vices were conducted in Eustace-street and Strand-street Meeting-houses, by the Rev. J. G. Robberds of Manchester, and were very highly approved. The general meeting of the Society was held in Radley's Public - Rooms, in Dame-street, on Monday evening; Dr. Stokes in the chair. The Rev. Joseph Hutton offered up prayer, and the report of the Committee was read by Robert Andrews, Esq. the Secretary. Various resolutions were moved and seconded by the Revds. Dr. Drummond, J. Hutton, Dr. Ledlie, and Messrs. Gray, Pilcher, Andrews, H. Rankin, Carmichael, Antisell, Corkran, Haughton, and Rennie. The Rev. J. G. Robberds replied with feeling and earnestness to the vote of thanks passed to him. Dr. Ledlie's observations, in moving a resolution in favour of a more correct version of the Scriptures, were as follows:"At the eventful time of the Reformation, the two great points most fiercely contested were, the sufficiency of Scripture as a rule of faith and practice, and the right of every man to employ his reason in endeavouring to find out its meaning. The oft-repeated objection that has been made to the unrestricted use of the Sacred

Writings, from the multiplicity of sects and diversities of opinion to which it is alleged to have given rise, may, with equal propriety, be urged against inquiry on all other subjects; and would tend to deprive us of many blessings that have been abused by the folly or the wickedness of man. The very same objection may be made to Christianity itself, which has been made the frequent occasion of unnumbered evils. But, in the words of a writer, 'to reject the Gospel because bad men have perverted it, and weak men have deformed it, and angry men have quarrelled about it, and bigots have looked sour upon others, and cursed them because they did not agree in every tittle with themselves, displays the same folly as if a person should cut down a tree, bearing abundance of delicious fruit, and furnishing a refreshing shade, because caterpillars disfigured the leaves, and spiders made their wiles among the branches.' But, in point of fact, the evils complained of may be traced to far other causes. It is the vain endeavour to coerce the human mind, to fetter the free spirit of man, that has filled the world with bitterness and strife. Let thought, and the honest

expression of it, be free as the air and light of heaven,let there be no premium held out for any particular creed, -let there be no ascendency, but the natural and just one, of mind and moral worth, and jealousies and heartburnings shall soon be no more.

"The translation of Sacred Scripture, which we happily possess, was, as you know, executed by divers learned men, in the reign of James I. When we consider the difficulties under which they laboured, and their own strong theological prejudices, it is surprising that they have fallen into so few errors, and that the work is of such genuine value. It is written, too, with a beautiful and touching simplicity, that comes home at once to the understanding and the heart; and it is associated with so many early, and fond, and hallowed recollections, that I would not wish a line or expression altered, that could fitly be preserved, much less to change for a modern dress, that ancient and venerable garb, in which its holy truths have been so appropriately clothed. But, from the fluctuations of language, it has unavoidably happened, that some words have become obsolete, and the meaning of others changed, so that the sense is frequently obscured. Thus, for example, the term worship, when the present translation was made, was applicable both to religious homage, and to the respect due to an earthly su perior. It is now applied exclusively to the former, and, therefore, should be altered in the translation to a word more suited to our language. Damnation, more properly, should be condemnation, and is applicable sometimes to punishments in this life, and at other times to future suffering. The word devil, when applied to what is usually called demoniacal possessions, is improperly rendered. It should be demon, and refers to a popular belief of the Jews, that the souls of dead men were sometimes permitted to enter human bodies, and grievously torment them, and is quite a different word from that which is applied to the personified spirit of evil. The word prevent is used for that of anticipate. When he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him.' 'We who are alive shall not prevent,' or have the precedence of them. that are asleep. The word atonement is found but once in the New Testament, and there it signifies reconcilia

tion, its original meaning. Now, it is used to convey the idea of compensation, substitution, and vicarious sacrifice. As an instance of mistranslation, I would direct your attention to Philip. ii. 6:- Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God.' Primate Newcome translates it, did not eagerly desire to be equal with God.'

