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النشر الإلكتروني

ON THE RELIGION OF THE CHALDEES.

SIR,-As the Chaldees occupy a conspicuous place in scripture history, and the origin of this people is much disputed, any remarks that tend to throw light on the subject may be thought to be not wholly uninteresting.

It is questioned by some whether biblical Chaldee, which is a Semitic idiom, can at all be brought into connexion with the language of the Chaldee Babylonians, whom they suppose to be of Japetic origin. Under these circumstances, therefore, we are not at liberty to draw any conclusions from the biblical Chaldee, but must confine ourselves to the native Chaldee names which are preserved in scripture, and it is from this source that I propose to derive my arguments concerning their religion.

It has been often remarked that the Chaldee names, Belshazzar, Nebuchadnezzar, Nabopolassar, &c., are derived from the Chaldee gods, Nebo and Bel. "Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth," (Isaiah, xlvi. 1,) and that these are not significant in biblical Chaldee. Now, if we look around for their meaning in other families of languages, we find that the word Nebo occurs in all the Indo-European dialects, with slight variations of meaning, as heaven, sky, clouds, &c.: Sanskrit, nabah; Sclavonian, nebo; Latin, nubes, nebula; Greek, vepeλn; German, nebel; Celtic, nef, neal: the Chaldee deity, Nebo, was, therefore, probably equivalent to the Latin Jupiter, in the sense of firmament, or visible hemisphere.

"Aspice hoc sublime candens quem invocant omnes Jovem."

ENNIUS IN CICERO.

And this, according to Strabo, was the genuine Persian worship: τον ουρανον ἡγουμενοι Δια (οι Περσαι), lib. 15.

With respect to Bel, the evidence is not so satisfactory; that name is evidently distinct from the Canaanitish Baal, and it reached far into the Pelasgian countries of Asia Minor, (see Herodotus.) Servius (in En. I. 733) states, that among the Assyrians, Belus signifies the sun, (apud Assyrios Bel dicitur, quâdam sacrorum ratione, et Saturnus, et Sol.) According to Vallancey, the chief deity of the heathen Irish was Beal, the sun; and the old Irish name of the year was Bealaine, now corrupted into Bliadhain,-i. e., the circle of Belus, or of the sun. From the names of these deities,-Nebo, the firmament, and Bel, the sun, we have reason to infer that the Chaldees followed the same religion (of light) as the Medes and Persians. The conjecture is confirmed by the fact, that in Nebuchadnezzar's army, among the other high functionaries of the empire-the Rab Saris, the Rab Shakeh, the Rab Tebach-we find a Rab Mag, the Desturan Destur, or Chief of the Magi, (Jer. xxxix. 3, 13.)

Rosenmüller, following Michaelis, derives the Chaldee-Babylonians from the neighbourhood of the Black Sea. In his commentary on Isaiah, xxiii. 13, he says, "Chaldæi hic sunt intelligendi septentrionales illi, qui ex patriâ suâ, (in viciniâ Ponti Euxini, ubi Chalybum regionem habent geographi veteres,) duce Nabochodonosare primo, eruperunt; devictisque aliis gentibus, australibus, Babylonem, ipsam quoque devictam,

ingentis regni sedem fecerunt." I conclude with observing that a small but fierce and predatory tribe to the north of Armenia is mentioned by Xenophon, under the name of Chaldæi: and that we have the express testimony of Herodotus, that the inhabitants of these regions were formerly sun-worshippers: the Massagetæ, who dwell near Caucasus and the river Araxes, sacrifice horses to their only deity, the sun, (lib. 1, sub fin.) W. B. WINNING. Bedford.

APPENDIX TO THE PAPER ON CONFIRMATION.—I.

(Continued from vol. xi. p. 542.)

Other specimens, appended to the Orders for Baptism.

From the Monastery of Gillone. Circ. 780. (Martene de Antiqu Rit. Lib. I. c. 1. Art. 18. Ord. 6.)

The bishop comes to the font, having a seat placed in the church where he pleases, sitting upon it, and the infants are carried before him, and he gives to each a stole, casule, and chrismale, and ten silicas, and they are clothed. (I know not what to make of silica, unless it is for siliqua, a bean.) But when they are clothed, let them be arranged in order, as they are written in circuit; and the bishop prays over them, making a cross in their foreheads with chrism, with invocation of the Holy Trinity, and delivers to them the sevenfold grace of the Holy Ghost.

