STUDIES THE BIBLE. 127 become thorough scholars; they may win the laurels of popularity. But their whole mental efficiency is by no means brought to bear on their professional work to which they are bound by solemn covenant. With all their learning they are but half-ministers. On the contrary, the professional spirit was strong in Mr. Woodbridge. It gave him an engrossing interest in its work. It inspired the determined purpose to qualify himself for its high duties. He felt this to be not less a pleasure than an obligation. He therefore pursued with avidity those branches of knowledge, and in their relative proportion, which he prayerfully judged would render him the most efficient minister of the New Testament. He would study for God as well as preach for God; indeed, he deemed the former but a part of the latter. HE GAVE HIS FIRST ATTENTION TO THE BIBLE. He did this not only as the lover of truth; not only because he saw treasured there the sublimest of all realities, those which form the basis of Jehovah's moral kingdom, pervade every part of it, and crown its summit with an effulgence that fills eternity with light, and therefore most worthy of rational thought; not only because he deemed it the part of the finite mind humbly and reverently to receive the communications of the Infinite Mind so kindly made; but because he had the most decided conviction that the word of God "the sword of the Spirit" - is the only instrument which this renovating Agent employs to revivify the lifeless soul of man; that it is not science, nor philosophy, nor political, nor mere social truth, which God has appointed as the instrumental power to effect this wonderful transformation, -the waking to life and holy activity the "dry bones" of a world blighted and seared by sin, but the living word. He believed this alone capable of accomplishing "a task so hard," that all else is "straw" and "rotten wood" to pierce the scales of the leviathan. As this vital instrument is alone that which the Spirit himself uses for this noblest end, he deemed it the only instrument which the Spirit -- would permit him to use in co-operating with him. In this regard he esteemed the Bible of highest value, and as worthy of his profoundest thought and research. It also called forth his deepest reverence as the grand directory prepared by Mercy's hand to guide the blind and deluded back to God; as the torch kindled at the throne of mercy to illumine man's pathway through the depths of theological lore a gift of Love divine," which can no more be estimated by human arithmetic, than "the mysterious One," who is the life of the world, and with whose instructions the inspired pages shine. "Most wondrous book! Bright candle of the Lord! Thus duty, gratitude, love, fidelity to his trust, all conspired to form in his mind the solemn purpose of making the Bible his first and most earnest study. All the enthusiasm of his fervid mind glowed in the pursuit. No devotee of science, or of the bewitching charms of philosophy or poetry, ever entered upon his chosen work with more ardor. No valiant general ever besieged a city more determined to force his way through its iron gates, than was Mr. Woodbridge to take the citadel of Revealed Truth and make it his own. First he was resolved to become master of our English version. He explored the Old Testament and the New alike. The histories of both were subjected to his command; he could call up almost any incident in either at will. The dispensations of the covenant, the promises and threatenings, the rites and forms, and their significance in both, were equally understood. A multitude of passages, many entire chapters, were stored in his memory. His familiarity with the words of scripture, with their location and connection, became such, that he was playfully called by his friends, "the Concordance." He was able to quote passages in sermons, extemporaneous as well as written, in public prayer and in conversation, with "remarkable facility and appropriateness." It was his purpose, however, not only to become FAMILIARITY WITH THE BIBLE. 129 He acquainted with the letter of Revelation, but to penetrate. its lowest depth, to seize its precise import and true spirit. He studied it critically and "with diligent painstaking; endeavoring to get the exact meaning of every chapter and verse. He determined to master the original languages of the Scriptures, that he might go to the bottom in his biblical researches, and feel that he was standing on solid ground in his biblical interpretations. He took up his Greek Testament with renewed zeal. He studied it daily, and became very familiar with the exact words which Christ and his apostles used and the Holy Spirit inspired. But he had been years in the ministry, had reached even middle life, entirely ignorant of the Hebrew, the language of Jewish legislators and prophets. He felt increasingly his deficiency in this regard. It became painful to him, and he determined, with all the labor of a large parish pressing upon him, to master the Hebrew as he had the Greek. bought a Hebrew Bible, Grammar, and Lexicon, and sat down to the work without the