6

"The diligent and praiseworthy researches of modern times have detected several mistakes and interpolations, which materially affect the meaning of different portions of the Sacred Writings, and appear to countenance doctrines that are nowhere to be found in them. Among the most distinguished of these Biblical critics, was Professor Griesbach, to whose valuable labours some of the most eminent Orthodox divines have borne the highest testimony.* I have the sanction of his authority for calling in question the correctness of the received version in the following passages:-Acts xx. 28, Feed the Church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.' This reading, Griesbach unhesitatingly rejects, and says that it ought to have been church of the Lord. In the 1st Epistle to Timothy, iii. 16, it is thus translated, And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness; God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.' This, in the opinion of the illustrious Sir Isaac Newton, is an evident corruption of the sacred text; For,' says he, all the churches for the first four or five hundred years, and the authors of all the ancient versions, Jerome as well as the rest, read, 'great is the mystery of godliness, which was manifested in the flesh;' and with this the opinion of Griesbach accords. In the 1st Epistle of John, iii. 16, it is thus rendered by our translators,

"The following is extracted from the 'Eclectic Review' for 1809, p. 237, and is ascribed to that eminent orthodox divine, Dr. J. Pye Smith. 'We hazard nothing in saying, that the venerable Professor (Griesbach) has achieved that honourable and necessary work-which has been for ages wanted-of liberating the sacred text of the New Testament from unauthorised intrusions and alterations; and that he has exhibited it in a state so nearly approaching to its original and native form, as to exclude all probable expectation of any material improvement from future collations and critical labours."

'Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us.' Now, the word God is not to be found in the original; and yet it is inserted, and often without even the precaution of being put in italics, in the received version of the New Testament. But the most glaring interpolation is that of 1 John v. 7, 'For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one.' It is, I believe, now admitted by all the most distinguished Biblical critics, both orthodox and heterodox, that it is no part of Sacred Scripture; and the following is a summary of the reasons for rejecting it:-This verse is not to be found in one hundred and ten Greek MSS., and of these, some of the greatest antiquity and value; and is only to be found in two, and these of a date subsequent to the invention of printing. It is not to be found in the Syriac, Coptic, Arabic, Ethiopic, and Sclavonic versions. It is not quoted by any of the Greek or Latin authors who wrote on the Arian controversy, though some of them have quoted the verses that go before and follow it; and certainly, had it then existed, it would not have been passed over, being much more to the purpose. In the first English Bibles printed after the Reformation, it is printed in a different type, to show that it was not in the original. In fact, it is neither more nor less than a forgery, one of those pious frauds, that men, calling themselves religious, both in ancient and recent days, have not been ashamed to employ, to support the views of a party. These, I think, are reasons that show the advantage that would follow from a review of our present translation.

"Amongst other unfounded charges urged against us, it is said that we treat the Holy Volume with irreverence. The very reverse is the fact. We receive the sacred Scriptures, and the sacred Scriptures alone, as the rule of our faith and conduct-the charter of our dearest hopes. We earnestly wish, therefore, to have them in their purity to drink at the fountain of truth and love, instead of those turbid streams that have been polluted by human prejudices and human passions. Neither do we presume to be wise above what is written,' or to exalt our reason at the expense of divine revelation. They are both hea

venly gifts that delightfully harmonise; and we use the one that we may understand and apply the other. We have no religious opinions which we are not willing to submit to this only infallible standard of divine truth; but we will not endure the slightest dictation of human authority. After the way which numbers around us call heresy, so worship we the God of our fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets.' The right we claim, we most willingly concede to others; and would be most happy to hold out the hand of brotherhood and affection to every good man, under whatever name he chooses to worship God."

ANNUAL MEETING OF THE BRITISH & FOREIGN UNITARIAN ASSOCIATION. This Anniversary was holden, agreeably to advertisement, on Wednesday, June 17, in the Chapel in Essex-street, London. Prayers were read from the Reformed Liturgy, by the Rev. E. Tagart, and the sermon was preached by the Rev. S. Bache of Birmingham, from "speaking the truth in love;" an ably reasoned, very animated, and highly satisfactory argument on the connection between Truth and Charity. The preacher was warmly thanked for the discourse more than once during the day; and the Committee, at their first meeting afterwards, resolved to request its publication.At the meeting for business, after divine service, James Heywood, Esq. of Manchester, was called to the chair. The Report of the Committee was then read and approved. The Wolverhampton case was stated to be still sub judice, awaiting the judgment of the Lords on the Hewley suit, which is expected to be pronounced during the present Session. Intimation was given of the institution of legal proceedings against the Trustees of Charities in Ireland, in the hands of the Unitarian Presbyterians. Acknowledgment was made of a legacy of 100 guineas under the will of the late Jacob Wilcox Ricketts, Esq. of Bristol, and of a contingent reversionary right to £200 under the will of a lady deceased. Mr. David Taylor's legacy of £1000 for Unitarian Baptist worship at Perth, was reported to be under adjudication, with the prospect of a speedy and favourable issue. The Committee announced a valuable bequest to the Association,