(a.) Almighty Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hast regenerated, &c. Afterwards, he signs him on the forehead with chrism, saying, The sign of Christ unto eternal life. Amen. Especially taking care that they do not omit this, because then they confirm all baptism in the name of Christianity. After this they go to mass, and all communicate; this also taking care of, that after they are baptized they take no food, nor are put to the breast, before they communicate in the sacrament of Christ's body; and on all the seven days of Easter let them always go to mass, and offer for themselves, and all communicate.

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The order for baptizing a sick person.

After baptism, and the sacerdotal unction, there follows—

And the infant is clothed. And if the bishop be present, it is right to confirm immediately with the chrism, and afterwards to communicate. And if the bishop is not present, let him be communicated in the body and blood of the Lord before he be put to the breast, or receive anything after baptism.

From the Church of Rheims. 800. (Martene, ut supra. Ord. 8.)

After the children are taken up out of the font. But the bishop goes out of the font, having a scat arranged in the same church, and the children are brought to him, and he gives a stole, a casule, and chrismal, and ten silicas, and they are clothed; and so on, as above.

Ordo 10.)

From the Monastery of Chelle. 800. (Martene, as above. And the child is clothed in his garments. But if the bishop be present, it is right that he should be immediately confirmed with chrism, and afterwards communicate. But if the bishop be absent, let him be communicated by the presbyter, saying thus-The body of our Lord, &c.

From the same.

After baptism of a sick person.

Communicate him, and confirm him, if the bishop be present.

From the Monastery of St. Germain's. 900. (Martene, as above. Ordo 11.) The same rubric as in that of Chelle.

From the Monastery of Jumiege. 1032. (Martene. Ordo 13.)
The same rubric.

From the Church of Apamea. Circ. 1200. (Martene. Ordo 14.) Then if the bishop be present, it is right that he be confirmed with chrism immediately, and communicated, according to the custom of some churches.

But

if he be absent, let him be communicated by the presbyter. But infants, who do not know how to eat or drink, are communicated either with a leaf, or with a finger, dipped in the blood of the Lord, and placed in their mouths, the priest saying

The body, with the blood, of our Lord Jesus Christ, guard thee unto eternal life.

But if they are more advanced in age, they are communicated after the accustomed manner. But at Rome, where the pontiff baptizes some of the boys, he goes to the consignatory, and there chrisms the infants.

From the Church of Vienne. 1500. (Martene, as above.

Ordo 16.)

And if the archbishop perform the office (of baptism) he ought instantly to confirm the infant.

This is the latest instance in the West of the practice of infant confirmation.

From the First and Second Prayer-books of Edward VI. and Queen Elizabeth's Liturgy, and the Scotch Prayer-book.

CONFIRMATION, WHEREIN IS CONTAINED A CATECHISM FOR CHILDREN. To the end that confirmation may be ministered to the more edifying of such as shall receive it, according unto St. Paul's doctrine, who teacheth that all things should be done in the church to the edification of the same, it is thought good that none hereafter shall be confirmed but such as can say, in their mother tongue, the articles of the faith, the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Commandments, and can also answer to such questions of this short catechism as the bishop, or such as he shall appoint, shall, by his discretion, appose them in. And this order is most convenient to be observed for divers considerations.

First, because that when children come to the years of discretion, and have learned what their godfathers and godmothers promised for them in baptism, they may then themselves, with their own mouth, and with their own consent, openly before the church, ratify and confirm the same; and also promise that, by the grace of God, they will evermore endeavour themselves faithfully to observe and keep such things as they, by their own mouth and confession, have assented unto. Secondly, forasmuch as confirmation is ministered to them that be baptized, that, by imposition of hands and prayer, they may receive strength and defence against all temptation to sin, and the assaults of the world and the devil, it is most meet to be ministered when children come to that age, that partly by the frailty of their own flesh, partly by the assaults of the world and the devil, they begin to be in danger to fall into sundry kinds of sin.

Thirdly, for that it is agreeable with the usage of the church in times past, whereby it was ordained that confirmation should be ministered to them that VOL. XII.-July, 1837.

I

were of perfect age, that they, being instructed in Christ's religion, should openly profess their own faith, and promise to be obedient unto the will of God.

And that no man shall think that any detriment shall come to the children, by deferring of their confirmation, he shall know for truth that it is certain, by God's word, that children being baptized [1. B. of Edw. VI. if they depart out of this life in their infancy] have all things necessary for their salvation, and be undoubtedly saved.

Here follows the catechism.

