possession of, and appropriates as its own, all Truth wherever found. As such, its "Bible" is comprehensive and enlarges itself, ever and ever, to take in "all Truth wherever found." Hence it has, and must have, its Sacred Scriptures "new and old "-modern as well as ancient.

The word Scriptures means, of course, Writings, or Things Written. The word Sacred means venerated, highly valued, or held in highest esteem. "Sacred Scriptures of the World" then, as a title, means those writings of the world which are or are worthy to be venerated, highly valued, or held in highest esteem. In a lower sense all writings which contain any Truth or Beauty are Sacred Scriptures. But, by common consent of all people and ages, the word Sacred is reserved for writings which bear on highest Truth and Beauty-which universally are recognized as those only which relate to Religion and Ethics; or to Piety and Morals. So, in any Collection of Sacred Scriptures of the World, nothing can be wisely included but such writings as relate to the Supreme Being and to Mankind in their nature and relations.

Such writings however are modern as well as ancient. It is a serious practical error as well as an outgrown superstition to suppose "a deposit" of Sacred Truth and Beauty made in ancient times once for all, and never to be added to, repeated, newly adapted, or changed. "The faith once delivered to the Saints" has been delivered not once only, but countless times—indeed, unceasingly, and increasingly, as the ages have gone by. Possibly there have not been so many "Saints"—that is, persons of such high attainments in Holiness-in some of the modern as in some of the ancient ages, through whom the Holy Communications could fittingly be delivered, but in all the ages there have been some. "God hath never left Himself without witness." In these latter ages there have unquestionably been those of equal attainments in Holiness, and of vastly wider and more profound intelligence. Through these has been "delivered " to the World that deeper Truth and higher Beauty of which he prophesied who said to his disciples, "I have many things to say to you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when

He, the Spirit of Truth, is come He will guide you into all Truth."

It is high time then that we should have not only a volume, but volume upon volume, of recognized and so designated modern Sacred Scriptures of the World. The growing intelligence, the lessening superstitions and narrowness of the world, as well as its more widely-prevailing and perfectly-balanced saintliness, demand, more and more, such a recognition and such a designation. As a response to this evident demand a volume has recently been collected and edited, and will be duly issued under the title, Modern Sacred Scriptures of the World. The same editor has previously collected and published a companion volume under the title, Ancient Sacred Scriptures of the World.

XXXIV.-MODERN SACRED SCRIPTURES.

No especial merit is claimed by the compiler and editor of this volume soon to be issued for his share in the work. Out of several volumes of his own manuscript notes entitled "Quotations and Thoughts "-accumulated during forty years of reading and meditation-he has simply selected such brief, pointed, and luminous portions as seemed to him best fitted to be called "Sacred" Scripture and best adapted to make up a single volume. This volume he has called by a new name indeed; many of its arrangements and some of its contents are also new; but otherwise it claims no merit above that of other Selections and Anthologies which have -in less methodical ways-sought to condense the Religious and Ethical Literature of Modern Times into a single volume for devotional and practical purposes.

Had all been included which the editor has accumulated under the title of "Quotations and Thoughts" during his many years as student, theologian, and clergyman-all of which he highly values as quickening to his own private aspirations and resolves-not one volume only, but three or more, would have been offered to the publishers as a result. This accumulation, however, is but a fraction of what might

be gathered-of equal, and in some cases doubtless of still higher value-from the vast bulk of Sacred Writings both in Poetry and Prose, which holy men and women have "in these last days" produced. Thus may be indicated what inexhaustible treasures remain for succeeding editors to draw from;-to say nothing of those "deposits" which shall unceasingly be made, as the future centuries and generations shall come and go. The volume referred to is but the gathering of a few pebbles from the sea-shore. The novelty of its title and method may be a beginning of those days when wise men shall not only realize for themselves—as an esoteric treasure-but also boldly teach to the world, that Divine Revelations have never ceased; that wherever a holy soul is found there is an Oracle of God; and that "Sacred Scriptures of the World" include everything, in all writings, that are genuinely "true and beautiful and good."

