To divest the grave still farther of its ancient terrors, inspiration gives us the strange but consoling fact, that the Saviour of men himself, once passed through its dreary portals, and rested in its solitary mansions. Angels watched over his peaceful slumbers, and he arose to die no more. And this is a pledge of immortality to all his followers. They die, but like him they shall live again. In Christ, their great Head and heavenly Forerunner, they shall sleep safely and sweetly, till, awaking in his perfect likeness, they shall all meet together in that world revealed to the Christian's faith, "Where the dirge-like tones of parting words Thanks be to God for this comfortable consolation to surviving friends, and this most effective of all means of relief and comfort to the anxious and inquiring spirit, just ready to launch away on a voyage of "awful length," and to one without the light of Revelation, of thick darkness and the most dreadful uncertainty. The influence of Christianity on the ideas and habits connected with the dead and the proper care of their bodies, is seen in the feelings and practice of its early professors, when one of their number had left them for another world. At such a time they were accustomed to sing psalms and hymns while the corpse was kept, and when it was carried in procession around the grave. And these anthems were not songs of sorrow, but of joy. In later times they carried palms and olive branches in funeral processions, in imitation of the triumphal entry of their Saviour into Jerusalem. They were also accustomed to administer the sacrament at the place of burial, in intimation that the sleep of death did not interrupt communion between the dead and the living. It was with them a favorite idea that the saints on earth, and those above, were all members of the same mystical body of Christ. With these views of death and the future condition of believers, they refrained from all immoderate grief and mourning, which they regarded as inconsistent with Christian faith and hope. They never, however, condemned the proper expression of natural affection, or commended a stoical indifference. Their feelings were alive to all the tender recollections of departed worth and friend ship; but their faith wrought submission to the will of God, and their hope concerning those that were gone, assuaged the grief of a temporary separation.* We had intended, before closing this article, to offer some remarks on the symbols or emblems which are so often placed on tombs and funereal monuments. But we must decline at present such a service. Our space will hardly allow of it, and we confess also to a want of satisfactory knowledge on the subject, which would greatly restrain us in the expression of opinion on many points on which opinion from good authority would be both timely and useful. We have visited some of our most celebrated cemeteries, and have looked somewhat into books in quest of information as to the significance or design of such symbols; but we feel incompetent to speak of the origin or philosophy of many of those we have seen, or their comparative tastefulness or appropriateness. We have no dislike to antiquity, and some of the ancient devices strike us as at once significant and happy; while we have been much pleased by others which we suppose to be modern. In all such designs we like to see significance and nature, greatly preferring the expression of an appropriate idea, to any curious conceit, how many thousands. of years so ever it may chance to have been in existence. We always remember with pleasure the first sight of a linen handkerchief, presumed to have been bedewed with tears, represented as thrown over an angle of a marble monument; an emblem of the deep sorrow of surviving friends, and may it not be also, we have thought, of the additional circumstance, that the tears of the mourner were to be left at the grave, while hope and joy should be the portion of the soul amid the future duties of life? Of the more common emblems, our readers will recognize the Inverted Torch, the Winged Globe, the Hourglass, the Butterfly, the Veiled Urn, the Caudiverous Snake, Tear-vessels, the Cross, Bows with broken Strings, Scythes, a Harp, a Snake tasting from a Bowl, etc., some of which, especially the Hour-glass, the Cross, and the Butterfly rising in the air, always strike us pleasantly; while others leave us wholly in the dark as to their significance, and seem more appropriate to Egyptian igno * See Coleman's Christian Antiquities, pp. 412, 3, 4. rance on the nature of death and of the soul, than either instructive or pleasing to an enlightened, Christian mind. Before we dismiss this topic, we wish briefly to allude to what we deem exceedingly appropriate and important. as an appendage to every rural cemetery, whether large and magnificent, or of the most humble pretensions. We mean, a chapel within the enclosure, a place where suitable religious services may be performed over the sleeping dead, as the last act of affectionate regard before they are laid to rest in their silent habitation. The example of such a practice has been well begun at Mount Auburn and Laurel Hill, and it is hoped that it will ere long become general. It was the practice of the early church to have at least prayers and psalmody at the place of burial, and the custom seems to us worthy of all imitation. But in order to this, a suitable structure is required, which need not however be expensive, in which, in all the quiet essential to devotion, the funeral procession shall join in prayers and songs appropriate to the place and the occasion. Such a chapel we should delight to see in every cemetery of a country village, as well as in the more populous one of a crowded city: and we hope the time is near, when, with proper accommodations, and under circumstances fitted to awaken feelings becoming such a scene, funeral services shall be performed at the place of barial in imitation of the early Christians, and, as it seems to us, in accordance with the dictates of natural affection. ARTICLE III. GENUINENESS OF 1 JOHN V, 7, 8. CAN THIS PASSAGE BE CONSISTENTLY ADDUCED IN SUPPORT OF THE DOCTRINE OF THE DIVINE TRINITY? It is well known that few passages in the Scriptures have given rise to more discussion, in the theological world, than that above indicated. That the question at issue will ever, in the estimation of every inquiring mind, be satisfactorily settled, may be doubted. This however, does not absolve the gospel teacher from the obligation to investigate its merits, that he may defend the text, if it should be defended, or reject it and be able to "give a reason" for so doing. The questionable clause is that which, in most versions where it is retained, is included, as in our standard translation, within brackets; viz. "in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth." The two verses entire read thus: "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one. "And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one." Omitting the clause in question, they read thus: "For there are three that bear record, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood, and these three agree in one." The question is, is the passage genuine? Was it written by the inspired apostle, or is it a forgery, an interpolation? In deciding this question, it will be well to inquire, what are the sources of evidence to be appealed to, in determining the genuineness of any given passage in the New Testament Scriptures? They are the following, which afford external evidence, viz.: Ancient Greek manuscripts, ancient versions of the Scriptures, and the writings of the fathers; and, as affording internal evidence, the connection, general scope, style, etc. How will the testimony, drawn from these sources, bear upon the passage before us? We will first present the arguments they are thought to afford against its genuineness. 1. ANCIENT GREEK MANUSCRipts. The New Testament having been written, originally, in the Greek language, and preserved only in the form of manuscripts, it is clear that this is one prominent source of evidence, requiring our attention. Of these relics of antiquity, there have been collected, according to Horne, one hundred and forty-nine, which contain the first Epistle of John. Others place the number as high as one hundred and eighty-seven, while Clarke fixes it at only one hundred and twelve. Some of these manuscripts date back as far as the fourth century. But, be their precise number and date what they may, all are agreed that this clause is not found in a single Greek manuscript written earlier than the thirteenth century. Four that were executed since that period contain it; but two of these are regarded, universally, as of no authority whatever-one has the text only in the margin-and the remaining two as evidently of Latin origin, written as they are in bad Greek, so that their testimony is of very little, if of any consequence. The fact of its being found in no one of these antiquated documents, is certainly no inconsiderable argument against its genuineness. 2. ANCIENT VERSIONS. It would be supposed that if this passage had been found in the original Epistle of John, or in the first copies therefrom, it would have been translated into versions of the Scriptures in other languages, made at an early date. Yet it is stated on the best authority, that it is contained in no ancient manuscript version in any language except the Latin, and that in some manuscripts of the most ancient version in this language, it is omitted. There are said to be extant copies of two Syriac versions, dating VOL. XIII.-NO. XLIX. 3 |