such views, regard the Scriptures as a communication from God to man in human language, and intended to be understood as the guide to eternal life, intended, too, for the mass of men, and adapted to human faculties; then the same mental faculties and the same principles which are applied to the study of books in general, are called into exercise here and lead to a correct understanding. No other scientific rules are needed, in studying the Scriptures, than in studying other books. Any scientific system, if correct, must consist of rules which the human mind instinctively applies in ordinary cases. Notice a person who is reading a work in his own native tongue. How does he ascertain the meaning of his author? He knows the meaning of each word and of the combinations of words into phrases and sentences, and by these elements he ascertains his author's meaning. But presently you see him stop-there is a word, or a phrase, which he does not understand. He then re-peruses the sentence, or the paragraph, and again and again reflects on it; he turns to other passages where he has met the difficult word, or phrase, and makes comparison; he recollects some passages where thoughts, similar to those which he obscurely discerns in the difficult place, were expressed; to them he turns; he thinks of the nature of the subject about which the author is treating; he resorts to his dictionary and seeks aid from an arranged collection of meanings, and compares the definitions in the dictionary with the connection in which he is reading. In all these ways he seeks the meaning of the word, or phrase; at length, probably, he finds it, and can show why he concludes such to be the meaning. Similar is the process necessary to the student of the Bible; and there is no more need of a separate science, for learning the meaning of the Bible, than for learning the meaning of other books. The interpretation of the sacred books is so far regulated by fixed rules, as is the interpretation of other books. Nearly all rules may be embraced in a small compass: Get an accurate knowledge of the language, and in the exercise of good common sense and sound discrimination, view the particular passage in its own connection. There may be a word in it, which is used in many other passages; and yet, such may be the connection, that those passages cannot decide the shade of meaning in the case supposed.

Some writers who profess to be guided by rules of interpretation, often neglect those rules and still more often modify them, to suit their own views; and rules are sometimes framed so as to accord with their previous views of certain passages-views which may often be questioned. The same examples, too, are sometimes brought under different rules, and thus seem to bear different meanings. Commentators, of varying religious sentiments, yet professing a regard to rules of interpretation, put very different meanings on the same passages. Is there not ground, then, for saying, that the interpretation of language cannot be made a matter of mathematical precision? and that the science of interpretation is one, which must be, occasionally at least, modified by circumstances? That there are scientific principles involved in the understanding of any book, is unquestionable. Language has a definite meaning, and is capable of being understood; but in order to understand it, special regard must be had to the particular connection in which words and phrases occur. The science of interpretation, then, has quite as much to do with good judgment, sound common sense, and nice discrimination, as with fixed canons and a mechanical process.

Much benefit, however, may result from reading works on the interpretation of the Scriptures. Such works lead a student to the habit of investigation and discrimination, and furnish many useful suggestions. The best way, notwithstanding, to study biblical interpretation is, to study the Bible itself. We shall thus become acquainted with its forms of expression, and be led to seek for information of a geographical and historical character. We shall thus form ourselves on the model of the Scriptures; we shall acquire that intellectual and spiritual tact which is of incalculable service in the interpretation of the sacred volume.

Since so much dependence must be placed on a sound judgment, in explaining any book, and especially the Scriptures, it is not at all surprising that different men, of equal literary attainments, should come to different results in attempting to explain the sacred volume. They may have all the requisite learning, and yet they may greatly differ in regard to good judgment and the ability to apply their learning. They may also view the same passage,

or word, in different aspects, and there will, consequently, be shades of difference, if not real diversity, in their opinions. Then, again, it must be considered, that every man is liable to a countless variety of influences, arising from early prepossession, from interest, from his associations in the world, from the peculiar qualities of his mental constitution. Why should not all these influences affect him in his study of the Bible, as well as in his study of other books? and more so, since the Bible comes into more close and frequent contact with his moral qualities?