XXXV.-ALL SACRED SCRIPTURES ARE ANONYMOUS.

Besides the novelty of the title and of the general method of the volume to be known as Modern Sacred Scriptures, the editor has ventured upon another-which in the Ethnic Scriptures of the previous volume he also adopted—that of withholding all names of those who are, or are reported to be, authors of the various Quotations and Thoughts. This is a novelty indeed so far as Modern Literature is concerned. Among the ancients, to be, and to remain anonymous was highest genius and most beautiful humility combined. He who forbade his disciples to make him known, charging them, again and again, "See that thou tell no man"; who consented to leave no record of his deeds or words, except in the characters and memories of those with whom he lived and to whom he spoke; who provided for no such record, except as it might spring forth as inspiration from the lips and pens of others after he should disappear; even instructing his disciples-as he doubtless did-to forbear adding their own names as biographers or as authors, so that nearly all the New Testament writings remain to this day as practi

cally anonymous: thus is he, the Supreme Man, here as elsewhere, our supreme authority and example. How surprising that those who call themselves his followers have-in these modern times-so rarely been willing, in this regard as in many others, to obey his authority or to follow his example! The author of that "Second Bible," commonly known as the Dramas of Shakespeare, is one of a very few who, in recent centuries, has sought, like his Divine Master and his Disciples, to hide himself behind his words so that the world might not consider him, but only the Truth and Beauty his words are designed to reveal. But the time is approaching, or rather, is reapproaching, when all Highest Thoughts and Deeds shall be, and remain, anonymous. The lower-that is "profane" or secular-thoughts and deeds doubtless need the backing of their author's name, in order to make them comprehensible or authoritative. Their authors, too, need the glamour and glitter of notoriety, in order to feel adequately compensated for their effort or toil. But highest Truth and Beauty, which alone are worthy to be called "Sacred," are--like axioms and intuitions-self-evident. As such they need no backing of an author's name; and their authors, like themselves, are too lofty to need or to accept, as compensation, the glamour and glitter of notoriety.

XXXVI. HIDING SELF BEHIND TRUTH.

To apprehend Truth in somewhat of its highest Grace and Beauty, and to be privileged to disclose somewhat of that apprehension to the World-this, and nothing else, is what all loftiest souls desire. Attaining this, they seek for, ask for, no other reward. "I say unto you, rejoice, not that the spirits are subject unto you; but, rejoice rather, that your names are written in Heaven." Divine approval, not human; God's praises, not the praises of men; eternal attainments and accomplishments, not temporal commendations and rewards, is what all holiest and highest souls

desire, and seek. Over this they rejoice, and over this only. In the Old Scriptures it is written God buried Moses so that no man knoweth of his sepulchre to this day. In like manner has God buried all who have been His accepted prophets. God's highest mediums of communication with mankind have always been incognitus: who exactly they were no man knows "to this day." The authorship of nearly every book of the Bible, as well as of the other most Sacred Scriptures of the World has been contested; and even when the name of the author has been conceded, the author himself, in all the details of his personality, remains to this day practically unknown. So should it be! 'T is the Divine Method-the Method of Grace as well as of Genius! Why obscure self-evident Truth and Beauty with the shadow of an author's name? an author who, at his best, is only a mouth-piece or a medium. It is a hindrance, and an impertinence besides. There is but one Author-the Supreme Wisdom and Love. Him alone should men consider and adore. Better far will it be when the names of Moses, David, Ezekiel, Isaiah, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, Apollos, Homer, Zoroaster, Confucius, Gautama, and the whole line of Sacred Writers, down to "Shakespeare and Bacon," and the geniuses and saints of to-day, are entirely forgotten as authors, so that God, the Outshining Central Sun "may be all in all." Then will men no longer enquire for Authors in order to do them homage, but only for Truth and Beauty in order to adore them, and be themselves transformed into their "image and likeness."

"Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh; yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more." "And when all things shall be subdued unto Him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto Him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all."

Of a stately Temple or an artistic Palace it may gratify idle curiosity to know who was the architect, or who is the But only those who appreciate least, stop to ask or require to know this. The stateliness of the Temple, the

owner.