ity we may be left to our idols, and falling away from our profession be a bye-word and a mark for the scorner; or, retaining our profession, be as lifeless and as useless as an Egyptian mummy, too many of which may already be seen in the museum of the church. For as one has said, "God looks not at the oratory of your prayers, how eloquent they are; nor at their geometry, how long they are; nor at their arithmetic, how many they are; nor at their logic, how methodical they are; but he looks at their sincerity, how spiritual they are." We need not amplify to show how much we need a new unction with regard to all the other and varied exercises of piety, because if we get holy oil to the wheels of our prayers, then our reading, hearing, giving, and holy living, will all be so sublimated that we shall exclaim, "Or ever I was aware my soul made me like the chariots of Amminadib." Failing this, the end of the year will not leave us where it found us. Our coldness will be increasing with every month, and as Foster somewhere expresses it, We shall be receding, degree after degree, from the warm and hopeful zone; till at last we shall enter the arctic circle, and become fixed in relentless and eternal ice." May it not also be affirmed, that members of churches want more spiritual mutual intercourse? And if the suggestion at the commencement of a new year should awaken attention to this desideratum, and lead to any practical measures for its observance, it is believed the result would be beneficial. It surely must be acknowledged that we are below thestandard of scriptural requirement in this matter. When we read, "How good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!" and are directed to "behold" it, it is not merely that we may gaze upon it with admiration, VOL. XIII.-FOURTH SERIES. but that we may be charmed to imitation. Again, when we read, "They that feared the Lord spake often one to another," and turn to the apostolic injunction, "Speaking to yourselves in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs," we feel that our ordinary meetings in the house of God, or at the table of the Lord, do not realize the close and spiritual intercourse indicated in these and kindred passages of holy writ. It is quite true that the energies required in all the pursuits of professional and industrial life, in the present age, may render it difficult to multiply religious meetings. But could not a Christian church be classed out into convenient numbers and localities, and meet once a month, as Christians and fellow members? each one contributing a "psalm or hymn," a portion of scripture, or some remark or inquiry of an experimental kind, which would elicit observations and friendly conversation; that would awaken mutual sympathy, and "provoke one another to love and good works." It cannot be denied that in many large churches, if not in smaller ones, there is a want of reciprocity and almost of recognition among those who have professedly united themselves in a bond of holy fraternity, which should be the type of a world where "all the air is love." Now, just to the extent to which this defection exists, church fellowship must be confessed to be a shadow, a fiction, a delusion. Nor can it be said to realize the inspired illustration of its oneness, or its sympathy-"For the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body." Therefore, "The members should have the same care one for another, and if one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or if one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it," 1 Cor. xii. If, therefore, these remarks are just, с and more spiritual fellowship is admitted | missionary associations, Christian into be among the wants of the church, struction and sick societies, &c., &c., to let us seek to supply it, by the appointment of such meetings of the members, as, under the divine blessing, may promote so desirable an object. And the end of the year will justify the changing of our tone from that of reluctant complaint to grateful acknowledgment. The other want to which we may briefly advert, is, a universal recognition of the importance of individual effort. It really would be of no small service for many old members of our churches to learn again their nursery rhymes, which sang of "the little busy bee”. to remind them that a church of Christ should be like the active hive, in which no drones are permitted to nestle. The anatomy of the human body shows that every member and every organ has some important function to perform, and that a paralysis of any one of these will derange and impede the healthful operation of the whole. In an active church the drones must be without excuse, and our pastors should be careful, by promoting sabbath, and day, and ragged schools, bible classes, tract distribution, village preaching, juvenile furnish work for all hearts and hands. "O Christ! I freely have from thee Myself and all that's mine." "For if these things be in us, and abound, we shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ;" and we may then expect to enjoy, in the highest and best sense of the words, A HAPPY NEW YEAR. Bury St. Edmunds. 