the well informed Christian, he ought to be regarded as the benefactor of his race. And it is the act of such a munificent Christian that has brought us together on this day. Nor is it irrelevant to mention thus publicly, that Thomas Phillips, the benefactor to whom I have alluded, is a man who not only loves our

name and nation, but is also one of ourselves, descended like ourselves from the time-honoured race of the ancient Britons. Feeling the wants of his kinsmen by race and blood, he has founded an Institution, in which his younger brethren according to the flesh should be taught, not only the usual branches of a common education, but should also be rendered accomplished scholars, fully able to comprehend, in its original form, all that the Holy Scriptures contain, for the due edification of the living temple, the Christian soul, in all its vital parts and fair proportions. He has also prepared a course of instruction, which may enable them, if called upon to discharge such duties, fully to explain the important truths, thus acquired, in the popular and much cherished language of their own less favoured kinsmen.

And although the Founder is himself a consistent member of the Church established by law within these realms; and although the friends whom he has employed in carrying his wishes into execution, all belong to the same Church, yet the advantages derivable from the Institution are not to be confined to the children of Churchmen, but may be enjoyed by all whose parents look for their redemption and final salvation to the sole merits of a crucified Saviour. The Founder has no fears that the result of the high education, which as he hopes will be given to the pupils of his Institution, will endanger the stability of the Church to which he is attached, nor subvert the foundation of those principles which he believes to be true. I also willingly acquiesce in these opinions, as I have every reason to know, that the truth which from my boyhood I have been taught to cherish, as a part of my own existence, has nothing to fear, but every thing to hope, from a course of instruction in its highest and most efficient form. I have always felt a deep conviction that my faith was not an untenable form of words, unable to stand the fullest investigation of the enlightened intellect, nor required for its support the stagnation of the mind, and the darkness of igI would rather adopt the favourite maxim of the wise men of our race in ancient days, and boldly proclaim

norance.

the principle "Y gwir yn erbyn y byd,"* certain that the final result of all enlightened discussion will be to dispel the mists of ignorance, to establish the feebleness of that light which is not derived from above, to set at nought the inventions of man, and to prove the wisdom of our forefathers, amonst whom the following was a much honoured motto, "Gair Duw yn uchaf."+ And these allusions to their cherished proverbs, leads me naturally to speak of that race for whose special benefit, within certain limits, the Institution which will date its active existence from the proceedings of this day has been founded.

It is an ancient race, tenacious of its idiosyncrasies, proud of its antiquity, of its language, and peculiar habits and customs. It was known as a native people of this island to the Greek, the Carthaginian, and Phoenician Merchant; with Rome its history has been irrevocably connected, first as a brave opponent in arms; secondly, as a docile ally in peace. After the fall of that Empire, it alone of the conquered provinces renovated its youth and fell back upon the institutions of its own ancestors; it alone emerged from the darkness which succeeded the utter overthrow of Pagan Rome, and appeared on the modern stage, with its name, language, and institutions, unchanged by the lapse of ages, and exhibiting a raciness, not to be destroyed by alien influences and extraneous action.

I regard this of itself as no small privilege, that we, the original possessors of this western corner of the ancient world, can look back through a long vista of ages, and recognise in the pages of ancient history, amidst the renowned characters of past ages, men of our own name and blood; nor do I do this without Scripture warrant. God, through the channels of his holy prophets, ceased not to console the saints of the Old Testament with predictions of the future numbers and

*The Truth against the world," or "The truth in the face of the world;" for the original will bear either translation.

"The word of God above all things."

с

greatness of their descendants; and those same descendants are continually reminded that they can claim their descent from ancestors so renowned. Nay more, amidst the terrible denunciations against offending nations, a marked distinction is drawn between those, who were to be entirely swept away by the anger of a justly offended God, and those who were not condemned thus utterly to perish, but were still allowed to stand before God, and remind him of their ancient forefathers.

This promise of abstaining from utter destruction is repeatedly made to the children of Israel, and an assurance given that the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, shall never cease to be represented among the nations of the earth; and their continued and visible existence among us this day, is a convincing proof both of the terrors of his wrath, and of the gracious tenderness of his mercy; of his wrath because they are still scattered among the nations, without a temple, without a public altar, without the incense of the morning and evening sacrifice; of mercy, because they still live among us, imperishable monuments of his longsuffering, and a convincing proof that he still awaits the season of their conversion.

What he thus promised and performed to the Israelites as a nation, he also promised as a favour, a reward, and a privilege to the descendants of an individual, to the race of Jonadab the son of Rechab, because his posterity for several generations had rigidly adhered to the rules of life prescribed to them by their ancestor. God therefore proclaimed to them through his prophets, "That Jonadab the son of Rechab should not want a man to stand before him for ever."

What God promises he never fails to perform. I remember that the following narrative, which I heard from the lips of a gentleman, who was sent from England as an Envoy to the Persian Court, made an indelible impression upon my mind. The Envoy accompanied by a small escort was travelling eastward across the great desert of Arabia, when he and his companions beheld an object, upon the distant verge