1898 16 It was the saying of the famous Jos. Scaliger that "he who has lived to throw light on a single passage of scripture has not lived in vain." Much more becoming and truly blessed is his place who has no pretension to throw light on scripture, but to remove the obstructions that the light divine in it may freely shine. For scripture as a whole is God's testimony to Christ, the True Light. The same faith that appreciates Him denies that real light can be had through any saint or means on earth; and those who are made light in Him would be the last to claim it as of themselves. "In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not."
Review: G. E. Tarner's Future Roman Empire.
1898 48 This little book is the more curious as proceeding from a friend rather than an enemy of God's work and word. Yet his faith must be small as he is so anxious to clear his speculations of Chiliastic reproach. He is careful to say in his introductory chapter that, while regarding with due respect the conscientious students of Apocalyptic prophecy, he "identifies himself with neither school, and attaches no Chiliastic reference" to his remarks. But is it not a serious reflection that he, a professing Christian, openly advocates the revival of the defunct Roman empire? Whereas prophecy in its latest voice declares it to rise up "out of the abyss," ordained (we may say) not of God but of the old serpent, the dragon, and to bring on itself and its votaries the condign judgment of God, when the Lord Jesus appears in power and glory, and His world-kingdom follows. Is it not a solemn proof that speculation is dangerous when God has revealed this coming catastrophe? Mr. T. argues out the desirableness of that empire, which, as it played its representative part in crucifying the Lord of glory, will be judged as no empire ever was for its apostate and God-defying rebellion when He comes again to establish the kingdom prepared from the world's foundation. Is then Mr. T. writing with God or against Him?
The First Record of Thermal Springs.
{The Earliest Recorded Discovery of Thermal Springs by Prosser James, M.D.
London: J. Bale, etc. 85-89, Great Titchborne Street, 1897.}
1898 64 Dr. P. James is right in preferring the Revised to the A. V. of Gen. 36:24. Anah found, not "mules" but, "hot springs" in the wilderness. So the Vulgate rendered the word from early days correctly, followed by Wiclif and the Wiclifite, and in the Douay Bible. The Septuagint makes the word an unmeaning proper name, ton Iamein (tous 'I. Aq. et Sym.), having lost the sense; and later Jews were misled by the Talmud, which loved to indulge in fables about "mules," some of them filthy as in this case. The Samaritan text for yemim has Emim as in Gen. 14:5, which as an appellative means "terrors" or the like. This seems to be the source of "giants" in the Targum of Onkelos; and so the Pseudo-Jonathan.
The word yemim is never used for "mules." "Mule" in Hebrew is pered (or pirdah). Rechesh is also translated so, and "dromedary" too, as well as "swift beast." Etymologically Y. is akin to "hot," and modern philologists agree in the meaning of "hot springs." Indeed the horse does not seem to have entered Palestine till the days of David, when we first hear also of "mules," which were probably imported as the law forbade any such mixture (Lev. 19:19). In the N. T. we do not read of the mule, but of the ass used as in ancient times.
But any of our readers who might like to peruse this little treatise of the discovery of Thermal waters will find reliable information in Dr. J.'s pamphlet.
The Force of Regeneration.
1899 320 "Regeneration" (paliggenesia, Titus 3:5) does not mean "being born again" (anagennao, or g. anothen). It is used, besides the passage about "the washing of regeneration," only in the end of Matt. 19. for the millennial state. The "renewing of the Holy Ghost" is a distinct thing from the "regeneration," which last signifies a change from one state to another.