cause most in keeping with the usual German idiom, and though excellent translations, word for word, have all been discriminated in admirable passages, yet his simply expresses but a single idea. It is sure that he who reads those Scriptures with honest heart, which are clear and plain and require no explanation, will, through Christ's power, attain to practice, and will remain true to the selfsame One, who is to be placed over so many of God's mysteries as are needful to his eternal salvation; and he who will be a doer of the Word and not merely a hearer or reader, deceive neither himself nor another. To whomsoever aught appears incomprehensible in reading, and he lacks true wisdom, let him ask it of God, who gives it richly to him who asks in faith (James i. 5). And if somewhat be not granted unto him for a season, he will recognize it as clear as the sun at another time, when he reaches the same standpoint where the Scripture is.

The Halle Bible, in fact its 34th edition, has been taken; Firstly, because it is very rich in

parallels. Secondly, because it is believed that it contains the fewest printing mistakes, because the type-setting remains standing. The accusation that one has mixed his own with it, and not followed Luther's translation, is regarded as unworthy of contradiction. It is before our eyes, and whoever compares our printing with the aforesaid edition, will find that not only has it been adhered to, but that more than a hundred printer's errors have been removed. The latter are remembered, not to censure that work, but that, should any one find that mistakes have again crept in without our knowledge, it may be forgiven us as unto other men.

Moreover, no explanations have been made, a procedure in which we are as much at liberty as others; Firstly, because by means of Scripture parallelisms, one phrase frequently illuminates another in the Spiritual sense. Secondly, because it is certain that to him who reads the Scriptures with an upright heart, the Holy Spirit in the heart reveals His true meaning by the reading itself; and according as every

believer himself undergoes such an experience in himself, individually, so one believes assuredly that the time nears when the whole earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord (Isa. ii. 9), and there shall be no need that brother teach brother and admonish him to know the Lord (Jer. xxxi. 34). But they shall all be taught of God, both small and great, when He shall pour out His Spirit on all flesh, that sons and daughters prophesy, young men see visions, and the old men dream dreams, and His Spirit shall flow upon His servants and handmaids (Joel ii. 28-32). So will He himself make clear His meaning, and show His might, yea, verily, be the Word itself. Flee hither, who can; come soon, Lord Jesus."

The Saur Bible is a quarto, bound in bevelled boards, covered with strong leather, with the covers held together with clasps. It is printed in double columns, with parallel references, and there are short summaries at the head of each chapter. There is an ornamented headpiece at the beginning of Genesis, and another before

the Gospel of St. Matthew. The general titlepage is printed in black and red. The edition consisted of twelve hundred copies, and the price was eighteen shillings; that is, about two dollars and a half.

Mr. Saur did not forget his obligation to Mr. H. E. Luther, for he had twelve copies of his Bible substantially bound, and sent them on the 5th of December, 1743, to Germany, by the ship "Queen of Hungary." The vessel, when near St. Malmo, was attacked by French and Spanish pirates, and all the cargo was captured. At the expiration of two years, through some unknown events, the Bibles reached their destination, and came into the possession of Mr. Luther. There are persons who regard this account as highly romantic, and quite improbable, but there can be no doubt of its truthfulness. Mr. Luther gave one copy to the Royal Library at Frankfort-on-the-Main, where it is now preserved. From the presentation inscription in Latin we learn that the Bible was given to the library in the year 1745; that is, two

years after its publication. Here we have indirect testimony that it was two years in reaching Germany. But the truth of the account is placed beyond all question by the direct confirmation of it by Mr. Luther in his own handwriting. He presented one of the twelve copies of the Saur Bible to the Duchess Elizabeth Sophie Marie von Braunschweig, who had a collection of several thousand rare editions of the Holy Scriptures. At her death she bequeathed the collection to the Ducal Library at Wolfenbüttel, Germany. The librarian of this institution, Dr. O. von Heinemann, in a letter bearing date February 8th, 1892, speaks of the presentation volume as "well preserved and well bound." In regard to the story of the Bibles falling into the hands of pirates, he says,

"All this is stated in a note, written in Latin and signed by Luther with his own hand, attached to the inside of the front cover of our copy; as well as in a German translation of the same, entirely in Luther's handwriting, inserted in the book."

But the most interesting evidence of all is that written in the copy which Mr. Luther retained