66 THE POWER OF THANKSGIVING. BY MR. JOHN FREEMAN. THE power of prayer, as a means of grace, is readily acknowledged by every true Christian. But as the precept, pray without ceasing," is immediately followed by the injunction, "in everything give thanks," a few words on the power of thanksgiving may not be amiss at the beginning of a year which, for aught we know, may be no less eventful than that just closed. Noah, Daniel, and Job, were men of prayer; and, had they lived on the earth at the same period, their presence in a land would have done much to avert divine judgments from thousands around them. In short, it would have been an extreme case in which they would not have been a blessing to their nation; and, in that extreme case, their blessing would have returned into their own bosom. Thus in Ezek. xiv. 14, God says, "Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in that land, they should deliver but their own habitual thankfulness for our recent preservation, when the arrows of death flew thick in every direction. Yea, as repentance has an essential connexion with "fruits meet for repentance," so let our thankfulness to God be acted out in suitable works of faith and labours of love. In some cases, too, thanksgiving may be more powerful than prayer. Thus in Luke xvii. 13, we have recorded such souls by their righteousness." Yet it appears that the thanksgivings of these men were no less powerful than their prayers. Thus, numerous and fervent as Noah's prayers were, no one of them brought down from heaven a promise of seed-time and harvest till time itself shall cease. But when Noah virtually said, "What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits?" and, in a grateful spirit, multiplied such authorized burnt-offerings as typified Christ's giving himself a a prayer of ten lepers as issued in a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling sa-temporal salvation, while one out of the vour, we behold an unprecedented result. ten, adding thanksgiving, is addressed For in Gen. viii. 20, 21, it is said, “Noah by the Saviour as an heir of eternal salbuilded an altar unto the Lord, and vation. For though the Saviour's words took of every clean beast, and of every in Luke xvii. 19, are rendered, “Thy clean fowl, and offered burnt-offerings faith hath made thee whole," the very on the altar. And the Lord smelled a same words in Luke vii. 50, are transweet savour; and the Lord said in his slated, "Thy faith hath saved thee." heart, I will not again curse the ground In fact, if cleansing from the leprosy any more for man's sake.” had been all the Saviour intended when addressing him who added thanksgiving to prayer, the meaning would have been, "Thy faith hath made thee as the other nine." But the language of Jesus was, "Were there not ten cleansed, but where are the nine? There are none found that returned to give glory to God except this alien." And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way; thy faith hath saved thee." A thinking man may learn from every circumstance; and a fact lately reported to the writer may set us thinking about the cause of some apparent mysteries in God's providence. A gentleman some time ago, when passing through one of the wards in St. Luke's, had his attention directed to one of the inmates of that lunatic asylum, who startled him with this question :-"Sir, did you ever bless God for your reason?" The visitor, astounded at the question, said, "No, I never did." "Nor did I," said the afflicted inmate," and God took it from me." Let us then believe that thanksgiving will preserve some mercies and add others. Thus let us bless God for all our mercies, and especially cherish 66 In thanksgiving, therefore, we act wisely for the future, and bring down upon the earth the days of heaven, where the redeemed cast their crowns before the throne, blessing Him whose mercy endureth for ever, and singing, "Worthy the Lamb." Maryland Point, Stratford, Essex. TRANSFERRED WORDS IN THE COMMON ENGLISH TESTAMENT. NO. I. DEACON. THE word DIAKONOS occurs in the Greek Testament thirty times. In the common English version, it is in seven instances rendered servant, in twenty minister, and in the remaining three it is merely Anglicised in form and written deacon. It is used in reference between a DIAKONOS and a DOULOS, to the persons who drew the water which our Lord turned into wine; in reference to a civil magistrate, when it is said, "he is the minister of God to thee for good;" in reference to our Lord himself, when he is called "a minister of the circumcision;" in reference to Paul, Apollos, Tychicus, Timothy, Phoebe, and others, who were engaged in the service of Christ and his churches. All these are, for some cause or other, described as "deacons." use thus:-"In the proper and primitive sense of diakovos (DIAKONOS), it is a servant who attends his master, waits on him at table, and is always near his person to obey his orders, which was accounted a more creditable kind of service. By the word dovλos (DOULOS), is not only meant a servant in general (whatever kind of work he be employed in), but also a slave. It is solely from the scope and connexion that we must judge, when it should be rendered in The cognate word DIAKONIA is in like the one way, and when in the other. manner rendered, in different passages In the passage before us "[Matthew of the English Testament, by the words, xx. 26, 27, which this eminent critic service, serving, ministry, ministration, renders, "Whosoever would become ministering, administration, relief, office. great amongst you, let him be your The verb DIAKONEO is rendered serve, servant; and whosoever would be chief minister unto, administer, and in two amongst you, let him be your slave," instances (1 Tim. iii. 10 and 15) ". "the view in both verses is to signify the office of a deacon;" where, if the that the true dignity of the Christian version had been as literal as in many will arise more from the service he does other passages, it would have been, to others, than the power he possesses "then let them serve, being found over them. We are to judge, therefore, blameless," "they that have served well of the value of the words from the impurchase to themselves a good degree." | port of those they are contrasted with. Whatever ecclesiastical associations And as desiring to be great is a more may be connected with the meaning moderate ambition than desiring to be of the word DIAKONOS, in the minds of chief, we naturally conclude, that as modern readers it is evident that its the word opposed to the former should use was not confined originally to church be expressive of some of the inferior officers, or religious persons. The epi- stations in life, that opposed to the thet was applied by the Greeks to those latter must be expressive of the lowest. who waited on them at table. The When this sufficiently suits the ordinary deacons of Satan are mentioned by signification of the words, there can Paul in contrast with the deacons of hardly remain any doubt. As this is righteousness. In the parable of the manifestly the case here, I did not know wedding garment, the king is repre- any words in our language by which I sented as commanding his deacons to could better express a difference of debind the offending guest, and carry him gree, so clearly intended, than the Peter's wife's mother arose words servant and slave. away. The word after her cure, and used the office of a minister is now appropriated to the deacon to our Lord, and to those who servants, not of private masters, but of were with him; and Martha complained the public. It is from the distinctions of Mary that she had left her to use in private life, well known at the time, the office of a deacon alone. A deacon, that our Lord's illustrations are borin truth, is one who serves. rowed." Dr. George Campbell distinguishes The following is a list of the instances in which the word DIAKONOS occurs in 2 Cor. xi. 15 ......If his ministers also be transthe Greek Testament : formed. 15.....As the ministers of righte Phil. i. 1 ....The servants which drew the Col. i. 7 water knew. 23 xii. 26. ......There shall also myservantbe. Rom, xiii. 4. ......For he is the minister of God to thee. 4. ......The minister of God, a re venger. .......... Lord. With the bishops and deacons. ............A faithful minister of Christ. Whereof, I Paul, am made a minister. 25 ......... Church whereof I am made a minister. iv. 7............ A faithful minister and fellow servant. xv. 8.........Aminister of the circumcision. 1 Thess. iii, 2......Our brother and minister of xvi. 1. ......Phœbe . . . which is a ser vant of the church. 1 Cor. iii. 5.........Ministers by whom ye be lieved. 2 Cor. iii. 6.........Able ministers of the New Testament. vi. 4.........Approving ourselves as the ministers of God. God. 1 Tim. iii. 8 ......Likewise must the deacons be grave. 12......Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife. iv. 6 ......A good minister of Jesus Christ. POPERY, AS IT IS IN LONDON. Ir has long been the policy of Romish | him, that from him alone can any teachers to present their dogmas and blessing possibly come, that he is the practices to the inhabitants of this sole fountain of salvation and grace, country in so mild and attenuated a and all spiritual or even earthly gifts,— form as to cause them to appear but and that no one created being can have little different from opinions and modes any power, energy, or influence, of its of worship with which the auditors own, in carrying into effect our wishes were familiar. This has been so far or desires." Such is the language of successful that to multitudes of our the controvertist; but how awfully are intelligent countrymen it seems uncan- the authorized services of his church did to describe the services performed adapted to draw away the heart from as idolatrous, or to maintain that popery the fountain of all goodness, and fix the as it now exists is ruinous to the souls hope, the confidence, the attachment, of men. Dr. Wiseman represents it as on frail creatures, who themselves the universally received doctrine of his needed a Saviour, and who possessed no church "that it is sinful to pay the real excellence but that which they same homage or worship to the saints, derived from Emmanuel's fulness. It or to the greatest of the saints, or the may be useful then to give a specimen highest of the angels in heaven, which of idolatrous worship as now practised we pay to God: that supreme honour openly by adherents of the church of and worship are reserved exclusively to Rome in the metropolis of England. |