assistance of a living teacher. It was in his circumstances, and single-handed, an onerous task. But by perseverance he accomplished it so far as to read the Hebrew scriptures with satisfaction and ever creasing confidence." He became exceedingly fond of the study, and pursued it daily till his age exceeded fourscore years. Says Rev. Mr. Ayres, his nearest ministerial neighbor, "He was familiar, beyond what is common, with the Greek Testament. He bought a Psalter, in which were printed, in parallel columns, the Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and English. This was his constant companion in the study." His Greek Testament was indeed daily in his hands so long as he was able to study at all. It was one of the last books he laid down. Rev. Mr. Beaman, one of his nearest clerical neighbors for some eighteen years, and who was connected with him during that period with Hampshire East Association, remarks, "The Bible was his great text-book. In its English and Greek he was quite at home. I don't "in know that any passage was ever presented to him for an expression of his opinion, in Association or elsewhere, when he did not appear to have examined it with care, and settled his opinion about it. On the biblical literature of the past and the passing times he was thoroughly posted." Thus this eminent minister of Christ and let it ever be borne in mind as one great cause of his eminence studied the Bible, and every part of it carefully, critically, thoroughly, and became, as many long conversant with him have said, "mighty in the scriptures." His profound and accurate knowledge of the inspired word, his penetrating insight into its innermost life, may never be lost to view in searching out the causes of his peculiar power over his people. Being "mighty in the scriptures," he became mighty in all his ministerial work. Nor should it be forgotten that he felt such a sense of the necessity of the Spirit's illumination in the study of the scriptures as to lead him to earnest and importunate prayer for its aid. It is the testimony of several of his most intimate acquaintances that Mr. Woodbridge "studied the Bible with much prayer." Certainly, no one had a stronger conviction that the richest significance of scripture can be obtained only by the enlightening power of the same Spirit which moved holy men to write it; that by this superhuman aid alone is the Bible seen in the light of its own radiance; and it is only when seen in the light of its own radiance that its vital truths are comprehended in their fulness and beauty; are spiritually discerned." We have abundant evidence that Mr. Woodbridge shared largely in another essential prerequisite to the successful study of the scriptures — a preparation of heart to welcome them; a love of all those truths most humbling and mortifying to human selfishness; a sympathy with God, and all that is radiant with his character; a sympathy with the Cross, and all that centres there. Surely, he in whose soul these holy sympathies predominate, is in a moral condition cordially to receive the varied truths 66 STUDIES THEOLOGY. 131 of God's word, even those to which the unrenewed heart is most bitterly opposed. When one searches the scriptures. with feelings and affections in harmony with the feelings and affections of God, he may almost be said to study them with the insight of God; so readily does the human mind, when all moral obstructions are removed, open itself to the revealed Word. There is a natural adaptation of one to the other. In Eden, divine truth found its home in the human intellect, because it was congenial to the human heart. When all the reigning disorders of the heart are removed by the purifying power of the Spirit, divine truth will again find a welcome home in the intellect. Love receives with open arms the object loved. To be filled with all the fulness of God" is the surest guaranty of success in biblical investigation. "They who have steeped their souls in prayer" need not fear delusion. FOUNDLY. MR. WOODBRIDGE STUDIED THEOLOGY DILIGENTLY AND PROA knowledge of the individual truths and facts. of scripture did not satisfy him. He deemed what most regard as the consummation of scriptural knowledge but the beginning. His questioning and penetrating mind could find no rest till he had pierced beneath the surface, had gone to the bottom of whatever subject he proposed to understand, had looked all around and beneath it, and discovered its germ and essential relations. The brilliant panorama of realities made to pass before us in the Bible except the uncreated One and his attributes he saw were but developments of facts. His thoughts advanced at once to their causes and connections. He sought their underlying principles; the manner and direction of their working. He saw, indeed, in these scriptural verities, because most indubitable, the very best materials for science; and as they are the grandest, the most stupendous themes that can possibly engage the thoughts of intelligent beings, he saw not why they might not be wrought into the grandest of all sciences. If it is important to systematize the facts of astronomy, of |