but grievous," yet in the retrospect of our sorrow, we can often discern how we were supported, because beneath us were placed the everlasting arms; nay, God in our banishment from joy, often provides for us, as He did for David, some friendly Hebron, where, safe in his keeping, we abide securely until the calamity be overpast.

4. Once more the city, at present under our review, is suggestive of another, different, but perhaps still more valuable, practical thought. Under the Jewish law, "six cities were set apart; three on the east and three on the west of the Jordan, to which the manslayer might repair who should kill his neighbour unawares and hated him not in times past, and reaching one of these cities, might live." They bore the well-known names of "cities of refuge." Joshua xx. 24. Of these Hebron was one. It was the grateful resort of the unwilling murderer, and afforded him that security which only five other spots in Palestine were permitted by the law to extend. Not to enter upon all the typical significance attached to those cities, Hebron, in its political aspect, must forcibly remind us of Christ. He is the refuge to which we, under a sense of blood-guiltiness, must fly. He is the only sure abiding-place for those who are conscious that they have destroyed their own priceless soul, but that in Him can pardon and rest be found. Let us cherish this great truth, whenever the city of Hebron is brought before us, "O Israel! thou hast destroyed thyself, but in Me is thine help." The most complete self-sacrifice; the highest devotion to our chosen work as shepherds of his lambs; the casting with an unsparing hand, all that we possess into his treasury; will not procure for us the sense of inward peace and certain security, which such a living faith in Christ as our Hebron, through his grace, will shed abroad in our hearts. Nor is it beneath our observation to notice, that the peaceful melting away of the frontier land which skirts upon Palestine; the imperceptible change, almost of the desert, for a soil flowing with milk and honey, is a picture of the life of the believer. Gradually in his pilgrimage he crosses the desert. Through snow and sunshine, he wends his way from bondage to liberty; until gently, for the most part, he reaches the frontiers of the heavenly Canaan, into which he is welcomed by his Lord, to realize the words of Solomon, "The path of the just is as the shining light, which shineth more and more unto the perfect day."

THOUGHTS ON SCRIPTURE SUBJECTS.

THE SYNAGOGUE.

CHRISTIANITY is the development and perfection of Judaism. It fulfilled its prophecies, realized its shadows, perfected its precepts, and denounced and abolished its corruptions: but there were many external and non-essential things which the New Dispensation incorporated, or used as convenient and advantageous. Among these were its synagogues, where they were not closed by the animosity of Jewish officers. There are several allusions to customs and appointments of the synagogue in the Apostolic Epistles which are overlooked by the reader of the English translation only.

The synagogue was thus instituted:-when there were ten men of leisure in any given place, that constituted it a city, and there a synagogue must be built. Of these ten, three must be chosen to the chief office of "Rulers of the synagogue," or " Elders,"-another to the office of "Angel," or Minister, or Bishop-" Елσкопоs," called because it devolved on him to overlook the readers of the law and the prophets in public worship, to see that they read correctly; as well as to offer the prayers, and to lead the psalm-singing. Then followed the Deacons, who had to collect and distribute the alms, and were called pastors. The three Elders were judges in some matters temporal; sitting as such on the "bench," with a suitable "footstool" corresponding to the higher elevation of their

seat.

Now, as we may trace a rudiment of the Lord's supper in the rite of the passover, and of Christian baptism in the "baptisms" in use among the Jews, as recognised Heb. vi. 2 and elsewhere, so we may perceive the origin, and more than the origin, in some cases of Christian offices and practices, in the corresponding offices and practices of the synagogue.

.

It is important to our understanding, for instance James ii. 2, 3, that we should be aware of the fact that, where they could, the Christian Jews still continued to use the same place of worship"if there come into your assembly" the greek is synagogue one having a gold ring, and one in goodly apparel and ye say unto the poor man, stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool." Here, in this passage, not an occasion of public worship is alluded to; but an occasion in which two persons having a matter between them, come to the rulers of the synagogue to have it adjudicated. The passage has nothing to do with the pews in our modern places of worship. Again, in allusion to this tribunal of

the three elders, we read in Mark xiii. 9, “Ye shall be beaten in the synagogues." To this root may also be referred what St. Paul says to Timothy (1 Tim. v. 17), "let the elders that rule well, be accounted worthy of double honour"-and his charge about oppointing elders in every "city." And this reference to the primary institutions of the synagogue may be traced in many parts of St. Paul's writings and arrangements.

Again, in the Apocalypse, that wonderful composition of which St. Jerome said that it had " as many mysteries as words," the ground-work or "web" is Jewish worship-the "warp," God's providence and the "woof," man's free agency: and then as the lengthened piece of tapestry draws to its completion, we see all along it, by the crossing of the two last, the embroidered figures in high relief that represent the troubles and triumphs of the church of Christ.