This leads us to remark, further, that among the, requisites for a thorough interpretation of the Scriptures, true piety holds a distinguished place. The Scriptures are the word of God; they proceeded from the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. If we bring not a spiritual mind to the study of the sacred volume, we shall almost inevitably ascribe different meanings to many passages, from those which the inspired writers intended to convey. Nor is there any thing unaccountable in this remark. To the proper explanation and elucidation of a poem, is not a spirit in harmony with that of the poet a necessary qualification? But besides the need of a temper of mind harmonious with that of the sacred writers, we learn from the Scriptures themselves, that the enlightening influence of the Holy Spirit is necessary to a proper apprehension and appreciation of religious truth. "God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, must shine into our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of his glory." "The natural man discerneth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." It is unspeakably important, then, that students of the Bible earnestly cultivate a spirit of piety.` It is thus that their frame of soul will most harmonize with that of the sacred writers, and they will be able to view the topics of the Bible in a light similar to that in which the sacred writers viewed them. "If any man will do the will of God, he shall know of the doctrine." The enlightening influence of the Holy Spirit will be imparted to the man who walks with God. We cannot too deeply feel the necessity of the Holy Spirit's influence to a proper discovery and reception of divine truth. If our depend

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ence on his aid be not practically acknowledged, it will not be surprising should the fundamental and the plainest principles of religion be overlooked or denied. The most illiterate inquirer after divine truth, who seeks and obtains the guidance of the Spirit, will acquire a better knowledge of the ways of God, than the most learned student, who, relying on his external means and his intellectual preparation, fails to yield himself to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We must come, then, to the Bible as a sacred book. We should guard against those views of it which secularize the mind; and with habitual, earnest prayer, seek light from Heaven.

Nor is it amiss to enjoin on ourselves a most ingenuous candor, and an endeavor to have our minds open to the fair and full impression of divine truth in all its parts. Let it be our simple object to discover what the Bible teaches, what its writers meant to convey to their readers, and then to follow their guidance. If to piety and candor, we add the learning which has been mentioned, and if, with sober judgment, with a habit of accurate discrimination and attentive inquiry, we diligently study the word of God, we shall not labor in vain; we shall find the Scriptures not a sealed book; the light of Heaven will shine on our path.

R.

ARTICLE V.

POPULAR EDUCATION.

By popular education is meant, that education which belongs to the great mass of any people, not including the higher branches of study which are prosecuted by a favored few. It is not really, though it may at first be thought superfluous, to propose this definition; for the expression, popular education, is often used to denote the entire subject of education, considered in a general way as pertaining to the interests of a people. In the remarks which we intend to make, we shall confine ourselves to the view of education which has been indicated.

Popular education has been a subject of special legislation in most of the cultivated nations of modern times; but not in all countries in exact proportion to the rank which we commonly assign to them in the scale of civilization. In theorizing upon the subject, we could hardly avoid coming to the conclusion, that the instruction of the humbler classes of society would invariably be promoted by public enactments, nearly in proportion to popular influence over those enactments. We should

suppose that despotic governments would neglect the education of the ordinary classes of their subjects, from a fear, lest the increase of intellectual and moral light should betray the flimsiness of those pretexts under which they shelter themselves in their unjust sway; and that republican governments, on the other hand, would, from the importunity of their constituents, and from regard to their own permanence and well-being, sedulously seek to communicate to the people under their authority, as extensive, as correct, and as thorough knowledge as possible; conscious that, by so doing, they would be responding to the constant craving of human nature for mental aliment; that they would be acting in accordance with the manifest desires of their constituents, and that they would have nothing to fear from the broadest noonday glare of light, in respect to the basis of their authority, so long as it was founded upon genuine republican principles. Yet this conclusion from general theory is, like many others of its class, found false in fact. Particular circumstances vitiate the deduction. Some of the despotic governments of the Old World have devoted more pains to the general education of their subjects than our own American governments (taken together), or any free governments which ever existed. The system of education now current in Prussia, for instance, under the sanction of public authority, is admitted by all intelligent men who are familiar with it, to be, in many of its main features, a proper model for the enterprise of all other nations. A perusal of the "Report on Elementary Public Instruction," prepared a year or two ago, by Prof. Stowe, of Ohio, will suffice to convince any one who is at all familiar with the arrangements for public instruction in the various States of our Union, that the prevalent tenet of our immaculate superiority, in all important respects,