And the bishop shall confirm them in this wise :

CONFIRMATION; or, laying on of hands.

Our help is in the name of the Lord.

Answer. Which hath made both heaven and earth.

Minister. Blessed is the name of the Lord.

Answer. Henceforth, world without end.

Minister. Lord, hear our prayer.

Answer. And let our cry come unto thee.

[1 B. of Edw. VI. Minister. The Lord be with you. Answer. And with thy Spirit.]

Let us pray.

Almighty and everlasting God, who hath vouchsafed to regenerate these thy servants by water and the Holy Ghost, and hast given unto them forgiveness of all their sins, strengthen them, we beseech thee, (O Lord,) with thy Holy Ghost, the Comforter, and daily increase in them thy manifold gifts of grace, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and ghostly strength, the Spirit of knowledge and true godliness, and fulfil them (O Lord) with the Spirit of thy holy fear. [1 B. of Edw. VI. Answer.] Amen.

1 B. of Edw. VI. Minister.

Sign them, (O Lord,) and mark them to be thine for ever, by the virtue of thy holy cross and passion. Confirm and strengthen them with the inward unction of thy Holy Ghost, mercifully unto everlasting life. Amen.

Then the bishop shall cross them in the forehead, and lay his hands upon their heads, saying

N. I sign thee with the sign of the cross, and lay mine hand upon thee, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

And thus shall he do to every child, one after another. And when he hath laid his hand upon every child, then shall he say―

The peace of the Lord abide with you.

Answer. And with thy Spirit.

Then shall the bishop say,

Let us pray.

Then shall the bishop lay his hand upon every child severally, saying

Defend (O Lord) this child, with thy heavenly grace, that he may continue thine for ever, and daily increase in thy Holy Spirit, more and more, until he come to thine everlasting kingdom. Amen.

Almighty, everlasting God, which maketh us both to will and to do those things that be good and acceptable unto thy Majesty, we make our humble supplications unto thee for these children. Upon whom, after the example of

thy holy apostles-[and so on to the end of the prayer, as it stands in our Common-Prayer-book.]

Then the bishop shall bless the children, saying thus

The blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be upon you, and remain with you for ever. Amen.

NOTE. The Rubric which stands at the end of the office in our prayer-books, "And there shall none be admitted to the holy communion until such time as he [can say the catechism and 2 B. Edw. VI. Scotch] be confirmed.

NOTICES AND REVIEWS.

An Essay concerning the Nature of Man. By John Dayman. London: Longman & Co. 1837. pp. 159.

A REVIEW of Mr. Grinfield's late work, it will be observed, gave rise to a rebuke from an anonymous correspondent, whose letter and the reply of the reviewer will be found in the last number of this Magazine. The reviewer, on more accounts than one, deprecated the discussions opened by Mr. Grinfield. They had been entered upon by him, no doubt, with the best and purest motives; but they were on points where every step is surrounded with difficulty; and, among other reasons, one which the reviewer did not bring forward, but which weighed much with him, was, the consideration that such abstruse matters are usually those in which men are the most likely to lose their temper, as well as, in some instances, their time. The volume now under review is one to which the same objection will apply, and perhaps with still greater force. Mr. Dayman seems a worthy, well-intentioned kind of man, who, thinking mankind had got into metaphysical difficulties about the soul and body, imagines that he shall reconcile philosophy and Christianity by abolishing all notion of the soul, as separate from the body. He seems to have a lurking suspicion (p. 157) that "this view of Christianity will be called materialism," though what other name he could have expected must remain an enigma worthy of the powers of Edipus to solve. There is one circumstance, however, which distinguishes Mr. Dayman from Mr. Grinfield. The latter has undertaken a subject which, at all events, lies within the reach of his reading; the other, in endeavouring to ascer tain the sense of the scriptures on the question of which he treats, confessedly goes beyond the circle to which he ought to confine himself. He honestly confesses that it is his misfortune not to understand Hebrew, (p. 3,) and yet he criticizes the metaphysical vocabulary of that language, and draws one of his conclusions from its barrenness, (pp. 31, 32.) No offence is meant to Mr. Dayman by alluding to this deficiency of his, which he most freely admits; but it does seem a necessary ingredient in a critical inquiry into the meaning of the Hebrew scriptures! As an instance of the mistakes into which criticism on the use of words in Hebrew writers, without a knowledge of the language, may lead an author, it is to be observed, that Mr. Dayman lays down, in chapter iii., the various senses in which the word (Nishmuh)

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