As an example, we have in the first chapter the symbolical Angel personifying Christ in the garment of the Jewish high priest, next we have the seven symbolical churches, or synagogues -for the synagogues were called churches-the two titles are used as synonymous therefore, here, see chapter iii. 9. And hence the use of the name "Angel," all through the seven symbolical epistles, standing for the overseers of the Christian church-that name "Angel," as we have seen, having been appropriated of old by each Jewish synagogue.

Symbolical churches we have called them; because as the whole book is symbolical, there is no consistent way of understanding the seven representations of churches otherwise; and thus understood, the corrections and encouragements are applicable to that, and every other age.

To look into the source of our rites and worship, is the only way to get a thorough insight of the whole, and to master the obscurities that hang over some of its particulars.

ACTS XV. 29.-" THINGS STRANGLED, AND BLOOD."

There is one thing almost unprecedented about this interdict of the First Council (so to call them), namely, that while the great majority of Christians think themselves free from its obligation, a few regard it as undoubtedly binding upon us, and scrupulously abstain from the use of "things strangled," or that have been killed in such a way as that the result is the same with regard to "the blood."

There is an argument, however, that seems to settle the question in favour of the majority, but which is very little known. It will be observed that four things are interdicted by St. James' "sen

Now, if it

tence," and among these, "meat offered to idols," v. 29. can be shown that we are certainly free from "the yoke" in regard to this supposed obligation, it will follow of course that we are as much at liberty in regard to the rest, "fornication" excepted, which is forbidden by "the law of Christ " in general. And to show this we have only to refer to St. Paul, who expressly allows the use of idol-meats, provided they be eaten without "offence," that is to say, without leading the ignorant into the fatal error that there is no sin in joining in idolatrous rites, "with conscience of the idol," i.e., a guilty conscience, 1 Cor. viii. ·

If this argument requires to be strengthened, which it really does not, for it is by itself sufficient, and fatal to the objection made to the use of all meats and drinks, St. Peter's "sentence" on the subject in debate, will confirm St. Paul. The discussion had only to do with "circumcision and the law of Moses,"-and not with early patriarchal observances-see v. 5., and St. Peter does not enjoin even these four things mentioned by St. James, but declares that the church present believed "that through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ the Gentiles shall be saved even as they," the believing Jews.

There can be but one inference from these facts, which will appear very clearly to any one who will carefully look into the context, i.e. that St. James's object was to settle the "much disputing," v. 7., that was still going on; and so proposed these "articles of peace," which were accordingly agreed to, v. 29: and ordered to be sent forthwith not to the Gentiles in general, but to the converts in "Antioch, Syria, and Silesia," v. 23, among whom, and whom alone, of the Gentile churches, certain uncommissioned Jewish professors had been preaching the necessity of legal conformity, "subverting their souls;" v. 24.

Would it not be asked now by an apostle who should arise in the spirit and power of St. Peter, of any teacher who would interdiet the use of meats with the blood in them, like game; or of blood itself, if it were used in diet-" why tempt ye God to put a yoke upon the necks" of our brethren, by creating in them scruples of conscience, which when created must be respected, about things belonging only to those "rudiments of the world" now gone to decay but which formed a part of both the Jewish, and the Patriarchal religion? Besides, if there is to be abstinence of this sort, it must be done thoroughly; and then we must have butchers as religiously careful as those who prepare flesh for the shambles of the Jews.

Tenby.

6. 2. S

The Teacher in his School.

NOTES OF A LESSON ON CHARACTER, FOR A

SENIOR CLASS.

Ir occurred to me, when thinking over subjects for my Servants' Bible Class, that a Lesson on Character might be both interesting and profitable; and as it seemed to fulfil the first of these conditions, when delivered, I venture to give a few simple notes of it, for the use of any teacher of a class old enough to feel the application of the subject, especially as I do not remember ever to have seen the topic treated as subject-matter for a lesson.

The introductory point was, WHAT IS MEANT BY CHARACTER? The original meaning of the Greek word is worth noting; character is "a mark" or impression, generally natural, not made artificially. Our character is the impression we make on other people's minds -not (as we all know) the result of intentional efforts to make that impression, but the effect of our daily natural conduct. This supplies a passing lesson on the uselessness (as well as sin) of hypocrisy, or even the lesser form of insincerity. Those who see us often cannot be long deceived as to our real character.

How IS CHARACTER DISPLAYED? Taking the word in our modern meaning of the qualities of our mind and heart, we see those qualities displayed in all our actions and words, and influencing our inmost thoughts and desires. When we have known a person any length of time, we can judge beforehand what they are likely to say and to do, under most circumstances; and even get some little insight into their motives, desires, and passions. All the business of life is the working out of the various characters of men. How endless are THE VARIETIES OF CHARACTER! Look around at the features of this class. No two of you are alike. Even the members of the same family show a difference in form and figure. Just so with character. The differences may sometimes be less striking, but they are still clear and distinct. The active, the idle, the forward, the retiring, the affectionate, the cold, the generous, the selfish, and so on, each quality also showing endless degrees. Setting aside the unpleasant traits of character (and God never made men evil, Eccles. vii. 29), the variety, otherwise, is a source of pleasure and usefulness. A sameness of features would